MTVNI & twofour54 Launch Middle East Comedy Studio

ABU DHABI/LONDON: MTV Networks International (MTVNI) and twofour54 have teamed up to to launch Comedy Central Studios Arabia, signing a multi-year partnership. 

The new studio, headquartered in twofour54’s offices in Abu Dhabi, will develop and produce comedy content in Arabic for broadcast and distribution across the Middle East and North Africa region, among other territories. The original productions will cover the comedy genre, from stand-up to sketch shows to sitcoms. The programming will be aimed primarily at the 18- to 49-year-old Arabic audience. The new studio will draw from Comedy Central’s library of international formats and produce localized versions.  

Tony Orsten, the CEO of twofour54, said: “We are thrilled to be working with MTVNI on this venture. There is so much untapped creative potential in the region and this partnership will go a long way in helping to create an Arabic comedy industry.” He continued, “From individual stand-up talent right through to major comic productions, Comedy Central Studios Arabia will provide an opportunity for Arabic comics and comedy programming talent that simply never existed before. It is this type of partnership with trusted international brand names that forms such an important part of the media ecosystem we are building at twofour54. This ecosystem provides enormous benefit to the Arab world.”

Bhavneet Singh, the managing director and executive VP of emerging markets at MTVNI, added: “IPSOS research shows that there is a significant appetite for local comedy content in the Middle East. Nearly 500 comedy episodes are aired across the MENA region every month, the majority of which are original Arabic productions, and this number almost doubles during the month of Ramadan; Comedy Central is currently seen by 164 million households in 21 territories around the world. We feel that this desire for Arabic comedy content, combined with the globally renowned Comedy Central brand, portfolio and know-how, affords us an opportunity to provide viewers and broadcasters alike with content that is relevant and funny to Arabs, in their own language. Working together with twofour54, we aim to make Abu Dhabi the home of Arabic comedy production.”