Television Asia Plus | November - December 2021 by Harvest Information Pte Ltd

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DECEMBER 2021

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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Editor’s Note EDITORIAL/PUBLISHER Keen Whye Lee Publisher Raymond Wong Publishing Director raymond@harvest-info.com Monina Eugenio Editor editor-tva@harvest-info.com Arjay Alivia Layout and Design OPERATIONS Mari Vergara Head of Operations mari@asiantvawards.com SALES Dear Reader, As 2021 comes to a close, we can’t help but notice what a productive year it’s been for the industry despite the challenges brought on by the ongoing pandemic. It’s good to see that the industry can weather the storm and a testament to this is the resumption of many productions across the world ensuring that they deliver content to delight and entertain viewers. This issue’s cover story takes a look back at the content space in 2021 and what to look out for in 2022. We’ve interviewed 11 media executives and what they had to say about the ever-evolving content and media landscape. Our features for this issue includes an interview with Media Prima CEO Dato’ Khairul Anwar Salleh, as well as an interview with Rock Entertainment’s CEO Ward Platt as he talks about their newest Pay-TV offering Global Trekker. And to kick things off with the upcoming 26th Asian Television Awards, we’ve included an exclusive interview with director Kim Sung-Yoon, whose work, Itaewon Class, won the 25th Asian Television Awards for Best Drama series. We hope you enjoy this issue’s lineup of stories and we wish you a fruitful time at the 22nd Asian TV Forum and Market.

Monina Eugenio Editor

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Simon Lee Hong Kong, U.S.A., and Europe sales@harvest-info.com Chua Chew Huat Asia Pacific sales-sg@harvest-info.com MARKETING Franco Rafael mktg@harvest-info.com Coy Nazario production@harvest-info.com TECHNICAL SUPPORT Michael Magsalin tech@harvest-info.com Harvest Information Pte. Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road #02-05-8, EPL Building Singapore 169206

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NEWS CONTENT

The story of Asia’s ‘El Chapo’ streams on Discovery in The World’s Biggest Druglord - Tse Chi Lop Discovery announced the exclusive new special, The World’s Biggest Druglord - Tse Chi Lop, documenting the rise and capture of a criminal mastermind and one of the world’s most wanted fugitives for the very first time. The documentary premiered on 14 November on discovery+, as well as on Discovery’s linear channels across the Asia Pacific.

Recreation of Tse Chi Lop in interrogation room with Hong Kong Police after arrest in Hong Kong in 1998

The documentary features commentary from the FBI, DEA, and AFP, and examines how Tse Chi Lop allegedly orchestrated a US$60 billion global drug business while remaining virtually unknown. Drawing upon the expertise of Harvard professor Laura Huang, it unpicks Tse Chi Lop’s character to reveal the druglord’s business insights and entrepreneurial strategies, exploring how he capitalised on the shift in consumer demand to the tune of billions of dollars…until he was eventually caught.

Astro showcases multiple hit shows from Animasia Studio Astro has showcased multiple hit shows from Animasia Studio including Dragon Force Season 3: Monsters Rise, Beyblade Burst, Harry and Bunnie and Chuck Chicken in the coming months. Customers can enjoy these shows on TA-DAA! (Channel 612) and stream anytime via On Demand and Astro GO. These popular shows will supplement the shows that have already launched on Astro TV and will continue showing after it aired on their Video On Demand (VOD) platform through Astro B.yond and Astro IPTV. Beyblade Burst Season 5 will officially premiere in Malaysia and Brunei in English and Bahasa Malaysia on 3rd January 2022. This premiere is in conjunction with Beyblade’s 20th year anniversary in Malaysia in 2022. Before this collaboration, Animasia also featured other shows on Astro including local favourite Bola Kampung Xtreme and Bola Kampung the Movie as well as Balla Bowl and Dragon Force Season 1 & 2, which are currently available for streaming via On Demand.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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Nippon TV finalizes first-ever deal with Netflix Nippon TV has partnered with Netflix for the first time to make 30 of its biggest drama series and entertainment shows available outside Japan, all across Asia. The first 15 titles began streaming in October. Titles include the mega-hit 2011 drama series I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper, whose last episode broke records with a 40% viewer rating in Japan and has also been successful as a scripted format and licensed to Korea; DEATH NOTE, which is a live-action drama based on its widely popular comic series, and Tokyo Tarareba Girls, which is also remade from the hit comic series that saw over 1.8 million copies printed throughout Japan. From December, another 15 titles will be added, including the 2019 award-winning drama series Mr.Hiiragi’s Homeroom, Your Turn to Kill, and Life’s Punchline, which was broadcast this year with almost 14 million total views to date on TVer, a VOD streaming service in Japan. Entertainment shows as part of this deal include the highly popular adventure variety show The Quest, and the contest show Masquerade, which is one of Nippon TV’s longestrunning programs with over 40 years of history.

Something Special signs co-development partnership with 4DREPLAY Something Special, the Seoul-based international Format agency founded by format specialists Jin Woo Hwang, President & Executive Director, and InSoon Kim, EVP and Head of Content, announced that they formed a co-development partnership with media technology company 4DREPLAY.

as their agency representing top tier producers such as the creators and writers of global successes The Good Doctor, The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice, among others. Their recent program, Still Alive, a fun, spooky game show, aired in September of this year on Korea’s IHQ.

The two companies will create non-scripted and scripted formats incorporating 4DREPLAY technology, a four-dimensional time slice video production system that creates any-time, any-angle highlights with an unprecedented level of detail. Up to now, the majority of the technology has been utilized in major sporting events, such as in the NBA and MLB games, PGA Championship tournaments, US Open Tennis Championships and UFC matches along with broadcasters such as CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC, France TV, TF1, NHK and others. Something Special has been both creating and producing formats (non-scripted and scripted) as well

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Photo L-R: Jin Woo Hwang, President & Executive Director of Something Special and DJ Lee, Chief Content Officer of 4DREPLAY

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

NEWS CONTENT

Disney+ to exclusively launch The Book of Boba Fett in December Disney+ announced that the new series for Lucasfilm The Book of Boba Fett will launch exclusively on the streaming service on 29 December. The Book of Boba Fett, a thrilling Star Wars adventure teased in a surprise end-credit sequence following the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the galaxy’s underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate. The Book of Boba Fett stars Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson are the executive producers. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serve as co-executive producers, with John Bartnicki producing and John Hampian as coproducer.

Boba Fett Teaser Digital

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

Han Hyo-Joo and Park Hyung-Sik’s comeback K-drama HAPPINESS premieres on tvN The South Korean drama HAPPINESS which stars Han HyoJoo and Park Hyung-Sik premiered on 06 November, on tvN (Singtel TV CH 518, StarHub TV CH 824).

player. Meanwhile, Han Hyo-Joo gives life to Yoon Sae-bom who prides herself for her quick judgment and righteous beliefs. Playing the character of former military agent Han Tae-seok is actor Jo Woo-jin.

HAPPINESS is Han Hyo-joo and Park Hyung-sik’s comeback K-drama. The action-thriller masterpiece also cast Jo Woo-jin and will follow the story of the people living in an apartment during a time where a deadly virus has spread throughout the city. Conflict arises within the apartment as the residents from different social classes struggle to survive. Park Hyung-sik takes on the role of a police detective named Jung Yi-hyun who used to be a baseball

China’s Got Talent takes centre stage on TikTok and JiangsuTV Fremantle, Syco Entertainment and Chinese production powerhouse Star Canxing announced the return of a brand-new season of China’s Got Talent with new broadcast partners; TikTok China and JiangsuTV. Locally known as Dian Zan Da Ren Xiu, the brand-new season of China’s Got Talent premiered on 31st October 2021 and airs weekly on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. The new season will comprise 11 episodes. Produced by Star Canxing, both JiangsuTV and TikTok China will simulcast the entertainment series. The video app, TikTok China, which has an average of more than 600 million daily users will be the exclusive online broadcast platform, while one of China’s top satellite channels, JiangsuTV, will be the exclusive television broadcaster.

China’s Got Talent will be TikTok China’s first-ever adaptation of an international format and is one of the most highly anticipated long-form programming content to come to the platform. The Got Talent format was created by Simon Cowell and is co-owned by Syco Entertainment and Fremantle. Fremantle is the global distributor of both the finished tape and the Got Talent format.

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First Filipino local originals Saying Goodbye and Hello Heart premieres on iQiyi

Global streaming service iQiyi seals a multi-title content deal with ABSCBN, a leading Philippine media and entertainment company to produce four Filipino original romantic series for its international subscribers worldwide. Coming to iQiyi are Saying Goodbye, starring Andrea Brillantes and Seth Fedelin, which debuted on 4 December, while Hello, Heart, starring Gigi De Lana and Gerald Anderson will premiere on 15 December. The partnership fortifies the commitments of both companies in bringing high-quality, relatable and inspiring Philippine content with universal themes while championing the Filipino talents and stories onto the global stage. Coupled with ABSCBN’s unrivalled creative capability on content production and with its seasoned pool of talents, the exclusive partnership enhances iQiyi’s extensive and growing library of Asian content from Japan, South Korea, Greater China, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia available across 191 territories. The partnership between iQiyi and ABS-CBN will produce the multititle Filipino originals that will be top-billed by this generation’s multitalented and most-sought actors and streamed exclusively on the iQiyi app and www.iQ.com.

