DISH NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW ‘ARABIC MUSIC PACK’
“Dandana TV, First U.S. Produced Arab-American Music Channel”
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., March 7, 2006 – EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network™ satellite television service now offers the ‘Arabic Music Pack.’ The Arabic Music Pack features three Arabic music channels—Dandana TV, a 24-hour Arabic music video channel created in the U.S., Mazzika Zoom, a 24-hour music and light entertainment channel, and Melody Arabia, a 24-hour Arabic-language music video channel from Egypt.
Dandana TV is unique becauseit is the first 24-hour Arabic music video channel to air and broadcast in North America. It originates in Rochelle Park, N.J., and includes music videos and coverage of major Arab-American events. Dandana has brought a wide variety of popular Arabic music videos to a Western audience and is a response to the growing population of Arabic-speaking viewers, as well as non-Arabic speaking viewers interested in Middle Eastern pop-culture. In addition to its music programming, Dandana TV also offers a variety of talk shows featuring gossip and interviews with many of today’s Arabic superstars.
Mazzika Zoom programming includes a variety of music and light entertainment programs from Egypt, Lebanon and across the Middle East.
Melody Arabia is a 24-hour Arabic-language music video channel broadcast from Egypt available exclusively on DISH Network. Melody Arabia offers a variety of music programming including video clips from the 1980’s, 1990’s, and contemporary releases.
“Dandana TV is the pop culture face of DISH Network’s Arabic package while Mazzika Zoom is well known for having one of the largest classical and modern music libraries in the Middle East,” said Tracy Thompson, vice president of International Programming for DISH Network.
“Dandana TV is the only Arabic music channel broadcast from the U.S., and we are proud that DISH Network viewers will be able to watch programming that truly reflects Arab-Americans,” said Andy Altahwi, president of Dandana TV.
The Arabic Music Pack includes Dandana TV, Mazzika Zoom and Melody Arabia. The package is available for $6.99 per month for customers who also subscribe to the Arabic Elite Super Pack, or $9.99 per month for customers who also subscribe to the Arabic Elite Pack or Arabic Enhanced Pack.
DISH Network now offers 123 international channels in 28 languages, including: Arabic, Chinese, Korean, German and French.
Customers can contact DISH Network at 1-800-333-DISH (3474), or their local retailer for more information on how to subscribe to DISH Network. To learn more about DISH Network’s international programming offers, visit www.dishnetwork.com.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) serves more than 12 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network™, the fastest growing U.S. provider of advanced digital television services in the last five years. DISH Network offers hundreds of video and audio channels, Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and international programming, together with professional installation and 24-hour customer service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
About Dandana TV
Dandana TV is an American channel. Broadcast from the United States., Dandana TV is the first 24 hour Arabic music video channel to air and broadcast in North America. Since our on air debut in July of 2004 on the Globe Cast Network, we’ve reached vast audiences of multi-cultural viewers from across North America.
Inspired by revolutionary video music channels in North America such as MTV and VH1, Dandana TV has brought a wide variety of popular Arabic music videos to a Western audience. In just a few short weeks after airing, the response for such programming was overwhelming, and we discovered that we sought our goal to reach a vast audience of multi-cultural viewers from across the U.S. and Canada, as well as Latin America.
The host for Dandana TV’s current programming is an advanced 13,000 sq. foot studio located in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. International production is managed in our other studio located in Cairo, Egypt.
As our viewing audience increases through future broadcasting by other satellites and cable operators in the US, Canada, Latin America, Australia, EU and the Middle East, Dandana TV hopes to expand its programming to include bi-lingual shows, as well as supporting the careers of up and coming singers and musicians residing in North America.
