The SVOD platform also witnessed more than 50% increase in new sign-ups compared to Ramadan 2022.
StarzPlay has reported a growth of nearly 70% increase in viewership across the GCC markets compared to Ramadan 2022, according to a recent analysis by the SVOD platform.
The UAE witnessed a 62% increase in unique users in 2023 vis-à-vis Ramadan in 2022, while the rest of the GCC recorded nearly a 60% increase in unique users.
Over the years, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Ramadan has typically seen increased TV consumption and a visible shift in viewership towards Arabic content. This year too, the top performing shows in the region included Serou Al Batea, Al Moasses Osman, Kashf Mestaagel, Bab Al Hara and Harb. The drama continued to be the top-performing genre, while comedy satires and cookery shows remained a popular choice for viewers.
Speaking about the success, Tony Saab, Senior Vice President of Content and Strategic Partnerships, StarzPlay, said: “Ramadan is a month of family gatherings and celebrations with friends and families and a time where viewers consume a greater amount of entertainment content. Over the last few years StarzPlay has witnessed a significant increase in streaming during the Holy Month and this year was no different. Our platform recorded nearly a 70% uplift in consumption vis-à-vis last year which is a clear indication of the increase in demand of video streaming consumption across the MENA region. The Ramadan viewership figures evidently indicate the appetite for Arabic language content in the region and therefore an opportunity for streaming services like ours to deliver even more original Arabic content.”
During the Holy Month, StarzPlay also witnessed a more than 50% increase in new sign-ups compared to Ramadan 2022. The young consumers are driving subscription growth and StarzPlay has been at the helm to deliver diverse, as well as quality, content to its audiences, with a strong focus on producing Arabic original content.