Serial telecoms and media entrepreneur David C. McCourt backs roll-out of world’s first breakthrough digital TV platform, headquartered in Dubai, dedicated to underserved communities

13 June 2016, Dubai – ALTV.com, a Dublin-based new free streaming service that will bring more exciting and relevant video content to underserved areas of the world, has announced its plans to launch a Dubai channel in October this year. Blurring the lines between users and content creators, ALTV features a pulsating mix of lifestyle content covering consumer interests from comedy and music to beauty, travel, sport-related chat and gossip.

ALTV.com will become the number one channel for a growing audience that is increasingly shunning traditional television channels in favour of more relevant, locally-made content designed to be enjoyed via a smartphone.

By providing the most talented and responsive local programme originators with a sophisticated platform, it will compete with established online platforms as well as new rivals such as Netflix, all of which focus on re-packaging content made for US and European audiences, as opposed to local and original content.

ALTV is now the latest addition to Granahan McCourt Capital’s extensive history of connecting underserved regions across the globe. For over 30 years, the firm’s chairman and CEO, David McCourt, has been credited with disrupting markets to bring consumers fairer and more competitive products.

Granahan McCourt’s Chairman and CEO, David McCourt, said: “We have taken the decision to place our headquarters in Dubai for several reasons. This is an area of high growth where we already have some fantastic partnerships in place with the likes of KACST and taqnia. With the combination of KACST research and our industry knowledge it will enable us to create job opportunities and provide long-term investment and value to this fast growing region.”

ALTV has now commenced plans for the Middle East and North Africa, with expansions soon planned for South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Launching in these markets, ALTV is developing a wide-ranging network of creative talents in each region, filling a major gap in these markets by giving millions of younger viewers access to local, high-quality content that reflects their culture, interests and aspirations.

ALTV.com is firmly at the forefront of audience engagement, allowing content and advertising to be tailored to target demographics. Its business model ensures ALTV.com content creators will for the first time be able to monetise their content creation, encouraging the new wave of digital entrepreneurs to build careers in developing high quality content.  

In the coming weeks, an innovative social media campaign featuring star-name brand ambassadors will propel ALTV.com to the awareness of millions of viewers in the Middle East and North Africa who are hungry for something fresh, exciting and relevant to their values and experiences.

McCourt commented: “ALTV is solving the growing global challenge being faced in areas of the world that are currently underserved – connecting creative content developers to engaged audiences. It provides a platform to help train and empower talented individuals and gives them the ability to distribute their content to a huge audience.

“We are seeing a revolution in online entertainment. However, large areas around the globe remain underserved. As connectivity in these areas increases and spread of consumer technology continues, these countries and cities are seeking online content that is increasingly more relevant to them. 

“By collaborating with the best and most creative presenters and producers in each region, nurturing talent through training, supplying facilities and responding to what consumers want, ALTV understands the dramatic changes in media consumption that are taking place and offers younger, tech-savvy audiences more relevant, captivating content that reflects how they live.
               
“Our responsiveness and relevance, together with the creative brilliance of our contributors will make us number one for vibrant, must-see local content in every underserved area of the world.”

An Emmy award-winning TV producer, McCourt has produced the American children's television series Reading Rainbow, as well as prime time documentaries with Angelina Jolie in Tanzania and Michael Douglas in Sierra Leone. He was also responsible for bringing the first competitive telephone and TV landscape to Mexico and built the first competitive telecom network in America with Corporate Communications Network, which was merged into MFS to create MFS/McCourt. MFS was later sold to WorldCom for $14.5bn.

The announcement was made at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin at an event attended by a number of esteemed individuals from the entertainment, technology and political worlds, including renowned Hollywood actor Omar Miller, who praised ALTV for challenging the entertainment industry of the United States and offering a different perspective to viewers across the world. Additional speakers included: HH Prince Bandar Al-Saud; Firas Steitiyeh, Managing Director of the Online Project, Jordan; Rehab Hany, author of two bestselling books, whose tracks have been listened to 15 million times on SoundCloud and Ali Buali, CEO of Live HD, one of the largest content production companies in the Middle East, based in Abu Dhabi.