In a bid to bring a greater variety of Muslim-focused content to Malaysian audiences, Astro Malaysia Holdings is teaming up with Qalbox by Muslim Pro, an entertainment streaming service celebrated for its worldwide Muslim content. This strategic alliance stands as a testament to Muslim Pro’s mission of becoming the go-to digital platform for all things Muslim, while providing Astro’s customers with a wealth of Muslim-centric entertainment.
The partnership, unveiled by Bitsmedia’s co-CEOs, Nik Emir Din and Fara Abdullah, alongside Astro’s group chief financial officer, Shafiq Abdul Jabbar, and director of content, Agnes Rozario, makes Qalbox available on all Astro Ultra and Ulti Boxes as an add-on. Launched initially in Kuala Lumpur in December 2022, Qalbox offers an extensive spectrum of content catered to the Muslim community.
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The platform acknowledges Malaysia’s young, tech-savvy Muslim population and supports the government’s vision of making Malaysia an Islamic content tech hub. Qalbox showcases Muslim identities and how faith permeates everyday life across a broad scope of genres, resonating with younger audiences.
The recent alliance with Astro further cements Muslim Pro’s commitment to serving the Muslim community in Malaysia, enhancing user accessibility. It seeks to provide a seamless and more focused experience, ensuring that Muslim-centric content reaches a larger audience and enriches Malaysia’s entertainment landscape.
Co-CEO of Muslim Pro, Fara Abdullah, expressed her excitement about the collaboration with Astro, Malaysia’s leading entertainment provider. “Our partnership brings us closer to our vision of becoming a global hub for Muslim content and entertainment. By providing a platform for Muslim creatives and filmmakers, we believe that Qalbox’s diverse offerings will profoundly resonate with the Malaysian audience, delivering an unrivaled entertainment experience,” Abdullah commented.
Astro’s CFO, Shafiq Abdul Jabbar, noted the positive impact of introducing Qalbox on Astro’s suite of apps. He said, “This venture with Muslim Pro, the world’s most popular Muslim lifestyle app, will complement Astro’s robust content offering, from Astro Signatures and Astro Originals to live sports, news, and children’s animation. Now, we can also showcase the rich diversity of Muslim cultures globally, all with a simple touch of a button.”
Astro’s dedication to enriching local content is evident. It announced earlier this year that it plans to invest RM300 million in local content for the financial year. Astro’s group CEO, Euan Smith, revealed that Astro invested RM308 million in local content for the financial year of 2023, an 11% increase from the previous year. Smith emphasized Astro’s commitment to providing customers with better value bundles, addressing viewers’ diverse preferences.
This news is based on Marketing Interactive.
