Latest news with #WatchIT
Broadcast Pro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
iQIYI expands MENA presence with Dubai branch and Watch IT content deal
iQIYI has developed a MENA-specific content library, offering Chinese-language dramas, films, animations and variety shows thoughtfully adapted to reflect local tastes and cultural preferences. iQIYI, China's online entertainment platform, has made significant moves to expand its reach in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The company signed a content partnership with Egypt's Arabic streaming service, Watch IT. Just three days later, it launched its new MENA branch in Dubai, marking a stronger operational foothold in the region. These developments are part of iQIYI's broader localisation strategy, which is based on extensive market research. The company aims to promote Chinese storytelling internationally while incorporating more regional content into its platform. Identifying MENA as a market rich in history and brimming with potential due to increasing demand for digital entertainment, iQIYI is tailoring its strategy to better connect with local audiences. Through the partnership with Watch IT, the Egyptian platform will distribute a selection of iQIYI's premium Chinese-language films and series, including hit shows like Road Home and Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty. In exchange, iQIYI will stream Watch IT's original documentary Mother of the World, which explores the evolution of ancient Egyptian civilization through archaeological findings. In addition, iQIYI International will feature other select Arabic-language originals from Watch IT, expanding the diversity of its global content offerings. Zhaonan WANG, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of iQIYI, said: 'Watch IT is deeply rooted in the Egyptian and Middle Eastern markets, with robust production and distribution capabilities. Through this collaboration, we hope to better serve MENA audiences and use film and television as a bridge for cultural exchange.' The new branch in Dubai enhances iQIYI's capacity to serve MENA audiences more effectively. The platform now offers a curated MENA content library that includes Chinese-language dramas, movies, animation and variety shows localised to suit regional tastes. The company is also working to improve streaming performance in the region and is negotiating with local telecom providers to broaden access to its content. In addition to its partnership with Watch IT, iQIYI has been collaborating with evision, the media and entertainment subsidiary of e&, since 2014. This partnership allows over 20 popular Chinese titles to be streamed across the MENA region through evision's Starz ON free streaming service. Speaking at the Dubai launch, Xianghua Yang, President of iQIYI's Movie & Overseas Business Group, noted the key support of ongoing collaborations with local partners in advancing the company's continued development in MENA. With the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as its core, iQIYI aims to gradually cover the Gulf region. The Dubai branch adds to iQIYI's growing international infrastructure, which began with the launch of and the iQIYI International App in 2019, followed by the opening of its international headquarters in Singapore in 2020. The company now operates in four major global regions — Southeast Asia, North America, Japan and South Korea and MENA — as it continues its mission to become the go-to platform for Asian content worldwide. iQIYI's global reach now spans more than 190 countries and regions, with its international service supporting 12 languages, including English, Arabic, Korean, Spanish and Thai.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Netflix price SHOCK: what Brits pay compared to other countries
Last year, Netflix reached a major milestone: 300 million subscribers, outperforming the previous record it set in 2020 during the pandemic. But while the company celebrates, plenty of subscribers are doing the opposite, frustrated by the fact the streaming platform has announced yet another round of price hikes – this time affecting the US, Canada, Portugal and Argentina. Read on to explore the latest monthly cost of a standard, ad-free Netflix subscription in 35 selected countries, starting with the cheapest. All dollar amounts in US dollars. Pakistan offers the world's cheapest standard Netflix subscription without ads, coming in at just $2.86 (£2.31) per month. However, the cost isn't all that affordable when local purchasing power is factored in, according to data from cost of living database Numbeo. With only 300,000 subscribers (according to World Population Review), Netflix has a limited reach in Pakistan. Despite this, Pakistani viewers enjoy a substantial library of 6,836 movies and shows, exceeding the global average of 6,276, according to the research site Comparitech. While Egyptians pay only $3.38 (£2.73) per month for a standard, ad-free Netflix subscription, the cost is nearly twice as high as in Pakistan when adjusted for local purchasing power. It's comparable to the outlay in Singapore, and more expensive in a relative sense than in many European countries, as well as the US and Canada. No wonder Netflix isn't all that popular there; WatchIT is the leading streaming service in the nation, whereas Netflix is top of the list in the majority of other countries. Egypt's tiny subscriber base of 90,489 