Regional powerhouse Viacom International has expanded its partnership with local broadcasting giant OSN to introduce the new Paramount Channel.

The partnership was announced at Cabsat’s Content Congress yesterday (March 22) in Dubai.

Raffaele Annecchino, president and managing director, VIMN SWEMEA, said: “After launching the first Paramount Channel ever just five years ago, the Mena version will be the 12th in the world, expanding the Paramount Channel reach to more than 94 million households across nearly 100 countries. The Paramount Channel in MENA is the next step forward in this rapid expansion and a very important launch.”

Paramount Channel is one of the most widely distributed movie channels in the world and the fastest growing brand in VIMN’s portfolio, offering viewers movies and TV series with a special focus on behind the scenes and storytelling elements.

Statistics show that globally, 83 per cent of adults aged 16-54 love watching movies and in the Middle East the percentage is even higher at 89 per cent. Internationally, 3-in-4 adults watch at least one film per week with 82 per cent of these, viewing them at home. Further regional statistics show that 92 per cent of respondents in the Middle East watch films specifically on television making it the most popular viewing platform and proves that Linear TV is still growing across the world, including in the Middle East region.

Drawing from a library of more than 100 years of trusted Paramount movie content and reinforced by contemporary third-party acquisitions, the Paramount Channel is perfectly positioned to meet the entertainment demands of Middle Eastern audiences. - TradeArabia News Service