discovery+ launches in MENA as dedicated hub in Starzplay

Following its US launch earlier this week, Discovery has announced plans to roll-out its new SVOD discovery+ in the MENA region in partnership with Starzplay.

Taking a different approach to the US and UK where the service is offered as a standalone streamer, MENA viewers will be able to access discovery+ content via a dedicated branded area within Starzplay.

Starzplay is by far the leading streaming service in the region, with over a million paying subscribers accessing the service on more than six million devices. It is available in 20 countries across MENA and Pakistan, though this deal with Discovery will only cover 18 countries and territories.

The inclusion of discovery+ will serve to bolster Starzplay’s leading position, with new content from franchises like Mythbusters and Say Yes to the Dress added each month in addition to original shows and the BBC’s natural history library.

Francesco Perta, senior business development and distribution director, Middle East, Africa, Turkey and North East Europe at Discovery, said: “Our vast content library gives us a running start to serve fans directly in markets across EMEA, and the world, in ways that are relevant, compelling and tailored to each market.  Our partnership with Starzplay is another example of how we are scaling our DTC businesses by leveraging our combination of competitive advantages – content ownership, brand strength and the biggest global footprint in media.”

Danny Bates, co-founder and CCO of Starzplay, said: “As a leading regional video streaming service, our core strategic focus involves seeking out ways to drive customer satisfaction as we continue our growth trajectory across MENA. The decision to enter the content aggregation space adds to our proposition as a one-stop-shop for premium content, offering our subscribers quality, choice and convenience. Discovery offers the best-in-class real-life entertainment content portfolio and adding discovery+ to our offering continues to drive value to our platform.”