The development of video streaming industry in Egypt: examining its market environment and business model

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the development of video streaming industry in Egypt, a country characterised by a large segment of young consumers and active online media users in the Arab region. Interestingly, while the international and regional video streaming services have been able to achieve good audience shares, the Egyptian platform, Watch iT, is struggling to survive in the market. Based on in-depth interviews with 17 media executives, this study investigates how the market environment affects the development of different video streaming platforms in Egypt and what business model factors influence the performance of this market. The results highlighted the importance of economic and cultural factors in setting the parameters of competition and the need for flexibility in pricing and partnerships.