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Tribune News Network
Doha
BEIN Media Group has denounced Arabsat's sponsorship of the upcoming MENA Anti-Piracy Conference to be held in Dubai on May 2, in light of its facilitation of satellite broadcasts by the notorious Saudi-based piracy network, known as 'beoutQ'.
According to a beIN press release, the beoutQ pirates have been selling subscriptions to 10 satellite channels carrying premium live sports content stolen from beIN and other broadcasters since October 2017.
beoutQ set-top boxes are being openly sold in retail outlets across the KSA and other countries, and the packaging and promotional materials for the set-top boxes explicitly advertise the availability of pirated premium sports content.
Since February 2018, the beoutQ pirates have gone even further, by distributing an illegal IPTV app which provides access to hundreds of pirated channels from around the world. The content includes not only beIN channels, but other major global channels covering sports, Hollywood movies, television shows and other entertainment content.
beIN as well as several rights holders have written to Arabsat on numerous occasions, providing evidence that beoutQ is using Arabsat frequencies, and asking it to take down the beoutQ channels. Arabsat has refused this request and simply denies liability.
By sponsoring the MENA Anti-Piracy Conference, Arabsat is presenting itself as a responsible satellite operator, concerned with combatting broadcast piracy. Yet, at the same time, Arabsat is refusing to take any steps to bring an end to this piracy, which is causing immeasurable harm to broadcasters and rights owners in the MENA region, the release pointed out.
Arabsat's sponsorship of this anti-piracy event is indefensible, and makes a mockery of the conference, it concluded.
beIN Media Group has urged Arabsat to immediately cease making its facilities available to beoutQ.