do, however, have plenty of content to choose from, with a total of 6,616 movies and shows, according to the website FlixPatrol. Currently, the homegrown action-comedy flick Agent Zero is the top-rated film, while the most popular show on the platform in Egypt is the US action thriller The Night Agent. A standard Netflix plan without ads is priced at $3.70 (£2.95) a month in Nigeria, which seems super-economical at first glance. But when local purchasing power is factored in, Nigerians are actually paying over the odds – more so than any other country in this round-up, in fact, and almost three times what Americans and Brits pay in a comparative sense. Adding insult to injury, the Netflix catalogue in the country makes for slim pickings, with just 2,378 films and shows to choose from. It's little wonder that Nigeria's subscriber base, which stands at only 150,815, is so modest, though it's still the leading streaming platform in the country. The standard, ad-free Netflix plan totals $5.76 (£4.65) per month in India. This represents the cheapest price in this round-up when local purchasing power is taken into account. Yet despite its affordability, Netflix is only the fourth most popular streaming service in India. It has 12.4 million subscribers, while the market leader Hotstar counts 33.4 million. India's Netflix subscribers have access to a decent 6,773 movies and shows, including plenty of locally produced content. The number one film on Netflix in the country right now is the Telugu-language action picture Pushpa 2: The Rule, with Hindi-language prison drama Black Warrant the most-watched show. Turkish subscribers to Netflix pay $6.46 (£5.21) a month for a standard, ad-free plan. In relative terms, this is roughly equivalent to what Western Europeans and Americans fork out since Turks have a lot less purchasing power. Netflix has a hefty 3.7 million subscribers in Türkiye. Unsurprisingly, it's the nation's most popular streaming service, with TV+ a fairly distant second. Still, the Turkish Netflix library isn't the biggest, with its total number of films and shows around the global average of 6,378. A standard Netflix plan without ads is rather costly in the Philippines when local purchasing power is considered, more expensive than what many Europeans and Americans pay from a relative point of view. As you might expect, the number of subscribers isn't all that huge compared to the country's population, with a total of 2.7 million signed up to the streaming service. Filipinos do have an abundance of movies and shows to choose from though, with 7,703 currently available on the platform, well above the global average. For Colombians, a standard, ad-free Netflix subscription costs $7.19 (£5.80) a month. But with local purchasing power factored in, the platform's six million subscribers, like many others in Latin America, pay a premium – more in a relative sense than Europeans, Americans and even Filipinos. There are fewer movies and shows on offer for Colombians than Filipinos: 6,462 vs 7,703. The most popular film on the platform in Colombia at present is the inspirational Mexican drama Lucca's World, while WWE Royal Rumble is the top-rated show. Netflix's foray into live sports is actually among the reasons it's doing so well right now. Indonesians pay more than Colombians for their Netflix subscription, both nominally and relative to purchasing power. And the comparative cost of a standard plan without ads is almost double what Americans pay. A recent VAT hike has made matters worse. The cheaper Hong Kong-based Viu is Indonesia's number-one streaming service for good reason. Nevertheless, Indonesia's 4.2 million Netflix subscribers enjoy a vast library of 7,163 movies and shows, which presumably makes the comparatively steep cost a lot more palatable. As in so many countries around the globe, Netflix is tops in Brazil, and the streaming platform has 16.6 million subscribers in the nation. The relative cost isn't all that economical though, coming in at 50% higher than the amount Americans pay when local purchasing power is considered. Brazilians can pick from 6,783 movies and shows, which is more than the global average. US animated musical Under the Boardwalk is the top-rated movie in the country at the current time, while The Night Agent is the most popular show. South Africa is the second-cheapest nation for Netflix in this round-up from a relative standpoint, though the country's notorious income inequality does mean the poorest South Africans may struggle to afford a plan. Netflix has 1.2 million subscribers in the Rainbow Nation and a library of 6,923 movies and shows, but homegrown platform Showmax, which generally has lower-priced packages, is the market leader. Indeed, Showmax, which enjoys partnerships with HBO and Comcast, has supplanted Netflix as Africa's number-one streaming service. Netflix's South Korean content is top-notch, from international mega-hit Squid Game to award-winning K-dramas like The Glory and Dr. Romantic, and subscribers in the country get to choose from a library of 6,923 movies and shows. It makes sense that Netflix is the nation's most popular streaming service, with 8.4 million subscribers. Cementing Netflix's pull in South Korea is its relative affordability. In a comparative sense, South Koreans who are signed up to the standard plan without ads pay substantially less than their counterparts in Europe, the US and Canada. Chileans have