MBC deploys Magnolia CMS for digital portals

Pan-Arab broadcaster MBC has updated its content management system (CMS) to improve the speed in which video and editorial on its digital portals can be updated to better serve its 165 million viewers online. MBC runs three online platforms - www.mbc.net , www.alarabiya.net and www.shahid.net, which was the first free video on demand portal in the Arab world. The Magnolia CMS Enterprise Edition was deployed by Aperto, to help simplify the management the portals' 55,000 items and 50,000 assets – across three languages: Arabic, English and Farsi. The Berlin-based agency also conducted training for 60 MBC online editors and webmasters in Dubai and Cairo. "A major international project like this is not only conceptually and technically challenging, but can also be demanding in terms of intercultural collaboration. We fulfilled the customer's ambitious goals and delivered on time, on budget and in top quality," said Kai Grossmann, chief operating officer, Aperto AG. In addition to its digital offerings, MBC broadcasts 10 free to air satellite television channels: the general entertainment channel MBC1; movies on MBC2 and MBC MAX; children's shows on MBC3; Arabic family/female entertainment on MBC4; MBC Action for action films and series; the Farsi movie channel MBC Persia; Arabic news channel Al Arabiya; Arabic music channel Wanasah; and MBC Drama. Seven MBC channels are now available in high definition across the Middle East and North Africa.