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MBC Group and Netflix have announced a new collaboration to introduce a bundled streaming service in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This initiative brings together Netflix’s extensive content library with MBC Group’s Shahid streaming service and its linear television channels. The combined offering, available via the #MBCNOW aggregator, represents a strategic pivot from competition to collaboration in the regional entertainment landscape. This partnership aims to provide a broad spectrum of Arabic and international content, including popular drama series, documentaries, films, and children’s programming.

Analysis of content volumes from Vitrina data indicates distinct trends for both platforms in the MENA region, providing context for this strategic alliance. Netflix’s MENA content slate has shown consistency, with releases annually hovering around five to seven titles in recent years. Meanwhile, Shahid MBC Originals demonstrated a notable increase in content output, moving from approximately two dozen titles in 2021 to over 40 titles by 2023. This trend saw a slight adjustment in 2024, with releases around 40 titles, followed by approximately a dozen titles in 2025. These figures offer insights into the content landscapes of both platforms, illustrating how a partnership could complement their respective offerings and audiences.

This partnership exemplifies a strategy of localization through collaboration, rather than attempting to build hyper-local catalogs from the ground up. Netflix is leveraging Shahid’s established understanding of Arab audiences, including regulatory nuances and content preferences, to access cultural relevance and aid retention in the region. This approach is not unique to the MENA market; it mirrors strategies observed in Europe, where Netflix recently partnered with French broadcaster TF1, and Amazon collaborated with France Télévisions, demonstrating a growing trend towards such synergistic content alliances in diverse markets.

The collaboration has been met with positive remarks from involved executives. Fadel Zahreddine, Group Director of Emerging Media at MBC Group, commented on this development, noting it as a significant milestone for streaming services in Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region. Bhanu Chaddha, Director of Distribution and TV Products at MBC Group, also expressed enthusiasm for integrating Netflix’s content into their platform under a unified subscription, identifying it as a step forward in content consumption. From Netflix, Mohammed Al Kuraishi, Head of Business Development and Partnerships, Middle East and Africa, conveyed satisfaction regarding the partnership, highlighting the increased access to diverse entertainment for members in the region.