| OSN | |
| Type: | Private |
| Area Served: | Middle East and North Africa |
| Key People: | Sheikha Dana Nasser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah (Chairwoman, Panther Media Group Limited) Joe Kawkabani (CEO, OSN) |
| Industry: | Television broadcasting Streaming TV |
| Products: | Direct-broadcast satellite |
| Parent: | Panther Media Group Ltd |
| Owner: | KIPCO (60.5%) Mawarid Holding (30.5%)[1] |
| Location: | Dubai Media City, Dubai |
Orbit Showtime Network, commonly known as OSN, is a Dubai-based satellite TV company, serving the Middle East and North Africa region. OSN mainly broadcasts programming from TV networks owned by Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks and the BBC; as well as regional, mostly Arabic, Turkish, and Pinoy content.
OSN has introduced several technologies and services to the region since 2012, like the DVR, an online TV platform,[2] 3D HD, and internet-enabled satellite receivers,[3] [4] since it was founded in 2009.
OSN was formed in 2009 by the merger of the two largest subscription TV networks in the region, namely Orbit (a member of Riyadh-based Mawarid Holding which included the formerly separate ART network), and Showtime Arabia, a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Kuwait-based KIPCO.[5] The merger of KIPCO and Mawared resulted in a new holding company; Panther Media Group, with its headquarters in the Dubai International Financial Centre.[6]
Showtime Arabia continued its growth in the region by adding a range of new channels and services, such as the Showbox DVR System in 2005, allowing subscribers to record different programmes. In August 2007, Showtime Arabia expanded its video-on-demand service.[7]
On the other hand, Bahrain-based Orbit was the first pay TV service in the Middle East; due to the challenging environment, it was driven to consolidate with the larger Showtime to better compete with popular free-to-air satellite television.[8]
The new network ended the satellite radio stations both services used to offer that were ad-free and specialized in different musical genres.
OSN TV is a program that combines OSN+ and live TV channels. It started on June 1, 2023.
In March 2022, OSN rebranded its subscription video-on-demand streaming service from 2020 to OSN+ (or OSN Plus). A more colorful logo accompanied the rebrand, as well as an update to the interface and search engine.
The platform continued to provide content from its partners, including HBO, Paramount, and NBCUniversal, deepening its exclusive partnerships. In January 2022, OSN announced the extension of its exclusive partnership with HBO, as well as an expansion of its NBCU relationship to include more premium television exclusives and box sets from Peacock and Sky Studios. Announcements of new deals for premium series from Endeavour Content and All3Media also followed, supplementing existing partnerships with Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony, MGM, and Lionsgate.
Furthermore, OSN+ provides regionally produced content, producing originals. For example, a local adaptation of the American TV series Suits, launched in April 2022.[9]
OSN has launched 5 multi-function interactive decoders: