BARCELONA: Qatar’s BeIN Media Group has rapidly expanded its Spanish subscriber base since winning the domestic broadcast rights for the country’s soccer league, but widespread illegal streaming blights the pay-TV sector and changing viewing habits are also eroding the business case for conventional sports coverage.
BeIN is the former sports division of Al-Jazeera. It broadcasts to 34 countries and is the lead soccer broadcaster in Spain, France, the Middle East and North Africa. Its rapid expansion has been unfettered by harsh austerity measures imposed on other Qatari state-run institutions that included massive job losses at Al-Jazeera following the energy price slump.
BeIN Sports launched in Spain in 2015, providing coverage of the Champions League and Europa League before partnering with Barcelona-based Mediapro to secure the principal domestic rights to La Liga — Europe’s strongest league — and the Spanish Cup for three seasons from 2016-17 onward, paying €1.9 billion.
The capture of La Liga rights was a blow to former telecoms monopoly and dominant broadband provider Movistar, which aimed to follow the model of Britain’s Sky in using sport to win both Internet and television subscribers.
“Even though the fees BeIN paid in Spain were quite considerable, generally the company has been cautious and does not go into a market and try to knock out every other bidder,” said Tim Westcott, senior principal analyst for TV programming at IHS Technology in London.
“They are almost certainly not profitable but I do not think they are paying ridiculous sums of money, at least on their TV operations. Their European business could be being bankrolled by the profitability of the core business in the Middle East.”
BeIN did not respond to questions from Arab News about the company and Mediapro declined to reveal their partnership’s commercial terms.
BeIN broadcasts eight of the 10 La Liga games each week, including at least one featuring Barcelona or Real Madrid, plus one Clasico game between this pair per season. That Real-Barcelona clause is crucial, with Spain’s Big Two dominating the league to an extent unseen elsewhere in Europe.
December’s Clasico attracted 2.2 million domestic viewers, nearly double the next most-watched game this season, according to Mediapro. In total, eight matches have drawn over 1 million viewers, all of which involved either Real or Barca. The highest-rated game not featuring this duo was October’s clash between Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, which attracted 0.77 million viewers.
Mediapro also provided audience data for two game weeks in mid-January. This showed the average audience for its 14 matches not including the Big Two was 0.3 million viewers. In a country of 49 million people, soccer accounts for 3 percent of Spain’s total TV audience, according to analysts Viewmetric, and a 5 percent decline in viewing figures in 2015-16 versus a season earlier mirrors trends elsewhere; the Premier League has suffered a 25 percent audience drop since 2010 despite the surging value of broadcast rights.
“Pay-TV companies do not necessarily measure their success in terms of viewers. The number of subscribers is what is important,” said Westcott.
“Inevitably matches involving the biggest two to three clubs get much bigger audiences, that is true in most leagues (but) I do not think they can ignore audiences because if people are not viewing the channels they are paying for they are less likely to continue with their subscriptions.”
BeIN says its Spanish channels have 4.5 million subscribers combined across all platforms, while Spain has about 15.3 million broadband subscribers.
The cost of BeIN packages varies and is usually sold as part of a broadband package, but the cheapest subscription is directly through the company at €9.99 per month. Prior to BeIN’s acquisition of La Liga rights, Spain was found to be the most expensive country in Europe to watch televised soccer because of the myriad pay-TV and pay-per-view subscriptions required to follow a team.
Such high costs in a country still recovering from the financial crisis may explain why illegal streaming in Spain is among the most widespread in Europe. A 2016 EU study showed 69 percent of Spanish 15- to 24-year-olds access digital content illegally, including sports.
“The effect of live streaming in sports broadcasting seems to be to reinforce the dominance of the first mover by weakening the scope for commercial challengers,” said Dr. Matthew David, a lecturer at England’s Durham University.
“There are many sports fans who cannot afford to see live matches, cannot afford TV subscriptions, do feel disaffected and will illegally stream in their millions but for those who can afford to pay it seems as though it is a badge of identity that they can be fans and be loyal to the commercial provider.”
Sky is also a broadband provider and has an extensive non-sports network of channels so is more immune to streaming, whereas pure-play sports broadcasters such as BeIN’s Spain operations are markedly more vulnerable.
“If you are not selling other products, only have the one product to sell and that product is freely available from someone else, then you are in a very vulnerable situation,” added David.
One-fifth of Spanish Internet users stream soccer illegally, La Liga told Arab News. In 2015, about 2 million homes illegally watched 141 million matches; the league estimates the value of these illicit transmissions at over 410 million euros.
“If there (is) audiovisual piracy, the market value could go down and damage revenue,” said a league spokesman.
It has developed tools to trace and analyze streaming websites and has launched a crackdown on hotels, restaurants and cafes showing such streams.
Broadcasters also face another challenge: The changing habits of viewers, especially younger audiences, who watch matches less intently and often use multiple screens simultaneously.
“There is no doubt people have shorter attention spans,” said Tim Crow, chief executive of Synergy, a London-based sports marketing agency.
