The Middle East Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) began broadcasts of its MBC Masr channel on NileSat Friday.
The corporation is also planning to launch another channel, MBC Masr Drama, which will also be directed at Egyptian viewers.
The channel launched with a real-time episode of the Arabic version of "The Voice," a show which scouts for talented singers. The musical show has as its hosts Iraqi singer Kazem al-Saher, Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahab, Tunisian singer Saber al-Rebaie and Lebanese singer Assie al-Helani.
Medhat Hassan, spokesperson for the channel, said the channel will observe universal professional standards and local traditions in its programming, saying its viewers will be Egyptians and Arabs.
The channel began its regular broadcast on Saturday with several shows produced specifically for Egyptian audiences, as well as a selection of exclusive soaps, including the Egyptian soap "al-Montaqim" ( The Avenger), starring Ahmed al-Sadany and Amr Youssef.
Egyptian Media Professional Mona al-Shazly will have a two-hour show on weekdays called Gomla Mufida (A Meaningful Sentence) that analyzes social and political events in Egypt.
The channel with also broadcast other series, including a historical TV series, Omar, and a Turkish soap, Fatma 2.
Edited translation from the DPA
