MBC Scores Output Deal with Warner Bros.

DUBAI/BURBANK: The MBC Group has secured the rights to air series from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution on free TV in the Middle East, while also scoring access to feature films such as The Hangover 2 and the Harry Potter franchise.

The multi-year output deal sees MBC debuting Warner Bros. series in the region concurrent with the U.S. broadcast of the programs. The deal includes series from the recently announced 2011-12 lineup, including Alcatraz, Person of Interest and Major Crimes, as well as future seasons through 2015. Series such as Vampire Diaries, Nikita and The Mentalist are also included in the deal, with MBC to run them before pay TV or any other free-TV station in the MENA region.

MBC also gains access to Warner Bros. feature films such as Sherlock Holmes, Valentine’s Day, Inception and Due Date, as well as the Batman, Superman, Matrix and Lethal Weapon Franchises.

“MBC is a quality network that is committed to bringing our audience the very best in entertainment programming so it is only natural that we would be in business with one of Hollywood’s absolute best in films and television programming,” commented Tim Riordan, the group TV director at MBC. “We also recognize our audience’s appetite to have access to popular series concurrently with the U.S.”
 
Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. International Television, added: “We have a long-standing relationship with MBC and are very happy that the relationship will continue with this latest deal. We look forward to working with them to bring our television programming to audiences in the Middle East.”