ARY Digital Network: Empowering Pakistani Media on a Global Stage

The ARY Digital Network has been the talk of the town in the world of South Asian entertainment, making cultures meet and reaching Pakistan’s bright media face to international audiences. It was founded by Haji Abdul Razzak Yaqoob. This Dubai-based conglomerate, founded in December 2000 as a subsidiary of the ARY Group, is really making entertainment pop with a wide variety of television channels, partnerships, and film productions. It has grown from just catering to the South Asian audience in the UK to this gigantic entertainment hub that entertains millions of viewers worldwide.

Its network now also consists of several channels showing mixed content, catering for different tastes: drama, news, lifestyle, and music. All this has helped ARY Digital connect even more closely with the audience of South Asian diaspora-they are well-informed and entertained, no matter where they happen to be.

The ARY Digital has strategically affiliated with some of the world networks to diversify contents offerings and expand the audience base. One such affiliation resulted in launching FTV Pakistan on December 2005 through its association with Fashion TV. It brought global fashion trends to Pakistani viewers by becoming the first trendsetter for fashion-related content launched by ARY Digital. The networks include Al Jazeera and HBO. A new Al Jazeera Urdu channel aims to reach out to 110 million households which speak Urdu in different parts of the world. HBO Pakistan, made in collaboration with HBO South Asia, brings international quality entertainment to the people of Pakistan. Exciting collaborations include Nickelodeon, allowing the company to reach out to the very young audience with Nick Pakistan, an entertaining and educational channel to them.

Subsidiary of the giant ARY Digital Network, ARY Films plays a very significant role in rejuvenating and enhancing the Pakistani film industry. In 2013, ARY Films brought to the screen 35 movies-distributed under its umbrella in just a single calendar year, which includes 11 Urdu, 6 Punjabi, and 17 Pashto films. Some of the most iconic ARY Films-released movies include Waar, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi, Josh, Chambaili, Zinda Bhaag, Siyaah, and Lamha. These films became commercially successful as well but, more importantly, set new standards for Pakistani films with respect to production values and story lines.

December 2007: A State of Emergency was declared in Pakistan. The situation and challenges to ARY Digital on matters of balanced media coverage made Salman Iqbal, CEO of the network, declare the establishment of the ARY Media Advisory Board. The board’s job was overseeing the contents of the broadcasts on the network to ensure that it reflected reasonableness and fairness in the coverage of media activities. It was made up of 20 members, each representing expertise different in the media, aimed at presenting an equity view of what was going on in Pakistan, and responsible journalism, which would be fair.  ARY Digital has also not been without criticism. Legal wrangles with the network were also in 2003 when it aired a controversial segment of a prisoner speaking about how the Anti-Terrorism Court was against him along with footage of young girls behind bars. It was reported to have escalated into contempt of court, but afterwards charges were withdrawn as ARY Digital issued an unconditional apology.

In August 2015, news that it had its CEO, Salman Iqbal, attempt to take over BOL Network and BOL News, had hogged headlines for the ARY Digital Network. The reason was to afford job security to media personnel and particularly when it happened at a time when the general mood was at a chaotic low for the industry. However, soon after, the deal eventually fell through, and by September 2015, the merger was an unmitigated abdication.

With the ever-changing media landscape, ARY Digital Network has adjusted to the changing times of today with its video-on-demand streaming service called ARY ZAP. Under this service, the viewer can watch his favorite ARY shows and movies on the go or any time they please in their time zone and the entire world, thus allowing content to penetrate a global audience. This really represents the commitment of the network to staying at the cutting edge of entertainment technology and responding to the needs and demands of its audience in a digital age.