Turner Broadcasting System Europe (TBS), a Time Warner company, is set to launch its free-to-air Cartoon Network in Arabic from its newly-opened office in Dubai Media City on Sunday.

The channel, broadcasting completely in Arabic across the Mena region, will feature over 500 episodes of the kids’ most popular shows including: Ben 10, Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Ben and Izzy and Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, in addition to region’s popular 3D animation series, Freej, said a TBS statement.

The channel promises children ultimate fun in Arabic round-the clock for the very first time, it added.

In commemorating this announcement, Alan Musa, vice president and general manager, MEA & Pan Region said Cartoon Network Arabic reflects TBS’s ambition and belief in local talent.

"Our initiative has come to life through investing in different strategic partnerships with companies such as “Lammtara” and “Rubicon”. Both partnerships will result in generating new ideas and content in addition to distributing them outside the Mena region,.”Musa said during the pre-launch ceremony held at Dubai Media City on Wednesday.

A number of TBS regional officials and celebrities took part in the event which coincides with the opening of TBS offices in Dubai Media City, the region’s leading media hub and a member of Tecom Investments.

With a reach of a potential 35 million homes in the Mena region, the new channel will be launched to target the growing audience base who are dedicated followers of Cartoon Network through airing locally produced shows, blockbuster movies and original productions, the TBS statement said.

Under the deal with Lammtara, the studio and creator of Freej, Turner will license and distribute Freej episodes and merchandise, and produce a local version of its original production, Skatoony, which will feature Freej characters, a first for the global animated channel.

Rubicon Group, the creator of “Tareq wa Shireen” and “Ben and Izzy” will be working with Turner to air these series on Cartoon Network.

“We are thrilled to work with prestigious names such as TBS and Cartoon Network. Their efforts and determination to create localized high quality content is admired and will be recognized amongst the industry. We are confident that our relationship with TBS will create new and innovative opportunities in the future.” Mohammed Saeed Harib, creator and director of Freej.

Randa Ayoubi, CEO of Rubicon, said: "Through our long standing relationship with Turner Broadcasting, Ben and Izzy have grown incredibly popular on an international stage. Which is why we are delighted that it now has a permanent home in the Middle East too."

"There is huge market for Arabic content and Cartoon Network Arabia has provided the perfect platform to tell our stories," she  added.

Mohammad Abdullah, managing director of Tecom Investments’ Media Cluster, said: "We welcome TBS to Tecom with the launch of its free-to-air Cartoon Network Channel in Arabic."

"This is particularly noteworthy as Turner will focus on original content creation for the channel in collaboration with regional companies. There is a huge demand for locally produced content and we believe this initiative will add definite value to the Arab media industry," he added.-TradeArabia News Service