Dubai 33
Dubai Channel 33 (originally branded as Ch33) was a national television channel transmitting terrestrially out of Dubai in English, targeting the expat community in the U.A.E.. It was founded in 1977. Up until the late 1980s, it was a 12-hour channel, switching broadcasts adjacently from one of Emirates Dubai Television's frequencies starting at 2:00 pm, U.A.E. time, with a children's block, and concluding at 2:00 am. The times of the switch often changed usually during Ramadan, which varied each year. It was the only free-to-air English-language channel in Dubai at the time.
From the late 1990s, its popularity started dwindling due to availability of alternate channels in English as well as the expat communities native languages via growing use of satellite TV and mainstream cable (E-Vision in 2000).
In 2002, it started transmitting over the satellite using Arabsat and Nilesat, and turned into a free-to-air 24-hour channel, even though retaining the children's block timing at 2:00 pm.
In 2004, it changed its identity completely and relaunched as Dubai One[1](after being known as One TV for a short initial period) and is now part of Dubai Media Incorporated. Dubai One turned managed to recapture some of the lost expat market due to its more U.S.-based premium programming, even though when it was temporarily known as "One TV" it retained most of Ch33's original programming, including the signature children's block, which was later removed. However, Ch33 had an originality that could never be replaced and is now being copied by other Gulf states expat televisions.
Ch33 originally had a habit of changing the type-face of their logo every few years.
It originally aired popular and latest US TV Shows, UK Comedy, Horse Racing, daily News and every Thursday 10.00pm, a Hindi movie subtitled in English. Later, its programs became even more diversified to include more soaps from Australia, Canada, etc.
The Hindi film ceremony Zee Cine Awards was also shown in February 2004, which took place in Dubai.
As with other media in the UAE, all programs on Channel 33 were to be aired after adequate censoring. There was no nudity or other profane content shown on Channel 33. There was also no religious programs aired, unless they were pertaining to Islam.
Channel 33 had a teletext service called GULFAX.
Former Programming
Action
- 18 Wheels of Justice
- The Adventures of Sinbad
- Airwolf
- The A-Team
- Cagney & Lacey
- Cleopatra 2525
- Cobra
- The Flash
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
- Highlander: The Series
- Jack of All Trades
- Knight Rider
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
- MacGyver
- Magnum, P.I.
- Manimal
- Miami Vice
- The Old Fox
- Quantum Leap
- Remington Steele
- Renegade
- Scarecrow and Mrs. King
- Sliders
- Street Hawk
- S.W.A.T.
- Team Knight Rider
- Walker, Texas Ranger
- Zorro
Animated shows
- 2 Stupid Dogs
- The Adventures of Blinky Bill
- The Adventures of Paddington Bear
- Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
- The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
- The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin
- The Adventures of Tintin
- Aladdin
- The Amazing Adventures of Morph
- Andy Panda
- Animal Crackers
- Animal Shelf
- Animaniacs
- Anne of Green Gables
- Arthur
- Avenger Penguins
- Babar
- The Baby Huey Show
- Bad Dog
- Barbapapa
- Batman: The Animated Series
- Beany and Cecil
- Beethoven
- Beetlejuice
- Biker Mice from Mars
- Billy the Cat
- Bimble's Bucket
- Bionic Six
- BlackStar
- Blazing Dragons
- Bob Morane
- Bonkers
- Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry
- Captain Planet and the Planeteers
- Care Bears
- The Centurions
- Challenge of the GoBots
- Channel Umptee-3
- Chilly Willy
- Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
- Count Duckula
- Creepy Crawlies
- Cro
- Danger Mouse
- Defenders of the Earth
- Dennis the Menace
- Dennis the Menace and Gnasher
- Denver, the Last Dinosaur
- Dink, the Little Dinosaur
- Dog City
- DragonFlyz
- Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop
- DuckTales
- Earthworm Jim
- ExoSquad
- Family Dog
- Fantastic Four
- Fantomcat
- Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
- Fireman Sam
- Foofur
- Free Willy
- Galtar and the Golden Lance
- Go Go Gophers
- Godzilla: The Series
- Goof Troop
- Gummi Bears
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
- Hammerman
- The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats
- Iron Man
- It's Punky Brewster!
