STARZPLAY, the subscription video on demand (SVOD) service in MENA, has reported growth of 141% in unique users during April 2020, when the COVID-19 crisis peaked in the region, according to The Rise and Rise of Streaming Video in the MENA Market.
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| Source: PRNewsfoto/STARZPLAY. Baghdad Central on STARZPLAY. |
Conducted by PSB Research, a global insights consultancy, the research examined streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) trends from January 2019 to May 2020, covering two phases – the COVID-19 situation that led to lockdowns, and Ramadhan.
Co-founder and CEO of STARZPLAY Maaz Sheikh said the study provides informed insights on how the region has adapted to streaming video and the growing popularity of STARZPLAY's balanced portfolio of content, both in Arabic and English.
"Our growth is led by our focus on meeting the aspirations of our subscribers by offering content that is relevant to them, and by deploying breakthrough technology such as our advanced recommendation engines," he said.
David James, Senior VP, PSB, added: "This comprehensive study of streaming video trends gives us a unique understanding of entertainment choices among consumers in MENA during COVID-related quarantines."
Highlights include:
- STARZPLAY's active user base increased 42% in January 2020 and 41% in February, surging to 89% in March and 141% in April.
- The number of new subscribers across all markets increased by 58% between February and April 2020.
- Subscribers also consumed more content during COVID-19, with an increase of 50% in streaming hours per unique user.
Total consumption of STARZPLAY content during Ramadhan 2020 more than tripled compared to the same period in 2019. Ramadhan covered late April to late May in 2020.STARZPLAY also reinforced its position as a primetime player in entertainment with the bulk of viewing taking place during evenings. Further, though English content remains the dominant choice, Arabic content doubled its share of total consumption, reaching a peak in the early stages of the pandemic.
STARZPLAY offers more than 10,000 hours of premium content for MENA, including blockbuster movies, exclusive TV shows, kids' content and Arabic series.
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