Television Asia Plus | November-December 2022

Dear Reader,

Allow me to introduce myself, as I might be a new face. My name is Mathew Chan and I am the new editor of Television Asia Plus. Rest assured you will still get all the news and updates you’ve come to expect and maybe bring in some new things from time to time.

On this issue’s cover is KC Global Media’s upcoming sci-fic comedy series, Jonesy. And for the cover story we discuss with Andy Kaplan, Chairman and Co-Founder of KC Global Media as well as ITV Studios executives Augustus Dulgaro, EVP of Asia Pacific, Global Distribution, Ayesha Surty, SVP of Licensing, Global Entertainment, Ella Umansky, VP Format Acquisitions, Global Creative Network, about the current state of TV the last year and what does content look like in 2023 onwards. We also put front and center the rising demand for Asian content and what about it makes it so appealing to a Western audience.

For our first feature story, we catch up with Jeff Ha, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Video, and discuss WeTV’s commitment to investing in home-grown content as well as their strong regional growth and the strategies and partnerships that will drive their expansion even more.

Our final feature story focuses on POPTV’s latest venture into launching their own anime channel, Bento. We get insights straight from Jyotirmoy “Moy” Saha, CEO & Founder of POPTV, about what makes their package different from other streamers, what they consider the biggest hurdles for VOD services and their approach to overcoming these problems.

Food Affair with Mark Wiens spotlights

Singapore’s food obsession

Toonz Media Group and China Bridge Content join forces on US/China comedy Peaches & Creaminal

Global kids and family entertainment major Toonz Media Group has partnered with China Bridge Content on the original animated comedy Peaches & Creaminal, the two companies announced. Peaches & Creaminal is the first original series from China Bridge Content whose mission is to build creative and business ties between China and the world in the media sector.

Peaches & Creaminal is a comedy about an outspoken 8-year-old girl who travels the world with her very large talking bulldog. In each episode, Peaches and Creaminal arrive in a new country where Creaminal’s lack of impulse control gets them into playful trouble. Whatever happens – and something always does –Peaches forgives Creaminal. This is a comedy about what makes us human and what makes us, well, dogs.

Directed by Gillian Tan and Executive Produced and Created by pre-eminent filmmaker and consummate foodie, Eric Khoo, Food Affair with Mark Wiens is a fresh and invigorating journey of food obsession in Singapore, experienced through the eyes (and mouth) of popular food vlogger, Mark Wiens. The HBO Asia Originals’ production is the first non-scripted food series hosted by Mark as he discovers the untold stories, personalities, and history behind Singapore’s smorgasbord of delicacies, from haute to hawker cuisine. The six-episode series is premiered on 18 November on HBO, HBO GO, and HBO Max in the U.S.

Each episode features a star-studded panel of guests comprising a finedining chef, culinary veteran, and a hawker hero. Through conversations, Mark uncovers the artistry and stories, as well as the distinct and rich culinary heritage, that has made Singapore home to more than 50 Michelinstarred establishments and over 60 Bib Gourmand locations, including street food and hawker centre stalls.

Peaches & Creaminal was cocreated by Chen Chen (Luo Bao Bei) and multiple Emmy Award winning creator and Showrunner Josh Selig (3rd & Bird). The theme song was composed by Tony Award-winner Larry Hochman (The Book of Mormon) and the pilot scripts were written by Josh Selig and Emmy Award winner Billy Lopez (Wonder Pets). The show was designed by Gary and Kenny Plummer.

LIONSGATE+ recently announced that the incredibly popular LIONSGATE+ Original Series, P-Valley, created and executive produced by Pulitzer Prize winner Katori Hall, has been renewed for a third season. The new season will consist of ten episodes.

P-Valley is an hour-long drama that tells the kaleidoscopic story of a little-strip-club-that-could and the big characters who come through its doors – the hopeful, the lost, the broken, the ballers, the beautiful, and the damned. Set against the rural Mississippi Delta in the fictional town of Chucalissa, The Pynk is an oasis in a rough patch of human existence where beauty can be hard to find at the crossroads of grit and glitter. A story of survival,

chosen family, soulmates, politics, love and death, P-Valley is where trap music meets film noir and dares to ask what happens when small-town folk dream beyond the boundaries of their limited circumstances.

Based on her play Pussy Valley, creator Katori Hall serves as showrunner and executive producer. Dante Di Loreto also serves as an executive producer on the series. Lionsgate Television produces P-Valley for STARZ.

Lionsgate+ announces critically acclaimed hit drama series P-Valley will return for a third season

Two ABS-CBN drama series now seen in Africa and

French territories

ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading content provider, continues to bring its prime drama series to a bigger scale of the international market with its hit series La Vida Lena and The Blood Sisters airing in Africa and French territories respectively.

The revenge-drama series La Vida Lena is the latest English-dubbed offering from ABS-CBN—now airing in Africa’s Sub-Saharan countries, including South Africa, Kenya, and Zambia via the StarTimes channel. Meanwhile, also making its way to France’s overseas territories is ABS-CBN’s drama series The Blood Sisters, with its French-dubbed version now airing in New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Polynesia, and Reunion Island on France TV, the national channel in France.

Apart from these recent feats, ABS-CBN continues making waves in global content distribution by bringing world-class Filipino content of all genres to foreign audiences in over 50 territories worldwide—selling over 50,000 hours of content, with most recently, inking a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to air its lifestyle shows in different Asian countries.

iQIYI Original Taiwanese drama Lesson In Love sets December 11 global launch date

iQIYI original Taiwanese series Lesson In Love, starring Ann Hsu, Edward Chen, Simon Hsueh, Ivy Yin, and Zhang Jinglan, will officially be streaming globally from December 11, 2022 across all iQIYI platforms.

