Rotana Group
Rotana Media Group, commonly known as Rotana (Arabic: روتانا Rōtānā), is the Arab World's largest entertainment company. It is primarily owned by Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Television, Radio, Media Services |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Dubai, UAE |
Area served | Middle East, Africa & Europe |
Key people | Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, CEO |
| Owner | Al-Waleed bin Talal |
The large pan-Arab media conglomerate includes a film production company (Rotana Studios), free to air television stations (Rotana TV), music channels (Rotana Radio), a record label (Rotana Records) and others businesses.
Rotana was founded by Ibrahim Nagro and his brothers, with a 50% share to the Saudi business man Saleeh Kameel.
In 2003, Al-Waleed increased his stake to 100 percent, after initially acquiring a 48 percent stake in 2002. He developed Rotana Music Channel as a 24-hour free-to-air service for Rotana artists. This was followed by Rotana 2, Rotana Clip, augmented with SMS, and Rotana 3 for classical Arab music, followed by a movie channel. Alwaleed's stated goal is to have 6 Rotana channels.[1]
Rotana Audio
Rotana Audio (Arabic: تسجيلات روتانا) is the Arab World's largest record label, with over 100 signed artists.[2]
Rotana Radio
Rotana is a series of radio stations belonging to Rotana Group, a big pan-Arab entertainment group. Rotana Radio broadcasts in a number of Arab countries under varying names and with unique programming for each country: Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria and play almost exclusively music released by Rotana Records.
Stations currently broadcasting and frequencies:
- Lebanon: Radio Rotana Delta - Beirut - 102 FM
- Jordan: Radio Rotana Jordan - Amman 99 FM, Aqaba 11.1 FM, Irbid- Al Salt 90.50 FM
- Saudi Arabia: Radio Rotana FM Saudi Arabia - Riyadh 88 FM, Jeddah 88 FM, Dammam 100 FM, Rotana Radio KSA Online [3]
- Syria: Radio Style FM - Damascus 105 FM
The stations play almost mostly music released by Rotana Audio.
Rotana TV channels
| Availability | |
|---|---|
| Cable | |
| Numericable (France) | Channel 643 (Cinema) Channel 644 (Clip) Channel 645 (Aflam) Channel 749 (Khalijia) Channel 753 (Drama) Channel 752 (Classic) Channel 754 (Musica) Channel 771 (Al Resala) |
| IPTV | |
| Freebox TV (France) | Channel 479 (LBC) Channel 491 (Al Resala) Channel 492 (Aflam) Channel 493 (Cinema) Channel 494 (Clip) Channel 495 (Khalijia) Channel 496 (Drama) Channel 497 (Musica) Channel 498 (Classic) |
| MT Box (Morocco) |
|
Rotana TV has many specialized channels. General programming stations include Khalijia (خليجية), LBCSat (al-Fadaʼīyah al Lubnānīyah الفضائية اللبنانية), Rotana Media Services (RMS) and RMS Outdoor. Rotana film channels include Rotana Cinema KSA and Rotana Cinema Egypt and Rotana Classic (for classic movies)Rotana Afalam, Rotana America, Rotana Afalam+ HD, Rotana HD, M+. Rotana also runs a number of music channels including Rotana Clip, Rotana Music, and an Islamic religious channel Al-Resala.
Rotana Channels
- Rotana Khalijiah (General Entertainment) -The channel was originally launched initially as a music channel broadcasting mainly music from the Persian Gulf region. Later on, however, Rotana Khalijiah became a general viewing channel airing films, television series, and lifestyle programming.
- Rotana Drama (Drama Channel) - A channel broadcasting mainly Arab television series. Formerly known as Rotana Masriya from 2011 until 2017
- LBC Sat previously known as Al Fadaiyyah al Lubnaniyyah - A channel broadcasting general women entertainment Programs.
- Rotana Cinema KSA & Rotana Cinema Egypt (Movies Channel) - A movie channel established in 2005 that broadcasts exclusively old and contemporary films in Arabic, becoming the most successful and watched channel of the network.
- Rotana Classic (Classic Movies) - A free to air satellite television specialty channel that initially broadcasts Arabic classic films in black and white 24 hours a day with a mixture of classical Arabic films and music in its general programming. Its slogan in Arabic is جواهر خالدة, "Immortal Jewels".
- Rotana Aflam (Films Channel) - Aflam in Arabic means movies and driven from the word film. This free to air satellite television channel was launched by Rotana Group on 25 April 2012. It mainly broadcasts Arabic and international movies. Its slogan is أفلام ولا في الأحلام, "Movies beyond your imaginations". It also plays a role in furthering the film industry in the Arab world by featuring a selection of films produced in various parts of the MENA region in their original dialects, Arabic, Egyptian, Gulf, Syrian, and Lebanese.
- Rotana Clip (Music Clips Channel)
- Rotana Mousica (Music Channel)
- Al-Resala (Islamic Religious Channel)
- Rotana Kids (Children Channel) - Launched on 1 April 2020.
- Rotana Comedy (Comedy Channel)
Others
Rotana has developed an extensive network of companies that support the various radio and television stations. These include:
- Rotana Media Services (RMS or rms), the media marketing and advertising wing of Rotana Group established in 2004 and providing advertising services and comprehensive media services to the various radio stations and television channels run by Rotana.
- RMS Outdoor, handling advertising and promotion of outdoor advertisements.
- Rotana Studios, created mid-2005 to focus on film production, Rotana in partnership with twofour54 to co-produce an initial line up of 12 television films using twofour54's production and post-production facilities.[4]
- Rotana Café is a series of trendy theme café built around the Rotana franchise name. Besides food and drinks, the cafés offer an arts space, latest video clips, CDs, various Rotana merchandise and memorabilia. It also features occasionally CD launching and meetings with various Rotana stars.
References
- Khan, Riz (2005). Alwaleed, Businessman Billionaire Prince. New York: HarperCollins. p. 145-146. ISBN 9780060850302.
- Rotana Entertainment Group website
- http://www.rotana.net/radio/index
- twofour54 Official website