ContentAsia October 2014 by ContentAsia

ISSUE FOUR 2014

C C Production: India’s challenge “It looks beautiful…,

NTENT NTENTASIA Kids channels in Asia

the writing is smart… and the performances first-rate.” - Los Angeles Times “…drop-dead gorgeous adaptation…” - Los Angeles Times “…the series gets more and more addictive with each episode.” - E! Online “…Outlander gets every detail right…” - Rolling Stone Based on the international bestseller Outlander Sony Pictures Television 2014 Pictures Television Inc, All Rights Reserved.

PLUS: People & parties at the ContentAsia Summit 2014, Korean audiences on the move

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editor’snote

NTENT ASIA

Big dreams September was a mega month for formats in Asia. First

genres and we expect their profile

Sony Pictures Television Networks green-lit Asia’s Got

in Asia to grow steadily.

Talent for general entertainment channel AXN. Fox In-

Among the factual drivers is

ternational Channels (FIC) followed up three weeks

more original programming

later with season three of Asia’s Next Top Model for

from the likes of Scripps Net-

female-focused regional network Star World. Both

works Interactive, which has

series will air in early 2015.

promised short-form adapta-

What does this mean for formats in Asia? A few

tions of its U.S. Extreme Homes

things. First that there is an appetite – small as it may be – for bigger

Top formats trends 2015

The channel rolls out in December

budgets. No one is talking numbers, but

1. More complex deals & a wider budget range 2. Stepped-up hunt for big characters 3. Digital-only formats 4. Bigger appetite for Asia-to-Asia formats 5. More drama formats

this year, beginning with a carriage deal

neither are they denying that Asia’s Got Talent will

in Singapore. Long-form will follow in 2015. A+E

be the most expensive regional format produc-

Networks Asia will also drive factual forward for

tion ever. And it’s very likely to be one of the most

its three brands – History, Lifetime and FYI.

complicated as producers figure out how to cover

What do we think is most likely to happen in

the costs of the first multi-country/multi-platform

2015? More drama formats, particularly out of

competition of its kind.

and into India a la Telemundo’s Missing, which

Asia’s Next Top Model, although not as expen-

aired on Star India this year as Laut Aao Trisha.

sive, has bigger execution issues. FIC has shifted

The hunt for big characters that broadcasters

the commission yet again, making the Singapore-

can turn into franchises will intensify. Digital-only

based Beach House Productions the third produc-

formats may emerge for Asia; at the very least

tion house to be involved with the format in Asia.

there will be loads of experimenting with what

Not all of the reasons are on the record (and those that are have

works online. China will continue exploding – but

nothing to do with the actual format), but clearly FIC feels it hasn’t

regulations are a challenge for outsiders and

yet found The One.

it’s not yet very clear how new relationships will

The two new series cap an active year in the region, albeit with high-

work. Series deals will be bigger (but still mostly

moaning about low budgets and great expectations, and about the small

under US$5 million and less than US$10 million on

talent pool available in the region for bigger-than-ever productions.

the highest end) but they will also be more com-

ContentAsia’s first Formats Outlook, published for the ContentAsia

plicated. There will be more Asia-to-Asia formats

Formats event in Singapore on 3 September, looked at 151 formats on

along the lines of Korea’s Grandpas Over Flow-

air in Asia in 2014 (or commissioned for 2015). Of these, 56 (37%) were

ers and Taiwan’s Lady First. Plus there’s the ever-

game shows; 47 (31%) were talent shows; and 26 (17%) were reality.

lasting hope that Asia may just be the home of

Factual (8.6%) and drama (3.3%) trail, but there’s high interest in both

the next super-format. One day.

C Editorial Director Janine Stein Assistant Editor Malena Amzah malena@contentasia.tv Editorial Aqilah Yunus aqilah@contentasia.tv Design Rae Yong Production CJ Yong cj@contentasia.tv

format for the new HGTV Asia.

NTENT ASIA

INTERNATIONAL Associate Publisher (Americas, Europe) and VP, International Business Development Leah Gordon leah@contentasia.tv ASIA Sales and Marketing Manager Masliana Masron mas@contentasia.tv

What is ContentAsia?

ContentAsia is an Asia-based information resource that refines today’s info-deluge into usable, digestible, and reliable intelligence about entertainment content creation, funding, financing, licensing, distribution, design and branding and technology across the Asia-Pacific region. ContentAsia’s range of products include electronic, print and online publications.

To receive your regular free copy of ContentAsia, please email i_want@contentasia.tv Copyright 2014 Pencil Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved MCI (P) 111/06/2013 Printed by: Print Dynamics (S) Pte Ltd 21 Tai Seng Drive #03-01, Trivec Place, Singapore 535223

Published by: Pencil Media Pte Ltd l 730A Geylang Road, Singapore 389641 l T: +65 6846 5987 l F: +65 6742 9683 l W: www.contentasia.tv

issue four, october 2014

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contents

NTENT ASIA

what’s inside......

CJ E&M’s Youth Over Flowers stars three male singer-songwriters backpacking through Latin America

What’s going on in... 10 Korea

12 Strategy

Korea’s cable channels are capturing viewers’ attention with fresh ideas for dramas and entertainment programmes.

Sony Pictures Television president Steve Mosko on being global and why it’s a strength.

Formats

AXN hits the golden buzzer on FremantleMedia’s Asia’s Got Talent

A few years ago, in a lot of territories, there were concerns that some of the deals involved going back to the same people because there weren’t any other options. Now there are all these platforms and… if you make really good shows there is an insatiable desire to get this kind of content.”

14 Business A+E Networks Asia is, for the first time, trimming third-party acquisition of A+E titles and buying directly from the year-old A+E Studios and its new international unit, A+E Studios International.

Steve Mosko President, Sony Pictures Television,

page 12

Steve Mosko Arjen van Mierlo, Endemol CEO, Asian Operations

We have seen increasing demand for the production of localised high-end international formats but the high cost of these is always a hurdle... The hub facility will allow us to pass on to our clients the benefits of lower costs, quality resources, manpower and accessibility.”

Sean Cohan Un-Real, A+E Networks International

Arjen van Mierlo CEO of Asian Operations, Endemol

page 16

The Brain China, Endemol

16 Formats Endemol Asia heads into the last quarter of 2014 with more than 45 series on air across the region (excluding India) and high expectations of besting 2013 revenues, which were double those of 2011. And the company has even bigger plans for 2015...

issue four, october 2014

Our channels will now buy from us. They have access to the best ideas and content, which is key.” Sean Cohan Executive Vice President, A+E Networks International

page 14

Life Story

6 x 50’

A BBC/Discovery Channel/France Télévisions co-production

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contents

NTENT ASIA

People&Parties at this year’s ContentAsia Summit in Singapore Opening cocktail party hosted by A+E Networks Asia; breakfast with Rewind Networks’ HITS; Closing party hosted by Disney; networking breaks hosted by CBS Studios; lunch with Scripps Networks Interactive; ContentAsia/Women Media Networks Asian Media Woman of the Year dinner

Yudh, Sony Entertainment Television India

Production India’s producers are in high-experimentation mode. Is the business up to what comes next?

Downton Abbey, Diva/Universal Networks International

Drama

Kids: India

What made NBCUniversal’s Diva include Downton Abbey in its new slate of day-and-date releases?

Kids: Drama The ABU’s regional Asian children’s drama co-pro initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a slate of shows covering everything from math, school and friendship to puppets, holidays and desert islands.

issue four, october 2014

Kids television content and viewership is enjoying unprecedented heights in India. Revenues? Not so much. The big question now is whether (or how) cable digitisation can translate popularity into profit.

Kids: Pre-school Disney Junior Worldwide’s Nancy Kanter on the latest thinking about pre-school TV

To create and to develop a good storyline for the mental growth of children was the biggest and hardest challenge because there are very few stories which focus seriously on the subject matter.” Kamarudin Ambak Head of Television Drama, Radio Television Malaysia (RTM)

page 54

58 InNumbers Malaysia’s Astro hits 4.2 million subs, Sony Channel launches in Asia with 6+ first and exclusive titles, India’s entertainment and media industry is expected to hit US$37 billion by 2018... Plus other numbers that count in Asia right now

the network that changed the way stories are told the network that changed the way stories are told coming soon to asia amc something more

coming soon to asia AMC Networks International Asia-Pacfific

what’sgoingonin...

NTENT ASIA

korea

Korea’s cable channels are capturing viewers’ attention with fresh ideas for dramas and entertainment programmes.