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GoQuest Media and WOWOW strike a deal for espionage drama Traitor Global independent content distributor GoQuest Media has struck a deal for the Estonian espionage drama Traitor (6 x 58’). Leading Japanese broadcaster WOWOW has acquired the spy thriller for its Linear TV and ONDemand streaming service. The award-winning series produced by multi-service provider Elisa Estonia and Estonian public broadcaster ERR is written by prize-winning playwright and screenwriter Martin Algus (Best Screenwriter Award at Estonian Film and Television Awards 2019) and directed by Ergo Kuld. The thrilling series stars Tambet Tuisk (The Little Comrade, O2, Zero Point, The Poll Diaries), winner of the Best Actor Award for Traitor at the Estonian Film and Television Awards 2020.

Inspired by recent spy scandals in Estonia, Traitor is a captivating thriller that begins in 2004 just before Estonia joined NATO and became a top target for Russian intelligence. Greed and the need for recognition lead new recruit Alfred Vint (Tambet Tuisk) to cooperate with Russian intelligence, leading to a thrilling cat-and-mouse game with determined young Estonian counterintelligence officer Marko Arrak (Veiko Porkanen) as they navigate the challenges faced in their personal lives.

KC Global Media launches new series AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia In partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia (MOTCE), KC Global Media announced the launch of new original television and digital series titled AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia, which premiered on 25th November on the leading English-language general entertainment channel, AXN Asia and streaming worldwide on its official YouTube channel beginning 27th November. Hosted by Richard Kyle, the six-part multimedia series stars Indonesian Celebrities Afgansyah Reza (aka Afgan) and Isyana Sarasvati. The pair and their respective travel partners Reza Chandika (#TeamAfgan) and Rara Sekar (#TeamIsyana), will take global audiences on an ultimate journey, including epic adventures

and heart-pounding challenges as they experience and capture the social media worthy sights and sounds of Indonesia’s stunning island destinations - Labuan Bajo (known for the Komodo National Park, snorkelling points and flying fox bats), Mandalika in Lombok (known for thrilling racing circuits, water parks and water sports activities), and Bali (without a doubt every traveller’s favourite getaway beach destination).

Still from AXN Ultimate Challege Indonesia December 2021 Television Asia Plus

NEWS OTT

Conviva: Streaming in Asia continues to grow Despite predictions of a “pandemic peak,” streaming adoption continues to gain ground worldwide and Asia is no exception, experiencing 46% year-over-year growth in Q3 2021 according to the Q3 2021 State of Streaming: Asia report from Conviva, the continuous measurement platform for streaming media. Asia’s streaming growth was led by the

western and southeastern regions of Asia, which increased 200% and 164%, respectively, with the eastern and central regions showing more modest growth at 34% and 22%, respectively. Conviva’s data also showed Asia consistently consumed streaming content on smaller screens, with desktop (49%) and mobile (33%)

viewing taking the top spots in viewing time by device for the third quarter. Big screen viewing, which consists of connected TVs, smart TVs and gaming consoles, was low in Asia compared to the rest of the world, with just 14% share of viewing time. Western Asia was the only region to watch predominantly on the big screen.

Netflix announces 4.4 million paid memberships in Q3

Still from Squid Game

In its Q3 earnings, Netflix announced that it added 4.4 million paid memberships during the quarter, ahead of its 3.5 million guidance forecast, ending the quarter with 214 million paid memberships. For the second consecutive quarter, Netflix said the APAC region accounted for the most growth, contributing 2.2 million paid net adds. For its programming slate, Netflix’s strategy is to provide members

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

with a wide variety of high-quality content that’s loved and watched in large numbers. Citing the success of the Korean series Squid Game, the series has become the biggest TV show ever since its release on September 17. According to Netflix, 142 million member households globally chose to watch the title in its first four weeks. Apart from the global success of Squid Game, Netflix continues to deliver great stories that can come

from anywhere and be loved everywhere. In the past quarter, Netflix has seen several hits across the world, measured in the first 28 days since launch with its series Sex Education (55 million) and Maid (anticipated 67 million during first four weeks); films such as Kissing Booth 3 (59 million), Sweet Girl (68 million), and Vivo (46 million); and local language originals such as La Casa de Papel (69 million) and Blood Red Sky (53 million).

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NEWS PAY TV

Thailand pay-TV services market revenue to reach US$1.1 billion in 2026 Pay-TV service revenue in Thailand is expected to grow at a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% from US$734m in 2021 to US$1.1bn in 2026, supported by growing direct-to-home (DTH), Cable TV and Internet-protocoltelevision (IPTV) subscriptions, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. GlobalData’s Thailand pay-TV Forecast Model indicates that both

Rewind Networks expands its presence in South Korea

Cable TV and IPTV revenues will increase at a CAGR of 4.7% and 41.3%, respectively, during 20212026 period. Despite an increase in total payTV revenue, the average monthly spend per pay-TV account will fall from US$8.75 to US$7.56 between 2021 and 2026, owing to the competitive pricing strategies being adopted by pay-TV operators to retain their subscriber base.

Rewind Networks and LYD announced the launch of HITS on South Korea’s LGU+ IPTV platform on 16 November 2021. HITS airs on Channel 147 in High Definition as part of LGU+ TV’s premium package.

Toonz Media Group launches new kids TV channel in Indonesia Global kids and family entertainment major Toonz Media Group has launched a new kids television channel in Indonesia. The 24x7 pay-TV channel Toonz Kids is available on Indonesia’s leading satellite TV network Transvision. The bilingual channel includes shows in both Bahasa and English and is targeted at 4 to 12-year-olds. This will be Toonz’s maiden television channel in Asia. The channel went on air on November 14. Toonz had announced the expansion of its platform entertainment business in October this year with the constitution facebook-f TVAPlusMag | twitter TVAsiaPLus | linkedin-in television-asia-plus

of its new SBU Toonz Media Networks. After Indonesia, Toonz plans to launch television channels in other emerging kids’ television markets such as Malaysia, Singapore and MENA (Middle East & North Africa). The company already operates kids channels in select key global territories.

The launch of HITS on LGU+ marks the second deal for the partnership between Rewind Networks and LYD in South Korea and brings the networks’ total reach in Asia to 24 million homes across 15 countries. LGU+ subscribers can catch up on iconic shows like Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote, Law & Order: SVU, I Dream of Jeannie, The Lucy Show, MacGyver, Pride & Prejudice, Love Boat to name few. Furthermore, from November onwards, the viewers can look forward to more of the greatest TV shows of all time premiering on the channel like the British sitcom Are you Being Served?, American supernatural drama Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and one of the most-watched miniseries of all time - The Winds of War. December 2021 Television Asia Plus

NEWS PLATFORMS

ABP Sanjha is now available on TATA Sky Direct-to-Home (DTH) provider, TATA Sky. The partnership with TATA Sky will make the channel accessible to subscribers who were keen to watch ABP Sanjha on the DTH platform. It will further strengthen ABP Sanjha’s foothold among the Punjabispeaking community spread across the world. The channel has a special focus on Punjabis and Punjabiyat. With its in-depth coverage on issues affecting the Punjab region, ABP Sanjha has taken the lead in providing its Punjabi viewers with content that is interactive and exclusive covering political, social, economic, and sporting events. ABP Sanjha’s digital site receives 11.1 million monthly page views. Thanks to its unique ABP Sanjha has taken a huge leap content and unrivaled local news with its launch on India’s leading coverage. ABP Sanjha’s digital news

platform also has a whopping 1.39 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.1 million likes on Facebook. These figures truly represent ABP Sanjha’s credibility and reputation among its users, as well as the platform’s superior content delivery. ABP Sanjha’s debut on TATA Sky is coming ahead of next year’s assembly elections in Punjab, the channel is bound to attract higher viewership from the new set of audiences. The channel has a strong program list in the pipeline, keeping its coverage rooted on the ground, while highlighting pertinent issues, with programmes such as Chona da Chulla Chaunka, Sanjhi Sath Siyasi Sach, Kaun Banuga CM, and Tuhada Halka Tuhada Leader, Kya Hua Tera Wada.

TechStorm launches in Bangladesh TechStorm, Southeast Asia’s largest and leading 24/7 Asian Esports, gaming and tech media network has announced its inaugural launch in Bangladesh. From late November, TechStorm’s content is available on Toffee and Binge, premier video streaming apps and go-to entertainment platforms carried by both Banglalink, one of the country’s leading digital communications service providers with 35 million subscribers; and Robi Axiata, the country’s second-largest mobile provider with 51 million subscribers. This landmark launch marks the 11th market TechStorm has gained a

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

presence in, following a series of rapid consecutive launch announcements across Southeast Asia, just north of two years since the company’s inception in early 2019. Bangladesh is home to a population of more than 160 million and is also the world’s eighth-most populous country with over 60% aged under 35 years old. “Cognisant of Bangladesh’s young and trend-savvy mobile-first consumer market, we are extremely proud to be launching on Toffee and Binge, two of the leading mobile streaming apps from Bangladesh that offer the best entertainment bouquet of TV channels. This has

only been made possible through our partnership with Banglalink and Robi Axiata. We look forward to bringing our unique hybrid of bestin-class, international quality esports, gaming and tech-thematic content to Bangladesh’s fast-growing audience, particularly the youth segment and young families,” says Debbie Lee, Founder & CEO of TechStorm. facebook-f TVAPlusMag | twitter TVAsiaPLus | linkedin-in television-asia-plus

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NEWS TECHNOLOGY

Vuulr and Brightcove partner to provide broadcast-quality screening room experience Vuulr announced a partnership with Brightcove, Inc., an enterprise video delivery platform known for its security and reliability, to leverage Brightcove’s world-class video technology and power Vuulr’s Branded Screening Rooms on the marketplace. Buyers on the Vuulr marketplace will have access to enhanced broadcastquality video experiences from anywhere in the world, through Brightcove’s state-of-the-art video technology. The partnership will allow

for a better, more precise buying experience overall. Rights holders will enjoy Brightcove’s superior security for all of their screeners. Regardless of size, every independent filmmaker and producer is able to benefit from the partnership when they create branded Screening Rooms on Vuulr for free.

