Fox Networks Group has hired Ericsson for playout, media management and global distribution services for three new HD channels.  The multi-year contract is exclusive to Ericsson.

The new channels, Fox Crime, Fox Life and Fox Rewayat, launched last month and are broadcast 24 hours a day from Ericsson’s broadcast and media services hub in Abu Dhabi.

As part of the deal, Ericsson will encode the channels for distribution across Fox’s global affiliate network from its broadcast and media services hubs in Abu Dhabi and Hilversum, using Ericsson’s secure internet distribution platform.

Sanjay Raina, general manager and senior vice president of Fox Networks Group Middle East, said: “At Fox Networks Group, as we continue to expand our footprint across the Middle East, we want to ensure our channel experience is unparalleled. Building on our long-term partnership, we are delighted to select Ericsson for the playout, media management and global distribution services on our three new HD channels in the Middle East. We trust their experience and expertise to deliver reliable and agile broadcast services to our viewers across the region.”

Steve Nylund, head of broadcast and media Services, Ericsson, says: “Over the last 18 months, we’ve focused on growing our broadcast and media services hub in Abu Dhabi by strengthening our relationships with broadcasters across the region and hiring a talented team to deliver these critical services for our clients. We believe that our global expertise in managing complex playout operations, combined with our local know-how, makes us the partners of choice for broadcasters worldwide. We look forward to building an even stronger partnership with Fox Networks Group in the years to come.”

Fox Crime is the Middle East’s first entertainment channel dedicated to crime and investigation and will feature the best drama and reality programming in the genre; while Fox Life will offer an eclectic mix of travel, food, home, and wellness programs tailored to a Middle East audience. Fox Rewayat is Fox Network’s first ever Arabic language channel and will be home to feel-good love stories, hard-hitting drama, and everything in-between.

The new channels join the growing portfolio of TV channels managed by Ericsson from its Abu Dhabi hub. This include seven Fox channels – Fox Movies, Fox, STAR Movies, STAR World, Fox Action Movies, Fox Family Movies, and FX.