Kim Yu-mi doesn’t watch major television channels such as KBS, MBC or SBS as much as before. The 34-year-old Seoulite, who describes herself a “television show-gore”, instead watches cable networks. Kim says her television remote control has stayed on cable channels for a while now. “Cable networks seem to know exactly who their shows are aiming for. While major channels try to embrace every age group, cables

CJ E&M’s Youth Over Flowers stars three male singersongwriters backpacking through Latin America

are specialised on speciﬁc age bracket. To me, cable TV shows are much more interesting,” Kim says.

tvN’s innovation hasn’t stopped with Grand-

Like Kim, more people in Korea are watch-

pas Over Flowers. The network is riding the fran-

ing television entertainment shows and dra-

chise’s success with travel shows casting celeb-

mas through cable networks than through the

rities in different age groups.

country’s major free-TV terrestrial channels. It is now a thing of past that KBS TV’s entertaining travel show, 1 Night, 2 Days, enjoyed

Sisters Over Flowers, featuring actresses beSisters Over Flowers follows four actresses around Europe

more than 40% of viewership every Sunday

tween 40 and 60 years old, aired at the end of last year. The show travelled around Turkey and Croatia, and it drew immense popularity, mark-

and MBC TV’s long-running variety show Inﬁ-

ble channels don’t need to satisfy every age

nite Challenge witnessed nearly 30% in ratings.

group as they don’t have sizable viewer bases

Youth Over Flowers premiered in August this

Nowadays, only around 10% of viewers watch

like majors. This enables cable channels to deal

year. The 10-episode show follows three male

those shows.

with speciﬁc programmes that can only target

singer-songwriters in their 40s backpacking

particular age groups,” Bae says.

around South America. The ﬁrst three episodes

Cable channels have captured viewers’

ing 7.5% average viewers rating.

attention with fresh ideas for dramas and en-

Leading the cable boom is tvN, an afﬁliate

recorded average ratings of 5.8%, develop-

tertainment programmes. Culture critic Bae

cable network of Korean entertainment behe-

ing a bond with various age groups, including

Kook-nam says the growing popularity of cable

moth CJ E&M.

males in their 30s and 40s and females in their

networks’ shows and dramas comes from their economical decision-making structure.

The entertainment and drama network

40s and 50s.

made its breakthrough last year with Reply 1994

Reply 1994 was created in tune with the

“Compared with major television channels,

and Grandpas Over Flowers, a reality-travel

retro trend, which was ignited by the 2011 ﬁlm,

cable networks have more concise and fast

show that follows actors in their 70s around the

Sunny, and the 2012 ﬁlm Architecture 101, fo-

decision making systems as they have more

world.

cusing on the good old days. Mainly aiming for

compact organisational structures,” Bae says,

Grandpas Over Flowers, lauded for shap-

audiences in their 30s and 40s, the romance

adding: “When a major channel plans to

ing elderly viewers’ fantasies of global travel,

comedy drama, set in the year 1994, became

launch its new show, it needs to be approved

chalked up average ratings of 6%-7%, com-

a sensation last winter, revisiting the youth cul-

by multiple layers of decision makers. But, ca-

mendable for a cable network.

ture of the 1990s. The last episode of the drama

ble channels don’t need that.” He also points out cable channels’ strength is their clear target audience and focus. “Ca-

issue four, october 2014

Stimulated by the success of Grandpas over

drew an average rating of 11.9%, the highest in

Flowers, major channels have also cast older

history of cable networks. By Baek Byung-yeul/

actors in travel shows.

Korea Times

The singer takes it all Can the singers stay on track? The viewers will judege

endemol

Can the singers stay on traCk? the viewers will judge

what’sgoingonin...

NTENT ASIA

strategy

formats

AXN hits the golden buzzer on FremantleMedia format

Global power Asia’s mantra of the moment is ‘local,

“We are trying to be ahead of the

local and more local’. What is the

curve,” Mosko adds. “When we did

rest of the world doing with that

The Blacklist, that was a unique

trend?

always

drama for television... we weren’t

done – talking global. And, if the

chasing anything. We were be-

truth be told, doing exactly what

ing original”.

many rights holders in Asia are in-

His pick of current trends include

What

they’ve

creasingly trying to do themselves: be

Steve Mosko

big and bold and everywhere.

high-quality, big-name drama. “There’s always going to be a business for

“We are a completely global business in three

that,” he says, adding that the rise of alterna-

areas – production, distribution and channels,”

tive platforms has opened up new distribution

says Sony Pictures Television president, Steve

opportunities.

Mosko, who is delivering a Mipcom Mastermind keynote in Cannes on 13 October.

“A few years ago, in a lot of territories, there were concerns that some of the deals involved

Among other issues such as the golden age

going back to the same people because there

of television, the impact of digital technolo-

weren’t any other options. Now there are all

gies, new platforms and piracy, Mosko will talk

these platforms and … if you make really good

about “how being global in those three areas is

shows there is an insatiable desire to get this

essential for the success of our company”.

kind of content,” Mosko says.

“Everything we do we are taking global,”

Regional formats are another great oppor-

Mosko says, pointing to series such as The Black

tunity, he adds, speaking only days after AXN

List. Season two of the series, starring James

conﬁrmed the commission of the ﬁrst Asia’s Got

Spader as the world’s most-wanted

Talent with FremantleMedia Asia. The se-

criminal and Megan Boone as a

ries will be the biggest and possibly the

rookie FBI agent, premiered on Sony

most expensive format ever made in

Pictures Television Networks Asia’s AXN (10pm, Tuesdays) on the same day as in the U.S. AXN’s latest schedules also include

Asia. Mosko says local production is key in Asia, raising expectations of more activity

day-and-date telecasts of

on the ground in the

The Voice season seven

region. Details? Not

and The Amazing Race

yet.

season 25. Mosko says the global angle kicks in from day one, including casting from as many territories as possible. James Spader in Sony Pictures Television’s The Blacklist

issue four, october 2014

Sony Pictures Television’s flagship entertainment channel, AXN, became Asia’s big-budget trailblazer in September with a balsy play that shattered the regional network’s low-key 2014 and put its new leadership in the spotlight for the first time. The first pan-Asian version of FremantleMedia/ Syco Entertainment format Asia’s Got Talent, announced during the ContentAsia Summit in Singapore in early September, will air across Asia in early 2015. The series is being called the biggest and most expensive format production ever in the region. While neither FremantleMedia Asia nor Sony/AXN is talking money, speculation is that the budget for the show is way higher – maybe 50% higher when every column has been added – than the US$5 million the industry used to talk about as record-breaking. Financial and other details have not been disclosed and it’s not yet clear who the sponsors are, although the deal is almost certain to have had sponsors locked it before being green-lit. Judges have also not yet been announced. What we do know is that the model involves licensing free-TV channels in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and India to broadcast the show soon after its telecast on AXN. In addition, an agreement has been inked with Chinese online platform Youku to offer the series. Open auditions started in September across Singapore Jakarta (Indonesia), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Manila (Philippines) and Bangkok (Thailand), with the hunt extending across Japan, Korea and China to India and everywhere in between. Online auditions have also opened. “No stone is being left unturned to find talent,” FremantleMedia’s Asia managing director, Paul O’Hanlon, says. The series will use the new facilities at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studio, according to Astro chief executive, Rohana Rozhan, who confirmed the deal at the facility’s formal opening in August. The final green-light on Asia’s Got Talent after months and months of talk was welcomed by an industry hoping – against hope in many cases – for more money and higher quality all round. Rare for rivals, there’s now massive support for the production in the hope that success will spread a new kind of love for all region-kind.

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what’sgoingonin...

NTENT ASIA

business

A+E re-works Asia content acquisition/distribution model A+E Networks Asia is, for the ﬁrst time, trimming third-party acquisition of A+E titles and buying directly from the year-old A+E Studios and its new international unit, A+E Studios International. The new situation kicks in from Mipcom, when A+E introduces A+E Studios International, rolls out its ﬁrst non-movie scripted titles, and formally in-

Our channels will now buy from us. They have access to the best ideas and content, which is key.”

troduces its new international team to the world. The team will also be pursuing international co-production partners. A+E

Studios

launched a year ago with the mission to develop and produce premium scripted content in the vein of

Sons of Liberty (above), Shiri Appleby in Un-Real (left), Sean Cohan, A+E Networks International (right)

Sean Cohan, A+E Networks

Hatﬁelds and McCoys, Bates Motel, Vikings and Houdini, all of which are distributed by third parties. “We weren’t controlling and distributing to the extent that we should have been,” says Sean Cohan, A+E Networks’ executive vice president, international. In Asia, this meant “buying our own shows from a third party”. The shift means “that our channels will buy from us. They have access to the best ideas and

Two of the titles debuting at Mipcom are Un-Real, the studios’ ﬁrst full drama series, and Sons of Liberty, set during the American Revolution, for History. The 10-part one-hour Un-Real, produced by A+E Studios for Lifetime, stars Shiri Appleby and is co-written/executive produced by Marti Noxon (House of Cards, Girls). Other Studios’ titles include Gangland Undercover (working title), based on a true story about Charles Falco, who inﬁltrated three of the most dangerous outlaw biker gangs in the U.S. The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe and Whitney, a biopic about Whitney Houston, are also on the slate.

content, which is key,” Cohan says, adding that

Future projects include Liberator, based on a true story of American military commander Briga-

in the now-past life, “some of our own channels

dier General Felix Sparks, who led the liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp during World

sometimes didn’t have the ability to get in line

War II; and a follow up production to Roots.

for some of our content”. In the new world, “our best content will end up on our channels”.

Cohan says the past year has been about hiring a network of strong sales executives with experience selling across scripted and unscripted.

