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 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

As with other media in the UAE, all programs on Channel 33 were to be aired after heavy and inconsistent censoring of whatever content was deemed inappropriate by its censor boards. The channel only allowed Islamic shows and no other religious shows were permitted.

Channel 33 had a teletext service called GULFAX.

Former Programming

Action

• 18 Wheels of Justice
• The Adventures of Sinbad
• Airwolf
• The A-Team
• Bring 'Em Back Alive
• Cagney & Lacey
• Cleopatra 2525
• Cobra
• CHiPS
• The Fall Guy
• The Flash
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
• Highlander: The Series
• Jack of All Trades
• Knight Rider
• Kung Fu
• Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
• MacGyver
• Magnum, P.I.
• Manimal
• Miami Vice
• McClain's Law
• Nasty Boys
• The Old Fox
• The Pretender
• Quantum Leap
• Remington Steele
• Renegade
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King
• Six Million Dollar Man
• Sliders
• Street Hawk
• S.W.A.T.
• Team Knight Rider
• T.J. Hooker
• Walker, Texas Ranger
• Zorro

Animated shows

• 101 Dalmatians: The Series
• 2 Stupid Dogs
• 64 Zoo Lane
• Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
• The Adventures of Alix
• The Adventures of Blinky Bill
• The Adventures of Gulliver
• The Adventures of Marco and Gina
• 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
• Alfred J. Kwak
• ALF: The Animated Series
• The Amazing Adventures of Morph
• Andy Panda
• Andy Pandy
• Animal Crackers
• Animal Shelf
• Animaniacs
• Anne of Green Gables
• Arthur
• Avenger Penguins
• The Avengers: United They Stand
• Babar
• The Baby Huey Show
• Bad Dog
• Barbapapa
• Batman: The Animated Series
• Beany and Cecil
• Beethoven
• Beetlejuice
• Biker Mice from Mars
• Billy the Cat
• Bill and Ben
• Bimble's Bucket
• Bingo and Molly
• Binka
• Bionic Six
• BlackStar
• Blazing Dragons
• Bob Morane
• Bob the Builder
• Bonkers
• The Brothers Flub
• The Bubblies
• Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars
• Budgie the Little Helicopter
• The Busy World of Richard Scarry
• Captain Planet and the Planeteers
• Care Bears
• Carrot Top
• Cédric
• The Centurions
• Challenge of the GoBots
• Channel Umptee-3
• Chilly Willy
• Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
• Cone Control
• Count Duckula
• Creepy Crawlies
• Cro
• Danger Mouse
• Defenders of the Earth
• Delook and Sharpy
• Dennis the Menace
• Dennis the Menace and Gnasher
• Denver, the Last Dinosaur
• Dink, the Little Dinosaur
• Dinosaucers
• Dog City
• Dr Otter
• Dragon Tales
• DragonFlyz
• The Dreamstone
• Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop
• DuckTales
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Earthworm Jim
• Eckhart
• Elliot Moose
• ExoSquad
• Fables of the Green Forest
• Family Dog
• Fantastic Four
• Fantomcat
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
• Fat Dog Mendoza
• Felix the Cat
• Ferdy the Ant
• Fireman Sam
• Fix and Foxi
• The Flintstones
• The Flying House
• Flying Rhino Junior High
• Foofur
• Free Willy
• Funny Little Bugs
• Futurama
• Gadget Boy & Heather
• Galtar and the Golden Lance
• George Shrinks
• The Get Along Gang
• Go Go Gophers
• Godzilla: The Series
• Goof Troop
• Gummi Bears
• G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
• Hammerman
• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
• Hocus and Lotus
• The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats
• The Incredible Hulk
• Inspector Gadget
• Iron Man
• It's Punky Brewster!
• The Jetsons
• Jumanji
• Jym and Jam
• 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
• Maisy
• The Marvel Super Heroes
• The Mask: The Animated Series
• Maya the Bee
• Mighty Ducks
• Monchhichis
• 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!
• Muppet Babies
• My Little Pony
• My Little Pony Tales
• M.A.S.K.
• Ned's Newt
• The Neverending Story
• The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• The New Fantastic Four
• Noah's Island
• Noddy's Toyland Adventures
• Norman Normal
• Oakie Doke
• Oggy and the Cockroaches
• Oscar's Orchestra
• Paw Paws
• Percy the Park Keeper
• Pigeon Street
• Pim Wright
• Pingu
• The Pink Panther
• Pippi Longstocking
• Pokémon
• Pole Position
• Police Academy
• Popeye and Son
• Popeye the Sailor
• Popples
• Princess Sissi
• Problem Child
• Prudence Petitpas
• The Raggy Dolls
• Rainbow Fish
• Rambo: The Force of Freedom
• The Real Ghostbusters
• ReBoot
• Redwall
• The Ren & Stimpy Show
• 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
• Rotten Ralph
• Rude Dog and the Dweebs
• Rupert
• Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
• Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
• Sandokan
• Savage Dragon
• Sharky and George
• Sheeep
• Sheherazade
• Simsala Grimm
• The Simpsons
• Sky Commanders
• South Park
• Space Goofs
• Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
• The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper
• Spunky and Tadpole
• Stone Protectors
• Street Sharks
• Stunt Dawgs
• The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
• Super Mario World
• Superman: The Animated Series
• SuperTed
• SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron
• The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries
• Tales of the Tooth Fairies
• Taz-Mania
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Timbuctoo
• Timon & Pumbaa
• Timothy Goes to School
• Tiny Toon Adventures
• Titch
• Toad Patrol
• Tom & Jerry
• Tom & Jerry Kids
• Toonimals!
• The Toothbrush Family
• The Transformers
• The Treacle People
• Turbo Teen
• Underdog
• The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo
• The Untouchables of Elliot Mouse
• Victor and Hugo
• Voltron: The Third Dimension
• Vor-Tech: Undercover Conversion Squad
• Waldo's Way
• Wazoo!
• The Wheels on the Bus
• 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
• Wizard Tales
• Where's Wally?
• Woody Woodpecker
• The Wuzzles
• Yoho Ahoy
• Yo Yogi!

