News Corp. JV Unveils New Farsi Network

DUBAI: Broadcast Middle East (BME), a joint venture of News Corporation and MOBY Group, is gearing up to launch a second Farsi-language entertainment network, targeting and families, this week.

BME already operates Farsi1, delivering a variety of imported shows dubbed into Farsi. Zemzemeh (translated as "whisper" or "hum") will launch July 9 with shows acquired from the U.S., Europe, South America and Korea. On the grid are Project Runway, Gypsies, Queen of the South and The Betrayal. Original programming is on the planner for BME this year. The company has already expanded its Dubai Studio City headquarters to facilitate this expansion.

“The early and incredible success of FARSI1 is a testament to BME’s understanding of and connection with its Farsi-speaking audience," said Zaid Mohseni, the CEO of BME. "It is clear from our research and from listening to our audiences that there is room for other channels offering high quality entertainment but geared more towards women. Zemzemeh is offering more of the first class viewing that FARSI1 already provides. We can’t wait for the feedback from our loyal audience and clients and we’re particularly excited about the prospect of connecting with the more discerning female audience in the region.”

Both channels are accessible to 100 million Farsi speakers across the Middle East and Central Asia via Du, e-vision and Eutelsat W3A.