That we have arrived at a situation where a $1 billion arbitration claim has been made by Qatar’s broadcaster beIN against Saudi Arabia over its exclusion from the kingdom’s market, coupled with its action at the World Trade Organisation against what it says is the “most widespread piracy of sports broadcasting that the world has ever seen,” is not that surprising given how this row has simmered for months following the activities of channel beoutQ.
For seasoned media professionals working in this region, the scenario is even less surprising and perhaps inevitable given how beIN has operated since it began to aggressively accumulate broadcast rights for major international sporting events – from Champions League football to Grand Slam tennis to Major League baseball – over the last five years.
Since it was created as Al Jazeera Sport in 2003, the group has spent billions of dollars in its pursuit of hegemony in the Middle East and North Africa region, with little attention given to the health and future of the sector.
For a number of years now, there has been a concerted and collective effort by broadcasters across the region, including in the UAE and Saudi, to tackle satellite TV piracy and the associated theft of intellectual property, which is costing them up to $750 million a year. Last year, there were 257 raids carried out and thousands of pirate set top boxes seized across the region. Action by the MENA Broadcast Satellite Anti-Piracy Alliance resulted in 22 channels shutdown for illegally broadcasting content. The alliance was formed in 2014 but beIN only became a member earlier this year.
A senior industry source said that beIN in the past was known to not be too concerned about the theft of its own feeds while as many eyeballs as possible were watching its channels. This was partly a fudge amid tension between its small, paying subscriber base and the high rates that it charged advertising clients. It was also because sports are an integral part of Qatar’s projection of soft power.
In 2014, a year after it first secured the rights to show the English Premier League in the region’s 23 territories, BeIN was forced to restrict the number of live TV matches it broadcast after pressure from the league. Its feed was finding its way to UK viewers where Sky is dominant thanks to the billions of dollars it pays the Premier League for broadcast rights. In March of that year BeIN launched a campaign to curb the piracy, promising to protect the rights of subscribers.
The piracy of its feed did not stop completely. Weekend schedules of live Premier League games on TV in this region have never quite returned to the earlier, abundant days before the piracy issue first reared its head in the wake of beIN taking over the broadcast of top flight English football. The source said that piracy never became an urgent matter for beIN despite appearances. This was partly because its cash-heavy position had given it the upper hand in the Middle East. It could do what it liked.
A case in point: in 2013, the biggest regional broadcasters agreed to take a stand and not partake in a bidding war for the English game, in a kind of protest against the Premier League’s quest for each deal to be bigger than the last. Successive broadcasters had learnt that paying hundreds of millions of dollars for football was not commercially viable.
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Read more
In defeat, Saudi fans are united by an unusual foe
Saudi Arabia lodges complaint with Fifa over beIN’s ‘insulting’ World Cup coverage
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They wanted more realistic prices in order to make it profitable for them. Initially the protest worked. The three-year rights to show 380 games across all platforms for the 23 countries of the Middle East and North Africa were sold not to a broadcaster but to MP & Silva, a sports rights agency, in January 2013 for $300m. However, by July, beIN had broken ranks and acquired the rights, leaving the other broadcasters behind as it plotted its path to global sports broadcasting domination as its chief Nasser Al Khelaifi put it in a 2012 interview with Reuters.
According to the source, beIN would strategically overspend at first to blow any competition out of the market. As a result, many other broadcasters, particularly state channels, scaled back their operations and investment in sports. This has had the effect of reinforcing beIN’s dominance and this kind of behaviour, while not illegal, would likely have attracted the attention of competition authorities if it took place anywhere else in the world. While beIN operates in this way, sports broadcasting in the Middle East has little chance of becoming a commercial venture anytime soon and will remain a soft power play.
It also means that – outside of the biggest sports media properties – BeIN remains happy to pay the most to win rights but refuses to invest to grow these brands in any meaningful way. It means that sport in general suffers as a result. Other broadcasters, unable to win but a few of the more minor sports properties, treat all of what they are able to show as premium content, in contrast, supporting the competitions beyond just an initial cash payment and helping sport’s popularity to grow in the region.
It is the almost complete domination by beIN that has been so disruptive for the Middle East’s media sector and has not been healthy for sport or business in general, the source said.
Beyond commercial considerations, broadcast rights have also trumped the rights of the fans who are at the heart of why sports, like football, matter so much in the Middle East. Countries like Saudi and Egypt made it to the World Cup in Russia, while Qatar didn’t, yet Saudi and Egyptian fans had no access to their national teams’ games as a result of beIN’s domination - in the case of Egypt this was resolved at the last minute when beIN bowed to pressure and offered to broadcast a number of games free-to-air.
Added to this, the source said, is that beIN has never prioritised the fan experience, often falling down in terms of customer service. It has used its unassailable position to charge for what in many countries is free of charge, such as watching national teams at a major international competition. It has also failed to invest in local sports programming in any meaningful way beyond the minimum expected.
BeoutQ is not the first pirate broadcaster in the region and it won’t be the last given all of the above. That this channel has been so brazen about its illegal activity is perhaps what is really the new development.
What is not in doubt, however, is that beIN could have done more in the past to tackle piracy if it had wanted to, making this situation that it claims to be so damaging to its business, quite avoidable.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
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Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
