MENA hotels to whom SAWA provides TV entertainment channels will now include NHK World-Japan as part of their entertainment bouquet TV channel aggregator SAWA Rights Management has signed an agreement with broadcaster NHK World-Japan for the rights of commercial distribution across the MENA region.

The agreement was finalised during MIPCOM at Cannes, France in October 2019. NHK World-Japan’s 24-hour programming cycle includes its news show, NHK Newsline along with programmes such as Great Gear, Dining with the Chef,J-Arena, and Journeys in Japan. In addition, the channel offers documentaries and specials, including Asia Insight and NHK Documentary.

Commenting on the agreement, Ali Ajouz, CEO of SAWA Rights Management, said: “At SAWA, we continuously strive to offer the most relevant and first-class entertainment options to our hospitality customers across the MENA region and this agreement is yet another example of our commitment towards our hospitality customers region wide. NHK World-Japan delivers a blend of programming featuring hourly live international news from Tokyo and news bureaus from around the globe, along with programmes on Japanese lifestyle, culture, food, travel, technology, science and history – offering a great treat for our viewers and partners in the MENA region.” Masaru Shiromoto, President and CEO of Japan International Broadcasting responsible for the worldwide distribution of NHK World-Japan, added: “With this collaboration with SAWA, our viewers in the MENA region can connect with NHK World-Japan. We have the opportunity to reach even more viewers, making our wide variety of programmes more accessible to new audiences across the globe and serve them with a perspective on Japanese and Asian culture, lifestyle and news.”