As traditional patterns of watching television give way to varied forms of viewing content, SAT-7 is making more Christ-centered programs available on its free-to-access streaming platform SAT-7 PLUS. With nearly 1.3 million unique users, the platform is growing in popularity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Unlike most streaming platforms, there are no barriers to access SAT-7 PLUS. Viewers do not need to provide their personal details, let alone pay for a subscription. This allows believers and seekers to find high-quality Christian content quickly and easily from any device.
Viewers can choose from a range of Arabic and Persian content, including discipleship programs, Christian dramas and films, children’s programs, uplifting talk shows, and much more. Recently added content includes new programming for viewers in North Africa. Algeria, Iran, Iraq, and Egypt are the MENA countries with the most unique users on the platform.
SAT-7 PLUS was promoted at on-the-ground events in Egypt and Lebanon last year and through an online marketing campaign. All SAT-7 channels are currently reviewing the platform to identify improvements and better meet the needs of its audience.
“I Love the App”
Mahdi, a man from Egypt who is a new believer, is enjoying using SAT-7 PLUS. “I am a loyal follower of yours; you are a beautiful channel with wonderful people, and I really love the SAT-7 PLUS app,” he said.
A girl named Zahra, also from Egypt, has been using the app to stream our children’s programs. “I love SAT-7 KIDS,” she told us recently. “I downloaded the app and learned so much from its programs, like how God is limitless and can do anything imaginable.”
Global Changes
Satellite television became an important part of modern life in the latter part of the 20th century, and it remains so today, especially for viewers in the MENA. But widespread and growing access to a range of internet-enabled smart devices has transformed the world of content creation and consumption.
It was in response to these changes that SAT-7 launched the region’s first on-demand Christian video streaming platform, SAT-7 PLUS, in 2021. Since then, the global shift towards streaming has only intensified.
A 2023 report revealed that streaming accounted for 38% of all television usage worldwide, with a staggering 1.8 billion subscriptions to video streaming services.1 Another global study from 2024 highlighted just how quickly habits are changing: 57% of consumers said they increased the time they spent on Subscription Video-on-Demand during the year, and 52% of respondents said the same for social media.2
As more people in the MENA turn to streaming, we pray that they will find SAT-7 PLUS, the encouragement of the Good News, and the resources they need to follow Jesus faithfully in their context.
Sources
1 Forbes
2 Accenture