to part with $9.31 (£7.51) per month for a standard, ad-free Netflix plan. In terms of purchasing power, this is exactly what Brazilians pay but more than what subscribers in the US and Europe spend. In any case, Netflix is the most popular streaming service in Chile, with 2.4 million people signed up to the platform. As for content, Chileans have the pick of 6,529 films and shows. As mentioned earlier, Argentina is among the four countries where Netflix has recently increased prices. The standard monthly plan without ads now costs $9.50 (£7.67), up from $6.85 (£5.57), an increase of 39%. It's important to point out that the rate of inflation in the country is well over 100%, so the price hike presumably has more to do with skyrocketing prices than profiteering on the part of Netflix. With 6.3 million subscribers, Netflix is Argentina's leading streaming service. And while it's more expensive in the nation than it is in Chile from both a nominal and relative point of view, Argentinians do have more content to choose from: 6,702 movies and shows compared to Chile's 6,529. Amazon Prime is the most popular streaming service in Japan, with an impressive 18.6 million subscribers against Netflix's nine million. But Japanese Netflix subscribers do get a stellar deal. The library in the country is well-stocked with a total of 7,149 movies and shows. Best of all, the standard subscription without ads is the third-cheapest in our round-up when local purchasing power is factored in. The top-rated movie on Netflix in Japan right now is the locally produced thriller Faceless, while the Manga series Sakamoto Days is the most popular show. Netflix subscribers in Peru need deep pockets. While the nominal price of a monthly, ad-free plan may seem reasonable at $10.98 ($8.86), it's the second most expensive in our round-up based on local purchasing power. Netflix Peruvian subscribers, who number 1.8 million, do have plenty of movies and shows at their fingertips at 6,537, which is fairly generous for Latin America. But as we've mentioned, their counterparts in Argentina have 165 additional films and shows to pick from. Netflix has 2.3 million subscribers in Malaysia, but Viu – which, as previously mentioned, offers more affordable packages – is the number one streaming service in the country with almost double the number of active accounts. Malaysian Netflix viewers can choose from 6,568 movies and shows. The service's cost, adjusted for local purchasing power, is comparable to that of the US and Europe. Right now, the most popular movie on Netflix in Malaysia is Singaporean horror Ibu, while South Korea's The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call is the number one show. Australians enjoy a great value proposition from Netflix with all things considered. For starters, the nation's 6.9 million subscribers pay much less than those in the US, Canada and Europe when local purchasing power is factored in. Then there's the amount of content on offer. Aussie Netflix subscribers can select from 7,120 movies and shows, amounting to 844 more than the global average. New Zealanders also get a fabulous deal from Netflix. While the relative cost is slightly higher than what Australians pay, Kiwis also spend substantially less than subscribers in the US, Canada and Europe. In any case, Netflix's New Zealand library is marginally larger than Australia's, with eight more movies and shows to choose from. Right now, the top-rated film in both New Zealand and Australia is the US animated blockbuster Despicable Me 4, while the most popular show is WWE Royal Rumble 2025. Slovakia shines with the biggest Netflix library on the planet. The 422,282 Netflix subscribers in the Eastern European nation have the pick of a staggering 8,525 movies and shows, 2,249 more than the global average and a whopping 7,030 more than Uganda, which has the world's smallest Netflix catalogue. On the downside, Slovakians pay a shade more for their Netflix than many other European countries when local purchasing power is considered. Mexicans have fewer movies and shows at their disposal, but at 6,759, their Netflix library is larger than the global average. But the outlay, when adjusted for local purchasing power, is punishing, with the cost of a standard ad-free subscription the third most expensive in this round-up in relative terms. Despite this, Netflix is the leading streaming service in Mexico with 13.9 million subscribers. In terms of movies and shows, the homegrown heartstring-tugger Lucca's World is the most popular movie on Netflix Mexico at the moment, with WWE Royal Rumble 2025 the top-rated show. As well as bracing themselves for the financial pain of the proposed Trump tariffs, Canada's nine million Netflix subscribers have endured a price hike for the streaming service. The standard ad-free plan has jumped in price from $11.23 (£9.09) to $13.06 (£10.53) per month. In relative terms, the price is actually on a par with what Americans are now paying since Canadians have less purchasing power. And as a consolation, Canadians have more content to choose from. Their library totals 7,176 movies and shows, 313 more than America's. Netflix is the number one streaming service in the UAE, as it is in many nations around the world. Subscribers in the country pay less for the service in relative terms than those in the US, Canada and Europe. Yet despite having access to a richly stocked library consisting of 6,557 