MBC CEO Sam Barnett on Beating Netflix Beyond Ramadan and Navigating Saudi Arabia’s Production Boom (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Dubai-based CEO Sam Barnett leads the Middle East’s largest broadcaster MBC as it turbocharges its Shahid streaming service through a scripted content drive, and gives Netflix a run for its money.

Shortly before the holy month of Ramadan, which is marathon TV time in the Arab world, Barnett spoke to Variety about the still crucial relevance of Ramadan season in luring eyeballs, MBC’s need to offer “interesting new types of content” outside of the holy period, and why the company remains resolutely pan-Arab while riding the wave of Saudi’s production boom. There is a perception that MBC is becoming more “Saudi-centric” since it now plays an important role in Saudi’s drive to become a major content producer.

Can you talk to me about how this shift is playing out in your overall production strategy? MBC has always played a major role in the media in the Kingdom, and that’s continuing.

What’s happening in Saudi is – with the opening up and the evolution of production and the diversification of the economy away from oil – there’s a greater focus on building industrial ecosystems in all sorts of different sectors.