MBC Group

**MBC Group** or **Middle East Broadcasting Center** is a Saudi television company founded and chaired by Saudi businessman Walid bin Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim. It broadcasts a variety of entertainment and non-entertainment television channels. Its headquarters are in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

## Origin of the name 
The name (MBC) is an abbreviation for: **Middle** **East** **Broadcasting Center**, which means arabic: *مركز تلفزيون الشرق الأوسط*.

## Group Channels 
### MBC 1 
The Middle East Beacon (TV) Center began in the early nineties with the start of broadcasting **MBC** (now known by its new name, **MBC 1**) as the first privately owned, open satellite television station, broadcasting around the clock. It began broadcasting on September 18, 1991. The channel was headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It presented entertainment and news programmes that had a large following throughout Arab world. The founder of Al Amal Channel offered to buy MBC from the United Kingdom in 2007 and succeeded in developing it. It is distinguished by showing the most famous Arab drama works and is unique in showing foreign singing talent discovery programs in an Arab way, such as: *Arab Idol* and *The Voice: Ahla Sawt*. Talent discovery programs *Arabs Got Talent* and *The X Factor*, as well as the entertainment program that keeps up with all the news of art and celebrities in the Arab and foreign world, *ET Bel Arabi*. (The channel also broadcasts some matches Saudi Professional League) and currently dubbing movies into Arabic, and dubbed Indian and foreign movies dubbed into Arabic, and showing them.

### MBC FM 
In 1994, the radio station MBC FM was launched, which offers Gulf and Arabic music, as well as quiz and puzzle programs, and discusses local Saudi issues every morning. In 2002, the headquarters of the Middle East Lighthouse (TV) Center moved to the United Arab Emirates, specifically to Dubai Media City. It expanded its activities and launched new stations specializing in specific matters.

### MBC 2 
In 2003, **MBC 2** was launched, which was and still is specialized in the world of cinema and foreign movies, especially American ones. The first movie I showed was *Jumanji* and *Scoop with Raya*.

### Al Arabiya 
In the same year, specifically on March 3, 2003, coinciding with the entry of American forces and a few days before the fall of Baghdad (2003), Al Arabiya satellite channel launched from the MBC newsroom a new channel specializing in news, breaking news, news programs, current affairs, economic and financial news. It is the leading Al Arabiya news station in this field. The channel's first test, which was its coverage of the Iraq occupation war, contributed to its success. It broadcasts around the clock. In addition to news bulletins, it presents analytical programmes and interviews with prominent political and non-political figures, as well as documentary programmes. Its most prominent programs are The Third Eye, Special Mission, Death Industry, and Frankly. It is noteworthy that many of the faces of BBC, which was previously broadcasting and was interrupted for several years and then resumed work, moved to work at Al Arabiya Channel.

The channel's general manager today is Mamdouh Al-Mahini.

### Al Hadath 
Al Hadath is a Saudi Arabian news channel that began broadcasting in 2012 on Thursday 12-1-2012. It is a subsidiary channel of Al Arabiya News Channel. Its director is Mamdouh Al Muhaini. The channel came to provide more coverage of the Arab revolutions, support the Syrian revolution, and provide press coverage, political dialogues, and documentaries, so that Al Arabiya at that time would continue its coverage and regular programs instead of long follow-ups. Observers see that it comes in the context of competition with Al Jazeera, especially after Al Arabiya’s success in covering the Syrian civil war and some other events of Arab Spring.

**Al Arabiya FM**

A news channel broadcast over the radio in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its launch was announced during Al Arabiya’s twentieth anniversary celebration held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in March 2023.

### MBC 3 
Soon after, in 2004, a new station specializing in children's cartoons and series, **MBC 3**, was launched, after the group realized that 40% of its viewers were under 15 years old. The station came to target the new generation of young viewers, by broadcasting cartoon series, new programs for children, and live segments from time to time presented by three girls, Dania, Ezza, and Asala, and two young men, Muhannad and Nabil. Some of the most famous series that feature it are: *Yu -Gi-Oh*, *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*, *Looney Tunes*,  and *Astro Boy*. Today, the channel broadcasts locally produced programmes aimed at children, in addition to the most popular international programmes from major brands.

### MBC 4 
in 2005, a new channel, **MBC 4**, was launched, dedicated to foreign programs and series in general, and American ones in particular. It is generally in English but dubbed into Arabic.

### Panorama FM 
In the same year 2003, the network launched another radio channel, Panorama FM, which targets young people across the Arab world. The channel broadcasts talk shows, in addition to the latest Arabic songs. In a short time, it was able to gain a large number of followers.

### MBC Action 
On March 5, 2007, a new channel was launched **MBC Action**, which specializes in action series and movies (fighting, police, gangs), wrestling, and some programs specializing in action and wrestling programs such as WWE, WWE Raw, La Faille, Gomorrah, Noobees, Mr. Meaty, Code Lyoko Evolution, Tala (El Rostro de Analía), Power Rangers. Zeke and Luther. Newton's Cradle, WWE Wal3ooha, and Action News. The first movie I showed was Jumanji. Which was and still is specialized in the world of cinema and foreign movies, especially American ones.

### MBC Persia 
In 2008, **MBC Persia**, a channel specializing in broadcasting American movies, series and programs translated into Persian, and showing a number of Turkish series dubbed into Persian.

