Sky News Arabia prepares for launch
Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 08-02-2012
Sky News Arabia is still set for a spring 2012 launch following the move by its editorial and operational teams into a brand new studio complex in Abu Dhabi's twofour54 media hub.
The joint venture between Abu Dhabi Media Investment Company (ADMIC) and British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) will provide a rolling Arabic language news service in high definition and standard definition free to air across the Middle East and North Africa.
"The move to the new site is a significant milestone in the Sky News Arabia launch plan. We are already carrying out technical rehearsals and will start with full studio rehearsals later this month. Our investment in this high-tech studio complex affirms our commitment to provide fast, fresh live, evolving news across our multiple platforms - television, tablet, mobile and online," said Nart Bouran, head of Sky News Arabia.
In January, Television Systems Limited (TSL), which worked with Sky News engineers to design and implement the site, handed over approximately 208 kilometres of cables into the facility, in addition to over 100 tonnes of state-of-the-art broadcast equipment.
"We have appointed a great mix of talented presenters who will be engaged through multimedia platforms in advance of the TV launch. The technical operation we have delivered will allow each presenter to deliver a vibrant and fresh format in news delivery," added Bouran.
Sky News Arabia will broadcast from one large studio comprising a number of permanent sets for various programmes. An HD-enabled tapeless newsroom production facility will allow the speedy transfer of content across Sky News Arabia's regional and international networks.
The channel - which will compete with Qatar's Al Jazeera and MBC's Al Arabiya in the region's Arabic TV news sector will draw on 12 bureaux across the region, in addition to Sky News' global hubs for international coverage.
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