“The other thing it means for Asia speciﬁcally

Glen Hansen, formerly with Zodiak Rights in the U.K., leads Asia-Paciﬁc content sales out of Los

is that our content sales team Asia, in addition

Angeles, where A+E Studios is based. Hansen’s appointment to the newly created position of vice

to having healthy unscripted and made-for-TV

president of content sales was announced in August by Alan Hodges, managing director, Asia

movies, will have quality drama to talk to cli-

Paciﬁc and Joel Denton, the newly appointed managing director, international content sales and

ents about,” Cohan adds.

partnerships, to whom Hansen will report. Denton, based in London, reports to Cohan.

issue four, october 2014

Malquerida A man’s obsession will put the love between a mother and a daughter into a risk. MIPCOM 2014 Palais des Festivals Cannes, France SUITE / BOOTH: R9.A2 Leading-edge The Latin Major Televisa

what’sgoingonin...

NTENT ASIA

formats

Endemol Asia caps three years of growth with even bigger plans for 2015 Endemol Asia heads into the last quarter of 2014 with more than 45 series on air across the region (excluding India) and high expectations of besting 2013 revenues, which were double those of Clockwise from top: The Brain, Jiangsu TV; Arjen van Mierlo, Endemol CEO, Asian Operations; Fear Factor Malaysia season 2

2011. Thailand, Vietnam and China top the company’s activity list for this year, with eight

lary exploitation and an increasingly active role in “the

new formats deals in Thailand,

commercialisation of formats through product place-

14 in Vietnam, and the return of

ment, live events, games, social media and more”.

The Brain for a second season on

A key initiative for 2015 is Endemol’s new China

mainland China’s Jiangsu TV.

company, with ofﬁces in Beijing and Shanghai. “Given

2015 will be another big year, says Arjen van

both the enormous opportunities and the complexities

Mierlo, Endemol’s CEO, Asian operations. And

of the market, we want to develop our presence in China

he’s not referring to (or commenting on) the

with a dedicated team and have a more stand-alone operation in the same way as we have

creation of global media indie via the proposed

already done in India,” he says.

JV between 21st Century Fox and private equity

“For us it’s now about much more than just selling formats in the Chinese market,” Van Mierlo

ﬁrm Apollo Global Management that will merge

says, adding that deals since mid-2014 have “also involved co-production or a signiﬁcant pack-

Shine, Endemol and Core Media.

age of production services. This means we have more involvement throughout the entire produc-

New initiatives in Asia include regional production operations in Malaysia and Singapore,

tion and are more able to work closely with our broadcast partners to ensure the success of shows like The Brain”.

expansion into Indonesia, and a Southeast Asia

Van Mierlo says he’s seeing “increasing demand for local content solutions from local platforms

production hub for shows that will service both

and brands”, and adds that Endemol is prioritising and investing heavily in “creating formats that are

regional and global clients. Initial productions

tailored to the culture and content needs of each local market”. This runs alongside the company’s

include Fear Factor.

global goal to create local IP with international appeal.

“We have seen increasing demand for the

At the same time as acknowledging that monetisation “remains a big challenge” in the digital

production of localised high-end international

space, Van Mierlo says Endemol is “keen to get a fair share of this market”. To this end, the compa-

formats but the high cost of these is always a

ny has plans for hubs in China and Singapore for Endemol Beyond, the premium channel network

hurdle,” Van Mierlo says. The hub facility “will

launched last year.

allow us to pass on to our clients the beneﬁts of

“Like many other regional players, we are closely following the digital market in Asia, which is

lower costs, quality resources, manpower and

undergoing rapid growth. Over 80% of the web population in Asia is viewing online video and even

accessibility, all married with Endemol’s global

a relatively small country such as Malaysia has 730 million video views a year while China has an

expertise,” he adds.

astonishing 29 billion,” he says.

Van Mierlo talks about the company’s “trans-

Another opportunity is in the increasing demand for local drama. “It’s an area we cannot ig-

formation from a sales-focused organisation to

nore,” Van Mierlo says, adding: “We still need to better understand the underlying business models,

a content-oriented one-stop-shop”, supported

but it’s an arena we will certainly enter when the time is right”.

by a larger team on the ground in multiple ter-

Production budgets remain one of the biggest regional challenges. “But we’re starting to see

ritories. This includes production operations led

signs of improvement,” Van Mierlo says, adding, “clients are increasingly showing an appetite for

by managing director Fotini Paraskakis out of

risk – as are we”. As relationships evolve into stronger partnerships, Van Mierlo also says greater

Singapore since early 2013.

value for money will “increase the inﬂow of dollars to our industry. It actually means the successes

Endemol’s expanded remit includes ancil-

issue four, october 2014

of our competitors are good news for us and vice versa”.

Parents and kdis duiets will get an entire country off of their seats to get their votes Stand Up for your Country From online phenomenon to TV Star… this is now a reality MIPCOM 2014 Palais des Festivals Cannes, France SUITE / BOOTH: R9.A2 Leading-edge The Latin Major Televisa

people&parties

NTENT ASIA

This year’s ContentAsia Summit happened in Singapore in September. Here’s who was there...

Opening cocktail party hosted by A+E Networks Asia

Pooja Nirmal Kant, Glen Hansen, A+E Networks

Magician Adeline Ng; Marc Checkley, Beach House Pictures; Rob Gilby, Disney; Pinky David, Fox International Channels

Prem Kamath, A+E Networks Asia; Derek Chang, Scripps Networks Interactive

Indriena Basarah, Michelle Landy, FremantleMedia Asia; Rezal A. Rahman, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios

Art Kaneearch, Channel 3 Thailand; Alicia Lee, Scripps Networks Interactive

Karen Tan, Audrey Koh, Geraldine Kong, Angie Yong, Belinda Boh, A+E Networks Asia

Jeremy Kung, Telekom Malaysia; Poh Lin Ho, Vision Plus Entertainment

Leena Singarajah, IMG Media; Shoggy Banerjee, A+E Networks Asia

Katheryn Lim, HBO Asia; June Yeoh, BBC Worldwide

Lydia Razali, Zafira Shareef, Trans TV Indonesia

issue four, october 2014

Lose Yourself To Find Yourself Lose Yourself To Find

Yourself

A network of Multi Channels Asia T: +65 6246 4354

E: tellmemore@multichannelsasia.com www.multichannelsasia.com

100% first run, fresh and exclusive original programming

100% first run, fresh and exclusive original programming A network of Multi Channels Asia T: +65 6246 4354 E: tellmemore@multichannelsasia.com www.multichannelsasia.com

people&parties

NTENT ASIA

ContentAsia Summit breakfast with Rewind Networks’ HITS

Henry Tan, Astro; Janet Eng, Disney

Lee Soo Hui, StarHub

From left: Kif Ting, Carolyn So, Endah Evyrana, Sandie Lee, Lynn Huang, Junius Yang, Lisa Sam, Avi Himatsinghani, Rewind Networks

Ray Montinola, ABS-CBN/SkyCable

Prakash Ramchandani, Spuul

Leng Raymundo, ABS-CBN Philippines

Avi Himatsinghani, Rewind Networks; Janine Stein, ContentAsia

Jennifer Batty, RTL CBS Entertainment Networks; Adrian Lim, StarHub

Omar Gepiga, RTL CBS Entertainment Networks; Aileen Joseph, StarHub

Sandie Lee, Rewind Networks; Brendan Zauner, 20th Century Fox

Masnaida Samsudin, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios; Celeste Campbell-Pitt, Persuasive Networks

Spruce Leong, Kwan Lay Hoon, MediaCorp

Macie Imperial, ABS-CBN; Amit Malhotra, Carol Sun, Disney

issue four, october 2014

D A V I D

D U C H O V N Y

1967. THE SUMMER OF LOVE. BUT ONE MAN WILL KILL THE PEACE.

Itv studios Global Entertainment

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people&parties

ContentAsia Summit closing party hosted by Disney

Abit Satya, Trans TV, with “Red Band Society” nurses

Rohit D’Silva, Fox International Channels; Amit Malhotra, Disney

Abhishek Rao, Fion Yeo, Fox International Channels

Lee Mee Fung, Deutsche Welle; Art Kaneearch, Channel 3 Thailand; Steve Murphy, Group M Entertainment

Allysha Chopra, CBS Studios Int’l; Jonas Engwall, RTL CBS Entertainment Networks; Nicole Sinclair, CBS Studios Int’l

Janet Eng, Disney; Avi Himatsinghani, Rewind Networks; Mabel Yeong, Disney

Vilia Chia, Bo Young Son, Katheryn Lim, HBO Asia

Mark Chan, Disney; Zafira Shareef, Trans TV; Yoesman Sugianto, Transvision

Sandie Lee, Rewind Networks; Andrea Tay, SingTel; Azizah Mahmood, StarHub

Janice Boo, Measat, with “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Michele Schofield, A+E Networks Asia; Michael Mendelsohn, NBCUniversal; Esther Ng, A+E Networks Asia

Angie Yong, Joanne Lim, Joyce Lim, A+E Networks Asia

issue four, october 2014

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people&parties

NTENT ASIA

ContentAsia Summit networking breaks hosted by CBS Studios

Tay Ying Hui, SPE Networks Asia; Mike Mendelsohn, NBCUniversal

Clare Nolan, FremantleMedia Asia; Jocelyn Little, Beach House Pictures

Iris Boelhouwer, Arjen Van Mierlo, Endemol Asia; Omar Gepiga, Jennifer Batty, RTL CBS Entertainment Networks

Nic van Zwanenberg, ITV Studios/ITV Choice; Elaine Ho, Kwan Lay Hoon, MediaCorp

Joy Olby-Tan, MediaCorp

Michele Schofield, A+E Networks Asia; Brian Kekich, Michelle Landy, FremantleMedia Asia

Lina Tan, Red Communications; Gregory Ang, Gang TV

Wang Huey Yi, Lee Mee Fung, Deutsche Welle; Reagan Chan, Media Partners Asia

issue four, october 2014

Doris Tang, MediaCorp

Gunasegaran Kaliannan, Wasserman Media Group; Richard Woo, A+E Networks Asia

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people&parties

NTENT ASIA

ContentAsia Summit lunch hosted by Scripps Networks Interactive Scripps Networks Interactive announced the

really making a big difference in a makeover

launch of new linear channel HGTV in Asia

that is not only about paint and new pillows

during the ContentAsia Summit in Singapore in

but is all about knocking down walls and build-

September. The launch in December this year

ing new kitchens, we brought a tremendous

marks the linear channel brand’s first outing

number of men to the network,” she says.

beyond North America.