### MBC Max 
On October 26, 2008, **MBC MAX** was launched, specializing in famous foreign movies. This channel is considered a complement to MBC 2, which is famous for showing foreign movies, especially American movies. It often shows romantic movies, drama movies, and comedies. The first movie I showed was *Jumanji* and *Scoop with Raya*. Which was and still is specialized in the world of cinema and foreign movies, especially American ones.

### MBC + Drama 
**MBC + Drama** is an encrypted TV channel that started broadcasting on February 1, 2009. It broadcasts many Arab drama series, and is affiliated with MBC Group.

### MBC Drama 
**MBC Drama** is a TV channel that started broadcasting on November 27, 2010. It broadcasts many Arab and Gulf drama series for free.

### MBC Masr 
Launched on November 9, 2012, it is a channel specialized in showing Egyptian programs. One of the most prominent programmes presented on the channel is “Useful Sentence” presented by Mona El Shazly, which is a political programme that discusses political events in Egypt. MBC Masr +2 also appeared at the beginning of Ramadan 2013, which broadcasts programmes two hours later.

### MBC Masr 2 
**MBC Masr 2**, a satellite channel affiliated with MBC Masr, began broadcasting in 2014 by MBC Group. It is a free channel that presents a group of Arab series and entertainment programs. The channel specifically shows Egyptian programs, art, drama, and sometimes Egyptian movies. specializing in famous foreign movies.

### MBC Masr Drama 
**MBC Masr Drama** is a Egyptian drama series started in February 20, 2025.

### MBC Bollywood 
On October 26, 2013, the group launched MBC Bollywood, a channel specializing in showing Indian movies and series.

### MBC Iraq 
**MBC Iraq** is an open-access television channel, broadcast by the Middle East Broadcasting Center, launched on February 17 , 2019. The channel broadcasts various programmes that reflect the reality of the Iraqi street with its various components, and the channel is a qualitative leap in the media field in Iraq. The channel was broadcast on February 17, 2019, corresponding to Jumada Al-Thani 12, 1440. On February 15, it broadcast the Winter at Tantora concert in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, featuring Iraqi singers Kazem El Saher and Elham Al-Madfai. The Beit Beauty program was also broadcast on its opening day.

### MBC 5 
**MBC 5** is the latest channel of the MBC Group targeting audiences in the Maghreb and North Africa region. The channel's first broadcast was launched on September 21, 2019.

### MBC LOUD FM 
In May 2023, MBC Group announced the launch of MBC LOUD FM Radio, stating that it is "the first English-speaking FM entertainment station in Saudi Arabia".

### MBC Shahid 
MBC Shahid is the first video on demand (VOD) and video on demand (SVOD) platform in the Arab world. Today, it has become the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform, with quality content for all Arab families, and a home for original Arabic productions of international quality. Under it falls the VIP package, which includes "Shahid Originals" and "Shahid Premieres", in addition to the latest Arabic movies recently released from cinemas, in parallel with live broadcasts of a group of the most-watched Arab, regional and international TV channels in HD quality; not to mention sports content, children’s content and younger viewers, and many other leading exclusive shows. All of this in addition to a selection of international productions from Disney, Marvel, FOX, ABC Studios and others. Shahid also includes other packages such as the "Sports Package" which displays SSC channels that show the Saudi Professional Football League, Saudi football and sports competitions, and other regional and international sports competitions hosted by the Saudi Arabia.

For the first time in the Arab region, Shahid platform launched Shahid digital channels without subscription and in high definition (HD) image technology, to satisfy all tastes from music to series, movies, plays, programs and others, starting from September 26. Digital channels, or what is called in platform language (Fast Channels), reflect a new era of interactive digital broadcasting services (live streaming) for video on demand via open platforms, and it is a pioneering step in this sector that has recently begun to develop and spread rapidly everywhere around the world. This service is a hybrid between VOD and SVOD, providing carefully curated lists of premium content for free to viewers, with commercial breaks. In this context, Shahid’s new digital channels offer rich content to viewers without the need for subscription, through 21 digital channels available on the Shahid platform in high-definition (HD) image technology.

### MBC Studios 
**MBC Studios** A subsidiary of MBC Group, specializing in high-quality production with international specifications and post-production services. It is a regional market leader in producing and distributing the best content, in addition to providing innovative program design services, documentaries, Arabic drama, factual entertainment content, talk shows, dubbed drama and other programs. MBC Studios has established pioneering global partnerships with major international production studios in Hollywood, London and elsewhere, to launch joint cinematic and dramatic works, most notably the movie Desert Warrior, which was filmed in Saudi Arabia, starring Anthony Mackie and Aisha Hart, and the movie Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler, which was also filmed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MBC Studios also produces and markets Arabic works with international specifications, such as the series "Rashash" and the series "Rise of the Witches" and others.

## Problems 
In one of the WikiLeaks leaks, MBC was mentioned in one of the documents that talked about a meeting between two American figures in a Starbucks cafe in Jeddah, and one of them said, "The government is the one that supports this openness and sees it as an opponent of extremist thought" and "that the intellectual war is prevailing here and the American media through channels like MBC and Rotana is winning the minds of the average citizen in a way that Alhurra or other American propaganda outlets were unable to do".

## Awards 
MBC Group won the "Cultural Institutions/Private Sector Track" award from the National Cultural Awards Initiative in its fourth session 2024.

## References 
## Other websites 
* Official website of MBC Group
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