According to Gulf Times, the Arabic satellite news station Al Jazeera is poised to become the largest sports broadcaster in the Arab region with its reportedly billion dollar purchase of the Arab Radio and Television (ART) network. According to the article, the deal has not yet been announced formally, but it will give Al Jazeera exclusive rights that will likely see it become the leading sports network in the region. Last week, the UAE daily the National reported that the head of ART’s public relations Nawaf Tamimi, said there was no rights deal, following press reports claiming ART had sold its extensive library to Al Jazeera Sports channel. “Rumors have been swirling around the Middle East media water cooler for a while now that the two pay-TV players that weren’t a part of this summer’s merger between Orbit and Showtime — that is, Arab Radio and Television (ART) and Al Jazeera Sports — are up to some kind of merging of their own,” writes Keach Hagey. Looks like they are, just as AJ Sports celebrates its sixth year.
