Rotana TV launches free-to-air entertainment channel on Sky Platform

[Analoguesat]

The Arab television network Rotana, owned by Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, has launched a free-to-air entertainment channel in the UK and Ireland on the Sky platform. The channel will initially broadcast just three hours a day at 1900-2200 UK time on channel 168, by arrangement with Information TV, featuring a selection of the programmes offered by Rotana Europe including music, entertainment and films. It plans to offer a full 24-hour service on the Sky platform in 2008. In the meantime, the full Rotana Europe service is available across Europe via the Atlantic Bird 2 satellite.

Rotana recently merged its media operations with Lebanon’s LBCSAT in which the Saudi billionaire is a major shareholder. LBC’s chief executive will in future oversee the Rotana channels according to the agreement, under which the two entities will remain organisationally and financially independent and work closely to offer integrated channels, a statement from Prince Alwaleed said. The prince bought a 49 per cent share in the satellite broadcasting arm of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) International, one of the leading Arab television stations, for $98 million in 2003.

Rotana is continually expanding its operations in movies, radio and music to cater to a market of more than 300 million Arabs around the world. Rotana Europe is a joint project with ACKS of the Netherlands (part of Aproxis plc, a UK based diversified media company).


(Rotana)


Edited to correct times

[SAT-WORLD]

Just to add,Rotana Europe will broadcast on what is at present,Information Tv 2 ,channel 168 on the Sky epg,as stated above.
Hours of broadcasting are 7.00pm-10.00pm,not 7.00pm-8.00pm as mentioned above.
The official Rotana website can be found here:www.rotanaeurope.net/
There is now an advert on the Rotana website promoting that it is:

Now on Sky Digital 168
From 7pm to 10pm

It officially begins tonight,I think.

[SAT-WORLD]

Rotana Europe has begun broadcasting on Information Tv 2.
No fanfare,no countdown,straight in to a music video.

[Analoguesat]

I have corrected the time in the original post to avaoid confusing everyone