May Chidiac Foundation holds annual media awards ceremony in Dubai

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May Chidiac and key media personalities handed the awards. (Arab News)
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May Chidiac and key media personalities handed the awards. (Arab News)
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Updated 04 March 2023
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May Chidiac Foundation holds annual media awards ceremony in Dubai

  • ‘Best is yet to come,’ says Saudi Research and Media Group CEO Jomana Al-Rashid after accepting Excellence in the Media Industry Award

DUBAI: The May Chidiac Foundation on Friday celebrated the contributions of influential figures to the Arab world’s media industry at its annual awards ceremony, held in Dubai for the first time.

Awards were presented by MCF President May Chidiac alongside media personalities, including Rani Raad, known for 25 years of leadership in Warner Bros. Discovery, Tunisian businesswoman Ouided Bouchamoui, former CNN bureau chief in Beirut Brent Sadler, founder and CEO of Cairo-based Noor Group Basel Dalloul, head of media representation giant Choueiri Group Pierre Choueiri, Orascom chairman Naguib Sawiris, Lebanese philanthropist Maha Shair, press freedom adviser Mogens Schmidt, and Ipsos MENA chief Edouard Monin.

During the ceremony, CEO of the Saudi Research and Media Group Jomana Al-Rashid accepted the Excellence in the Media Industry Award.

Expressing her gratitude and pride in receiving the award, Al-Rashid said: “I am a very small part of a time-honored, giant institution.”

She added: “If not for the group’s support, motivating work environment and creative teams, we would not have achieved any of what you have seen today, so I thank my colleagues at SRMG and everyone who worked with us in the last two years toward these accomplishments. The best is yet to come.”

Award recipients also included Alarabiya’s UK bureau chief Rima Maktabi, who delivered an inspiring speech in which she thanked those who offered support and encouragement during her 27 years as a media professional.

The evening featured some of the region’s most popular voices, with Lebanese singer Assi El-Hallani opening the ceremony and pop star Maya Diab performing a series of favorites.

Founded by journalist and former Lebanese Minister for Administrative Development May Chidiac, the foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to research and development in the fields of media, international affairs, women’s rights, democracy and social welfare, among other disciplines, with the aim of establishing Lebanon as a proactive player in the Middle East and global economy.


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”