1,200 films and T.V. series from over 350 sellers worldwide; designed to create a more streamlined content discovery journey that captures interest and converts it into an offer. Since its launch, Vuulr’s Screening Rooms have already delivered over 16,800 visits.

In March, Vuulr launched its Branded Screening Rooms as the largest destination for buyers to watch over

AsiaSat takes a strategic stake in leading live streaming service ‘One Click Go Live’

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), Asia’s premier satellite solutions provider, has acquired a strategic stake in One Click Go Live Limited (formerly known as HERMES Live Technology Limited), a company incorporated in Hong Kong and specialised in video live streaming services and solutions. ‘One Click Go Live’ offers video livestreaming solutions that provide facebook-f TVAPlusMag | twitter TVAsiaPLus | linkedin-in television-asia-plus

professional, broadcast-grade video streaming for live events. Its stable and scalable platform, built on patented video technologies, has delivered more than 300 live events across a geographical footprint of over 50 countries, reaching an audience of more than 20 million. ‘One Click Go Live’ also offers customised low latency live streaming solutions, which are particularly ideal for broadcasting content types such as sports streaming, live auctions,

allowing viewers to watch the events on any device in close to real-time. ‘One Click Go Live’ can be offered independently or as part of AsiaSat’s end-to-end media solution offerings to its blue-chip full time and occasional use customers for linear TV and occasional feed distribution.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

PEOPLE

Discovery, Inc. names Anil Jhingan as President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific

APAC business to lead integration planning activities in connection with the proposed WarnerMedia transaction. Jhingan will be based in London and report directly to JB Perrette, President and CEO of Discovery Streaming and International. In his new role, Jhingan will lead all of Discovery’s businesses across Asia Pacific to drive further growth and diversification of a portfolio that today spans twelve office hubs across the region covering 52 markets, 25 channel brands in 18 languages, as well as the leading streaming service, discovery+.

Anil Jhingan

Discovery, Inc. announced Anil Jhingan as its new President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific. Jhingan commenced in the role on 1 November, as current regional head Simon Robinson steps away from the

Nicholas John announced as new Head of Sports at Astro

Nicholas John

Jhingan joined Discovery in 2019 as Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, EMEA and APAC, and has over two decades of international media experience, including across Asia Pacific. His involvement has spanned both traditional TV and digital, pay-TV and free-to-air, content as well as distribution, and across all group business verticals. He has a deep awareness of Discovery’s corporate strategy across its International business and has been a key partner to the APAC leadership team since his arrival.

Astro welcomes Nicholas John (Nick) as its new Vice President and Head of Sports reporting to Director of Content, Agnes Rozario, following Lee Choong Khay’s (CK) announcement to undertake a new regional senior position.

MGM elevates Caroline Edwards to SVP and Head of Distribution Asia Pacific MGM’s International Television Distribution division announced the promotion of Caroline Edwards to Head of Distribution for Asia Pacific, after being elevated to SVP in March 2020. Effective immediately, Edwards succeeds SVP and Managing Director, Greg Robertson, who is retiring after more than seven years with MGM and 40 years of distinguished service in the industry. Reporting into MGM’s EVP of International Television Distribution for Asia Pacific & Latin America, Matt Vassallo, Edwards will lead MGM’s Asia Pacific division out of the studio’s Sydney office, and will be responsible for the distribution strategy throughout the region including Australia, Japan, Korea and India. The announcement was made by Vassallo and Chris Ottinger, MGM’s President of Worldwide Television Distribution and Acquisition. A 17-year veteran of the company, Edwards originally joined MGM in 2003 as the Manager of International Television Distribution for the Asia Pacific region. After leaving briefly in 2005 for CBS Paramount, she returned to the studio a year later in July 2006, and has been rising steadily up the ranks in MGM’s Sydney office ever since.

Nick joined Astro from ESPN Star Sports in 2010 as a Senior Sports Producer raising the bar for Astro’s sports production and successfully activated Astro’s premium football experience to be on par with the global best. With his strong relationships with local sporting bodies and production acumen, Nick was recently promoted to Head of Astro Arena, the first local sports channel in the region. Caroline Edwards

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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52 X 11‘

KIDS 4-7

AN OUT OF THIS WORLD COMEDY ►►► COMING IN 2022

Take a Spaceship to Friendship!

52 x 11`

KIDS 5 - 9

VISIT US @ ATF ONLINE 2021

WHERE THE ENTERTAINMENT IS

distribution@studio100media.com I www.studio100group.com

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

C-SUITE

Ejen Ali won the new Popular Animated Character award

Media Prima: Creating content that Malaysians love By Monina Eugenio

Dato’ Khairul Anwar Salleh has been one of the most prominent figures in Media Prima Berhad, Malaysia’s largest entertainment company. Named CEO of Media Prima Television Networks and Primeworks Studios, Datu’ Khairul oversees several of Media Prima’s platforms namely TV3, TV9, 8TV, ntv7, WowShop, tonton CINEMA, and Alternate Records and Talents.

Since his instalment as CEO in 2019, Dato’ Khairul told Television Asia Plus that to grow the business, his focus was to align himself with Media Prima’s mission—to enrich

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

lives by informing, entertaining, and engaging across all media. He shared, “It’s important that while the big picture vision should not often change, the details of the story must evolve to the constantly changing landscape.”

Dato’ Khairul Anwar Salleh

Looking into various platforms for wider reach Media Prima is positioning itself as a powerhouse of content creators creating entertainment and content that Malaysians love to watch across multiple and digital platforms. To make this possible, Media Prima has leveraged content from TV to digital platforms, as well as collaborations with OTT players like Disney+ Hotstar, Tencent, WeTV, iQiyi, and Viu. Media Prima has also been working to synergize content that would travel to digital

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A shift in the content space

platforms. Dato’ Khairul cited The Debate show featuring Datuk Seri; Minister of Transport, Wee Ka Siong; and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, which was streamed live on social media platforms as well as a broadcast on 8TV. Apart from this, Media Prima has also collaborated with e-commerce platform Lazada for branded content.

For 2022, the broadcaster has several exciting projects lined up for unscripted formats.

First, there’s Malaysia’s first reality show scouting for the next action star in Fit For Action. The show puts to the test 12 contestants comprising of six males and six females who have to go through 32 physical challenges and 12 on-screen challenges. Ultimately, the two winners will star in a new blockbuster action film.

In Master of the House: Malaysia Edition, Media Prima’s Primeworks Studios worked on a co-production deal with SBS Korea to feature five celebrities who spend two days and one night together with reputable figures from various fields and professions called “Masters,” in hopes of gaining knowledge and wisdom. The programme will be aired on TV3 Malaysia.

A renewed interest in linear television With so many projects in the pipeline for 2022, there’s no doubt that TV has proved to be resilient amid the changing times as other forms of consuming content have gained popularity over the years.

Dato’ Khairul said, “Despite the emergence of new SVOD/OTT services and online video platforms, there is a renewed interest in linear television as audiences have increased due to the need for information. Commercial broadcasters are still the most trusted form of advertising because it works and has been the foundation of driving the transformation and reinvigoration of brands.”

Media Prima was one of the pioneers of digital TV in Malaysia when they launched tonton 11 years ago. “Our focus has always been to allow our audiences the opportunity to catch their favourite drama and local content online, anytime they want,” shared Dato’ Khairul. In April 2021, tonton CINEMA was introduced, which is an extension of tonton’s current offerings which provide longform content.

“Our forte at Media Prima has always been creating local content that Malaysians love,” the CEO added. “We recognize that the digital audiences’ preference for content varies from the traditional TV consumption habits. A tonton CINEMA original Dendam Penunggu represents the first product of our exploration into this space.”

Dato’ Khairul said, “tonton CINEMA represents a shift in how we look at content. Where and when the audience consumes content are important, but what people want to consume is imperative.”

TV has also been able to keep up with the changes. According to the CEO, OTT players in Malaysia have presented great international and local partnerships. For Media Prima, they’ve embarked on partnerships with international streaming platforms, where they were able to work synergistically to reach out to potential new audiences and stay true to their commitment to fresh storytelling and high-quality productions. “This has been a great way to further promote and shed light into the local creative industry while driving up viewership, creating value and facilitating creative exchange,” Dato’ Khairul said. A version of this story was published on tva.onscreenasia.com.

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

COVER STORY

Content is king: What media executives have to say on what’s hot for 2022 Compiled by Monina Eugenio

Asia’s content space has proven to be resilient in the past year when productions have been halted due to the ongoing pandemic. This year, we’ve seen multiple coproduction deals being inked and hot new Original productions being

launched, which says a lot about Asia’s thriving content space. But just how well did 2021 look for content and what’s in store for 2022? We’ve interviewed 10 media companies across studios, OTT

platforms, and broadcasters to get their take on what the past year has been like and what the industry should expect in 2022.

STUDIOS BBC Studios wholesome entertainment edutainment for kids.

