beIN Sports goes off air in UAE
June 4, 2018
By Chris Forrester
Viewers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in particular those watching TV from the local cable and IPTV supplier Du, cannot receive sports channels from beIN.
Du, the digital cable operator owned by Emirates Integrated Telecoms, put a message on its website June 2nd saying; “We regret to inform that our customers are temporarily unable to view beIN sports channels and packages as a result of a decision by the broadcaster of beIN sports.”
The UAE is supporting Saudi Arabia in its diplomatic rift with Qatar, where beIN is based.
However, one report suggests this particular cause of blank screens is down to commercial, not diplomatic, discussions and that beIN’s channels would return once new carriage fees were agreed. Another report says that beIN has pulled the plug on its cable-based transmissions to the UAE.