Surprise and tears – always happy tears,

Kathleen Finch, HGTV president, told Sum-

Finch says – are part of the appeal. “The

mit delegates that the Asia channel would in-

home is such an emotional place... We treat

clude localised short-form content at launch,

the home and home renovation as something

followed by long-form Asian versions of Scripps

way beyond just makeovers. It really does

formats in 2015.

change lives.”

HGTV Asia will be built around four catego-

Finch says the channel in Asia will live along-

ries, including renovation and construction

side Scripps’ decades-old licensing and syndi-

programming, such as Property Brothers and

cation business in the region. Scripps produces

Cousins on Call, and “wow” shows such as

about 800 hours of original HGTV program-

Extreme Homes. A third pillar is design shows, including The High Low Project. Another genre involves fantasy – people buying homes in amazing places, such as Hawaii or New York. “Voyeurism really plays into a lot of our programming,” Finch says. “The opportunity to see how other people around the world live hits a nerve,” she adds. While designed to be a network for women, the addition of renovation/construction brings men on board. “We were designed to be a network predominantly for women and we are still a network that resonates with women. But once we started with our renovation shows, where you see people swinging hammers and

Kathleen Finch, President, HGTV, DIY Network and Great American Country, Scripps Networks Interactive

ming a year, and heads to Mipcom 2014 with more than 1,200 hours of new lifestyle and factual entertainment programming. “The good news is that, because we make so much content and we have such a vast library, we have plenty to go around,” Finch says. Syndication activity, in fact, is likely to increase with the appointment in September of Hud Woodle as vice president, international programme licensing and distribution. Woodle was previously involved in launching Food Network into Asia and was instrumental in integrating the Asian Food Channel into the Scripps Networks’ operation in Asia. Finch says HGTV/Scripps’ ownership of its content “enables us to be a better partner because we have so many rights”. Although the network “every now and then” gets involved in co-productions or takes format right, “for the most part what we like to do is own our content”.

issue four, october 2014

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people&parties

NTENT ASIA

ContentAsia/Women Media Networks Asian Media Woman of the Year dinner

Clockwise from left: Henry Tan, Astro; Nancy Kanter, Disney Junior; Martha Brass, Endemol; Koh Lin-Net, MDA Singapore; Marina Mahathir; Rob Gilby, Disney; Kathleen Finch, Derek Chang, Scripps Networks Interactive; Leng Raymundo, Charo Santos, ABS-CBN

Guest speaker Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir

Clockwise from left: Angeline Poh, MDA Singapore; Agnes Rosario, Astro; Amit Malhotra, Disney; Janice Lee, PCCW; Avi Himatsinghani, Rewind Networks, Magdalene Ew, HBO Asia; CK Lee, Astro; Janine Stein; ContentAsia, Arjen van Mierlo, Endemol; Lee Soo Hui, StarHub

Leng Raymundo, ABS-CBN; Amit Malhotra, Disney

Janine Stein, ContentAsia; Charo Santos, Asian Media Woman of the Year 2014

Jeremy Hall-Smith, Persuasive Networks; Christine Fellows, Universal Networks International

Robert Labayen, Macie Imperial, ABS-CBN

Jaja Suarez, Ray Montinola, SkyCable Corporation

Mark Chan, Disney; Fion Yeo, Fox International Channels (FIC) Asia

Vivian Yin, Star China International Media

xxxx

issue four, october 2014

Grace Chen, Charis Entertainment

Malena Amzah, Masliana Masron, CJ Yong, ContentAsia

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productionindia

NTENT ASIA

By Vanita Kohli-Khandekar

Test patterns India’s producers are in high-experimentation mode. Is the business up to what comes next?

Yudh, Sony Entertainment Television India

Amitabh Bachchan as a troubled businessman

er level. Each of the episodes costs upwards of US$200,000 against the

didn’t go down well with Indian audiences. Yudh

usual US$13,000 for 30 minutes of fiction.

(War), the Indian superstar’s first foray into TV fic-

“We want to move up the food chain to high-concept fiction like the

tion on Sony Entertainment Television in July this

House of Cards. With bigger budgets, casting, writing, all of Indian TV

year, tanked. Yudh’s creative team and cast

should head there,” says Sameer Nair, Balaji Telefilms’ recently appointed

was liberally sprinkled with the who’s who of In-

group chief executive. The US$22-million firm is India’s largest television

dian filmdom. The analysis on what went wrong

content producer.

is now intense. So too is the scrutiny of season two of 24’s Indian version, due this year on Viacom18’s Hindi general

Sharma, co-founder of Optimystix, which makes Crime Patrol and Comedy Circus, among others.

entertainment channel Colors. 24 stars film actor

“The perception of TV has changed. Earlier, big stars would come onto

Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire, Mission Impos-

television only for reality shows, now they are coming into fiction too, like

sible 4), who also produces the show. Kapoor’s

Manoj Bajpai in Encounter and Amitabh Bachchan in Yudh,” says Hats

brush with Hollywood landed him the rights to 24

Off Productions’ founder, Jamnadas Majethia.

in India. Though season one did not set TV screens on fire, the show won some acclaim.

issue four, october 2014

“We are learning how to do fiction and getting better at it,” adds Sanjiv

Hats Off’s unusual comedy, Badi Door Se Aaye Hain (We Have Come From Very Far), is about aliens on earth. The series opened on Sab TV

Yudh and 24 are not your usual Indian dramas.

and is clocking 14 minutes per viewer against the industry average of

These are star-powered, high-budget productions

9-10 minutes. Five years ago, a comedy about aliens would have been

that take Indian television programming to anoth-

unthinkable.

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productionindia

NTENT ASIA

Saraswatichandra, Star Plus

Sunjoy

Wad-

dhwa,

chairman

The second challenge is the rising scale of TV production firms, which

and

managing

are bigger and better than ever. Though margins remain stuck at about

director of Sphere-

10%, volumes have gone up for the top 15-20 firms. Each of these top 20

origins Multivision,

average between US$4 million-US$5 million in revenues against the sub-

agrees. “The bag-

million dollars that the bulk of production firms in India make.

gage of saas-ba-

As they grow in creative and commercial terms, production firms are also

(mother-in-law/

demanding more from broadcasters. There are murmurs about owning

daughter-in-law) has

intellectual property or doing more royalty-based deals. In a hyper-frag-

gone. There is experi-

mented market where more than 80% of all programming is commissioned

mentation Iss Pyyar Ko Kya Naam Doon. Ek Baar Phir, Star Plus

duction industry is facing after years of being stuck in a creative rut.

with

different

by broadcasters, who then own all rights, this sounds blasphemous.

genres and the rise of non-fiction. Over the next two to three years

HELLO DIGITISATION It shouldn’t. There couldn’t be better news for the

the proportion of experimental programming will

world’s second largest television market. The 160-million-home, US$7.7-

keep going up,” he says.

billion Indian television industry is going through a painful digitisation.

This groping for the right shows and themes is the biggest change the Indian TV content pro-

As it moves from being a one-size-fits all, advertising-driven market to a compel-the-consumer-to-reach-for-his-wallet pay market, the industry will need all the experimentation possible. Because India is so many markets. There is a market for advertising-driven repeat programming in rural and semi-urban India, which is

We want to move up the food chain to highconcept fiction like the House of Cards. With bigger budgets, casting, writing, all of Indian TV should head there.” Sameer Nair, Group CEO, Balaji Telefilms

getting its first taste of private television on free-to-air channels. There is the viewer of English-language shows such as Breaking Bad or Orphan Black in Metro India. There are the housewives – who dominate television viewership – wanting something new. There are kids, a huge segment, gobbling up local programming. These are just some of the clusters in a market with 800 million TV viewers. Now cross these with languages, regions and genres. There are

issue four, october 2014

From the team that brought you NCIS, The most-watched series in the world NCIS: New Orleans CBS Studios International www.cbssi.com

productionindia

NTENT ASIA

Who’s who: TV production in India Company

Estb

Hours/week

Revenues US$ mn

Balaji Telefilms

1994

Optimystix

2000

unlisted

Vikatan Televistas

1998

27.5

unlisted

Sphereorigins Multivision 2002

12.5

unlisted

DJ’s

1993

N.A.

unlisted

Hats Off Production

1995

1.5

unlisted

Contiloe Pictures

1995

unlisted

Cinevistaas

1993

8.2

Radaan Mediaworks

1994

4.9

Sri Adhikari Brothers

1995

N.A.

