TLC Unveils First Middle Eastern Original

DUBAI: This October, TLC in the Middle East and North Africa will premiere its first original production for the region, a chat show catered to Arab women.

Hosted by Zainab Salbi, an activist, humanitarian and media personality, Nida’a is the first local production for TLC since its rollout on OSN in March of last year. “The Nida’a show aims at inspiring, supporting and empowering young Muslim and Arab women to achieve their full potential in society," said Salbi, who also serves as producer on the show. "It provides high-quality entertainment and current-affairs content with a fresh, engaging and intelligent tone, reflective of young women in the Middle East today."

The ten-episode series has a guest lineup that includes Bill Clinton and Donna Karan, as well as regional personalities like Mohammed Assaf, who spent 25 years in a Gaza refugee camp and went on to win Arab Idol.

“With its powerful message on female empowerment, Nida’a will be the perfect addition to our TLC programming lineup in the Middle East,” said Kasia Kieli, president of Discovery Networks CEEMEA. “Discovery has a proven track record for finding local stories and showcasing them to a wider audience, and Zainab, with her impressive background in philanthropy and social activism, is the best person to bring these fascinating stories to life in an interesting and entertaining way. We expect our TLC viewers across the Middle East will be enthralled and engaged when Nida’a launches later this year.”

"The Nida’a show is a groundbreaking programming concept within the region and will focus on the empowerment of women and celebration of their contribution both regionally and internationally," added Emad Morcos, senior VP of media partners and digital at OSN. "The show will highlight and address topics relevant to women globally. The guests featured on the show will be world renowned and high-profile figures, sharing their thoughts and experiences."