Launched January 12, 2003 Headquarters United Arab Emirates | Slogan What's Next? | |
Owned by Middle East Broadcasting Center Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
576i (SDTV) Broadcast area Middle East and North Africa | ||
MBC 2 is the first 24-hour free-to-air movie channel in the Arab World. The channel has broadcast as a satellite TV channel since 2003. During its debut, it broadcast movies and television programmes subtitled in Arabic, but after the launch of MBC 4 the channel specialised in movies only. The channel is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is owned by the Saudi broadcaster MBC Group The channel mostly broadcasts American Hollywood movies but it also seldom features British, Canadian, French, Indian, Chinese and other foreign films. MBC 2 has managed to negotiate long-term deals with the top Hollywood studios, securing first-run right and ensuring a steady flow of the top box-office movies.
MBC 2 has secured a deal to show 32 Indian movies after its initial broadcast of Jodhaa Akbar, which was a huge success and was appreciated by the public as well as the advertisers. This, however, ended up on MBC Max instead, due to tying in the Bollywood films as part of the dubbed films package so that these films can be watched by the Arab audience as well.
The channel largely targets the Arabic audience, especially young adults, and it has an important popularity among Arab viewers.
Original programmes by MBC2
Scoop with Raya is a show hosted by Raya Abirached, it talks about the latest Hollywood movies interviewing top Hollywood actors and actresses.
MBC2 HD launched in July 1st, 2011.