movies and shows, the Netflix experience in the country is decidedly different, since the platform heavily censors much of the content so as not to offend local religious and cultural sensitivities. The current cost of a standard monthly Netflix plan without ads in the UK comes in at $13.62 (£10.99), which is both nominally and relatively cheaper than what most subscribers in continental Europe pay, and slightly more affordable in comparative terms than the plan in the US and Canada. The UK also benefits from a larger Netflix library than those across the pond. There are 8,038 movies and shows on offer in the country compared to 6,863 in the US and 7,176 in Canada. Again, Netflix is the most popular streaming service in the nation with 18.4 million subscribers, 4.4 million more than the runner-up Amazon Prime. French Netflix subscribers pay more than their counterparts in the UK, both in terms of the actual price and relative cost based on local purchasing power. But their library is smaller, with 7,558 movies and shows to pick from. The country's leading streaming service, Netflix has 13.6 million subscribers in France. As expected, the most popular movie on the platform in the country right now is a Gallic flick, Tout Le Bleu Du Ciel, though US series The Night Agent is reigning supreme as the number one show. Austrians pay $14.50 (£11.70) per month for a standard, ad-free Netflix subscription, a price point shared with a number of other European countries. This is higher in both nominal and relative terms than in France, but lower than in several other nations on the continent. Austrians do have access to more content than viewers in France, however. Their library is one of the biggest globally with a total of 7,904 movies and shows. When it comes to subscribers, Netflix counts 1.5 million in Austria, over 600,000 more than the nation's runner-up streaming platform Amazon Prime. The monthly price for a standard Netflix plan without ads is identical in Spain at $14.50 (£11.70). But Spanish subscribers, who number 7.8 million, pay slightly more in a relative sense than their counterparts in Austria due to weaker purchasing power. They have fewer movies and shows to pick from, but not by much, and the total of 7,831 is well above the global average. At the current time, Lucca's World is the top-rated movie on the platform in Spain, with locally produced crime mini-series The Snow Girl the most popular show. Germans are among the luckiest in Europe when it comes to Netflix. Not only do the country's 16.6 million subscribers pay less in relative terms than those in many other continental European countries, including Austria, France and Spain, they also have access to a wealth of content, with 7,940 movies and shows to pick from. At the current time, the most popular movie on the platform in Germany is the locally produced comedy Chantal in Fairyland, with The Night Agent the highest-rated show. These titles are also number one in neighbouring Austria. Italians pay more for Netflix from a relative standpoint than every other European country in this round-up. Even so, Netflix is the market leader there with 5.7 million subscribers, over 2.2 million more than runner-up Amazon Prime. Italy's Netflix library, while large by global standards, is smaller than its equivalent in most European countries, with a total of 7,633 movies and shows on offer. The nominal cost of a standard ad-free Netflix plan is identical in the Netherlands, but Dutch subscribers pay the same as Brits when local purchasing power is factored in, and less than Americans and Canadians. The country's 1.2 million Netflix subscribers have fewer movies and shows to pick from than their Italian counterparts, but at 6,859, the catalogue size is still larger than the global average. At the moment, the country's highest-rated movie on the platform is the Cameron Diaz comeback film Back in Action, with Belgian teen drama High Tides the most popular show. In Singapore, a standard Netflix plan without ads is priced at $14.72 (£11.88), which is more than Americans, Canadians and most Europeans pay when local purchasing power is considered. And it's a lot more expensive than neighbouring Malaysia's in a nominal sense. Despite this, Netflix is super-popular in the city-state and the leading streaming platform by a long shot, with 1.8 million subscribers, far ahead of the runner-up Disney+, which counts 564,420. And Singapore's library is much bigger than Malaysia's, with 7,450 movies and shows against the latter's 6,568. In Belgium, the cost of a monthly Netflix plan without ads runs to $15.54 (£12.53). When local purchasing power is considered, this is on a par with what subscribers in neighbouring France pay but more than what Dutch subscribers part with. Belgium has 2.3 million Netflix subscribers and the library in the country contains 7,561 movies and shows. The number one film on the platform in the nation right now is Despicable Me 4, while the most popular show is The Night Agent (and not, incidentally, the Belgian-produced High Tides, which is top dog in the Netherlands). Irish Netflix subscribers pay the same for a monthly standard ad-free plan but very slightly more than Belgians in a relative sense as their purchasing power is somewhat weaker. Fortunately for Netflix's 1.4 million subscribers in Ireland, they do have more movies and shows to choose from, with 7,826 available compared to Belgium's 7,561. At the