- Jumanji
- Kampung Boy
- The Karate Kid
- Kimba the White Lion
- Kipper
- The Legend of Calamity Jane
- The Legends of Treasure Island
- Little Bear
- The Magic Ball
- The Magician
- The Mask: The Animated Series
- Mighty Ducks
- Monster Force
- The Moomins
- Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
- Mother Goose and Grimm
- The Mozart Band
- Mr. Bogus
- Mr. Hiccup
- Mr. Men Show
- Mummies Alive!
- My Little Pony
- My Little Pony Tales
- M.A.S.K.
- The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Noddy's Toyland Adventures
- Oakie Doke
- Oggy and the Cockroaches
- Oscar's Orchestra
- Pigeon Street
- Pingu
- The Pink Panther
- Pippi Longstocking
- Pokémon
- Police Academy
- Popeye and Son
- Popples
- Problem Child
- The Raggy Dolls
- The Real Ghostbusters
- ReBoot
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- Road Rovers
- The Road Runner Show
- Robinson Sucroe
- Rocko's Modern Life
- The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
- Roger Ramjet
- Rude Dog and the Dweebs
- Rupert
- Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
- Sandokan
- Savage Dragon
- Sharky and George
- Sky Commanders
- Space Goofs
- The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper
- Spunky and Tadpole
- Street Sharks
- Stunt Dawgs
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
- Super Mario World
- SuperTed
- The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries
- Tales of the Tooth Fairies
- Taz-Mania
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Timon & Pumbaa
- Tiny Toon Adventures
- Tom & Jerry Kids
- The Toothbrush Family
- The Transformers
- Underdog
- The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo
- The Untouchables of Elliot Mouse
- Victor and Hugo
- Vor-Tech: Undercover Conversion Squad
- Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?
- Widget, the World Watcher
- Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa
- Will Quack Quack
- Wisdom of the Gnomes
- Wish Kid
- Where's Wally?
- Woody Woodpecker
- The Wuzzles
- Yo Yogi!
Children's Programmes
- 3-2-1 Contact
- Are You Afraid of the Dark?
- Art Attack
- Barney & Friends
- Beakman's World
- Bill Nye the Science Guy
- Bits and Pieces
- Brum
- Children's Island
- Critter Gitters
- The Dooley and Pals Show
- Dynamic Six
- Dynamo Duck
- The Electric Company
- Fraggle Rock
- Ghostwriter
- Gina D's Kids Club
- The Great Space Coaster
- Groundling Marsh
- Hi-5 USA
- Jay Jay the Jet Plane
- Kids Incorporated
- Kratts' Creatures
- Lamb Chop's Play-Along
- The Legend of William Tell
- Let's Read... With Basil Brush
- Ocean Girl
- Polka Dot Shorts
- Power Rangers
- Pumuckl
- Ramona
- Road to Avonlea
- Sesame Street
- Size Small
- Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
- Space Cases
- Spellbinder
- Square One Television
- Sunshine Factory
- Super Gran
- Theodore Tugboat
- T-Bag
- Wimzie's House
- Wishbone
- Young Hercules
Comedy
- 'Allo 'Allo
- America's Funniest Home Videos
- Benson
- Boy Meets World
- Brotherly Love
- The Carol Burnett Show
- Charles In Charge
- City Guys
- Cosby
- Dad's Army
- Dave's World
- Diff'rent Strokes
- Dinosaurs
- Empty Nest
- Everybody Loves Raymond
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- Friends
- Fudge
- Gilligan's Island
- The Golden Girls
- The Gregory Hines Show
- Harry and the Hendersons
- Head of the Class
- Here and Now
- Hey Dad..!
- Home Improvement
- Home James!
- The Jeffersons
- Keeping Up Appearances
- Major Dad
- Malcolm & Eddie
- Mr. Bean
- Night Court
- Out of This World
- The Parent 'Hood
- Saved by the Bell
- Seinfeld
- The Simpsons
- The Sinbad Show
- Small Wonder
- Smart Guy
- The Steve Harvey Show
- USA High
- The Wonder Years
Drama
Gameshow
- Blockbusters
- The Crystal Maze
- Give Us a Clue
- Jeopardy!
- Terror Towers
- What Would You Do?
Soap
Reality
Documentary
- Today in History
Lifestyle
Anthology
Cooking
Music
- Gulf Indian Music Countdown
See also
- Dubai One
- Saudi TV Channel 2 - Saudi Arabia's publicly owned English channel which originally featured similar programming (despite poor scheduling and much heavier censorship editing) to Dubai Channel 33 before its own re-branding.
References
- ↑ Entertainment and Leisure in the United Arab Emirates Retrieved 15 Sept 2010.