ZEE launches second local channel in Middle East

ZEE has today announced that it is launching a second local channel in the Middle East, following the success of its first ZEE Aflam.

The new channel, ZEE Alwan, will sit alongside ZEE Aflam under ZEE’s Asian television network arm, ZEE Entertainment Enterprise LLC. ZEE Aflam – a movie channel – has done incredibly well since its launch there in 2008.

ZEE Alwan will have a content mix that include a diverse choice of Arabic serials and popular Indian TV serials dubbed in Arabic. A number of Arabic serials, produced and set in the Arab world, will also be aired. In the menu will include shows on cookery, health and fitness and travel features.

ZEE Alwan will mark the arrival of Indian soaps to the Middle East. Says ZEE Entertainment Enterprise LLC CEO – Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan Mukund Cairae, “With ZEE Alwan, we are delighted to offer our audiences in the Arab world a dedicated channel that presents popular Indian serials dubbed in Arabic, and tailored for Arabic family audiences. The cultural context outlined in these popular serials will resonate with Arabic audiences as they are essentially about human values, family bonding, friendships and relationships. The historic ties between the Arab world and India will further enable Arabic audiences to relate to the serials.”

ZEE Alwan will be transmitted from Dubai with an operational office in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Viewers can receive the channel through frequency 12417 on Nilesat and 12111 Arabsat.

“We have already established a strong footprint in the Arab world through ZEE Aflam, a channel dedicated to Bollywood films, dubbed or with subtitles in Arabic. Today, we are regarded as the ‘Gateway to Bollywood for the Arab world’ and with Zee Alwan we are taking our audience engagement to the next level with television serials and other lifestyle content, in addition to a strong bouquet of local programming,” he says.