B.A.G. Films

1993

N.A.

9.6

Creative Eye

1986

GreenGold Animation

2001

0.7

unlisted

FremantleMedia India

2009

N.A.

unlisted

Endemol India

2006

N.A.

unlisted

2.9

Source: Annual reports, company sources and industry estimates Note: 1) N.A. is not available 2) Revenue figures are available only for listed firms. 3) Revenue figures for all firms are consolidated numbers available and includes businesses other than television content production.

Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi (You Are My Love)

scores of markets in India – each the size of a small

others, are attempts to serve those clusters in the hope of getting a bet-

European country. And digitisation is just begin-

ter share of wallet.

ning to help broadcasters slice these efficiently.

“What were big niches before have become general entertainment

Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs), Yudh,

channels (GECs). The rise of Sab TV (from Sony Pictures) and Life OK (from

24, Big Boss or Comedy Nights with Kapil, among

Star India) shows that more and more channels are going specific. For example, Star has Star World and Fox Crime (for two different parts of the English-speaking market). The same thing will happen in Hindi and other

The baggage of saas-bahu (mother-in-law/daughter-inlaw) has gone. There is experimentation with different genres and the rise of non-fiction. Over the next two to three years the proportion of experimental programming will keep going up.” Sunjoy Waddhwa, Chairman/Managing Director, Sphereorigins Multivision

issue four, october 2014

languages,” says Nair. “Because of digitisation there are now larger bouquets of niche channels,” says Abhimanyu Singh, Contiloe Pictures’ chief executive and founder. THE FLAWS IN THE STORY From 160 television channels about a decade back, India now has more than 800. About half of them carry original or repackaged programming – news, entertainment, sports, films and so on. Given the size of the market – about 400 of those 800 channels each needing three to eight hours of original programming a day – it is surprising that Balaji at US$22 million is the largest firm. The next biggest firm is about US$5 million and then there are lots in the sub-US$2-million range. “Very few people are able to scale up. It is still very much a promoter-entrepreneur driven business,” says Darius Pandole, partner, New Silk Route Advisors. The sector has not attracted a single deal in years be-

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productionindia

NTENT ASIA

Bade Acche Lagte Hain, Sony Entertainment Television India

cause investors don’t see the value in small content plays. The flaws in this sitcom?

Most broadcasters are opposed to the idea of giving away rights. Funnily enough, production houses, too, are ambivalent. “Not all IP is mon-

Globally, intellectual property rights are a trigger

etisable, soaps are not but thrillers and historicals can be,” says Contiloe’s

for scale. In the U.K. for instance, a 2004 change in

Singh. “We don’t have the infrastructure to monetise IP,” adds Hats Off’s

trade regulations ensures that rights are retained

Majethia. He has a point.

by the company that makes the shows, not the

Viacom18 syndicates its content in dubbed or sub-titled form to local

broadcaster. As a result, production companies

channels in 125 countries in Dari, Pashto, Japanese and Hebrew, among

have become aggressive about creating export-

other languages. For instance Sphereorigins’ Balika Vadhu (Child Bride)

able formats and scaling up. In India, there is very

was a huge success in India on Viacom18’s Colors. It is now available in

little sharing of the risks and rewards in big or dif-

15 languages globally. This could get anywhere from US$500-US$2,000 per

ferent shows that involve risks.

episode depending on country, time of telecast, show etc. Viacom18’s

Will moving away from the commissioned mod-

ability to invest in people in India and leverage its global network helps get

el to one where IP is shared with producers or rev-

this money in. A small production firm cannot replicate that network. Also,

enues help in building scale and getting better

to get even partial rights, a producer has to take a cut in fees, which most

creative?

are simply not able to. Monetising IP then is a game for the big boys. The second challenge? “The infrastructure is there, the money is there, but getting good writers, directors is the challenge. We (as an industry) are churning out 300 episodes a year of god knows how many shows,

Because of digitisation there are now larger bouquets of niche channels.”

that is a lot of content. There are some good writers but they are all do-

Abhimanyu Singh, Chief Executive/Founder, Contiloe Entertainment

a strange problem to have. Why are the good writers not on TV? “In

ing too much work. We have the money to have seven shows on air, but getting seven production teams is a problem,” says Waddhwa. For a market with an estimated 6,000 production houses, one of the most resilient film industries in the world and tonnes of content, that is India the first love for any writer is films, though TV pays better and more consistently,” says Waddhwa. On the other hand, “TV writing in the U.S.

issue four, october 2014

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productionindia

NTENT ASIA

is better than film writing,” says Optimystix’s Sharma. That is because Hollywood’s love for safe sequels backed by huge marketing spend has pushed most good writers to TV. In India, the film industry is going through a huge creative renaissance, so writers get to do the most envelope-pushing work on films. TOUGH LOVE And if they did, Balika Vadhu, Colors

costs, which are already up by 25% over the last three years, would go up further. Besides royalties or a share of

Freaky Eaters). “Everywhere distribution is consolidating, pay TV will get

profits, how then can broadcasters and produc-

so much more revenue. Therefore you have got to create new content and new audiences,” Couto says.

The infrastructure is there, the money is there, but getting good writers, directors is the challenge. [The industry is] churning out 300 episodes a year of god knows how many shows, that is a lot of content. There are some good writers but they are all doing too much work. We have the money to have seven shows on air, but getting seven production teams is a problem.”

In India, while distribution is still not fully consolidated, that is the way the industry will go. Star dallied briefly with a small stake in Balaji before giving it up. Last year, the US$754-million Zee Entertainment created production house, Essel Vision Productions. The firm produced 500 hours in 2013-14, only for Zee’s channels in Hindi, Marathi and other languages, says chief executive Nittin Keni. The other model could be co-productions. Turner co-produced Chhota Bheem with GreenGold Animation in 2008. Chhota Bheem has gone on to become the biggest show on kids television in India today. Could online change the game? India is already one of the large online video consumers – 100 million people and counting. As they move to more video-on-demand, does the balance of power swing to the creators instead of broadcasters? “On digital you can get ‘likes’ but no money,” says B.A.G Network’s

Sunjoy Waddhwa, Chairman/Managing Director, Sphereorigins Multivision

managing director, Anurradha Prasad. She has hit the nail on the head. Many pro-

tion houses co-opt?

duction houses such as

Vivek Couto, executive

Vikatan Televistaas, are

director, Media Partners

not particularly happy

Asia (MPA), points to the

with what they get from

production market in the

Google’s YouTube. Early

U.S. and U.K., where big

in 2013 Balaji launched

firms are being acquired by

broadcasters.

on YouTube and quickly

Fre-

attracted a single spon-

mantleMedia was a result

sor – Hindustan Unilever.

of mergers between vari-

Just like in the creative

ous content firms over the

sphere, experimentation with

years. It is now owned by RTL,

business models continues. –

a Bertelsmann subsidiary. In 2011

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar, twitter.

Discovery snapped up Betty, an in-

com/vanitakohlik

dependent U.K. firm (Dirty Sexy Things, Bade Acche Lagte Hain

issue four, october 2014

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programmingdrama

NTENT ASIA

Upside Downton NBCUniversal’s Diva pushed its day-and-date agenda even further in Asia with the premiere of Downton Abbey season five at the end of September. Why include the U.K. series in its new windowsqueezing campaign? Badge value, among other things in a broad strategy to keep relevant.

xxxxxxxxxx

Downton Abbey, Diva/Universal Networks International

When season five of Downton Abbey premiered

premiere in September 2013. The season five release comes more than

on Diva in Asia within 24 hours of its U.K. telecast

three months before the U.S. telecast in January 2015.

in late September, the NBCUniversal channel did

The radically squeezed windows are part of a broader upgrade rolled

more than re-open the Grantham home to fans

out in August this year across the Universal channel bouquet in Asia.

of the series.

90% of new series will be available between one and seven days from

The day-and-date release, along with 24/48hour releases of returning shows such as Suits, The

managing director Christine Fellowes.

Good Wife, Rookie Blue, Atlantis and Brooklyn 99,

Diva’s prime-time viewership in the first six months of this year was up

pushed the entertainment network into the ex-

76% in Singapore (women, 20-44 years old) and 64% in the Philippines

press delivery realm that is fast becoming a hy-

(women, 16+, 6pm-11pm), according to Kantar Media Research data

giene factor for regional entertainment channels

provided by NBCUniversal. Diva was also the top English-language

on major pay-TV platforms.

pay-TV channel in Malaysia during prime time (7pm-11pm)out of nine

It’s been a big leap. The previous season of Downton Abbey, for instance, aired in Asia in February this year, almost five months after its U.K.

issue four, october 2014

the U.S. premiere, says Universal Networks International’s Asia-Pacific

female-skewing channels, according to viewership data from Nielsen Media Research. Fellowes says this “proves that we are on the right track – not only

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programmingdrama

NTENT ASIA

Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

when it comes to building a robust content strat-

ton Abbey has won multiple Emmy/Golden Globes/Bafta awards and is

egy but also in terms of offering a value proposi-

widely considered the most successful British period drama of all time.

tion that engages and resonates with our viewers in the region”.