Phil Hardman, SVP & General Manager, Asia, BBC Studios

Content trends: 2021 vs 2022 In 2020 and 2021, we saw audiences gravitate to feel-good entertainment and edutainment that brings families together. Audiences wanted to see high-quality content that delivers insights into sustainability and climate change issues through our factual content, feel-good entertainment in our lifestyle and comedy content, Asian adaptations based on BBC Studios IP in the drama space, and

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

and

Our premium and landmark factual titles continue to be a draw for audiences, and we are producing more content that focuses on sustainability and the environment. There’s A Perfect Planet and the threepart documentary Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change The World, which helps audiences understand climate issues. The Green Planet, slated for release in January, is a five-part natural history landmark series that follows Sir David Attenborough as he travels the world to explore the extraordinary ways in which plants have learnt to survive and thrive in almost every environment. The Green Planet will also premiere in India via Sony BBC Earth, and in Japan via NHK and on CCTV and Bilibili in China. Our BBC Earth and Lifestyle channels and content on BBC Player are performing very well across the region with talent-led titles such as Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Easy Meals For Everyday and Nigella Lawson’s Cook Eat Repeat receiving quite a reception from our audience. We

also saw more interest in comedy and light entertainment with titles like Top Gear returning with new series and Inside No. 9 growing in popularity in China and across Asia. Asian content is capturing a big audience across the region and globally. There is demand for gripping multi-layered drama formats and BBC Studios IP is performing incredibly well. India, Korea and The Philippines have adapted local versions of Doctor Foster and the Korean version, The World of The Married, was South Korea’s highest-rated drama in cable TV history. We will see even more Asian content based on BBC Studios IP in the coming months with the Korean adaptation of Criminal Justice and the Indian adaption of Luther. The idea that humour doesn’t travel is also being challenged - we are collaborating on Uncle with Monster Union in Korea and have produced The Office with Hotstar in India. Finally, there is an increasing demand for high-quality kids’ edutainment content. We are witnessing global success with the Emmy award-winning Bluey which is the highest performing

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show on ABC iView in Australia, a topperforming title on CBeebies and BBC Player across Asia and winning huge audiences in the US, UK, Europe and recently, in Korea, where it is airing on EBS.

Content strategy for 2022 In 2022, we will continue to build new partnerships and bring UKproduced content to our audiences both via our branded services and content partnerships. Our lineup next year includes new landmark factual titles including The Green Planet, Frozen Planet II, Dynasties II as well as Dinosaur Pompeii from the BBC Science Unit. We will have more world-class kids content in our production and distribution pipeline with Bluey returning for another series as well as new scripted including This is Going to Hurt, Smother, The Split and Sherwood returning as well as three Doctor Who specials.

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Our production capabilities will continue to expand in Australia and India, working with local partners on formats and co-productions across the region. We also want to deepen relationships with platforms to work on originals that are relevant to audiences in Asia and we are already seeing success in China with the upcoming factual landmark One Cup, A Thousand Stories co-produced with Migu Video, the new science series Odyssey Into The Future featuring acclaimed Chinese author, Liu Cixin with Bilibili. By collaborating closely with our partners to adapt and localise our original stories into local formats we try to bring tried and tested formals and globally relevant stories to new audiences. We recognise it is important for us to reflect local culture and language in our Asian adaptation so that we can find relevant content that retains the core DNA of the story.

We have a responsibility to do justice to the original creative work and be sensitive to making an adaptation that remains true to the original, such as our relationship with Applause Entertainment to adapt Guilt for the Indian market. Beyond our strength in production and content distribution, we are on the constant lookout for new ways to collaborate with partners to explore growth in education and edutainment. We are excited to work with existing and new partners about what the BBC’s incredible catalogue can offer in the education space as well as produce new edutainment content with partners in Asia.

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Keshet International this content is doing well on these platforms, too. For example, we’ve heard that when Our Boys launched on Mola TV, it was the number one show on the platform.

Kelly Wright, SVP New Business and Distribution, Keshet International

Rising Star continues to be produced in Sri Lanka by Hiru TV who made a long-lasting commitment that sees Rising Star remain a reality tent-pole in the country for several more years into the future. Some production has continued in 2021—primarily those staples and tent-pole, bigbudget, must-have primetime formats, like Rising Star, and we look forward to seeing an increase in local productions in 2022.

Content trends: 2021 vs 2022 Content strategy for 2022: For Keshet International, the trend for 2021 was an uptick in sales of finished programmes. With the Asian Pay-TV channel landscape shifting so dramatically in 2021, distribution was strongly tipped towards the upand-coming SVOD platforms in the region, such as NowTV in Hong Kong and Mola TV in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The key focus for us in terms of content strategy is both increasing local productions and distributing more finished programs. What we saw throughout 2021 was constant delays with local productions in Asia, for instance in Vietnam with Domination. It’s very unfortunate

Secret Bridesmaids’ Business

because the production companies were super eager, the brands were super-eager, the broadcaster had the show on the schedule, but the delays caused by COVID, alongside government-mandated regulations, prevented those shows from materializing in 2021. We’re looking forward to increased productions in 2022 and for an overall improvement in the situation. We all know that a lot of countries in Asia have a zero-COVID policy. We’re hoping that there will be more open doors in 2022 for productions to continue. We also anticipate a continuing rise in acquisitions because we don’t know if these local productions will move forward and be greenlighted.

We were able to sell a lot of dramas such as Prisoners of War India, The Brave and Secret Bridesmaids’ Business, and also non-scripted factual and entertainment content like Animal Ambulance, Speed Freaks and Singletown. We think this trend will continue because that kind of volume and library is important to these platforms. To date, all indications show us that

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

Prisoners of War India

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In the meantime, while local productions are on-hold, having access to excellently produced content from the UK and other territories around the world helps platforms schedule linear content, grow SVOD libraries, power AVOD revenues and feed this global community of viewers who enjoy watching content from different countries of the world from where they live. So that’s a great thing—for both the global conversation and for the market.

Our Boys

ViacomCBS Popular IPs are being re-designed for cross-platform experiences As the pandemic brought shifts in screen time, kids are also rotating across platforms. Acknowledging this trend, content providers are placing content on non-traditional platforms to create more awareness and drive viewers back to their site. Movies have also shifted to directto-home, prompting a new normal in streaming. A multiple-device strategy is now crucial in making content work.

Lina Abdul Hamid, Director, Programming & Content, Nickelodeon - Southeast Asia

Content trends: 2021 vs 2022 LINA ABDUL HAMID Anime Explosion! Due to the increasing global appetite for anime especially in Japan and Korea, we can see major content providers boosting their slate and investing a lot more in this genre.

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Iconic brands continue to be sought after The pandemic has created competition among platform providers, so iconic brands that are familiar and resonate with kids and families see increased viewer loyalty. One of Nickelodeon’s new titles is The Smurfs, and Garfield will soon be added to our slate. Diversity & inclusion is key This is an important component in the production of any content, to ensure fair representation of gender equality and cultural backgrounds. All children need to be able to identify with similar characters, individuals

or heroes on-screen; cultivating diversity in kids content, allows kids to see themselves in popular culture. For example, Filipino culture is highlighted in one of the episodes from Nickelodeon’s Blues’ Clues & You as Filipino-American host Josh Dela Cruz greets his Lola (a Filipino term for ‘grandmother’) with ‘mano po’ – a gesture where you take an elder’s hand to your forehead; viewers also see Josh bake bibingka (a Filipino rice cake dessert) with his Lola. Blues’ Clues & You also have localised editions in different countries. SpongeBob SquarePants acknowledges its global fandom and celebrates local festivals alongside viewers with messages of love and peace to Muslims around the world during Ramadan with the characters wishing audiences Ramadan Mubarak and a blessed Eid. Content like this provides kids with a window to local culture and children can learn more about the experiences of their friends. This is true to the DNA of the Nickelodeon brand, which is to be everywhere kids are and to reflect where they are today.

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We continue to see K-pop content resonate with our fans across titles on MTV Asia (for example, THE SHOW, and the NCT 127 World Premiere Sticker). BTS’ performance at the 2020 MTV VMAs, and our World Stage Indonesia with NCT 127 are also prominent examples. There is also an uptick in commitment to original productions.

Diana Suparji, Senior Manager, Programming, Comedy Central Southeast Asia

Content trends: 2021 vs 2022 DIANA SUPARJI Asian content continues its march and is aided by a growing acceptance of foreign-language content, as good storytelling continues to break barriers and transcend borders. The love for Korean content shows no signs of abating. For instance, Korean content and culture are fascinating and is spreading across the globe across strong anchors like K-pop, culture, drama, as well as travel and tourism.

We are also heartened to see an increase in social themes something ViacomCBS brands have done for decades. More and more, storylines now address global concerns like class and income gaps, climate change, as well as the importance of Diversity and Inclusion. This is across genres—from comedy and family animation to music and horror. We can expect this to gain even more prominence in 2022 not just because of its CSR value but because it makes for storytelling that resonates with audiences

Content strategy for 2022: LINA ABDUL HAMID Acquisitions and content partnerships with global brands This will continue to be our focus in 2022, to complement our original pipeline of

hit content. Emphasis on diversity and inclusivity will be a must-have. Building Asia IPs that will resonate with a global audience With the success of Deer Squad, Nickelodeon’s first animation collaboration with iQiyi, we hope to discover more IPs by Asian content creators which feature unique Asian elements and bring these to the rest of the world. Sourcing for content that can coexist across platforms With the rise of the ‘metaverse,’ we need to look for more content that will allow kids to be interconnected with virtual communities where they can play and watch content together, for example on streaming, gaming as well as social platforms. DIANA SUPARJI We can expect to see the continued focus on local productions across the region, as networks and streamers double down on connecting with local audiences and finding differentiators. For us, this works across both long- and short-form content such as MTV Trippin Random, Rightocracy, The Ultimate Stan, and CC Commentary Roast, especially on digital where our brands and genres find great resonance. Look out for upcoming MTV Krash Kourse and CC Mini Mocks!

