MBC Group

Native name	مجموعة إم بي سي
Formerly	Middle East Broadcasting Center (1991–2003)
Company type	Public
Traded as	Tadawul: 4072
Industry	Mass media
Founded	18 September 1991; 34 years ago (1991-09-18)
Headquarters	Riyadh,Saudi Arabia
Area served	Middle East and North Africa andHorn of Africa
Key people	Waleed bin Ibrahim (Chairman) Mike Sneesby (CEO)
Owner	Public Investment Fund (54%)[1] Waleed bin Ibrahim (36%)[2]
Subsidiaries	MBC Studios MBC Media Solutions MBC Academy
Website	www.mbc.net

MBC Group^[a] is a Saudimedia conglomerate and the leadingmedia group in theMiddle East and North Africa, widely described as the region’s largest broadcaster.^[3] It was launched in 1991 bySaudi businessmanWaleed bin Ibrahim, who serves as its chairman.^[4] The group is majority owned by the StatePublic Investment Fund.^[5][6][1]

MBC Group was founded in London in 1991 with the launch ofMBC 1, the first private Arabic satellite channel. The group expanded to Dubai in 2002.^[7]

In 2011, MBC reported 165 million viewers.^[8]

MBC Hope launched in June 2013 to handle social engagement campaigns like "Syrians without an address" and "Stars on board." In 2017, it expanded toEgypt to support female entrepreneurs.^[9]

In 2022, MBC relocated toRiyadh and expanded its operations. The group now oversees Shahid (largest Arabic streaming platform), 19+ TV/radio channels, MBC Studios, MBC Academy, and MBC Talent Agency.^{[10][11][12][13]}

MBC partners with telecoms and international production studios, and also develops projects in video games, NFTs, and digital currencies.^[14][15][16]

In 2023, total revenue reached SAR 3.7 billion (+6.2%) and net profit SAR 69 million (+44.8%). 60% of MBC was owned by Istedamah Holding Company (Saudi Ministry of Finance subsidiary) and the rest by Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim.^[7]

MBC announced its IPO on theTadawul in November 2023, with a share price range of SAR 23–25. The IPO raised SAR 831 million with huge demand.^{[17][18][19][20]}

Following the IPO, shares rose 30% on debut (Jan 8, 2024) and 134% by Jan 25, 2024. 2024 revenue: SAR 4.2 billion (+13.1%); net profit SAR 426.1 million (+515.2%).^{[21][22][23][24][25]}

In September 2025, the PIF became a major shareholder, acquiring 54% through Istedamah Holding Company for SAR 7.469 billion.^[7]

MBC Shahid is the first free video on demand service in theMiddle East and North Africa and one of the region’s most popular streaming platforms, offering the largest library of Arabic content.^[35] It is also the largest premium video on demand service globally outside China, the US, and India and operates as an over‑the‑top streaming platform delivering content directly over the internet.^[36]

Shahid features MBC's own shows along with dubbed or subtitled foreign content. In January 2020, it partnered with Disney and Fox to add over 3,000 hours of content, including Star Wars, Marvel, and Disney classics such as Frozen, alongside nine new Arabic originals.^[35]

In December 2024, Shahid led the subscription video‑on‑demand market in the Middle East and North Africa with approximately 4.4 million subscribers, ahead of competitors such asYouTube Premium andNetflix.^[37]

In 2018, MBC established its own production studio to produce film and television series targeting at Middle-Eastern audiences.^[41] MBC Studios later expanded to work with Hollywood studios to produce English-language features.^[42]

MBC Studios has established global partnerships with major international production studios in Hollywood And London to launch joint film and television projects, most notably the filmDesert Warrior, a co-production between MBC Studios and JB Pictures.^[43][44][45] The film starsAnthony Mackie,Aiysha Hart,Sir Ben Kingsley,Sharlto Copley,Ghassan Massoud,Sami Bouajila, andLamis Ammar, and is directed byRupert Wyatt.^[43][44] The screenplay was co-written by Rupert Wyatt, Erica Beeney, andDavid Self, and the film's main scenes were shot in the Saudi Arabian cities ofNEOM andTabuk with support from the NEOM Media Industries sector.^[44][46] It is scheduled to have its Middle East and North Africa premiere at theRed Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in 2025, following its world premiere at theZurich Film Festival in September 2025 in Switzerland.^[43][47] The filmKandahar, starringGerard Butler, was also filmed in Saudi Arabia.^[48][49]

MBC Studios also produces Arabic works with international standards and broadcasts them globally, such as the crime drama series "Rashash" and "Rise of the Witches."^[50] In Ramadan/April 2025, MBC 1 aired the series "Muawiya," produced by MBC Studios, which is considered one of the largest historical productions in Arabic drama.^[51][52] In September of the same year, the Venice International Film Festival hosted the premiere of the film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which was co-produced by MBC Studios alongside a number of major Hollywood and international studios, and was written and directed by the TunisianKaouther Ben Hania.^[53][54][55]

In 2007, MBC aired its first Turkish soap opera dubbed into Arabic. These shows became very popular, with over 85 million viewers watching the finale ofGümüş.^[56] In 2018, all Turkish programs were removed, reportedly under Saudi government direction.^[57]

In 2017, several MBC owners were arrested inRiyadh during acorruption crackdown. Chief ownerWaleed bin Ibrahim was released after 83 days and found innocent.^[58][59]

In 2018–2019, MBC Masr faced criticism for blackface in comedy programs.^[60]

In October 2024, MBC aired a report labelingYahya Sinwar, Hamas leaderIsmail Haniyeh, Hezbollah'sHassan Nasrallah,PMF commanderAbu Mahdi al-Muhandis, andQuds Force commanderQasem Soleimani as "faces of terrorism." This led to office vandalism inBaghdad and the suspension of MBC licenses in Iraq and Algeria.^[61][62]

• Television in Saudi Arabia
• Lists of television channels
• List of television networks by country

• Official website(in Arabic)

• MBC Group
• 1991 establishments in the United Kingdom
• Mass media companies established in 1991
• Arab mass media
• 2024 initial public offerings
• Companies listed on Tadawul
• Direct broadcast satellite services
• Television networks in Saudi Arabia

• Articles containing Arabic-language text
• CS1 Arabic-language sources (ar)
• CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list
• Articles with short description
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• Use dmy dates from February 2021
• Articles with Arabic-language sources (ar)