OSN has expanded its regional entertainment portfolio through a new partnership with iQIYI International, launching what it describes as the Middle East’s first dedicated linear television channel focused exclusively on Asian content.
Announced from Dubai on February 23, the new OSNtv iQIYI channel marks the first collaboration of its kind between the two companies. The co-branded channel will sit within OSN’s own-operated channel lineup and aims to tap into the growing appetite for Asian dramas, romance, fantasy, anime and action series across the MENA region.
The linear pay-TV channel will be available via satellite and IP on OSN set-top boxes and distributed across OSNtv packages, both directly and through partners in the region. Select titles will also be accessible on demand through the OSNtv content library, broadening access beyond scheduled programming.
The move reflects shifting viewing habits in the region, where Asian storytelling — particularly Korean, Chinese and Japanese content — has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. By introducing a dedicated channel, OSN is formalizing its bet on the category, positioning itself as a bridge between Eastern and Western entertainment within a single platform.
The channel will feature content in its original languages with English and Arabic subtitles, while selected titles will also be offered in Arabic-dubbed formats to widen accessibility. New titles are set to be introduced monthly, ensuring a refreshed slate throughout the year.
Andy Grant, VP of Programming at OSN, said the launch reflects evolving audience preferences across the region. Xianghua Yang, President of iQIYI International, described the channel as a step toward integrating the platform’s globally popular stories and formats more deeply into the MENA entertainment landscape.
Beyond the linear channel, the partnership extends to platform integration. The iQIYI app will be preloaded on OSNtv set-top boxes and featured prominently on the OSNtv homepage, with additional bundling offers and integrations expected to be announced at a later stage.
Imad El Khoury, VP Commercial MENA at OSN, said the collaboration strengthens the company’s broader entertainment ecosystem, combining channel distribution, app integration and future bundled offerings under one strategic partnership.
For OSN, which operates across 22 countries in the MENA region and delivers content through OSN+, OSNtv and B2B divisions, the launch underscores a wider strategy of expanding its international content mix while responding to increasingly diversified viewer tastes.
As competition intensifies across streaming and pay-TV platforms, the introduction of a dedicated Asian entertainment channel signals both companies’ confidence in the sustained demand for cross-border storytelling — and in the region’s growing role as a key market for global content players.
