NEWS: The regional TV battle heats up as OSN takes on Netflix following launch of new channels

Picture shows: A scene from "War And Peace"

Television network OSN has unveiled a string of new HD channels for customers.

OSN faces stiff new competition with the recent global expansion of Netflix that brought the subscription-based streaming service to the region.

From March, OSN viewers can now enjoy OSN Yahala Cinema HD, OSN Movies Family HD, OSN First HD Home of HBO and H2 HD as part of their subscription.

Launched this week, viewers can watch the BBC First HD channel, home to popular programmes including Sherlock, Luther, War & Peace, Eastenders and Doctor Who.

Having recently signed a deal with NBCUniversal, OSN will offer subscribers the chance to view the popular E! and SyFy channels in the coming months.

David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said:“OSN’s world-class and ‘nowhere else’ television experiences are tailored to suit the entertainment preferences of the entire family, which will continue to drive our growth.”

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Exclusive: X-Files star Gillian Anderson speaks to Abu Dhabi Week about her role in the BBC’s War & Peace

Had you read War & Peace before you took on the role?

I’ve had the book in my iBooks for a long time, but I had never read it before starting to work on this. Because I’d heard daunting things said about the novel, I approached it with a certain amount of reverence and fear and actually have been pleasantly surprised that it’s incredibly readable and interesting.

Tell us about this adaptation…

Even though the story is set in the 1800s, there’s still war and love, romance and betrayal running through it. It’s the same as with Shakespeare and other great novels in history: they stand up because they are about relatable subjects. War & Peace is chock full of relatable subjects. There’s also an extraordinary cast of young, very attractive and talented actors.

Tell us about your character Anna Pavlovna…

Anna Pavlovna is a socialite and holds salons during the course of the tale of War & Peace. A good deal of the action takes place at these salons. I like her brazenness and cheekiness – throwing balls, matchmaking and always with something to say.

What attracted you to the role?

The chance to work on a piece like War & Peace is extraordinary in itself. Having it made by the BBC and The Weinstein Company, Andrew Davies doing the adaptation and the cast that came together, plus the fact that my role happened to fit exactly in my schedule, was a very big part of it.

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