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MBC Group has announced a breakthrough in the region’s television industry with the launch of the Middle East’s first-ever experiential TV drama, 04 (zero four). The drama went on air from January 14.
Laying to rest weeks of speculation, Ali Jaber, Group TV director at MBC Group, revealed that 04 is the name of an ‘entirely new TV experience’ that forms one of the centre-pieces of MBC4’s prime time schedule in 2012.
At the heart of 04 lies a TV drama revolving around the lives of four young men as they grapple with their day-to-day lives in Dubai. However, the 04 concept extends far beyond a traditional TV drama.
As part of this, viewers are able to track each character’s thoughts and life in real time through their social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, and even follow one character’s online blog. But, like the real world, this isn’t a one-way conversation as characters can engage with friends and followers. It amounts to a whole new TV experience that blurs the lines between reality and fiction and responds to the evolving desires of the youth audience to be engaged, entertained and involved.
Announcing the project, Mazen Hayek, MBC’s group PR and commercial director, said it represented a breakthrough in the way media channels conceive of and deliver entertainment content to an increasingly media savvy and mobile audience.
'The 04 multi-platform TV experience is one of the most ambitious projects MBC has ever taken on,' Mr Hayek said. 'It’s recognition of the rapidly discerning nature of the youth audience and the increasingly competitive nature of our business.'
'Channels that stand still and fail to recognise and embrace the way that young people live their lives and move today will find themselves becoming irrelevant and out of touch – fast.'
MBC hopes that the ‘experiential TV’ model behind 04 will push the industry both within the region and beyond.
Mr Hayek added that it is fitting that this ‘world first’ approach should be born in the Middle East, where meeting the demands of a growing youth population is one of the major challenges for any business over the coming years.
'The Middle East is one of the most vibrant and dynamic places in which to operate at the moment precisely because we have such a large youthful and talented population.'
'It’s shaping the future in a way many of us have never seen. For a business such as MBC, the challenge is to embrace this phenomenon. 04 is about more than four young men, it’s about reflecting the lives of every youth out there and the struggles they face in a rapidly changing world. This is about listening to an audience that has rarely been heard – and responding to it, engaging them on their terms and giving them a voice and platform to talk to us – and each other.'
04 launches with the first season of 20 episodes. The series is accompanied by a live microsite that integrates feeds from the 04 social universe including character Facebook updates, Tweets, Google + hangouts, blog posts and an evolving suite of new and innovative features over the year. Online character personalities are fully integrated with those seen in the series with updates even happening as episodes are airing.
'04 is not just another TV show,' said Fadi Ismail the series’ executive producer and general manager of O3 Productions. 'It’s a whole new way of looking at TV. From the writing, the directing, the format, the microsite, the whole transmedia engagement idea, even the title sequence.'
'We’re talking about nothing less than a reimagining of TV, and the first example of what I hope will become the industry standard in years to come.'