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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OTT PLATFORMS iQiyi

Kuek Yu-Chuang, Vice President for International Business, iQiyi

Content strategy:

trends

and

We’re seeing non-English language content taking off around the world, and while Korean content is leading that trend, iQiyi is also bullish on the potential for content from China and within the region to take off next year. This year on iQiyi, fans loved K-drama and we launched 30% more Korean titles

My Roommate Is A Gumiho

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than last year. This included significant investments in bringing in Korean Originals, such as My Roommate is a Gumiho. In 2022, iQiyi will be focusing on producing Original Korean dramas that will continue to appeal to international audiences—this can be in the form of creating more “differentiated romance” titles or bringing on board some of the biggest stars in Korea for our projects. iQiyi will also continue to be a worldclass partner for Korean Content creators and have started to do so this year by doubling the size of our local team from 2020 to 2021, to provide more support and closer alignment with our partners on the ground. Chinese content remains iQiyi’s cornerstone for 2022, and we are confident that c-content will be the next big wave next year and beyond. With iQiyi at the forefront of this C-Wave, we will continue to innovate and elevate Chinese content to the next level, and in 2022, we are excited to spearhead the Biggest Chinese IP Universe Project by a Streaming platform, Luoyang. We’re also seeing the emergence and success of our hybrid content genres, Light On (noir,

suspense, mystery, thrillers) and Sweet On (romance titles paired with fantasy, school life, “Slice of life” genre types) take off as well internationally, and are excited to see more creators exploring this content trend come 2022. We are also intent on showcasing the best of Southeast Asian storytelling. Hence, iQiyi has and will continue to invest heavily in bringing thousands of hours of Filipino, Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian content from the biggest content creators inmarket to local audiences. We’ve kicked things off with The Ferryman: Legends of Nanyang, with Filipino titles Saying Goodbye and Hello, Heart and Thai titles Only You I Need, with more local originals set to launch in 2022. With the demand for Asian content continuing to rise, iQiyi will continue to double down and create premium, highquality pan-Asian content in 2022, as the leading streaming player rooted in Asia that is devoted to creating Asian content for the world.

On the emergence of more OTT platforms: Ever since iQiyi’s international streaming service officially set up our international office in Singapore in December 2020, we have grown exponentially over the past year in many areas. We are available in over 191 territories, our international app currently has over 4,000 shows that spans Chinese, Korean, Japanese anime and local content. We’ve put in significant investments to keep our content

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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accessible with lowered barriers of entry with users worldwide. Subtitled in up to 10 languages and available in the highest possible viewing quality made possible only with the deepening of our partnership with Dolby Studios this year, our freemium service allows everyone to explore and enjoy thousands of hours of Asian content. Outside of China, iQiyi now has a local footprint in the Middle East, North America, and across Southeast Asia, and content teams based in Japan and Korea to scout the next beloved Asian stories for the international audience—making us the only Asian streamer with a global footprint, operating on-ground beyond Asia across APAC, EMEA and the Americas. In 2022, readers can expect iQiyi to produce even more Original content in-house to cater to the demand, tastes and appetites of our audiences.

Lost

We are also willing to try harder and be creative with our solutions as the new kid on the block. Besides allowing regional stars to go global, we’re working with different partners and have come up with marketing campaigns to draw consumers in.

Voot On content trends:

Ferzad Palia, Head, SVOD (Voot Select, Voot Kids) and International Business at Viacom18

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

In the past two years, audiences are seeking diverse and varied content experiences. One of the standout content consumption trends over the last year has been content consumption in multiple languages which took off in 2021. It has been the year where the language barrier was broken, and a wider set of audiences were seen turning language agnostic and consuming content in different languages. For example, it has been a phenomenal year for Korean dramas in India. We can see this affinity growing

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in the coming years as people who are willing to pay for exclusive reality content is also on the rise and that will be a big force for driving subscription in the next couple of years. That apart, in India, regional language consumption on OTT platforms has also witnessed a great uptick.

producers of original series in India in the coming years. Local content is going to be the heart of what we do in both scripted and unscripted spaces. We will predominantly be focused on creating content given the number of powerhouses we have within our ecosystem. We are also open to acquisitions and licensing on a case-

Content strategy for 2022:

to-case basis. To conclude, for us the

Given the success we have seen in 2020 and 2021, we will be one of the biggest

production and originals are going to

next year is going to be about local be our prime focus.

On the emergence of more OTT platforms: We continued to be focused on being an OTT service with wholesome offerings which is relevant to most constituents of a household. We have content that caters to the viewing needs of every individual in the house as well as the whole family together. For us, the content strategy is aimed at reaching the widest possible audience and while doing that we have managed to satisfy the niche demands of the audience as well.

BROADCASTERS Astro the change in government and the pandemic to content with. 2021 also saw a greater consumption of less traditional storied Malaysian scripted content, our Astro Originals, produced at higher values and this trend, will continue in 2022 both on linear and on-demand.

Content strategy for 2022:

Agnes Rozario, Director, Content, Astro

On content trends: Live sport returned strong in 2021 and will be important in 2022 with the World Cup and its great timing of matches for Asia. In addition to watching our entertainment shows, Malaysians also watched a lot of news on Astro AWANI and Prime Talk and non-scripted content with facebook-f TVAPlusMag | twitter TVAsiaPLus | linkedin-in television-asia-plus

Content offerings are global, but consumers still want relevance so local content, both scripted and non-scripted, will still be a major differentiator to distinguish us from everyone else and will be paired with key acquisitions. We have been collaborating with the best creators and producers to ideate new shows and we’re very excited about what 2022 holds for us in this space.

content offering so that they can find them all in one convenient place according to their interest along with the content that our audience likes and that we do best i.e. local and live events. We now have partnerships with streaming platforms that are owners and curators of great content - Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, HBO GO, iQIYI and TVBAnywhere+, and are poised to integrate more of these. We also launched our own targeted OTT, sooka, for Malaysian millennials, with our live sport and our deep library of local content with an encouraging take-up so far.

On broadcasters and the changing media landscape: OTT partnerships enable us to serve our diverse audience with an enlarged December 2021 Television Asia Plus

COVER STORY

CJ ENM HK On content trends: We continue to see increased investments in Asian content with more Global OTT platforms’ launches in Asia. The key interest is still in Korean content but there is diversification with the resumption of physical productions in many Asian countries like Indonesia and Thailand.

Content strategy for 2022:

Mickey Ong, SVP & General Manager, CJ ENM HK (Singapore Branch)

We operate two linear channel Brands – tvN & tvN Movies which serves Korean content. This year, we acquired much more movies and scripted series

to feed a growing audience base, including the top Korean movie of the Year Escape from Mogadishu, highbudget series like Jirisan, and Secret Royal Inspector & Joy. At the same time, we are making more inroads into local productions to cater to streaming needs. We co-produced a Taiwanese series Mom Don’t Do That and got picked up by Netflix for a 2022 premiere. Our first scripted series collaboration with Singapore’s IMDA, Venus on Mars, just started shooting in Taipei on 23 November and look out for more projects to be announced soon.

Mom, Don’t Do That

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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Nippon TV SPOKESPERSON:

Chihiro Shizawa, PR & Marketing, International Business Development On content trends:

traditional trends such as crafting and survival.

Due to the stress caused by the pandemic worldwide, people sought an escape from reality in entertainment. Unscripted format Crush Park was conceived in response to these feelings, and was called “a stressbusting game show,” and it created an unrealistic world like a theme park.

We believe these trends will continue in 2022. beforeAs for scripted formats, the guessing game element, popular in entertainment shows, is now trending in drama series.

Another keyword is “digital”, as the pandemic further accelerated remote and digitalized lifestyles, which was also reflected in entertainment. Unscripted format Money or Junk, launched in October 2021, is a game show with the concept of “Make money out of nothing!” in which contestants create something valuable using resources in remote locations and make money through e-commerce. It combined elements of digital business with

Guilty Flag, a new scripted format launched for ATF 2021, is leading this trend. The story follows a man whose wife and kids suddenly disappear. He frantically searches for them but has no leads. To convince the police to start an investigation, he uses the power of social media to bring their disappearance to the public’s attention. However, speculative minds begin to think that maybe he is the “real” culprit, and all eyes are focused on him as he gets driven into a corner while trying to find answers to the hidden truth. In each episode, viewers can join in the excitement of guessing the true culprit, which makes this series go viral on social media in Japan.

Content strategy for 2022: In 2022, we are not just about creating shows in-house and broadcasting/ streaming them. We will also pursue projects with global partners aggressively.

Sukkuri Sweets ©NIPPON TV

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Following the successes of our format co-development deals with Sony Pictures Television, Red Arrow Studios, The Story Lab, and ITV Studios, we are slated to announce the details of our scripted co-production project

with Envision Entertainment of the UK in 2022 and are also searching for alliances with Asian companies. Our strength lies in the creativity of our in-house creators, and when it is combined with the sensibility of global partners, we are able to create new formats and projects that have never been seen anywhere else.

On broadcasters and the changing media landscape: Since we own Hulu in Japan, not only the viewers’ market shares on TV but also the number of views on streaming is a major indicator of the success of a program. The influence of OTT platforms cannot be overlooked when it comes to delivering content to wider audiences. In October, we partnered with Netflix to make 30 of our biggest

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

COVER STORY

drama series and entertainment shows available across Asia. In terms of unscripted formats, we believe that one of the strengths of OTT platforms is that it allows us to create content that is more flexible in scale than TV and targets a specific audience segment. Based on our unscripted format Sokkuri Sweets, where contestants try to spot sweets that look identical to objects that surround us, US streaming platform The Roku Channel is streaming Eye Candy as a short and addictive 8-minute content series which is an example of how our 30-60minute episode formats can be scaled to fit what’s best for each platform/services to be competent for these times.