“There is a lot of evidence younger fans would rather watch a highlights package or watch just a part of the game. Rights-holders and broadcasters are going to have to repackage the way they distribute and sell their content to adapt to those changing viewing behaviors and viewer demands.”
Younger adults seem less willing to pay hefty subscription fees for live sport and some broadcasters are beginning to question whether the huge sums TV rights command are justified, added IHS’s Westcott. “There is so much other content available online on services like Netflix that possibly people are saying sport is not the must-have content it used to be 10-15 years ago.”
Qatar’s BeIN TV network faces tough game in Spain
Qatar’s BeIN TV network faces tough game in Spain
Quaker group halts New York Times ads over ‘Gaza genocide’ language dispute
- American Friends Service Committee claims newspaper asked it to replace word ‘genocide’ with ‘war’
- Proposed ad urged US Congress to ‘stop arming Israel’s genocide in Gaza’
LONDON: An American Quaker group has paused its advertisements with the New York Times after the newspaper refused to allow the use of the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“The refusal of the New York Times to run paid digital ads that call for an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza is an outrageous attempt to sidestep the truth,” said Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that advocates for peace.
“Palestinians and allies have been silenced and marginalized in the media for decades as these institutions choose silence over accountability. It is only by challenging this reality that we can hope to forge a path toward a more just and equitable world.”
The controversy arose after the AFSC submitted an ad with the text: “Tell Congress to stop arming Israel’s genocide in Gaza now! As a Quaker organization, we work for peace. Join us. Tell the president and Congress to stop the killing and starvation in Gaza.”
The New York Times’ advertising team reportedly requested that the AFSC replace the word “genocide” with “war.” When the AFSC refused, the newspaper’s ad acceptability team said that “differing views on the situation” required adherence to “factual accuracy and legal standards” to ensure compliance with its guidelines.
A spokesperson for the New York Times said in response to questions from The Guardian in the UK: “New York Times advertising works with parties submitting proposed ads to ensure they are in compliance with our acceptability guidelines.
“This instance was no different, and is entirely in line with the standards we apply to all ad submissions.”
However, the AFSC strongly criticized the decision, pointing out that many human rights organizations, legal scholars, and even the UN have described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide or genocidal acts.
“The suggestion that the New York Times couldn’t run an ad against Israel’s genocide in Gaza because there are ‘differing views’ is absurd,” said Layne Mullett, director of media relations for the AFSC.
“The New York Times advertises a wide variety of products and advocacy messages on which there are differing views. Why is it not acceptable to publicize the meticulously documented atrocities committed by Israel and paid for by the United States?”
The AFSC also pointed to The Washington Post’s recent decision to run an Amnesty International ad that also used the term genocide, questioning why the New York Times applied different standards.
The Quaker group has been involved in humanitarian work in Gaza since 1948 and currently operates in Gaza, Ramallah, and Jerusalem. Since October 2023, the AFSC’s staff in Gaza have provided 1.5 million meals, hygiene kits, and other essential aid to displaced individuals. The organization is also lobbying for a permanent ceasefire, full humanitarian access, the release of captives, and an end to US military funding for Israel.
According to The Guardian, the New York Times has previously run advertisements using the term genocide.
In 2016, it published an ad from the Armenian Educational Foundation thanking Kim Kardashian for opposing denial of the Armenian genocide. In 2008, presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain co-signed a letter advertisement in the New York Times calling out the genocide in Sudan’s Darfur.
It also noted that while the New York Times reserves the right to reject ads it deems inaccurate or deceptive, its advertising guidelines state that “advertising space is open to all points of view” and submissions may be subject to fact-checking.
Conde Nast reshapes Arab fashion media with Vogue Arabia and GQ Middle East takeover
- Manuel Arnaut and Amine Jreissati will lead Vogue and GQ respectively
LONDON: Vogue Arabia and GQ Middle East have officially joined Conde Nast’s portfolio of owned operations in Dubai, the media conglomerate announced on Thursday.
The move marks a significant reshuffle in the Arab fashion media landscape, as Conde Nast takes over the licenses from previous publishers Nervora, which launched Vogue Arabia in 2016, and ITP Media, which introduced GQ Middle East in 2018.
As part of the transition, Lebanese fashion designer Amine Jreissati has been appointed head of editorial content for GQ Middle East. Portuguese journalist Manuel Arnaut, who faced criticism for his 2017 appointment to Vogue Arabia due to limited regional experience, will continue to lead the title under the new structure.
“We are fortunate that Manuel and Amine, two incredibly gifted and creative editors, will be leading our titles,” said Anna Wintour, Conde Nast’s chief content officer.
“Their taste, judgment and journalistic experience are a huge benefit and the way they have elevated the contributions of artists and designers in the Middle East to the global stage has been tremendous.”
The acquisition brings Vogue Arabia and GQ Middle East into the same portfolio as Architectural Digest Middle East and Conde Nast Traveller Middle East, both of which became fully owned and operated by Conde Nast in 2023.