Children's Programmes

• 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd
• 2030 CE
• 3-2-1 Contact
• Adventures in Wonderland
• Adventures of the AfterMath Crew
• Amazing Animal Videos
• Are You Afraid of the Dark?
• Art Attack
• Back to Sherwood
• Barney & Friends
• Beakman's World
• Between the Lions
• Bill Nye the Science Guy
• Bits and Pieces
• Brill
• Brum
• Caitlin's Way
• Captain Abercromby
• Chicken Dreams
• Children of the New Forest
• Children's Island
• Critter Gitters
• Dog and Duck
• Doodle
• Dynamic Six
• Dynamo Duck
• The Electric Company
• Elmo's World
• Eugénie Sandler P.I.
• Fraggle Rock
• Ghostwriter
• The Great Space Coaster
• Groundling Marsh
• Guess What?
• Horace and Tina
• Horse Tales
• Jay Jay the Jet Plane
• Kids Incorporated
• Kidsongs
• Kratts' Creatures
• Lamb Chop's Play-Along
• The Legend of William Tell
• Let's Read... With Basil Brush
• Little Star
• Mentors
• The Mickey Mouse Club
• Mowgli: The New Adventures of the Jungle Book
• My Secret Identity
• MythQuest
• Nanalan'
• Nini's Treehouse
• Noddy
• Ocean Girl
• Oscar Charlie
• Pinocchio
• Polka Dot Shorts
• Power Rangers
• Pumuckl
• The Puzzle Place
• Ramona
• Real Kids, Real Adventures
• Road to Avonlea
• Scene
• Sesame Street
• Size Small
• Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
• Space Cases
• Spellbinder
• Square One Television
• Sunshine Factory
• Super Gran
• Teletubbies
• Theodore Tugboat
• Thunderstone
• Tidbits for Toddlers
• Tots TV
• Tweenies
• T-Bag
• Whizziwig
• Wimzie's House
• Wishbone
• World's Greatest Pets
• Young Hercules
• Zoo Family

