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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — World Cup viewers in Saudi Arabia say the federal government has blocked a Qatari-owned streaming service that was purported to broadcast matches within the kingdom.
The suspension has shocked and outraged clients of TOD TV, which holds the rights to point out the World Cup in Saudi Arabia. TOD TV is owned by Qatar’s beIN Sports activities Media Group.
Saudi-based subscribers who weren’t in a position to watch World Cup matches have flooded TOD TV’s Twitter account this week with refund requests and screenshots of the service’s web site saying “Sorry, the requested web page is violating the laws of the Media Ministry.”
In a message shared by subscribers, TOD TV apologized to viewers “for the non permanent lack of service.”
“This is because of causes past our management,” it mentioned. “We worth our viewers having a premium consumer expertise and are engaged on resuming regular providers as quickly as potential.”
TOD TV, the Saudi Media Ministry and International ministry didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Qatar’s beIN group was caught within the crosshairs of a bitter political dispute between Riyadh and Doha in recent times. Saudi Arabia in 2017 led a gaggle of 4 Arab international locations in imposing a boycott on Qatar over its help for political Islamists, ties with Iran and its funding of Al Jazeera, a satellite tv for pc information channel that has at occasions harshly criticized different Gulf Arab governments.
In the course of the boycott, beIN Sports activities misplaced its license to broadcast in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi viewers misplaced their solely approach to watch soccer from Europe’s largest leagues and Asia’s prime competitions outside of pirated services. However final yr after Saudi Arabia mended ties with Qatar, beIN resumed service for the main Saudi market.
TOD TV is broadcasting a number of the matches, together with Saudi Arabia’s, without spending a dime, however 42 matches had been solely going to be obtainable on the streaming service, which apparently was blocked simply earlier than the beginning of the event on Nov. 20. Subscribers reported they’ve been unable to entry the service because the opening ceremony, during which Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sat just a few seats from Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Competitors for for income and tens of millions of subscribers within the Center East is escalating amongst regional streaming providers, together with the Shahid service operated by the Saudi-owned MBC Group.
The Saudi authorities is believed to carry a controlling stake in MBC Group after a series of arrests in 2017 ordered by Prince Mohammed over corruption allegations that helped him centralize energy within the kingdom.
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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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