moment, the US noughties political thriller The Sentinel is the top-rated film on Netflix in the country, with WWE Royal Rumble 2025 the most-watched show. Netflix subscribers in Denmark pay more nominally than their counterparts in Ireland, but slightly less when adjusted for local purchasing power. Netflix has 1.7 million subscribers in the Nordic nation and it rules the streaming roost. HBO Max is the runner-up with 1.2 million. Netflix's Danish content library isn't the largest in Europe but it still boasts an impressive 7,401 movies and shows. American Netflix subscribers have been hit with an unwelcome price hike, with the cost of a monthly standard ad-free subscription up from $15.49 (£12.50) to $17.99 (£14.52). Softening the blow is the fact Americans still pay less in a relative sense than most European countries and the same as Canadians, though they do have fewer movies and shows to pick from at 6,863. Netflix remains the most popular streaming service in the US with 81.4 million subscribers. But runner-up Amazon Prime is catching up. Its total now stands at 75 million, and the platform recently surpassed Netflix as America's most in-demand movie library. Netflix may very well come to rue the day it hiked up prices in the country... Together with the petite principality of Liechtenstein, Switzerland is the most expensive country in a nominal sense for a standard ad-free Netflix plan. Its subscription is priced at a massive $22.93 (£18.50) per month, which is eight times more expensive than the equivalent plan in the cheapest country for Netflix, Pakistan. Thankfully, the Swiss are exceedingly affluent in relative terms, so when local purchasing power is factored in, they pay the same as the Irish and Austrians. Switzerland's Netflix library has 7,541 movies and shows. Right now, Back in Action is the country's top-rated movie on Netflix, while The Night Agent is the leading show. Now discover
See - Sada Elbalad
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Hannah El Zahed Teases "Iqama Gabrya" Season 2 Possibility
Yara Sameh Egyptian actress Hannah El Zahed has delivered a career-best performance as Salma, the devil with an angelic face, in Watch It's thriller TV series 'Iqama Gabrya'. In "Iqama Gabrya", El Zahed plays Salma, a pharmacist who goes to therapy following the death by suicide of her husband (Played by Ahmed Hatem), who she confessed to killing during her first session with her psychiatrist Aida (Sabrien), soon meets a new man named Mosa (Mohamed El Sharnouby), who is later turned out to her son. "Iqama Gabrya" hit the "Watch IT" streaming platform on January 8 with the series finale airing on Wednesday. The series ends with Mosa turning Salma over to the police after discovering all the crimes she had committed. Salma gets jailed for her crimes and commits suicide, only to be discovered by the prison officer. The episode concludes with the sound of her breathing, showing that Salma did not die. Throughout the run of the series, El Zahed has been sharing photos and videos, including fan-made videos, from the drama on social media. With "Iqama Gabrya" coming to an end, the actress took to Instagram to tease the possibility of the series returning for a new season. 'Salma imposed house arrest on everyone who entered her life… Including you! Do you think it's over or is she still breathing?' El Zahed captioned, leaving the door open for the possibility of a second season. In another post, she wrote,"Is that the sound of Salma's breathing? Is she still alive? She has 7 lives.. #Iqama_Gabrya 2". The series also boasted a cast that included Aida Reyad, Mahmoud al Bezzawy, Tharaa Goubail, and more. It was scripted by Ahmed Adel, directed by Ahmed Samir Farag, and produced by Sabbah Pictures. The drama consists of 10 episodes and marks the third collaboration between El Zahed and El Sharnouby. They collaborated for the first time in the TV series "Helwa El Donia Sokar" and the star-studded film 'Baad Saat Fi Youm Ma'.
Broadcast Pro
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Watch IT unveils Ramadan 2025 drama lineup
The Ramadan series lineup encompasses productions from Watch IT's own library, including 'El Sharnaka'. Watch IT, the premier Egyptian Video-on-Demand platform in the region, has announced its Ramadan 2025 drama lineup, featuring 14 exclusive series that span a variety of genres, from gripping drama and intense action to thought-provoking social stories. Among the highlights of this year's lineup is El Sharnaka , a Watch IT Original starring Ahmed Dawood, Mariam El Khosht and Sabry Fawaz. Welad El Shams brings a drama-filled narrative featuring Mahmoud Hemida and Ahmed Malek, while Hesbet Omry , starring Amr Abdel Gelil and Rogena, delves into emotionally charged and dramatic life experiences. Hakeem Basha , led by Mostafa Shaaban, Monzer Rayahna and Sahar El Sayegh, blends historical themes with a modern perspective, while Aysha El Door marks the return of Donia Samir Ghanem in a social drama. The lineup also includes Zolm El Mastaba , featuring Fathy Abdel Wahab, Eyad Nassar and Riham Abdel Ghafour in a suspenseful intense story. Lam Shamsya , starring Amina Khalil and Mohamed Shahin, offers a contemporary and engaging narrative. In addition to these productions, other titles such as Athena , El Captain , O'bal Andoko , and W Te'abel Habeeb further enrich the platform's Ramadan selection, ensuring a diverse range of content for viewers.
