Page 455 - CABSAT ENGLISH PR REPORT - FEBRUARY to MAY 2023

With its 29th edition fast approaching, CABSAT is once again working with the most
innovative content creators, producers, broadcast technology providers, as well as satellite
distribution and content delivery companies, to identify common traits of success across all
verticals that can serve as the blueprint for future growth.

Highlights from the previous edition of the Co-Production Lounge included Roya TV from
Jordan, Egypt’s T-Vision, Morocco’s Image Factory, and Bright Lens Media from the Eastern
Province of Saudi Arabia as some of the participating companies, while the 2023 instalment
will welcome both Arabic and foreign film content looking to explore opportunities for co-
production in long-form entertainment content, co-funding entertainment content, and
commissioning projects for OTT Originals.

Commenting on her experience of the first-ever Co-Production Salon last year, Katerina
Pshenitsyna, deputy CEO at SMF Animation, one of the global giants in animation
production and distribution, said: “Last year’s event was spot-on. We are still actively looking
for real co-production opportunities in Arabic kids’ content. For the past 80 years our
content has been travelling worldwide, and now that we have an established presence in the
MENA region, we look forward to more content partnerships that develop wonderful stories
from this part of the world, for the region and beyond.”

Speaking in anticipation of this year’s event, Medhat Karam, CEO of Shofha, one of the
region’s fastest-growing OTT platforms, said: “Partnerships and collaborations are an
integral part of our company’s DNA. We sent the full team to attend last year, and we are
planning to participate again this year, with a focus on expanding our partnerships not only
in content production, but also rights sharing with other platforms.

“Our strength lies in our scalability; since we’re already very well-established in important
mass territories like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, we’re able to co-invest with our partners in
great quality content for a fraction of the market price. Also, we’re now rapidly expanding
into other territories like Africa, so economies of scale that we gain will naturally be passed
on to our partners. At this coproduction salon we look forward to meeting with established
production houses, platforms, and potential business partners.”

Heba Korayem, Content Market & Distribution Consultant at HConsult, who will chair the
Salon again this year, spoke highly of the initiative, stating that the previous event saw over
250 quality meetings take place, with around 30 high-value partnership deals in negotiation
during the three-day period.

Korayem added: “I can confidently count that at least half of the business deals discussed
have already been closed. That’s pretty good in the MENA region, as it is not unusual for
deals to take several months to finalise. I’m delighted that we are able to offer the
opportunities to the right people that can accelerate the process.”

Also expected to participate in this year’s Co-Production Salon are some of the most
prominent platforms and broadcasters, including Shahid, TOD, StarzPlay, VOX, OSN,
StarsPlay, E-Vision, and Saudi Broadcast Corporation, along with noted Arabic content

https://mid-east.info/cabsats-mena-co-production-salon-returns-for-a-second-edition-offering-exciting-
opportunities-to-content-creators-production-houses-and-investors/