OSN retains House of Cards as Netflix makes first Arabic acquisition

Kevin Spacey in House of Cards

UAE-based pay TV operator OSN has retained the rights to the fourth season of Netflix’s House of Cards, despite Netflix’s launch in the country earlier this year as part of its 130-territory expansion.

The fourth season of the show is currently available on OSN Play, the operator’s online TV service, and will remain on this platform until March 18.

The show will also air weekly on the OSN First HD channel from March 21, with episodes also made available via OSN’s catch-up TV service.

Netflix launched in the UAE in January, with a promise that Netflix originals would be made available on the platform over time. However, neither House of Cards nor Orange is the New Black are available on the Netflix platform in the country.

Netflix this week did however make its first major Arabic-language acquisition, securing global rights to Zinzana, a prison-set drama from UAE-based director Majid Al Ansari. The movie, produced by Image Nation Abu Dhabi and starring Ali Suliman and Saleh Bakri, was shown at the Dubai Film Festival in December.