It is a story that has taken everybody – from the makers to industry insiders to audiences themselves – by surprise. Downton, written by Ju-

At the launch event for the new season of

lian Fellowes of Gosford Park fame, did not have obvious mainstream

Downton Abbey, executive producer Gareth

appeal, and Neame himself says Downton is “not the type of show that

Neame, admits that the series “has been suc-

you see made a lot these days”. But somehow, the post-Edwardian set-

cessful beyond my wildest dreams”. So far, Down-

ting gave the programme a certain allure. Neame, who heads production company Carnival Films, has a few

We’re building a robust content strategy and offering a value proposition that engages and resonates with our viewers in the region... we will continue to cosolidate our efforts and further invest in fast-tracked series, original productions and programming that is first and exclusive” Christine Fellowes Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Univeral Networks International

notions as to why so many people have tuned in over the past four years. “Downton has some unique relationships,” he says, “the type that are not the norm in television drama, which audiences relate to. A good example is Lady Mary and Anna Bates. They enjoy intimate moments and on the face of it they are friends, but they are still master and servant. The idea of hierarchies is one that we can all recognise, we all work in hierarchical environments, at work or in your own family. That is how human beings order things. But it is heightened in this instance.” There is also something in the fluctuating fortunes of the Grantham family that Neame believes we can all identify with. Everybody knows somebody like the tragic Lady Edith, who has endured an unfair share of testing events. “Most people have good and bad luck, so there is

issue four, october 2014

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programmingdrama

NTENT ASIA

that element,” he says. “But

were forced to deal with the departure

there are a very few who

of Dan Stevens, who played Matthew

are constantly dealt the

Crawley, at the end of season three.

wrong card, whereas

“I was concerned and disappointed

everybody knows peo-

as Mary and Matthew were at the

ple who have amaz-

heart of the show,” Neame says. “On a family show, there are two ways out: either death or divorce. Divorce wasn’t an option, the audience wouldn’t have accepted that, and he and Mary becoming estranged so quickly wouldn’t have rung true. So we had to kill him off,” he adds. An insurmountable problem soon became a new opportunity. “When a door is closed to you, you immediately have to come up with a plan B. So with new guys hitting on Mary, we had a new impetus, and romance is at ing luck. Downton

Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley, Fifi Hart as Sybbie (top); Anna Chancellor as Lady Anstruther

represents both

sides

that coin.” The fact so many people care about what

the heart of the show anyway. Ironically, it was the best thing that could have happened,” Neame says. There was also the controversy surrounding the storyline where Anna, who Neame admits is “one of the most beloved characters”, was raped. “It wasn’t something we did lightly, we thought it was an acceptable place to take the story. There were some complaints, but it

happens to the Crawleys and their staff, and are able to connect with them even if our lives could

You can tell it is the same writer and the char-

Downton has some unique relationships, the type that are not the norm in television drama, which audiences relate to.”

acters have a consistency that is recognisable;

Gareth Neame, Executive Producer, Downton Abbey

not be further removed from that of the aristocrats, is thanks to some amazing writing. For that, Neame is thankful to Fellowes and the continuity he brings. “His is an extraordinary feat.

they can go from tragedy to drama to laughter, and it is a remarkable thing.” In reality, Neame and Fellowes are the creative

was a storm in a teacup, not to be dismissive. The shock came out of

force behind Downton Abbey. The pair “always

love for the character, and we don’t underestimate or take for granted

brainstorm, discuss and float ideas for storylines,

that feeling”.

often with pictures of the cast to jog our memo-

Even that controversy couldn’t halt the Downton juggernaut, and

ries”, searching for the obstacles that will take

Neame says that season five will, while being “more light-hearted and

the story in “unexpected twists and turns”.

humorous” than its bleaker predecessor, will still “surprise people with

“In terms of feedback, I am the only one who has that relationship with Julian, and we have a

How much longer Downton will be startling people has been the sub-

very specific way of working,” Neame explains.

ject of much speculation, but while Neame envisages an end to the

“After we brainstorm, he will hit me with a first draft

show, it certainly won’t be after season five.

and the normal development process for the two

“Within a few hours of somebody saying something about the show,

of us will go from there. It’s key to the show that

all of a sudden it is fact and in all the papers. I’ve cheekily said all

we don’t get pulled in different directions. We

shows come to an end, but we are probably looking at five to 10 years.

were the two that came up with the idea and we

It’s been talked about making a film, but that is not imminent, and we

are still the two guys writing it, with no other inter-

have more episodes to make. I wouldn’t rule it out. But we have to get

ference. Good or bad, that is how it is.”

the ending right first, and we have to know when the right time to end

But that close trust has been tested during the course of the show’s life, not least when they

issue four, october 2014

right-angle turns”.

the show is. We don’t want to keep it going past its prime”. – Shaun Curran with additional reporting from ContentAsia

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kidsindia

NTENT ASIA

By Vanita Kohli-Khandekar

Mind the gap

Chorr Police, Hungama TV

Chhota Bheem (Little Bheem) first appeared in

catapulted Pogo from a down-in-the-dumps sibling of Cartoon Network

India on Turner International’s Pogo in 2008. The

to the number one slot.

dhoti-clad little boy named after a mythological

Chhota Bheem represents, arguably, the biggest change taking place

character is set in a different time and place with

in the kids’ television market in India – the growth of local home-grown

a different set of friends from his namesake. He

characters.

and his friends Raju, Jaggu (a blue monkey),

Local animation characters, programming and films have found willing

Chutki, Kaalia and princess Indumati get

takers in broadcasters. Roll No. 21, Mighty Raju, Little Krishna, Motu Patlu

together to fight any evil forces that threat-

(Fat Guy Skinny Guy), Pakdam Pakdai (Catch Catch) and Chorr Police

en their village of Dholakpur.

(Thief Police) are among the bigger hits on popular kids channels.

For a generation of parents brought up

Then there are other smaller more-evolved live-action shows such as

on Tom & Jerry and Mickey Mouse, the lad-

ZeeQ’s Teenovation or Engineer This, which have found critical and insti-

doo-chomping Chhota Bheem was a

tutional acclaim and helped move the market beyond American char-

little too rustic, too simple. But mil-

acters such as Johnny Bravo or Popeye or the dubbed Japanese proper-

lions of children in the world’s sec-

ties such as Shin Chan (also known as Crayon Shin-Chan) or Doraemon.

ond largest TV market fell in love with him. Chhota Bheem became a resounding hit that has dominated

issue four, october 2014

“This genre has never seen as much original content as today,” says Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Viacom18’s executive vice president and business head, kids cluster. The company runs, among other channels, Sonic, Nick and Nick Junior in India.

prime time on kids television in

The average for acquired versus local content is now 60:40 for most

India for over six years now and

broadcasters against 90:10 in 2008. This in turn has led to a huge rise in

Krishna Desai, Executive Director and Network Head, Kids, South Asia, Turner International

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kidsindia

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viewership for the genre. From 5.4% in 2008, kids television now stands at 7.5% of the total time spent by 800 million Indians on television. It is, after general entertainment and films, the largest genre of programming consumed by Indians, roughly on par with news television. The total number of kids channels, across languages, has more than doubled from about 10 to 22 currently. This is where the good news starts petering out. For all their popularity, kids channels get just about 4.5% of the US$2.2 billion that advertisers spent on television in 2013. That is just about US$99 million compared to US$308 million (14% of TV advertising) that news channels took. This makes kids one of the most under-indexed categories on Indian television. Almost all other genres get ad revenues proportional to their viewership share or a little more than that. This is the biggest bugbear for an otherwise rocking sector.

Chhota Bheem, Pogo

THE DIGITAL PLAY AREAS However, as digitisation

becomes easier,” says Rajiv Chilaka, managing director and founder of

takes root in India, much of this could change.

Green Gold Animation, which created Chhota Bheem.

Of the country’s 160 million homes, more than 86

In addition, digitisation brought with it Electronic Programming Guides

million are already digital. This figure is based on

(EPGs) which were previously non-existent in India. “This helps kids navi-

numbers provided by broadcast regulator, the

gate. Earlier, we were all over the place, now we are all clustered to-

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), and

gether,” says Jaipuria.

Tam Media Research, the local rating agency that

Two, digitisation has brought hope for pay revenues, a black hole in the

is a Nielsen-Kantar joint venture. As more than half

structurally flawed US$7.7 billion Indian television industry. Of the roughly

of India’s TV homes migrate onto a transparent

US$5.5 billion collected on the ground, just about 20% came back to

grid, the market is changing in three critical ways

broadcasters in an opaque, analogue market. With digitisation comes

that make it easier to monetise the popularity of

transparency and therefore a plugging of revenue leakages. For most

local content on kids television.

large networks, pay revenues from digital homes already surpass those

One, ever since digitisation began at the end

from analogue households.

of 2011, the reach and sampling for kids chan-

Three, with digitisation comes the ability to slice and dice the market

nels has risen dramatically – a 25% growth in total

better and leverage the heterogeneity that is intrinsic to India. This is not

viewership of kids channels in 2013 against 2012.

just by languages, a given with most kids channels, but also by different

“Kids channels have never been as big as GECs

age groups in a market where “kids are growing up faster”, as Krishna

and therefore LCOs (last mile cable operators)

Desai, Turner International’s executive director and network head, kids,

never prioritised it. Therefore, there was bad vis-

South Asia, puts it.

ibility and low viewership. With digitisation, access NO KIDDING Much of this sounds like there will be a big rush in volumes of viewership and therefore more advertising and pay revenues.

