The pay TV market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is predicted to grow 36 percent over the next five years, local newspaper Khaleej Times reported on Sunday.

The prediction was made by a report by the London-based Informa Telecoms and Media, a leading provider of business intelligence to global telecoms and media markets, according to Khaleej Times.

The number of pay TV subscribers in MENA will surge to 6.1 million by 2012, representing a growth of 36 percent compared with 4.5 million at the end of 2006, the report said.

Much of the growth will come from Israel and Turkey, the report added.

"The MENA TV sector is starting to benefit from market liberalization, improving sophistication in technology and content and some signs of a more receptive stance towards foreign investment," Adam Thomas, author of the report as well as media research manager of Informa Telecoms and Media, was quoted as saying.

Source: Xinhua