Abu Dhabi TV enhances its pay TV content

Abu Dhabi TV Network announced it is expanding its premium content offering available on the AD Sports set-top box to include seven MBC High Definition (HD) Channels. The addition complements the existing HD content available, giving viewers up to 18 HD channels covering sports, movies, documentaries, series, news, and family content. At no additional cost, AD Sports set-top box subscribers will now be able to view: MBC 1, MBC 2, MBC 4, MBC Drama, MBC Action, MBC MAX and Al Arabiya News Channel all in HD. As part of the partnership, MBC will also feature AD Sports' exclusive Barclays Premiere League (BPL) highlights on MBC1 and Al Arabiya News Channel. Malcolm Wall, CEO of Abu Dhabi Media explained: "Our partnership with MBC reinforces our commitment to provide viewers with the best in world-class HDTV content across genres. Now, with the ADTV Network, the entire family can view their favorite programming in just one place through our AD Sports set-top box." Commenting on the partnership from MBC Group, Sam Barnett, CEO, said: "HD is becoming increasingly popular across the region and MBC channels have a large following. We're delighted that through this partnership, people with an AD SPORTS set-top box will be able to watch the MBC HD bouquet of channels." Mohammed Windawee, Director of Distribution at MBC Group said: "Adding MBC HD bouquet to the AD Sports package is another milestone for MBC Group to push a total HD shift in the Middle East, and we have seen the shift happening quicker than we originally anticipated. We expect the total shift from SD to HD to take place at a similar pace." In addition to the MBC channels, the AD Sports set-top box already offers all 380 Barclays Premier League games, other live international sporting events such as F1, WWE and Grand Slam Tennis as well as Fox movies HD, Fox HD, Sky News HD, Nat Geo Wild HD, and Nat Geo Adventure HD.