The kids genre has never seen as much original content as today.” Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Executive Vice President & Business Head – Nickelodeon, Viacom 18 Media

That however may not be so easy. ZeeQ, the first kids channel from the US$714-million Zee Entertainment Enterprises, is a great example of the contradictions of the Indian market for kids television. ZeeQ was born in November 2011, just when mandatory digitisation was taking off. Its premise was thoughtprovoking programming that helped develop kids’ minds. For example, Teenovation, produced in association with the National Innovation Foundation (of India) explores the

issue four, october 2014

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issue four, october 2014

kidsindia

NTENT ASIA

stories behind innovations such as

Ten years ago, the acquisition strategy focused on 10

automatic food makers and

shows with one or two seasons of 13 episodes each.

shock absorbers for crutches,

Now Chota Bheem is 80 episodes, and Roll Number

among others. The idea was

21 is 25-30 episodes. “So acquisition also looks at

to sell the channel a la

80-90 episodes since you need five seasons as

carte and charge Rs82/

least,” says Desai.

US$1.34 for the high-end original

Against the US$1,000-US$15,000 an episode

programming.

for

acquired

programming,

commissioned

After two years, ZeeQ

shows could start from US$25,000 and even go

had just 100,000 subscrib-

up to US$100,000 an episode, he adds.

ers in a booming market.

While acquiring is not a problem since Japan,

Early this year, the broad-

Russia, the E.U., Switzerland, France and Korea

caster changed tactics and

are always trying to sell their animation in India, the

joined the kids package on digi-

trouble is meeting the demand for local content.

tal platforms. In making this bid for reach, it has stuck to the 86 million

Rajiv Chilaka, Managing Director and Founder, Green Gold Animation

digital homes only because, “cable is shrinking”, says Subhadarshi Tripathy, cluster head, ZeeQ and Khaana Khazana.

There are very few firms such as Green Gold Animation since India has remained a hub for backend animation for the Hollywood majors. The whole process of upgrading to

creating new characters and stories on a large scale will take time. Cartoon Network, for instance, depends heavily on its library. “We don’t have three hours of fresh programming every day (unlike general enter-

Effective ad rates [for kids channels] are pathetically low.” Subhadarshi Tripahty, Cluster Head, ZeeQ and Khaana Khazana

tainment channels),” says Desai. Besides the library, Turner is also turning to movies. In the third quarter of 2012, it screened live-action film Bhootraja aur Ronnie and is working at developing four to five feature films. None of this necessarily means that ad revenues will increase. For one, “kids brands don’t contribute more than 10% of the total base of advertisers,” says Juhi Ravindranath, Turner International’s vice president, ad sales, South Asia. More than half the advertisers who come onto kids

The advertising disconnect

channels are marketers of female products. This is because, usually, mothers in India watch the shows with their kids – either because they

Viewership share

2012

2013

2014

are feeding them at that time or just hovering around checking on them.

7.18

7.55

So cars, insurance and mobile phone ads rub shoulders with biscuits and noodle advertising.

(% of total time spent on television)

Revenue share

2.5

3.3

4.5

The second big challenge, Ravindranath says, is getting the 80% of the time spent on non-kids channels, by kids, back to its rightful place.

(% of total advertising revenues)

But the big networks with their strong general entertainment channels (GECs) make for formidable competition. Chilaka points out that more than Despite the need for a rejig, something about

half of TV viewers are under 16. “This has not been taken advantage of so

the channel is working. It ranks highest among all

far because advertisers are never quite sure if this is an audience,” he says.

kids channels on time spent, Tripathy says, adding:

The third, says Tripathy, is that, “the effective rates are pathetically

“That is a pleasant surprise since we do not have

low”. These range between Rs150-Rs1,700 (US$2.46-US$28) for 10 sec-

the slapstick humour that other channels do.”

onds, about a sixth of what news channels get.

The ZeeQ story is symptomatic of a market in

What about consumer product licensing or digital, the sources that

the middle of a transition – on the distribution,

Disney or Turner bank on globally? “From a brand engagement point

programming and audience fronts. Distribution

of view, digital and consumer product licensing is a great story, but it

will sort itself out once digitisation, due to be com-

doesn’t do so well,” says Ravindranath.

pleted by December 2015, is over.

issue four, october 2014

On digital, for instance, most advertisers are focused on youth and

On the programming side, however, the tran-

males. One area of potential could be games. Most research suggests

sition could have a few bumps. This is because

that kids are spending a lot of time playing games, says Desai. But that is

as the ratio of local to acquired programming

a long way from becoming a revenue stream.

changes, costs have been rising since the quan-

If only Chhota Bheem could persuade advertisers to up their budgets...

tity of programming needed is going up.

– Vanita Kohli-Khandekar, twitter.com/vanitakohlik

Channel

Genre

Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Cartoon/Animation/Children Programme Tamil Kids Telugu Kids

Cartoon Network

Disney Channel

NICK

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India’s top kids advertisers/product categories

Top 10 kids channels POGO

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Share %

Product Categories

Share %

Milk beverages

Chocolates

1.45

Toothpastes

1.21

Noodles/pasta

Breakfast cereals

Toys indoor games

Biscuits

Toilet soaps

Sugar confectionaries

0.12

Toilet liquids

0.09 0.08 0.06

Source: TAM data sourced from broadcasters Medium : TV Period : Jan-Dec 2013 Note : Analysis is based on Ad Volume in Seconds and presented in share %

1.63

1.15 1.02 0.21

Wk 36 to 52, 2013 TG: CS4+, Market: All India Source: TAM data sourced from broadcasters

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kidsdrama

NTENT ASIA

Grow forth

The ABU’s regional Asian children’s drama co-pro initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a slate of shows covering everything from math, school and friendship to puppets, holidays and desert islands. Malena Amzah spoke to some of the 10 broadcasters that took part in this year’s programme.

Lost and Found, EBS Korea

Broadcasters in Asia are celebrating the 10th an-

The ABU initiative was created so that “children can watch age-ap-

niversary of a kids content co-op set up to ex-

propriate drama especially created and customised for them and at the

plore Asia through the eyes of children’s content

same time learn the colourful cultures of each country in the region”,

creators. This year’s theme – “Children’s Mental

says Hanizah Hamzah, senior executive (TV), ABU programming depart-

Growth” – focuses on experiences from kids’ daily lives.

Over the past 10 years, 90 children’s programmes from 18 countries

The annual Children’s Dra-

and regions have been produced and broadcast as part of the initia-

ma Co-Production Series,

tive. These are shared among member broadcasters. This year, for the

organised by the Asia-

first time, Japanese broadcaster NHK, has made the dramas available

Pacific

Broadcasting

Union (ABU), this year involves

issue four, october 2014

online. New participants in the programme this year are Indonesia’s state-

broad-

owned Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI), which produced Stick Math;

casters in Asia, all of

Thailand’s Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) with Our School;

which have created

and state-owned national TV station Bangladesh Television (BTV), which

a 15-minute drama

contributed Two Brothers.

for kids between seven

Regular members this year produced Willow Tree (Bhutan Broadcast-

and nine years old. The

ing Service, BBS), Three Friends (South Korea’s Educational Broadcasting

dramas star kids below 10

System, EBS), Vacation (Mongolian National Broadcaster, MNB), A Little

years old. Dhia The Puppet Master, RTM Malaysia

ment.

Samurai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK), Intan (Radio Televi-

kidsdrama

NTENT ASIA

Our School, Thai PBS

avoid pork. Meanwhile, the language issue is dealt with by having as few spoken lines as possible. NHK’s programme production department executive director, Yoshinori Komiyama, who is also the executive producer of A Little Samurai, says special emphasis was placed on keeping spoken lines to a minimum while delivering a storyline that could convey itself to children from other countries with different languages and cultures. A Little Samurai tells a story of a young boy Yuta and his ambitions to be a

Water Turbine, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation

strong kendo sportsman. “The biggest challenge was how to produce a story that would convey itself to children of other countries with different languages and cul-

sion Brunei, RTB), Dhia The Puppet Master (Radio Televi-

Intan, RTB

sion Malaysia, RTM), and Water Turbine (Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, SLRC).

tures… and conveying the theme of how the heart grows through the children’s acting,” says Komiyama, who is the assigned executive producer overseeing production of all 10 ABU participating dramas. Kamarudin Ambak, Radio Television Malaysia’s head of television dra-

Executive producers of the shows talk about

ma, says finding a relevant story line was the biggest challenge this year.

the challenges of bridging different languages

“To create and to develop a good storyline for mental growth of children

and cultures with a single show. In Brunei, for in-

[was the biggest challenge] because there are very few stories which

stance, stories cannot feature puppies as pets.

focus seriously on the subject matter,” he says.

For Malaysia, story tellers and producers need to

Acting was a concern for the producer of RTM’s Dhia The Puppet Master, Magesh Arumugam. “The girl character Dhia, was played by a nov-

To create and to develop a good storyline for mental growth of children was the biggest and hardest challenge because there are very few stories which focus seriously on the subject matter.”

ice actor. It was a real challenge to make her

Kamarudin Ambak Head of Television Drama, Radio Television Malaysia (RTM)

play puppets and overcomes difficulties and ob-

deliver in front of the camera. However, we are quite happy to see the final result as we managed to capture her natural expressions in most of the scenes,” she says. Dhia The Puppet Master is a story of a young girl named Dhia, who is passionate about shadow

Kamarudin Ambak, Radio Television Malaysia (RTM)

issue four, october 2014

stacles in the quest to make her own puppets.

