Sky News Arabia announces US entry through Dish Network’s online service

Hot on the heels of last week’s announcement that Al Jazeera America will be shut down in April 2016, Sky News Arabia’s CEO Nart Bouran has announced that the channel’s programming is now available to US audiences via Dish Network’s online service, Sling TV. The online platform enables SNA’s US viewers the opportunity to subscribe to an online package and receive live streams of the channel’s political, economic, and social programmes including talk shows.

Commenting on the move, Bouran said: “Sky News Arabia (SNA) is now one of the channels included in Sling TV’s roster for online subscribers. This gives us a fantastic opportunity to enhance our digital media footprint. Given the large number of media platforms available today and taking into account media consumption trends, we continually endeavour to broadcast across every available platform in order to appeal to the tastes and formats of varied audiences. This new service will allow our viewers in the US to watch Sky News Arabia live on smart devices as well as television. It also complements our existing offerings via satellite TV, website, social media, smart mobile applications, and live broadcasting on six major international airlines.

“The ability to connect with a wider audience through unique digital formats also reaffirms our commitment to up our game and continue delivering quality and credible content that can sustain high viewership.”

Sling TV is a new service that was launched earlier this year and is available only in the United States. It provides an alternative to subscribing to cable television services. Sling TV offers live online broadcasting, enabling subscribers to watch their favourite TV programmes on smart mobile devices and television. Viewers can watch Sky News Arabia in addition to other channels for a nominal monthly fee through creating an account on the Sling TV app.