Dubai: Having just acquired full control of the Dubai news and entertainment channel City7, the owner, Mohidin Bin Hendi, expects to see its first profits in two years.
To achieve that and get the advertising dollars coming in, the programming content is being given a complete makeover.
"Between now and the next three to four months, we will bring in programming that will give viewers compelling reasons to switch on City7," said Bin Hendi.
"There will definitely be some entertainment content, but it will not be entertainment-based.
"If anyone wants to catch the Oprah show or an episode of Sex and the City, there's always some channel or the other showing it. I am not interested in City7 going that way.
"It's not a political channel; the region already has plenty of that. City7 is informative about the society we live in."
This explains why the content would be skewed more towards news and lifestyle related to — and derived from — this city and the other six emirates.
There would be the odd reality show — currently the cash cow for many channels — and documentaries.
With the new content in place, City7 would be better armed to go after advertising dollars, and central to its plans to turn a profit by 2014.
"We haven't started advertising — you want to invite others when your home is ready and presentable enough, not before," said Bin Hendi.
"That's exactly what I am doing and in four months I would have everything in place to start doing so."
On whether it is realistic to think of profits in two years, Bin Hendi said: "City7's already been five years in the market, and I don't see any reason why it will not start making money by the end of seven years.
"I am personally involved, am very hands-on with the decisions being made, and manage the rest of my business from here."
Known more for his extensive interests in retail and construction, Bin Hendi is cut up with persistent speculation that he ventured into media on a whim and with an eye to making a quick exit once profits are sighted.
"Yes, it's one of the riskiest ventures I have entered, it's virgin territory, and competitive," he said.
"But I always say if you want to own an aeroplane but don't know how to fly, you can always hire a pilot. I follow any idea that makes sense to me.
"Everybody said I shouldn't, but I did spend extensively on City7 and realise fully that TV is a media that needs a lot of time to take off. But I saw the need for a media that speaks to people in a language they understand.
"Media's new as a profession for me, but it's not new as an idea.
"It's a chance to promote the city I live in, the people I live with, the culture I am a part of. There's so much unsaid about this part of the world that's positive.
"And I did not acquire City 7 to make it a viable operating entity, then sell it and head off carrying a fat profit. The motive is very important to take a business format to success."
At the same time, he said he was still open to other investors coming on board for a strategic role, but not a controlling one.
"I'm not interested in letting go of control," he said.
The promoter also said he had no intention to switch City7 into a two-language channel in English and Arabic… at least for now. The content would continue to be in English, he said.
"There are enough channels out there in Arabic, and I don't want to add one more," Bin Hendi said.
"Another option would be to have a certain time slot each day dedicated to content in Arabic, but it's not something we are looking at now."
Most of the new content will be generated by local freelance talent, which would also help keep operating costs down.
Good talent
"There's a lot of good talent available on freelance, why not use them? Freelancing is the future, bartering too where such opportunities show up," said Bin Hendi.
In terms of reach, the channel has already made quite a lot of headway. It can already be viewed in parts of Europe and most of the Middle East and North Africa.
Locally, it's available on e-Vision, the cable platform, and other satellite-based bouquets.
"I want to strengthen its reach in the Subcontinent, which is very important to me, and some other parts of Europe," said Bin Hendi. "That should bring in some serious advertising dollars in itself."