NTENT ASIA

Arumugam shot the drama using a DSLR 5D Canon camera, which she says is a first for long-time participant RTM. She plans to shoot her next ABU drama using a prime-lense camera. Each drama is monitored closely and guided by NHK’s Komiyama and his team, who babysit all the projects from start to finish. “We have to ensure that every programmes works well for everyone,” Hamzah says. The technical gap between production teams from across the region also needs to be bridged in presenting the final projects. “There are still substantial gaps in terms of the equipment and other drama production systems available to the various Asian broadcasting stations and it has been a challenge to tailor the advice in ways that would make it suitable to all,” says Yukiko Unno, international relations and ABU liaison officer, NHK World department. Unno says the team tackled the situation by giving advice on the ground wherever possible taking into

A Little Samurai, NHK Japan

account the actual constraints and making recommendations appropriate to the situation at each broadcasting station.

ing ground for young pro-

The benefit this year has been higher connec-

ducers.

tivity between participating countries. Unno says

Japan’s

NHK

assigns

the system for exchanging programme files and

producers from its drama

the progress of internet technology across Asia

division to provide guid-

has greatly facilitated communication with all the

ance on all production

different countries.

aspects, including story pro-

For its efforts, the ABU is entitled to 10-year rights to

posal, scriptwriting, filming, ed-

the shows, which it sub-licenses to television broadcast-

iting and post-production.

ers in the region. Each broadcaster retains copyright to their own production. Production budgets have not been disclosed, although producers say resources are limited. EBS’ producer Seongboo Yang says he had to be creative about costs for Lost and Found, the story of three classmates accepting each others’ differences when they are stranded on a deserted island. “The cost of borrowing a ship was very expensive, so I could not borrow

Technical staff also visit production sites as instructors and exchange skills and know-how, such as the operation of high-vision cameras in regions preparing for digital TV production. “Some of the producers were young and inexperienced, and haven’t yet had the chance to work on their own drama. This proj-

it for a long time. Because of this, the size of the ship in each scene is dif-

ect has created a positive drive for

ferent. The ship that appeared in the night is smaller than the first scene,”

them to take on the challenge

Yang says.

and produce quality content,”

Yang also faced location challenges. “The location – Korean West Sea

she says.

– has a large tidal range. Because of it, I had to visit there several times

EBS’ Yang agrees. Although

and check the sea level. I chose some spots and I thought those were

he has to juggle between pro-

good locations for shooting. However, when I went there to shoot, every

ducing his regular programmes

spot was submerged under the water,” Yang says.

and his ABU drama, “it is a very

Yang also says the 15-minutes length dictated by the ABU series is chal-

good chance to expand international

lenging. The Korean version of Lost and Found is 20 minutes and “could

network and experience the whole

contain more details”, he says.

procedure of making a drama”.

Seongboo Yang EBS Korea

Over the years, the ABU’s Hamzah has seen improvement in the quality of programmes produced. She says the introduction of mini production workshops in 2008/9 helped to guide producers and share knowledge in fields such as sound and set design. “The capacity building for these producers has enhanced the quality of their work,” she says. Perhaps the project’s most significant long-term contribution is its train-

issue four, october 2014

kidspre-school

NTENT ASIA

Story time

Nancy Kanter, Disney Junior Worldwide’s executive vice president, original programming and general manager, talked to ContentAsia Summit delegates in Singapore about global kids trends, what inspires the story development process, how to stay relevant in a fast-changing media landscape, and what the brand will and won’t do in Asia.

“We

all want our children to do well, but if they also don’t learn to do good, then doing well will never be enough... by creating inspiring

Our focus is on story because we believe that story is the key to a child’s lifelong learning. While children’s television series change and evolve because every day we have new technologies and formats to put them on, what remains constant is the need for story to be the driver of engagement.”

experiences not only on television but also at events that kids can touch and feel, we have a chance to show them that they have the power to make the world a better place.”

“Getting down on the floor talking to kids is a fundamental part of our [content] development process.”

“It’s important to us that parents feel our content reflects the goals and interests and values that they place on their child’s development... that they can feel like purposeful parents by choosing the right kind of content at the right time for their child to interact with.” “Live action is very tricky for us because we want all our content to be globally appropriate and accepted and live action hasn’t been for us in the past... Right now we are focused on animation”.

“We are all aware that the landscape is changing and we put a real effort into how we portray girls, and also how we portray people across the board, whether cultural, ethnic or gender. In Miles from Tomorrowland, Miles’ sister is the most proficient

Because kids find Doc [McStuffins] so aspirational, we may just be changing the way all children think about who they are and what they can be.”

“[in Doc McStuffins], we are able to communi-

in terms of science and tech in their family. Their mother, Phoebe is Chinese and the captain of the ship. The dad is equally smart in a different way. Loretta, the sister, is the family brainiac... We don’t shine a huge light on it, in the sense of making it a major focus of attention. We want to present it as just what you can be. We [want kids to] come to think of it as ‘this is the way the world is and how people behave’, and hopefully they will carry that through as they become adults.”

cate important messages about children’s health that inspire parents and kids to think about their own well being and what they can do to stay healthy”. “In today’s world, when anyone and everyone can create a piece of content and have it be seen, our goal is still to make sure that our stories reflect the world kids live in while still embracing the magic that makes them want to play alongside these characters every day.” “In order to build a better world, children have to be able to imagine a better place, and imagine themselves being able to make those changes and we think [2015 series] Miles from Tomorrowland can set them on that path.”

issue four, october 2014

We absolutely will consider commissioning from all over the world... Asia is a top priority. Many of our series are animated in Asia; Doc McStuffins was animated in Singapore. The challenge that we find in terms of developing original material is in story telling and finding the great story tellers here. We are dedicated and being aggressive about finding that but it has been a challenge, not just to look at the technical and the production... story is where it all starts.”

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$523b

The rapid devel-

opment of digital advertising technology will help the global ad market grow 5.3% in 2014, up from 3.9% in 2013, ZenithOptimedia says. Growth will remain strong over the next two years, at 5.3% in 2015 and rising to 5.9% in 2016. Global adspend will reach US$523 billion this year. Internet advertising is by far the fastest-growing medium, forecast to Téa Leoni in Madame Secretary on Sony Channel Asia (above); Gina Rodriguez as Jane in Jane the Virgin (left)

The number of new and returning series headed for Sony’s new Sony Channel in Asia. First and exclusive headliners are How to Get Away with Murder, Madam Secretary, Manhattan Love Story and Jane the Virgin, along with returning seasons of The Night Shift and Nashville. The launch schedule will also include Cupcake Wars and The Millionaire Matchmaker. Sony Channel replaces SET (not to be confused with Sony India’s totally different channel of the same name, which is a regional winner) in Southeast Asia at 7am on 15 October.

expand by 17.1% this year as improving digital ad technology makes internet advertising cheaper and more effective. ZenithOptimedia expects internet advertising to command 23.6% of global ad budgets this year, exceeding the combined share of newspapers

and The High Low Project. Channel bosses say a local version of The Property Brothers, HGTV Extreme Homes has been locked in for the Asia feed, followed by a local edition of I Love This...

4.2 million

The total number of Astro subscribers in Malaysia at the end of July, including 678,000 free subscribers through the NJOI platform. Astro’s newest initiative is day and date releases (via linear and on-demand) of seven U.S. titles – The Walking Dead season 5, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season 2, Scandal season 4, Revenge season 4, The Blacklist season 2, Boardwalk Empire season 5 and Resurrection season 2.

$37b

The size of India’s entertainment and media industry by 2018. This represents 15% growth a year between 2103 and 2018. PricewaterhouseCoopers’ India Entertain-

maga-

ment & Media Outlook 2014 says

zines first time.

48 hours

The rights window on ITV Choice’s flagship series, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, in Asia. The 20-part

ad revenue is expected to grow at 13% (CAGR) and will exceed Rs600 billion/US$9.8 billion in 2018 from Rs350 billion/US$5.7 billion in 2013. Internet access has overtaken the print segment as the second-largest segment contributing to the overall pie of entertainment and media

series premieres on Tuesday, 18 Nov, at 7pm

sector revenues. Internet access and internet

in Indonesia, 8.30pm in Thailand and Korea,

advertising have been the fastest growing seg-

9.30pm in Taiwan and 10.30pm in Malaysia and Korea.

issue four, october 2014

Scripps Networks Interactive’s HGTV appears in Asia for the first time in December. The debut carriage deal is with Singapore’s StarHub. No details on packs or pricing yet. This is the first time a 24/7 HGTV channel has travelled outside of North America. The launch schedule in Asia includes Property Brothers, Kitchen Cousins

and

(22.7%) for the

I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here U.K., ITV Choice

ments with annual growth rates of 47% for internet access and 26% for internet advertising.

The number of extra years India’s government has given for the final phase of the country’s digital cable roll out. The Info and Broadcasting Ministry’s new timetable extends the phase-three deadline to end Dec 2015. The revised phase-four deadline is end Dec 2016. Domestic manufacturers are being pushed to meet the massive set-top box demand for the final phases. Insiders say regulators would much rather go local than flood the country with imported boxes.

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