KARACHI: ARY Digital has shifted the streaming of its full drama episodes in Pakistan from YouTube to its own platform, ARY Plus, from September 17.
The move means viewers in Pakistan will now have to use ARY Plus to watch new full episodes of the network’s dramas online, while ARY Digital’s YouTube channel will continue to serve international audiences.
ARY Digital Network President and CEO Salman Iqbal recently discussed the move in an interview with Kamran Khan on On My Radar, describing ARY Plus as a homegrown Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platform that has been in development for the past three to four years.
According to Mr Iqbal, the platform was developed partly in response to requests from the Pakistani diaspora for a dedicated service for local content. He said Pakistan had long relied on platforms such as YouTube, while international streaming services including Netflix and Zee5 had expanded their presence.
ARY Plus carries ARY Digital dramas and other entertainment content, along with live news, sports and programming from across the ARY network. The service is available through its website and mobile applications. ARY describes the platform as a free service for its regular content.
Mr Iqbal has presented the move as part of a wider effort to build Pakistan’s digital media presence and give local media companies greater control over their audiences and digital distribution.
He has also supported calls for greater investment in Pakistan’s own streaming infrastructure. In July, he said Pakistani media had the technology and creative talent needed to reach a large global audience and said ARY had previously been approached by Netflix for content.
Mr Iqbal has also invited other Urdu-language content producers and television networks to become part of a broader streaming platform. He has said the focus at this stage is on building the platform’s reach, with commercial opportunities expected to develop as its audience grows.
The decision is significant for ARY Digital because its YouTube channel has more than 68 million subscribers and its popular dramas have generated millions of views. The 2024 drama Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, for example, accumulated about 206 million views across its 34 episodes, according to Dawn Images.
The shift has prompted some viewers to complain about having to move from YouTube to another platform, while some users have also reported technical difficulties with ARY Plus.
The change currently applies to viewers in Pakistan. International viewers can continue to access ARY Digital’s full drama episodes through YouTube, according to reports on the move.
ARY Plus currently offers ARY Digital dramas, movies, live television channels, sports and other entertainment programming through its website and mobile applications.
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