Money or Junk

Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. SPOKESPERSON:

Akihiro Watase, Drama Planning Chief, Programming Department, TV Programming Division, Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. On content trends:

Content strategy:

Our prediction is 2022 will be completely different from 2021. Content trends popular this year are unlikely to continue to be popular next year, as today’s viewers are always looking for new interests and trends tend to change quickly. It’s important to stay on top of the latest wave and be able to deliver content that will draw the attention of viewers. Certainly, there are some universal trends that appeal to Japanese viewers. Stories of good prevailing over evil and heartstirring cathartic drama are always loved by viewers, so we believe that content capable of combining such universal themes with recent trends will always do well.

“Development of new original content” will be our main goal. Of the lineup of 12 shows greenlit for broadcast in 2022, 10 are our original shows. When it comes to maximizing monetization, the benefits of original content, or IP, cannot be emphasized enough, so we will continue to develop our original IP to optimize profitability.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

On broadcasters and the changing media landscape:

when you want it is the mainstream way of viewing video content, especially among young people. As a broadcaster, it’s a challenge to have our share of the market greatly reduced, but we also see it as an opportunity for evolution, a chance to experiment with new ideas. On the broadcasting side, we’re flexing our creative ingenuity to grab the lead in the domestic market. Meanwhile, we’ll be launching a content production team devoted to streaming and distribution globally, with the goal of competing with the major OTT platforms to acquire market share outside of Japan.

The growth of OTT has vastly changed the way Japanese people consume video content. Watching what you want,

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TV5 particularly for our young people who may be experiencing psycho-social stress brought about by the pandemic. We want to be helpful in that regard and to see that our programs provide a venue for all our audiences to find something in them that will give some measure of comfort or reaffirmation of what is good in themselves, in their relationships, and the world in general.

On broadcasters and the changing media landscape:

Belay Santillan, Vice President, Head of Cignal Entertainment

On content trends: The Philippines is emerging from what has been more than a year and a half of forced hiatus brought on by the pandemic. We want to accompany our viewers on the road to normalcy and regain the dynamic vibrancy the Philippines has been known for as one of Asia’s dynamic economies prior to the crisis. Based on what worked with TV5, we noticed that the audience is looking for content that makes them feel good, offers hope, brings out joy, love, and family values. The themes are more positive and future-looking. TV5 in previous years has been known as the “Happy Network”; we want to keep it that way and bolster the Filipino’s spirit. This is the commitment to our audiences—that we are with them not

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only for the short term but in the years ahead as well.

Content strategy: The network has an open-door policy that invites talents and production initiatives from outside the network to compliment and/or augment our in-house production and creative efforts. So far, we have balanced both production or creative streams with no difficulty and at the same time live up to the general thrust that we have set for our programs that not only entertain but will also provide positivity. I think the industry, in general, is going through a re-examination of what the audiences want and/or look for on television,

Traditional broadcasting is going through a revolution of sorts. The very concept of “mass audience” no longer is compatible with the burgeoning growth of the Internet or digital communications and its various apps such as YouTube. The age of streaming on-demand is upon us and we in TV5 for one, have incorporated “windowing” as part of our plans whenever we produce content. We do recognize that we may need to make slight adjustments to our content from traditional media platforms to digital platforms. We do not see other platforms replacing TV and that all media have areas to grow and prosper as people’s tastes and preferences do vary a lot and fads and styles change. Cliché as it may sound, “Content is King”; a good program should be able to deliver its objective regardless of platform. One size does not fit all when it comes to content and the multitude of ways that people react to it.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

TRADESHOW ATF

The 22nd Asia TV Forum & Market returns as a hybrid format with the theme “Re-imagining TV: Vision 2022”

Asia’s leading entertainment content market and conference the Asian TV Forum & Market (ATF) returns as a hybrid format on December 1 to 3, 2021 as it puts the spotlight on Asian platforms. This year’s theme, “Re-imaging TV: Vision 2022,” celebrates the bestin-class of Asian storytelling, while convening decision makers and senior executive to make sense of a dynamic landscape that has been innovating, converging, and repositiong to monetise. At a roundtable discussion held virtually on November 23, ATF Group Project Director Yeow Hui Leng revealed that this year’s ATF will be attended by over 3,000 delegates from 60 countries and regions and they expect to facilitate about 15,000 meeting requests online through the ATF Online+ platform. Featured at this year’s ATF is the fireside chat segment, Mornings with Industry Leaders which features senior executives from Asian platforms.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

Speakers include Chen Xiao, Senior Vice President, iQiyi; Terence Leong, Group CCO, KKBOX Group; Barrett Comiskey, Founder, Migo; Wang Xinyi, Chief Content Officer, OPG BesTV+ Streaming Media; Joanne Tsai, CEO, Taiwan+; Li Kaichen, Head of WeTV & iFlix, Tencent; Hyejung Hwang, Chief Content Officer, TVING; Lee Tae-hyun, Chief Executive Officer, Wavve; and Ashok Namboodiri, Chief Business Officer – International Business, Zee Entertainment. Another segment of the ATF is “Production Afternoons” which will be headed by Erika North, Head of Asia Pacific Originals at Amazon Studios; Wonwoo Park, CEO and Chief Creator of DITURN; and Arjan Pomper, Chief Operating Officer of ITV Studios, who will provide insights and exclusive developments into programming priorities for 2022. There’s also the ATF Speed Dating sessions which allows content creators to meet co-producers and commissioners, will feature stakeholders from a variety of

profiles, including representatives from Alibaba-Youku, China Bridge Content, Discovery, Kidoodle.TV, Tencent Video, WildBrain, 108 Media and ZDF Enterprises. Meanwhile, ATF Pitches will feature a panel of seven industry judges who have shortlisted six projects from Kanaban Graphics (Japan), One Animation (Singapore), PT Aneka Cahaya Nusantara (Palari Films) (Indonesia), Parijat Animation Films (India) and Studio Amarana (Indonesia). Six Formats Pitch finalists have also been selected by a panel of six judges – AASIA Productions (Singapore), Christian G. Gamboa (Philippines), Fuji Television Network (Japan), Gamaliel (Indonesia), Qontent Formats (Turkey) and TV Asahi Productions (Japan). ATF is part of the Singapore Media Festival, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. ATF will take place from 1-3 December with on-demand session available until June 2022.

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TRADESHOW ATF CONTENT SHOWCASE

ABACUS MEDIA RIGHTS

Evolve Duration: 6 x one hour

Genre: Documentary Series

Production company: Beach House Pictures, a Blue Ant Media company, for CuriosityStream Synopsis: Evolve is a new, premium television series exploring the fascinating world of biomimicry. Fuelled by his passion for animals, ecology and science, biologist Patrick Aryee takes viewers on an enthralling, visually spectacular journey to meet the most astonishingly superpowered species on the planet. He investigates how their unique adaptations emerged over the course of millions of years, and how they are poised to revolutionise our existence on this planet, and beyond.

Simply Raymond Blanc (Season 2)

Pulse

Duration: 10 x 60’ (20 x 60’ now available)

Genre: sci-fi, horror, original survival thriller

Duration: 6 x one hour

Genre: Factual Entertainment Series

Production company: Media Muskateers

Synopsis: Raymond Blanc is back in his wonderful kitchen gardens at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons. Featuring a wonderful collection of 40 new recipes, and inspired by Raymond’s international travels, covering of course French cuisine, but also street food from around the world, modern bistro classics, family favourites and new trends.

Synopsis: Set in Johannesburg, present day, the Pulse video game designers are scrambling to get the newly funded reboot of their classic game finished. Life imitating art soon becomes reality when an electromagnetic wave hits their building. The pulse fries everything electrical and digital, but also alters the bioelectric signals in people’s minds. A world now reduced to flame, toxic smoke and darkness, total lockdown and collective paranoia takes over.

Production company: Rock Oyster

Abacus Media Rights (AMR) acquires and distributes a diverse slate of premium, multigenre programming in the international market. At the same time, the company also works with producers to facilitate presales and development finance as well as broadcaster commissions.

Executive Produced by Jocelyn Little, Rob Sixsmith and Donovan Chan.

Embracing a fully transparent reporting ethos throughout, AMR focuses on building strong client relationships and generating positive solutions at every stage of the process, from initial financing to worldwide broadcast in order to successfully deliver scripted and nonscripted entertainment that counts to a global audience.

AMR Executive present at ATF: Pooja Nirmal Kant www.abacusmediarights.com

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

TRADESHOW ATF CONTENT SHOWCASE

FEDERATION KIDS & FAMILY

Theodosia

Find Me In Paris

Let’s Dance

Genre: kids live action

Genre: Daily Tween Drama Series Running time: 3 seasons of 26 x ½ hrs

Genre: Kids docu-style dance series

Running time: 26 x ½ hrs

Production company: Cottonwood Media in co-production with ZDF, ZDFE, HBO Max and Globo Synopsis: Set in 1906, the series centres around a smart, bold 14-yearold named Theodosia Throckmorton (aka Theo), the daughter of two intrepid Egyptologists, excavating in the Valley of the Kings. When Theo and her younger brother, inventionmad Henry, stumble upon a hidden tomb and a mysterious artefact, the ‘Eye of Horus’, Theo unlocks the power to see and perform true magic, thus discovering a whole new world of mystery as well as danger.

Production company: Season 1 & 2, Cottonwood Media, ZDF, ZDF Enterprises, Be-Films and Opera national de Paris. Season 3 Cottonwood Media GmbH, ZDF, ZDF Enterprises, Be-Films and the Opera National de Paris. Synopsis: Premium hit tween series, Find Me in Paris combines worldclass ballet, modern dance, drama and comedy. The series follows the story of Lena Grisky, a time-travelling ballerina and princess from 1905 Russia trapped in modern day Paris, and the many dilemmas she faces finding her place between two worlds.