Thomas Khoury, Conde Nast’s managing director for the Middle East, oversaw the transition of the two titles, further cementing the company’s commitment to the region’s growing influence in global fashion and media.
New Arab Journalism Award board formed
- Mona Ghanem Al-Marri will lead the board, Dr. Maitha Buhumaid to serve as secretary-general
- Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas selected as member
DUBAI: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, on Thursday approved the newly restructured board of directors for the Arab Journalism Award. The board will be chaired by Mona Ghanem Al-Marri, vice president and managing director of the Dubai Media Council.
The revamped board includes prominent intellectuals, media leaders, and academics from across the Arab world, reflecting a commitment to fostering regional media excellence.
Al-Marri, a key figure in the UAE’s media landscape, is also president of the Dubai Press Club, making her one of the most influential voices in Arab media today.
Dr. Maitha Buhumaid, the Dubai Press Club’s current director, will serve as the award’s governing body’s secretary-general.
Also on the board is Ghassan Charbel, editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat; Ahmed Al-Muslimani, chairman of Egypt’s National Media Authority; Sultan Al-Nuaimi, author and director general of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research; and Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas.
The AJA is scheduled to be held in May, coinciding with the Arab Media Summit, the largest media thought leadership event in the Middle East, which will run from May 26-28 in Dubai.
Journalist-turned-MP faces demeaning attacks as Lebanese parliament votes for president
- The heated exchange led Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to instruct his deputy, Elias Bou Saab, to escort Aoun out of the session
DUBAI: Lebanese journalist-turned-politician Paula Yacoubian was interrupted and verbally attacked by MP Salim Aoun during the first round of a voting session to elect a president after a two-year power vaccum.
A video broadcast from inside Lebanese Parliament building at Downtown Beirut shows Yacoubian accusing some MPs of using the constitution as a pretext to obstruct the session, asserting that the real reason was the refusal of some to allow Lebanese army commander Joseph Aoun to become president.
This accusation sparked an objection from Salim Aoun, who retorted: “This is out of order. Paula, you covered for a kidnapped prime minister and now you’re lecturing about virtue.”
He added: “You’re the biggest liar on the political scene, and your whole history lacks honor and morality.”
Yacoubian responded angrily, saying: “Shame on you!”
The argument escalated, with both MPs exchanging insults.
The heated exchange led Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to instruct his deputy, Elias Bou Saab, to escort Aoun out of the session to resolve the dispute.
On Thursday, Joseph Aoun was selected as the country’s new president in the second round of voting after receiving 99 votes.
He succeeds Michel Aoun, whose term ended in October 2022.
As a sitting army commander, Joseph Aoun is technically barred from becoming president by Lebanon’s constitution. The ban has been waived before, but it means that Aoun would face additional procedural hurdles.
Australia frets over Meta halt to US fact-checking
- Australia has frequently irked social media giants with its efforts to restrict the distribution of false information or content it deems dangerous
- Late last year, the country passed laws to ban under-16s from signing up for social media platforms
SYDNEY: Australia is deeply concerned by Meta’s decision to scrap US fact-check operations on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, a senior minister said Thursday.
The government – which has been at the forefront of efforts to rein in social media giants – was worried about a surge of false information spreading online, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.
“Misinformation and disinformation is very dangerous, and we’ve seen it really kind of explode in the last few years,” Chalmers told national broadcaster ABC.
“And it’s a very damaging development, damaging for our democracy. It can be damaging for people’s mental health to get the wrong information on social media, and so of course we are concerned about that.”
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday the group would “get rid of fact-checkers” and replace them with community-based posts, starting in the United States.
Chalmers said the decision was “very concerning.”
The government had invested in trusted Australian news providers such as the ABC and national newswire AAP to ensure people had reliable sources for information, he said.
Disinformation and misinformation had become “a bigger and bigger part of our media, particularly our social media,” the treasurer said.
Australia has frequently irked social media giants, notably Elon Musk’s X, with its efforts to restrict the distribution of false information or content it deems dangerous.
Late last year, the country passed laws to ban under-16s from signing up for social media platforms. Offenders face fines of up to A$50 million ($32.5 million) for “systemic breaches.”
But in November, a lack of support in parliament forced the government to ditch plans to fine social media companies if they fail to stem the spread of misinformation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday he stood by the ban on children’s access to social media because of the impact it had on their mental health.
Asked about Meta’s fact-checking retreat, Albanese told reporters: “I say to social media they have a social responsibility and they should fulfil it.”
Australian group Digital Rights Watch said Meta had made a “terrible decision,” accusing it of acting in clear deference to incoming US president Donald Trump.
AFP currently works in 26 languages with Facebook’s fact-checking program.
Facebook pays to use fact checks from around 80 organizations globally on the platform, as well as on WhatsApp and Instagram.
Australian fact-checking operation AAP FactCheck said its contract with Meta in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific was not impacted by the group’s US decision.
“Independent fact-checkers are a vital safeguard against the spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation that threatens to undermine free democratic debate in Australia and aims to manipulate public opinion,” said AAP chief executive Lisa Davies.
