Audiences no longer follow a single path to content. Linear TV, OTT, FAST, connected TV, mobile and social platforms now exist side by side, creating both a challenge and an opportunity for media brands looking to grow beyond their traditional markets.
For Arabic media, this shift is particularly significant. Reaching audiences today means thinking beyond geographic coverage and building a distribution strategy around where and how people actually choose to watch.
Al Mashhad is one of the media brands embracing this approach. Since launching in 2023, the Arabic multimedia platform has expanded across television, digital, social, audio and connected TV, while extending its international reach through distribution partnerships including MENAFLIX, iKOFLIX and Channelbox.
MENAFLIX brings locally relevant content from MENA to audiences worldwide, helping channels reach viewers well beyond their home territories. iKOFLIX offers a broader international mix of channels and content, creating another route for media brands to reach audiences across markets.
We spoke with Saba Omaish, Head of MarComms, Research and Distribution at Al Mashhad, about the evolution of the platform, its content strategy, changing audience behaviour and why multi-platform distribution has become central to reaching Arabic-speaking audiences around the world.
Saba Omaish, Head of MarComms, Research and Distribution at Al Mashhad
- Al Mashhad launched with a clear ambition to create a different kind of media experience for Arab audiences. How would you describe Al Mashhad today, and the vision behind the platform?
Al Mashhad was created with a clear ambition: to build a new kind of Arabic media platform that combines the credibility and depth of television with the speed, accessibility and creativity of digital media.
Since launching in January 2023, we have evolved into one of the fastest-growing multimedia platforms in the Arab world, with a strong presence across television, digital, social media, audio and connected TV environments.
What makes Al Mashhad particularly distinctive is that we are not simply adapting a traditional television model to digital. Digital is part of our DNA. We develop content with both broadcast and digital audiences in mind, allowing our programming to live beyond the linear broadcast and reach audiences wherever they choose to consume it.
Today, Al Mashhad has built a community of more than 50 million followers across social platforms and generates billions of video views, reflecting the scale of the audience we have built in a relatively short period.
At its heart, however, our vision remains very simple: to create compelling Arabic content that speaks to the realities, interests and aspirations of Arab audiences everywhere – in the region and across the global Arab diaspora.
- Al Mashhad offers everything from news and current affairs to business, sport, culture and youth-focused content. What can audiences expect to discover, and which programmes would you particularly highlight?
What sets Al Mashhad apart is the breadth of our content ecosystem and our ability to speak to different interests, generations and viewing habits within one platform.
Audiences can move from entertainment, podcasts, business and sports, to breaking news, politics and current affairs, culture and lifestyle content – all within the Al Mashhad ecosystem.
Our podcast and conversational formats are a strong example of this. “Menna w Feena”, hosted by Hiba Haidari, offers candid and personal conversations with prominent personalities from across the Arab world, exploring the experiences, challenges and journeys behind the public image.
For sports audiences, “Malaabna”, hosted by Lutfi Al Zoabi, brings a different perspective to the world of sport through personal stories and candid conversations with leading sports personalities. The programme was recently named Best Sports Programme at the 2026 Arab Media Awards, presented during the Arab Media Summit.
For entrepreneurs and business audiences, “Bel Tawfeeq”, hosted by Toufic Kreidieh, explores the journeys of successful entrepreneurs and executives, offering audiences practical insights and personal stories behind their success.
What we are ultimately building is a content ecosystem where audiences can come to Al Mashhad for information, entertainment, inspiration and conversation – and find something that feels relevant to them.
- Al Mashhad continues to expand its international reach through distribution partnerships and platforms such as MENAFLIX, iKOFLIX and Channelbox. How important is this multi-platform approach in reaching audiences wherever they choose to watch?
Distribution is a fundamental part of our growth strategy. Our ambition is to make Al Mashhad accessible to Arabic-speaking audiences wherever they are and however they choose to consume content.
The global Arab diaspora is significant, and its viewing habits are increasingly fragmented. Some audiences still discover content through traditional television and pay-TV environments, while others are consuming primarily through connected TVs, OTT platforms, FAST services, mobile devices and digital ecosystems.
That is why we believe there is no longer a single distribution route to an audience. A successful media brand needs to be present across multiple environments, while ensuring that the content and the viewing experience remain consistent.
Our partnerships with platforms such as MENAFLIX, iKOFLIX and Channelbox are an important part of that strategy. They allow us to extend Al Mashhad’s footprint beyond our owned digital platforms and make our content accessible to audiences in different markets and through different viewing environments.
For us, it is not simply about adding another platform or another country to a distribution map. It is about creating meaningful points of access to Al Mashhad and making it easier for audiences to discover, watch and engage with our content wherever they are.
- What does joining MENAFLIX and iKOFLIX represent for Al Mashhad, and what would you say to viewers discovering your content through these platforms for the first time?
Joining MENAFLIX and iKOFLIX represents another important step in expanding Al Mashhad’s international footprint.
Both platforms provide us with access to audiences who are already interested in Arabic and international content, while giving Al Mashhad additional touchpoints beyond our existing digital and broadcast ecosystem. MENAFLIX’s focus on bringing locally relevant MENA content to audiences worldwide is particularly relevant to our strategy, while iKOFLIX provides a broader international OTT environment through which audiences can access our content.
But for us, distribution is ultimately about the audience, not simply the platform. Every distribution partnership gives us another opportunity to introduce Al Mashhad to viewers who may not have encountered the brand before.
To those discovering Al Mashhad for the first time through MENAFLIX or iKOFLIX, I would simply say: welcome. Explore the platform beyond the channel itself. You will find news and current affairs, but also sports, entertainment, podcasts, conversations, business and a growing range of original content designed for different interests and generations.
- Behind this expansion is your partnership with iKO Media Group. How has iKOMG supported Al Mashhad in extending its distribution and making its content available to audiences across different markets and platforms?
From the beginning, iKOMG approached the relationship as a partnership rather than a traditional vendor-client arrangement, and that distinction has been important to us.
Distribution is a long-term game. It is not simply about securing a deal or putting a channel on a platform; it is about understanding where the brand can grow, identifying the right audiences and platforms, and building a practical roadmap that can evolve as the business evolves.
The iKOMG team invested the time to understand our ambitions and the markets we want to reach. They worked with us to look beyond an immediate transaction and think about the longer-term opportunities across different distribution environments.
That collaborative approach is particularly valuable for a fast-growing media brand like ours. Our distribution strategy needs to remain flexible as viewing behaviour changes and as new opportunities emerge across OTT, FAST, connected TV and other platforms.
Ultimately, the right distribution partner should bring more than infrastructure and technical capabilities. They should bring market knowledge, relationships, flexibility and a willingness to think alongside you. That is what we value in our relationship with iKOMG.
We see this as a long-term journey, and we are excited about continuing to expand Al Mashhad’s reach together.
Distribution Is Becoming Part of the Content Strategy
Al Mashhad’s expansion reflects a wider reality for today’s media brands: creating compelling content is only part of the equation. Reaching audiences increasingly depends on being present across the platforms, markets and viewing environments that matter to them.
For iKOMG, distribution is no longer simply about delivering a signal. It is about helping content owners identify new opportunities, enter new markets and connect with audiences across satellite, IP, OTT, FAST and connected environments.
Through platforms including MENAFLIX and iKOFLIX, alongside our wider global distribution ecosystem, we help media brands extend their reach and build a distribution strategy that can evolve with their audience.
Watch Al Mashhad on MENAFLIX here.
Looking to expand your own channel or content into new markets and platforms? Contact us to talk about your distribution strategy.
