Regions Covered
✔ MENA
✔ Algeria
✔ Bahrain
✔ Egypt
✔ Iraq
✔ Jordan
✔ Kuwait
✔ Lebanon
✔ Morocco
✔ Oman
✔ Qatar
✔ Saudi Arabia
✔ Tunisia
✔ United Arab Emirates
✔ Pakistan
To maintain a consistently high quality product, XR requires all material to be supplied to the following specifications:
Requirements at a glance
| Unique identifier(s): |
A clock number is automatically generated during order placement. |
| Pre/post roll: | No |
| HD/SD: | HD |
| Audio: | Max PPM 6 (-10dBFS) |
| Clearance: | No pre-clearance required |
Content Layout
For this region a clock/slate is not required
File Specification
| Preferred | Accepted | |||
| Format | Apple ProRes 422HQ 1080/50 | XDCAMHD422 1080/50 | Avid DNxHD 185x 1080/50 | |
| Container | MOV | MXF or MOV | MOV or MXF | |
| Video Codec | Apple Quicktime ProRes 422 for 422 HQ | XDCAMHD422 | 8bit DNxHD / 10bit DNxHD | |
| GOP | - | Long GOP | - | |
| Profile | HQ | MPEG-2 422P@HL | 1080i DNxHD SQ 8-bit | |
| Frame Size | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 | |
| Frame Rate | 25 FPS | 25 FPS | 25 FPS | |
| Scan Type | Interlaced, Upper/Top Field First | Interlaced, Upper/Top Field First | Interlaced, Upper/Top Field First | |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9* | 16:9* | 16:9* | |
| Pixel Aspect Ratio | Square Pixels (1.0) | Square Pixels (1.0) | Square Pixels (1.0) | |
| Video Bit Rate | - | 50Mb/s CBR | 120Mb/s or 185Mb/s | |
| Chroma | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 | |
| Audio Codec | PCM (Little Endian) | PCM (Big/Little Endian) | PCM | |
| Audio Bit Depth | 24bit | 24bit | 24bit | |
| Audio Sample Rate | 48kHz | 48kHz | 48kHz | |
| Audio Bit Rate | Uncompressed | Uncompressed | Uncompressed | |
*For broadcasters that will only receive material in 4:3, material will be converted to match the requirement of the broadcaster. If you would prefer to send an additional 4:3 master then XR will require this version to be supplied with a separate unique clock number.
Title Safety
16:9 as per EBU R.95-1
All graphics, text, and frame composition elements should be placed within the safe title area to prevent key content from being cut off.
Al Arabiya (UAE) Title Safe
Commercial and sponsorship for Al Arabiya have to follow unique title safe requirements as per the reference frames in the link below:
Video Levels
All video signals should comply with ITU-R BT.709-5 and video signals should not exceed the specified limits.
Video levels should not exceed 700mV, or fall below 0mv
Luminance (Y) -1% and 103%
(between -7mV and 721mV)
RGB video levels -5% and 105%
(between -35mV and 735mV)
Audio Levels
PPM / Max Peak
- Permitted Maximum Level : PPM 6 (-10dBFS)
- Alignment Level : 1kHz@ -18dBFS
- Ballistic : PPM Type IIa as per IEC 60268-18
Refer to EBU R68-2000 for guidance on alignment levels
Audio Channel Configurations
| Channel # | Audio |
| 1 | Stereo Left |
| 2 | Stereo Right |
Subtitles
This region can only accept open/burnt in captions.
Audio Description
Audio Description isn't currently supported in this region.
Clearance
Do you need help with clearance or regulatory compliance?
XR's Campaign Services teams can assist you! Please reach out to your local team for more information, additional fees apply.
There's no clearance body in the MENA region. Commercials should adhere to local advertising laws and shouldn't include any nudity, violence or any offensive content.
Other Important Information
OSN does not accept content with freeze frames.
Asharq Channel requires the file to have a 15 frames fade in at the beginning of the commercial and a 15 frames fade out at the end of the commercial
Where possible an Arabic title should be added to your order in the relevant field: