OSN: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|Emirati direct-broadcast satellite provider}}

| industry = [[Television broadcasting]]<br />[[Streaming television|Streaming TV]]

| owner = [[KIPCO]] (60.5%)<br />[[Mawarid Holding]] (30.5%)<ref>{{cite news |title=Kuwait's KIPCO hires Rothschild to advise TV arm IPO |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305220703/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kuwait-kipco-rothschild-idUKBRE95L05Z20130622 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kuwait-kipco-rothschild-idUKBRE95L05Z20130622 |date=June 22, 2013 |location=Kuwait |work=[[Reuters]] |publisher=Thomson Reuters}}</ref>

| foundation = {{Start date and age|2009|1210|712|df=yes}}

'''Orbit Showtime Network''', commonly known as '''OSN''', is a [[Dubai]]-based [[Satellite television|satellite TV]] company, serving the [[Middle East and North Africa]] region. OSN mainly broadcasts programming from TV networks owned by [[Paramount Global]], [[Warner Bros. Discovery]], [[NBCUniversal]], [[Sony Pictures]], [[DreamWorks Television|DreamWorks]] and the [[BBC]];, as well as regional, mostly Arabic, Turkish, and Pinoy content.

OSN has introduced several technologies and services to the region since 2012, likesuch as the [[Digital video recorder|DVR]] and, an online TV platform,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://osnplay.osn.com/ |title=OSN Play |publisher=OSN |access-date=2012-07-19 |archive-date=2012-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721062232/http://osnplay.osn.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref> 3D HD, and internet-enabled satellite receivers,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://mediame.com/en/news/announcement/osn_launches_plus_hd |title=OSN launches Plus HD |date=17 September 2012 |work=mediaME |access-date=22 January 2014 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202124230/http://mediame.com/en/news/announcement/osn_launches_plus_hd |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.broadcastprome.com/case-studies/osn-goes-hybrid-with-new-pvr/ |title=OSN goes hybrid with new PVR |date=5 November 2012 |work=BroadcastPro Middle East |access-date=22 January 2014 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202092640/http://www.broadcastprome.com/case-studies/osn-goes-hybrid-with-new-pvr/ |url-status=live}}</ref> since it was founded in 2009.

{{unreferencedsectUnreferencedsect|date=September 2022}}

OSN was formed in 2009 by the merger of the two largest subscription TV networks in the region, namely [[Orbit Communications Company|Orbit]] (a member of Riyadh-based [[Mawarid Holding]] which included the formerly separate [[Arab Radio and Television Network|ART]] network), and [[Showtime Arabia]], a joint venture between [[CBS Corporation]] and Kuwait-based [[KIPCO]].<ref>{{cite book | last1=Birkinbine | first1=B. | last2=Gomez | first2=R. | last3=Wasko | first3=J. | title=Global Media Giants | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-317-40286-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3UmTDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA282 | access-date=April 8, 2017 | page=282}}</ref> The merger of KIPCO and Mawared resulted in a new [[holding company]]; Panther Media Group, with its headquarters in the [[Dubai International Financial Centre]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.osn.com/en-ae/corporate/about |title=About OSN |work=OSN}}</ref>

Showtime Arabia continued its growth in the region by adding a range of new channels and new services, such as the Showbox [[Digital video recorder|DVR]] System in 2005, allowing subscribers to record different programmes. In August 2007, Showtime Arabia expanded its [[Video on demand|video-on-demand]] service.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.campaignlive.com/article/showtime-introduces-video-demand-middle-east/673802 |title=Showtime introduces video on demand to the Middle East |last=Akerman |first=Iain |date=July 30, 2007 |location=Dubai |work=Campaign |publisher=Haymarket Media Group Ltd.}}</ref>

On the other hand, Bahrain-based Orbit was the first pay TV service in the Middle East; due to the challenging environment, it was driven to consolidate with the larger Showtime to better compete with popular [[Free-to-air|free-to-air]] satellite television.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/media/shifting-orbit-50995 |title=Shifting Orbit |last=Parnell |first=John |date=April 13, 2008 |quote=We face major issues confronting the spread of piracy in the Middle East… [t]he influx of new free-to-air (FTA) TV operators also challenges our position in regards to advertising spend and convincing consumers to subscribe to pay TV services. |work=[[Arabian Business]] |publisher=[[ITP Media Group]]}}</ref>

In March 2022, OSN rebranded its subscription video-on-demand [[Streaming media|streaming service]] from 2020 to OSN+ (or OSN Plus). A more colourfulcolorful logo accompanied the rebrand, as well as an update to the interface and search engine.<ref>{{CitationCite web |last=Mehta |first=Neha needed|date=May2022-03-17 2023|title=OSN rebrands it's streaming service with OSN |url=https://adtechtoday.com/osn-rebrands-its-streaming-service-with-osn/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Adtech Today |language=en}}</ref>

Furthermore, OSN+ provides regionally produced content, producing originals. For example, a local adaptation of the American TV series ''[[Suits (American TV series)|Suits]]'', launched in April 2022.<ref>{{Citationcite web |url=https://reviewcentralme.com/2022/02/04/arabic-adaptation-of-the-hit-us-tv-show-suits-to-be-aired-during-ramadan/ |title=Arabic adaptation of the hit US TV show 'Suits' to be aired during Ramadan needed|date=May4 2023February 2022}}</ref>

* OSN Plus HD (Discontinueddiscontinued)

* OSN HD (Discontinueddiscontinued)

* OSN ShowboxDVR HD (Discontinueddiscontinued)

** OSN TV Movies ComdeyComedy

** OSN TV Kidzone

** [[Cartoon Network (Middle Eastern and African TV channel)|Cartoon Network MENA]] (replaced [[Disney Channel (European, Middle Eastern, and African TV channel)|Disney Channel]])

<gallery position="center">

File:OSN_Movies_2013.jpg|Discontinued logo of OSN Movies

* {{cite web | title=Orbit Showtime Network opening string of Bahrain retail outlets | website=Gulf News Journal | date=December 15, 2015 | url=http://gulfnewsjournal.com/stories/510653001-orbit-showtime-network-opening-string-of-bahrain-retail-outlets | access-date=February 28, 2017}}

* {{officialOfficial website}}

* [http://www.flysat.com/osn.php Flysat OSN Package] {{Webarchivewebarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321003325/http://www.flysat.com/osn.php |date=2018-03-21 }}