Comedy

• 'Allo 'Allo
• America's Funniest Home Videos
• Benson
• The Beverly Hillbillies
• Boy Meets World
• Brotherly Love
• The Carol Burnett Show
• Charles In Charge
• City Guys
• Cosby
• Dad's Army
• Dave's World
• Dharma & Greg
• Diff'rent Strokes
• Dinosaurs
• The Doris Day Show
• Empty Nest
• Everybody Loves Raymond
• Fawlty Towers
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
• Friends
• Fudge
• Futurama
• Get a Life
• Gilligan's Island
• The Golden Girls
• Good Advice
• The Gregory Hines Show
• Guys Like Us
• Half & Half
• Happy Days
• Harry and the Hendersons
• Head of the Class
• Here and Now
• Hey Dad..!
• Home Improvement
• Home James!
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
• The Jeffersons
• Jesse
• Just for Laughs
• Keeping Up Appearances
• The King of Kensington
• The King of Queens
• Ladies Man
• Lame Ducks
• L.A. Doctors
• Major Dad
• Malcolm & Eddie
• Maude
• Me and the Chimp
• Mind Your Language
• Mr. Bean
• The Muppet Show
• My Family
• Never the Twain
• Night Court
• Out of This World
• The Parent 'Hood
• Police Academy: The Series
• Rumpole of the Bailey
• Sanford and Son
• Saved by the Bell
• Seinfeld
• The Simpsons
• The Sinbad Show
• Small Wonder
• Smart Guy
• Spin City
• Starting from Scratch
• The Steve Harvey Show
• Suddenly Susan
• Thirtysomething
• USA High
• The Wonder Years

Drama

• 18 Wheels of Justice
• 21 Jump Street
• Amazon
• The Associates
• Automan
• Beauty and the Beast
• Beverly Hills, 90210
• Blue Heelers
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
• Code Red
• The Cowboys
• Dangerous Minds
• Doctor Who
• Doogie Howser, M.D.
• Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
• Due South
• Early Edition
• Earth: Final Conflict
• Eight is Enough
• ER
• Fame
• Fantasy Island
• Farscape
• Father Murphy
• Felicity
• Harbour Lights
• Hart to Hart
• Here's Boomer
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
• The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
• Investigations of the Lost Frontiers
• Judging Amy
• Life Goes On
• Michael Hayes
• Misfits of Science
• Murder She Wrote
• My Family and Other Animals
• North of 60
• Nowhere Man
• Relic Hunter
• A Respectable Trade
• RoboCop: The Series
• Rumpole of the Bailey
• The Scarlet Pimpernel
• The Sopranos
• Starman
• Twin Peaks
• Water Rats
• Wiseguy

Gameshow

• Blockbusters
• The Crystal Maze
• Full Metal Challenge
• Give Us a Clue
• Jeopardy!
• Legends of the Hidden Temple
• Terror Towers
• What Would You Do?

Magazine

• Arabesque
• Box Office America
• Cartooning with Blitz
• Cybernet
• Movies, Games and Videos

Soap

• The Bold and the Beautiful
• The Colbys
• Dallas
• Dynasty
• Falcon Crest
• Knots Landing
• Melrose Place
• Neighbours

Reality

• Candid Camera
• That's Incredible!
• World's Funniest Videos

Documentary

• Animal Families
• Animal Miracles
• Arrest & Trial
• Battlefront
• Behind the Scenes
• Destinations
• Dogs with Jobs
• Zero Hour
• Exotic Islands of the World
• Great Romances of the 20th Century
• The History of Warfare
• Hollywood Stuntmakers
• Land of Opportunities
• The Last Paradise
• Lights, Camera, Action!
• Ripley's Believe It or Not!
• The Scene
• Space Exploration
• Today in History
• Wild Ones
• World Quest
• Would You Believe It!!
• You Asked for It

Sports

• Guinness World Records Primetime
• Scrapheap Challenge

Lifestyle

• The Album Show
• Excentriks
• Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

Anthology

• Amazing Stories
• Fantasy Island

Cooking

• Chef Tell
• Graham Kerr's Kitchen
• Great Chefs of the World
• Yan Can Cook

Music

• The Big Music Show
• The Chart Show
• The Dubai Chart Show
• Gulf Indian Music Countdown
• Indie Top 10
• The UK Chart Show

News and Current Affairs

• Business Arabia
• Link with Business Channel

Educational

• Science and Technology

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

1. Entertainment and Leisure in the United Arab Emirates Retrieved 15 Sept 2010.