beIN MEDIA GROUP teams up with Synamedia for world class user experience

LONDON – 22 August 2023 – beIN MEDIA GROUP (‘beIN’), one of the foremost global sports and entertainment broadcasters, has expanded its partnership with leading video software provider Synamedia to transform subscribers’ viewing experience with new, immersive capabilities that deepen viewer engagement across 24 countries in Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In a broadcast TV world first, one of the new features allows sports fans to watch two live matches simultaneously on a single screen.

beIN chose Synamedia to redesign the user interface (UI) and enrich the user experience (UX) on its various platforms – beIN TV and beIN TV VIP hybrid DTH and IP 4K Kaon set-top boxes –  in time for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022^TM. The new experience runs on Synamedia’s Infinite cloud TV and it is protected by Synamedia’s security solutions and services. As part of the project, Synamedia also deployed a new headend.

As well as watching live matches in parallel, the wealth of new features include restart-TV to pause and resume live content, recording up to four programmes while watching a fifth, and direct access to YouTube – with integration of other third party streaming apps planned.  The UX supports Arabic, English, French and Spanish languages.

With beIN TV services, subscribers can watch exclusive sports matches and events, including the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League and La Liga; they can also access extensive movie and TV series catalogues, as well as a plethora of exclusive premium channels.

Saleem Shah, STB Technology Manager MENA at beIN said, “With all eyes on beIN as the official broadcaster of the World Cup in Qatar, we needed a technology partner who could deliver a future-proofed platform with stand-out features to captivate viewers during the tournament and then evolve with more innovation over the long term. Our long-standing partner Synamedia proved to be head and shoulders above the competition, delivering the wow factor we wanted within a tight time-frame and on budget. Importantly, we now have the platform to launch several other unique breakthrough features in the coming months.”

Lucy Norris, EVP Broadcast Technology and Chief Customer Success Officer at Synamedia said, “beIN continues to anticipate market needs and transform its services to cement its position as a leading global sports and entertainment provider in the region. We have been technology partners for nearly a decade and look forward to innovating together with beIN to deliver the best viewing experiences, protect revenues, and open up additional revenue streams.”

To book a meeting with Synamedia at IBC2023 in Hall 1, balcony suite BS21 please use this link here or contact [email protected]

For press and analyst queries and booking a briefing at IBC, please contact:

Caty Jamieson

[email protected]

About beIN MEDIA GROUP

beIN MEDIA GROUP is a leading independent global media group and one of the foremost sports & entertainment networks in the world. The group distributes and produces an unrivalled array of entertainment, live sport and major international events across 5 continents, 40 countries and in 9 different languages spanning Europe, North America, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East & North Africa (MENA). beIN MEDIA GROUP’s flagship sports network, beIN SPORTS, holds the single largest portfolio of sports rights of any global broadcaster; and through its iconic MIRAMAX film studio, beIN holds an extensive library of Hollywood blockbusters while having a growing presence in series and movies production and distribution, as well as in the digital space. beIN MEDIA GROUP acquired Digiturk, the leading pay-tv operator in Turkey, in August 2016.

For more information on beIN MEDIA GROUP, please contact: [email protected]