Internet television is gaining popularity in the region. As a yardstick of its popularity, MBC Group and etisalat announced that more than eight million videos have been viewed through internet TV platform on MBC's Shahed Online. The service was launched during Ramadan last September.

Elaborating on the number of viewers cashing in on this innovative technology, etisalat said more than three million viewers, of whom 65 per cent are from the Middle East, viewed eight million videos on the etisalat-powered website www.mbc.net/shahid.

MBC officials also conveyed that such a large hit in a short period of three quarters delivers a cost-affective medium for potential advertisers. The website hosted more than five million, five-second, pre-roll ads and hundreds of thousands of post-roll ads.

Dr Ammar Bakkar, Group Director of New Media at MBC group said: "Internet TV is a next-generation distribution channel, which has the capability to provide a global reach. Our Shahed Online service is a success story, which we can share with our advertising partners and provide a new and efficient way to implement their media strategies. These results show internet TV is a channel that has the power and ability to attract customers and build brand value."

Etisalat and MBC launched internet TV with MBC's top nine programmes available free, on demand. Today there are more than 34 shows available online, including entertainment, religious and drama series.

"Internet TV will change the way broadcasters showcase content and customers access television entertainment. This initiative has shown the potential for internet TV and provided verifiable and immediate results to MBC's advertising partners," Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer at etisalat said.

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