Running time: 39 x 7’

Production company: TVOKids and Pillango Productions Synopsis: A high-energy series featuring ordinary kids with big personalities who just love to dance. Each child learns a simple dance routine, and each episode ends with a finale performance at a surprise location. From breakdancing to Bollywood, country to K-pop, dancers explore the world of movement as they mash up a variety of dance styles like ballet with breakdancing and disco with tutting.

Executive present at ATF: Sarah Zarka, Sales Manager handles sales into Asia www.fedent.com/kids-and-family/

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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GOQUEST MEDIA

Traitor

Civil Servant

RATS

Genre: Espionage/Spy Thriller

Genre: Spy Thriller

Genre: Crime Thriller

Directed By: Miroslav Lekic and Predrag Antonijevic

Directed By: Viktor Tauš and Matěj Chlupáček

Running time: 6 x 58’

Running Time: 24 x 50’

Directed By: Ergo Kuld

Producer: Kassikuld OÜ for public broadcaster ERR, Estonia Rights: Worldwide

Producer: Telekom Serbija and Film Danas Rights: Worldwide

Synopsis: Inspired by recent spy scandals in Estonia, Traitor is a captivating thriller that begins in 2004 just before Estonia joined NATO and became a top target for Russian intelligence. Greed and the need for recognition leads new recruit Alfred Vint (Tambet Tuisk) to cooperate with Russian intelligence, leading to a thrilling cat-and-mouse game with determined young Estonian counterintelligence officer Marko Arrak (Veiko Porkanen), as they navigate the twists and turns and the challenges in both their personal lives.

Synopsis: A gripping thriller series that follows a young, ambitious Serbian Secret Service (BIA) agent, Lazar Stanojević (played by Milan Marić) as he negotiates the rules of the international spy game in the modern world. He quickly learns that all is not what it seems, and he is left fighting the distrust that he has for everything he thought to be true. Despite this, his sense of duty still makes him make dangerous decisions to try to protect his nation, his family and himself. Will Lazar emerge from being a servant of the state to its ultimate protector?

Running Time: 6 x 56’

Producer: Heaven’s Gate, Barletta Productions in association with Czech TV and MD4 Rights: Worldwide Synopsis: A high-energy series featuring ordinary kids with big personalities who just love to dance. Each child learns a simple dance routine, and each episode ends with a finale performance at a surprise location. From breakdancing to Bollywood, country to K-pop, dancers explore the world of movement as they mash up a variety of dance styles like ballet with breakdancing and disco with tutting.

GoQuest Media Contact Details: +(91) 22 495 591 00 | contact@goquestmedia.com www.goquestmedia.com

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

TRADESHOW ATF CONTENT SHOWCASE

NIPPON TV

Guilty Flag

Date My Daughter!

Crush Park

Running Time: 20 × 60’

Running Time: 10 × 60’

Running time: 60min. eps.

Type: Scripted format

Type: Unscripted format

Genre: Suspense

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Type: Scripted Format Synopsis: Guilty Flag follows a man whose wife and kids suddenly disappear. He frantically searches for them but has no leads. To convince the police to start an investigation, he uses the power of social media to bring their disappearance to the public’s attention. However, speculative minds begin to think that maybe he is the “real” culprit, and all eyes are focused on him as he gets driven into a corner while trying to find answers to the hidden truth.

Synopsis: Date My Daughter! is about a woman around 40 years old, who has been dubbed the queen of romance novels. Her great dilemma, ironically, is her daughter’s inability to get a boyfriend. The reason is obvious, her daughter is an anime geek with very little interest in dating.

Genre: Game show

Synopsis: Crush Park is a stressbusting gameshow format, where players crush walls and various objects to conquer wacky obstacle courses as fast as possible to reach the grand prize. Each equipped with hammers, swords, nun chucks, and a special explosive potion created for the show, the players engage in challenging physical actions to advance through the stages and become the ultimate winner.

Nippon TV Contact Details: T: +81-3-6215-3036 | F: +81-3-6215-3037 | nippontv-ibd@ntv.co.jp https://www.ntv.co.jp/english/

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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STUDIO 100 MEDIA

FriendZSpace

SeaBelievers

Game Keepers

Genre: Comedy, Adventure

Genre: ECO-tainment (CGI Animation)

Genre: Action/Game (Live Action)

Target Audience: Preschool, kids 4-7 years

Target audience: Kids 9-16 years

Duration: 52 x 11 minutes

Target Audience: Kids 5-9 years

Produced by: T&B Media Global, Flying Bark Productions Synopsis: FriendZSpace is about three best friends, Alice, Leo, and Kim who may seem like regular human kids, but behind their normal facade they are risktaking deep space friend makers! Each episode follows the three kids as they jet into space in their unpredictable star cruiser, “The Dart”. Accompanied by BotDog (half puppy and half high-tech Swiss army knife) their mission is simple and wonderfully weird: locate planets, find alien kids, introduce themselves, and make friends. But making friends with alien kids is tricky! Some kids live in the bushy eyebrows of a dangerously moody slobbering beast, while the kids from another planet are so colossal, the Earth kids need to climb them like skyscrapers just to say, “Hi!”. Every alien kid we meet is friendable. But befriending alien kids is never easy. Different customs, funny alien biological quirks, and pressing narrative events create comic complications that must be overcome! FriendZSpace is all about kids and kid culture— alien and human— it’s about embracing our differences and getting into exciting trouble in the process!

Produced by: Brien Arone, Baboon Animation (USA), Telegael (Ireland), and AnCartoon (China) Synopsis: SeaBelievers is an outstanding TV series—the first ever to represent a whole new genre of ECO-tainment. Created by Brien Arone, Founder and SeaEO of SeaBelievers, combines the benefit of edutainment for children being informative and realistic about real-life issues affecting our ocean and encouraging kids to make a difference because they can!

Duration: 10 x 25 minutes

Produced by: Studio 100 NV

Synopsis: Two teenagers are chosen, Mats & Sari. Each time, they have to enter an unknown digital gaming world, play a game and defeat the mysterious Game Master. Losing is not an option. If the two don’t win the game, it’s GAME OVER...and the evil from the game will take over our world too, forever.

Each animated episode leads kids on an ECO-adventure. Whether in the sea or onshore, the positive SeaBelievers characters with their distinct seaweed hair, seashell nose, sea-colored eyes and webbed hands and feet, problem-solve and take action around key environmental issues. Each SeaBeliever carries a Magic Sand Dollar which ignites his or her unique superpowers–fueled by their self-belief!

Studio 100 Media Contact Details: T: +49-89-960855-0 | E: distribution@studio100media.com www.studio100group.com

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

TRADESHOW ATF CONTENT SHOWCASE

STUDIOCANAL

All Those Things We Never Said

No Return

SURGE (VTC)

Genre: Drama

Genre: Comedy Drama

Duration: 4 x 60’

Genre: Thriller

Producer: RED Production Company, a STUDIOCANAL company, the series is written by award-winning Danny Brocklehurst (The Stranger) and starring Sheridan Smith (Mrs Biggs).

Producer: Bridges for CANAL + CREATION DECALEE

Duration: 10 x 30’

Producer: Marc Levy, Susanna Lea, Alain Pancrazi (Holy Lands) and Jean-Baptiste Frey (For The Ones We Loved) for TCC, Anna Marsh and Françoise Guyonnet for STUDIOCANAL A STARZPLAY/ STUDIOCANAL co-production for CANAL+ Group and STARZPLAY Synopsis: A bittersweet comedy with soul, based on the best-selling novel by Marc Levy. A wryly fun father-daughter adventure story about a second chance and first love. Cleverly playing across two timelines and set in the beautiful European cities of Paris, Bruges, Berlin and Madrid, this original and ambitious, character-driven series is a unique family comedy-drama.

Synopsis: A fun family holiday in a seemingly idyllic Turkish beachfront resort quickly turns into every parent’s worst nightmare, when British teenager, Noah, is arrested for a serious crime that he denies. With their son locked up in a Turkish jail, Kathy and Martin attempt to navigate an unfamiliar legal system and fight for their child’s freedom. But when Martin decides to take matters into his own hands, he’s entirely unaware that Kathy has already come up with a risky plan of her own. With both parents playing with fire, someone is bound to get burned… No one will return unchanged by what happens on this nightmarish holiday.

Duration: 5 x 20’ or 1 x 90’

Synopsis: Nora is a night driver for a ridesharing app. Addicted to amphetamines, her life is falling apart: she is drowning in debt, divorced, and she’s now sleeping in her car to save enough money to rent an apartment and obtain joint custody of her daughter. When her brother Ben, also a cab driver, crashes his car, Nora offers to deliver a strange package for him and ends up being generously paid. Without realising it, Nora is now bound to a mysterious and dangerous underground network. Tonight will be the darkest night of her life.

STUDIOCANAL Executive: Sarah Mottershead, Senior Sales Manager TV Series www.studiocanal.com/

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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TOKYO BROADCASTING SYSTEM TELEVISION, INC.

Bananaman’s Gotcha Gourmet!

Melody Kingdom

Only Just Married

Genre: Variety (Non-scripted format)

Genre: Romantic comedy

Genre: Variety show

Duration: 30, 60, 120, 150 min series Synopsis: Japan is a country rich in regional gastronomy where local people are only too eager to have visitors try what they view as the greatest gourmet food around. Join Tokyo celebrity Bananaman as they travel the country door-to-door gleaning information known only to local citizens, making incredible gourmet discoveries and introducing the charms of each locale.

For Bananaman’s Gotcha Gourmet!: Minami Iwata E: iwata.minami@tbs.co.jp

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Synopsis: Melody Kingdom is a game show format where the contestant’s love of music is challenged through multiple music based in studio games. Teams will face off with members competing in games designed to be fun, exciting and hilarious at the same time.

