ARY Digital Network

ARY Digital Network (Urdu: ARY ڈیجیٹل شبکه) is a subsidiary of the ARY Group. The ARY group of companies is a Dubai-based holding company founded by a Pakistani businessman, Haji Abdul Razzak Yaqoob (ARY). The network has a video on demand streaming service called ARY ZAP.

ARY Digital Network
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryMass media
FoundedSeptember 16, 2000 (2000-09-16)
FounderHaji Abdul Razzak Yaqoob
Headquarters
London, UK
Dubai, UAE
Karachi
,
Pakistan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Salman Iqbal (CEO/President)
Products
OwnerARY Group
ParentARY Digital network
Ownership
Sister channelsA Sports
ARY News
ARY Musik
ARY Qtv
ARY Zindagi
ARY Digital UK
ARY Nick
ARY Arabia
Websitewww.arydigitalnetwork.tv

History

ARY Digital, formerly known as the Pakistani Channel, was launched in the United Kingdom in December 2000 to cater to the growing demands of South Asian entertainment in the region.[1] It uses Samacom, a monopolising uplink provider based in the UAE, as the uplink teleport station.[2]

Affiliate programming

Recently ARY Digital has affiliated with several other television networks to promote their content in Pakistan. Amongst these are Fashion TV for which a regional channel FTV Pakistan has been airing since December 2005 on the ARY Digital network. Plans are under way for Al Jazeera Urdu in affiliation with Al Jazeera targeting 110 million Urdu-speaking households worldwide[3] and HBO Pakistan[4] in association with HBO's south-Asian division. With the network's help, Nickelodeon is also planning to kick-start its operations in Nick Pakistan where it would be beamed into 2.5 million households with kids.[5]

Specialized programming

By 2003, ARY Digital had ended up three sister ventures apart from the flagship channel ARY Digital, channels targeting generalized programming. They include: ARY News, a 24hr news channel; ARY Musik, a channel aimed at the younger generation featuring the latest from the Pakistani music scene & ARY Qtv, a religious service.

Channels list

ARY Digital Network is composed of the following channels :

International channels
  • ARY Family - Infotainment for UK Region
  • New Vision TV - 24-hour news channel
  • ARY Digital ME - Infotainment channel Middle East Region
  • ARY Digital USA - Infotainment channel for USA Region
  • ARY Films - film distributing company
  • ARY Tube[6] - Official Video Portal of ARY Digital Network
  • ARY Arabia[7] -YouTube channel presenting Pakistani dramas, OST's in Arabic dubbed.

Over The Top (OTT)

Defunct channels

ARY films
Main article: ARY Films

ARY Films is film distribution company running in Pakistan. It's a part of ARY Digital Network. Thirty five films including 11 Urdu, 6 Punjabi and 17 Pashto films were released by ARY Films in 2013. Among them Waar, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi, Josh, Chambaili, Zinda Bhaag, Siyaah and Lamha top the charts in industry.[8]

BOL channel

Attempted take over of BOL Network and BOL News happened in August 2015 by ARY Digital Network CEO Salman Iqbal, who said that the decision was taken in view to provide career protection to media industry and its workers.[8] The founder of ARY Group said that his media group would launch the transmission of the channel within three weeks.[9] However this deal fell through and in September 2015 it was announced that ARY was not taking over BOL.[10]

Availability

Continental programming

In 2004, ARY Digital divided its broadcasts in such a way, that each Continent had different programming at different times, to better facilitate the audience. The Channels were split as follows:

ARY Digital Asia

This version of the Channel is free-to-air, as channels in the Indian subcontinent are usually free-to-air . Unlike other versions of the Channel, ARY Digital Asia, features a wider variety of Local Programmes mostly dramas and international shows. Many of which may include foreign programmes including Hollywood, Bollywood and Lollywood movies, Indian, American & British TV shows, for example Criminal Minds, 24, Criminal Minds: Beyond Boundaries, NCIS and Prison Break

ARY Digital UK

ARY Digital UK is also free to air. The programming includes ARY Digital's Dramas and TV shows while also having some programs for ARY Digital UK viewers only. The channel was called ARY Family from December 2017- November 2020 due to copyright issues.

ARY Digital UAE

ARY Digital UAE is also free to air, but the programming is limited to Pakistani programmes only, this includes ARY Digital's exclusive Dramas and TV shows, this is because UAE's local Channels own the rights for British, American and English shows and Hollywood films. Indian, American & British programmes are also not broadcast on the UAE version, because Indian networks are available in UAE.

ARY Media Advisory Board

At the turn of events leading to the emergency in December 2007, Salman Iqbal, CEO of the network announced along with the ARY Digital network committee the establishment of a media advisory board, the purpose of which would be to assess the media coverage (be it news or other programmes) on the network. Saying that ARY Digital has been reporting without bias for a while but the recent events ushering the emergency rule and temporary closure of one of the biggest news network Geo TV, ARY Digital required a better unbiased coverage. He concluded that an array of government leaders could weigh the coverage presented by the network on the basis of its rationality and coverage so that the media portrayed by the network was in verse with the way Pakistan is supposed to be imaged. The board would have seats for 20 members, each focusing on different aspects of media would provide their views on how media should be portrayed.[9]

Criticism

For a brief period in 2003, ARY Digital received criticism upon its airing of a prisoner's derogatory comments against the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC-3) and a video showing balded young girls behind bars begging for mercy. The contempt of court proceedings against the officials of the network were withdrawn after the judge accepted unconditional apologies.[10]

Attempted take over of BOL Network and BOL News happened in August 2015 by ARY Digital Network CEO Salman Iqbal, who said that the decision was taken in view to provide career protection to media industry and its workers.[11] The founder of ARY Group said that his media group would launch the transmission of the channel within three weeks.[12] However this deal fell through and in September 2015 it was announced that ARY was not taking over BOL.[13]

See also

References
  1. Niazi, Abdullah; Shahid, Ariba (August 8, 2020). "The ARY story: How a keen mid-tier trading family became one of the most powerful conglomerates of Pakistan". Profit by Pakistan Today.
  2. "Teleport". Samacom. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  3. "Aljazeera and ARY Digital Network to launch Aljazeera Urdu". AME Info Middle East. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  4. "Basic Facts". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  5. "Nick, MTV Travel to Pakistan". Animation Magazine.
  6. "ARY TUBE". ARY DIGITAL NETWORK. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  7. "ARY Arabia - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  8. "ARY Films Rules the Roost in Pakistani Cinema". ARY News. December 31, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  9. "ARY Digital Network announces Media Advisory Board". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  10. "KARACHI: Contempt proceedings withdrawn against ARY". DAWN Newspaper. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  11. "ARY CEO and Founder Salman Iqbal takes over BOL Network management — says BOL will be launched in three weeks". ARY SERVICES LTD UK. ARYNEWS.tv. August 19, 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  12. "ARY announces Bol TV takeover". Web Desk. The Express Tribune News Network. August 18, 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  13. "Bol TV Deal Over". Web Desk. ARY News.
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