For Melody Kingdom: Goshu Segawa E: segawa.goshu@tbs.co.jp

Duration: 10 episodes

Synopsis: Akiha extols the virtues of the single life and has no desire for marriage. But then she encounters a sudden proposal from Shu, a handsome company man whom she just met. Shu has an urgent need to be officially designated as “married” when he floats the fake marriage proposal. For her part, Akiha is hurting for the money to care for her sick grandmother and keep her family business afloat. So a bargain is struck. Shu agrees to take over her debts if she will marry him. After a rocky start, however, Akiha gradually finds herself drawn to Shu’s kind and gentle nature. But then she learns the true reason behind their marriage in this disarmingly poignant romantic comedy about love built on a lie.

For Only Just Married: Minami Iwata E: iwata.minami@tbs.co.jp

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

FEATURE STORY

Asian Television Awards Spotlight: Kim Sung Yoon, Director, Itaewon Class By Monina Eugenio

Still from Itaewon Class

Itaewon Class, the 2020 K-drama aired in Korea by JTBC and streamed around the world on Netflix has captivated audiences with its compelling story of an ex-convict who tries his luck in the restaurant business while vowing to take revenge on the death of his father. Originally based on a webtoon of the same name, Itaewon Class won the Best Drama Series category at the 25th Asian Television Awards in 2020. The series was well-received not just in Asia but around the world, making it to many “must-see” lists of K-dramas, including one published by Forbes in December. Working behind the camera and bringing to life the colourful characters that revolve around the fictional DanBam restaurant is Itaewon Class Director Kim SungYoon. He shared with Television Asia Plus that the power of the original work comes from the characters, in terms of casting and directing to bring out the bigger picture.

According to the director, the characters of Itaewon Class represent a message to the younger generation. Park Seo-ri (Park Seo Joon), has a strong conviction and passion for his goal, as well as leadership and trust. The people surrounding Seori, who himself was an ex-convict, represent the various minorities in society. There’s the social media influencer and sociopath Yi-Seo (Kim Da-Mi), Seo-ri’s former cellmate and gangster-turned-colleague SeungKwon (Ryu Kyung-Soo), and DanBam cook and transgender Hyeon-Yi (Lee Joo-Young). “The interesting thing I think is that they are all covering up for each other and they grow together,” Sung-Yoon said.

K-drama’s pop-cultural impact With streaming viewership in Asia and around the world showing no signs of slowing, people now have access to diverse content from different backgrounds and cultures. SungYoon said that the world has noticed

the high quality of storytelling from K-dramas and the subjects that they touch on. In Sung-Yoon’s opinion, “The strong point of K-drama is that it has a kind of empathy through deep touches of universal emotion. It resonates with viewers from all over the world.” Having worked with Idol-status Korean superstars like Seo-Joon, the Itaewon Class Director had nothing but praise for the actor who made Park Seo-ri come alive. Sung-Yoon said, “He’s very good at performance acting. It was interesting working with him because, in Korean drama, he’s specialized in the romance genre. But Itaewon Class is not a romance story. He worked really well and played the part really well.” Sung-Yoon is currently working on the Netflix Original series The Sound of Magic which is due for a Spring 2022 release. The director, who got his start with The Great Merchant in 2010 said that aspiring filmmakers should have a strong passion and the perspective of finding interesting stories. A version of this story was published on tva.onscreenasia.com.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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Exploring the world’s stories with Global Trekker By Monina Eugenio

Global Trekker is Rock Entertainment’s newest go-to destination for multi-genre factual entertainment in Southeast Asia. The pay-TV channel, which offers an interesting mix of topics, want its viewers to travel the globe with its top-notch content that lets the audience learn in a fun and entertaining way.

“People are looking for channels that offer a robust offering of content that speaks to them and that they can connect with, and we felt Global Trekker could do that,” Ward told Television Asia Plus.

Launched in October 2021, Global Trekker joins Rock Entertainment’s current channel lineup that includes ROCK Entertainment, ROCK Extreme, LoveNature 4K, Smithsonian Channel, Makeful, and ZooMoo.

Global Trekker offers first and exclusive content in Asia and offers five genres: Nature & Environment, Destination & Food, Business, Science & Technology, and Personality & Art. The channel launched with an interesting lineup of shows including The Wine Show featuring Matthew Goode, Endangered Wildlife Sanctuary and Dogs: An Amazing Animal Family. In the coming months, Ward said that Global Trekker will air documentaries such as Billion Dollar Space Race:

Rock Entertainment Founder Ward Platt said that they felt that multi-genre factual entertainment was generally underserved in the marketplace and that there was a demand for that kind of content. facebook-f TVAPlusMag | twitter TVAsiaPLus | linkedin-in television-asia-plus

Programming that caters to Millennials and Gen Z

Bezos Vs Musk Vs Branson and Take Us Home: Leeds United. Rock Entertainment focused on the younger demographic with programming that will suit the discerning tastes of the Millennial and Gen Z audience. To capture the demographic, Ward said that they are also extending Global Trekker’s

Ward Platt, Founder Rock Entertainment

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

Mil-

FEATURE STORY

presence on YouTube and social media for the target audience to be able to consume Global Trekker’s content outside of linear TV as well. Ward said, “We’re trying to position the content to be relevant to the younger audiences. We aren’t limiting ourselves to pay-TV, we are investing a lot in the website, globaltrekker. org. We’re also launching the brand in other parts of the world besides Asia. In other markets, we may focus on a slightly different model for how we distribute the channel and the content because I think each market evolves differently.”

Global Trekker coming soon to more countries Global Trekker made its debut in Asia with Hong Kong Cable Television Limited on November 1, followed by MeTV in Thailand and UiTV in Myanmar on November 15. In the coming months, the channel will be available on 3BBGIGATV in Thailand and more to come soon.

are starting to find their rhythm and a way to succeed and grow despite the competitive landscape being much different than it was five years ago,” he said.

Pay-TV still relevant amid rapid change With Global Trekker’s arrival in Asia, Ward believes that there is positive momentum for Pay-TV platforms and channel operators amid the growth of SVOD in Asia. “There’s certainly a big adjustment that everyone needs to make with platforms and channel operators and so forth. I think they

The Founder believes that eventually, there will be opportunities for other products like AVOD or ad-supported streaming television to enter the market which has seen success in regions such as the United States where free ad-supported streaming is booming. He added, “It’s starting to expand into places like Australia, Japan, China, the UK, Latin America and India. I would imagine that over time, that will be something real in this part of the world as well but I wouldn’t vision seeing a dramatic change in the next 12 months on that front. Ultimately, that’s good because there is a demand for linear channels and there is a willingness to watch content with ads.”

Ward said that since the launch of Global Trekker, Rock Entertainment has received a lot of enthusiasm from its partners, and he expects the channel to be carried by other platforms in the coming months. He said, “We believe that Global Trekker will be sitting there alongside these other channels quite quickly. I would say [that] most [of] all the markets we would have carriage of Global Trekker, maybe not in every platform in the market, but certainly in markets where we expect it to be carried.”

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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A version of this story was published on tva.onscreenasia.com.

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December 2021 Television Asia Plus

POST EVENT: ASTRO

Astro unveils an all-new Astro experience

Astro unveiled its all-new Astro experience that enables customers to stream Netflix on Astro TV and enjoy better value and savings with new subscription packs. Launched on November 9, the allnew Astro packs are designed for customers who love the streaming and connected world, enabling them to stream all the shows they love on Ultra Box and soon, Ulti Box. Customers can now enjoy their favourite shows all in one place with Astro, from global streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, HBO GO, iQIYI, TVBAnywhere+ to all of Astro’s flagship shows and the best of live sports in one place - on the big screen and on personal devices. Euan

Smith,

Chief

Executive

Officer of Pay-TV and Group COO,

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

Astro said, “Listening closely to our customers, we are reimagining the entire Astro experience to suit their needs, providing more choice, more outstanding content, more control & more value. We are delighted to be partnering with Netflix to bring their great content slate through Astro as part of a one-stop entertainment centre. Simplicity has become a core pillar for us in recent times, driving us to transform the Astro experience into a holistic easy-to-use, go-to platform, making our customers’ entertainment seamless.”

includes Netflix alongside the best of Korean & Horror shows, plus a variety of entertainment such as HGTV HD, Cartoon Network HD and Asian Favourites. The new Astro experience is specifically redesigned to empower customers so they can now stream all the shows they love in one place, with an intuitive interface and a single bill.

Astro’s new packages are Primary pack, Entertainment, Sports, Movies, Entertainment Plus, Premium 1, 2, 3 and Platinum. The Entertainment Plus pack, Premium 2, 3, and Platinum

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POST EVENT: ZEE5

ZEE5 Global to stream the Zindagi anthology Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam

ZEE5 Global announced the premiere of the Zindagi anthology, Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam through an intriguing trailer. The suspenseful desi noir series is slated for launch on 10th December globally on ZEE5. Directed by critically acclaimed British-Indian director Meenu Gaur, Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam is a sixpart anthology series featuring seven women. The series boasts of an eclectic ensemble cast including Sanam Saeed, Sarwat Gilani, Samiya Mumtaz, Faiza Gillani, Beo Raana Zafar, Eman Suleman, Saleem Mairaj, Ahsan Khan, Osman Khalid Butt and Sheheryar Munawar.

forgiving the treachery they have suffered, this show unearths their unapologetic, unforgiving side. The web series showcases what happens when a woman’s limit is pushed.

While we have seen women as archetypes of patience often

Written by the dynamic writer duo - Farjad Nabi and Meenu Gaur,

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Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naamis set in a neighbourhood rife with secrets and gives a glimpse of what happens when women decide to take charge of their destiny and not kneel before situations and society.

December 2021 Television Asia Plus

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