In the official trailer for Lesson In Love, Ann Hsu’s character is teaching the class that Edward Chen is a character in, and she refuses to give him the attention he is trying to seek. Determined to get the better of Ann Hsu, he not only kisses her on the cheek in front of the whole school, but also plays a prank on her to get her drenched in soda. As he works hard to urge a reaction out of his teacher, he also begins to find himself slowly attracted to her, and a budding romance ensues.

The trailer also debuts the stellar performances from Golden Bell winners Ivy Yin and Simon Hsueh in their supporting roles. Ivy Yin plays the mother of Edward Chen’s character, who gives Ann Hsu a hard slap on the face the first time the two characters meet, making for an impactful scene that audiences will remember.

Paramount and TVING announced that the Korean crime-thriller series BARGAIN will debut on Paramount+ outside of South Korea in 2023. BARGAIN is the second title coming to the streaming platform as part of the strategic partnership between Paramount and CJ ENM.

BARGAIN stars actors Jun Jongseo (Money Heist: Korea) and Jin Seon-kyu (Extreme Job) and it is an adaptation of director Lee Chunghyun’s award-winning short film of the same name released in 2015. Director Jun Woo-sung, who was part of the production team of the original short film, picked up the story and developed it into a six-part series. BARGAIN revolves around a group of strangers who gather at a

remote motel with ulterior motives –seeking to bargain. Unlike the original film, the series follows the characters after an unexpected earthquake traps them inside the building. With no one to trust, they must find a way to survive.

BARGAIN is available in Korea on TVING now and will debut on Paramount+ in 2023. The series is licensed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

TVING and Paramount announce Korean thriller series BARGAIN will debut on Paramount+ in 2023

ZEE5 Global announces its latest direct-to-digital Original Film, Tadka: Love Is Cooking

ZEE5 Global, announced its latest Original Film, Tadka: Love Is Cooking starring Nana Patekar, Taapsee Pannu, Shriya Saran and Ali Fazal in key roles. Jointly produced by Nittin Keni, Sameer Dixit, Akash Chawla, Jatish Varma and co-produced by Girish Johar, Tadka is a Zee Studios and Movie Makers Inc production and is a remake of the Malayalam

blockbuster, Salt N Pepper. With maestro Ilayaraja’s music and Preetha Jayaram’s cinematography, the film also stars Lilette Dubey and Rajesh Sharma in supporting roles which premiered on ZEE5 Global last November 4, 2022.

Written and directed by Prakash Raj, Tadka: Love Is Cooking is a romantic

comedy of errors. What starts off as a wrongly dialled number soon leads to feelings between Tukaram (Nana Patekar), an archaeologist and Madhura (Shriya Saran), a radio jockey. However, when it is time to meet face-to-face, Gaurishankar develops a cold-feet and sends his nephew Siddharth (Ali Fazal) to meet Vidya who in turn sends her friend, Nicole (Taapsee) to meet Gaurishankar. Sidharth (having introduced himself as Gaurishankar) and Aditi (having introduced herself as Vidya) hit it off right away and decide to persuade Gaurishankar and Vidya that they aren’t right for each other. However, will love win over misplaced identities and will Gaurishankar and Vidya’s common love for food help them come closer or will their internalised belief that they are too old to fall in love dissuade them from coming closer?

Song Joong-ki led Viu Original Reborn Rich to launch in over 170 countries and regions

Viu confirmed that its Viu Original Reborn Rich will be aired in over 170 countries and regions around the world spanning Europe, North and South America, Asia (including Japan), the Middle East and Africa. This includes all 16 markets where Viu is present. The first Viu Original to feature Song Joong-ki in a lead role, Reborn Rich is available on the OTT platform where it premiered on 18 November to reach over 60 million monthly active users.

Reborn Rich is made available to viewers in Japan through an

agreement with Copus, distributing it exclusively in in the country via several channels. Viewers in the Americas and Europe will have simultaneous access to the title through Rakuten Viki, available on the Viki OTT Platform. In Asia, in addition to the simulcast drop on the Viu platform, access will be offered via Far EasTone Telecommunications Co., Ltd in Taiwan and through friDay Video and Viettel Media Company in Vietnam through TV360 and SCTV6.

MX Player announces an interactive platform – MX Live

MX Media announced the launch of MX Live (Available on Android), an interactive streaming platform that sees content creators entertain their fans in a live session. And now, the platform is all set to host its first-ever in-person meet and greet session for its content creators from the North. Announced with an initiative to deepen engagement and encourage the platform’s topperforming streamers to inch closer to their dreams, MX Live’s first, daylong, in-person event was scheduled today in Delhi NCR. Present at the event were top content creators –Sarthika, Urvashi, Anitima Tripathi, Rashmi, Priya Sharma, Muskan, Apsara Sharma, Shimmi Shrivastava,

Sunil Sharma, Kanchan Raj amongst others who were recognised for their efforts of creating compelling content and pleasing their fans.

Soft launched earlier in June this year, MX Live, has enabled creators to authentically showcase their talent and interact with users in realtime. The platform since its launch has witnessed a 5x increase in the revenue generated by its creators. Today with over 5 million MAUs, and over 2000 live streamers, MX Live has strengthened its creator as well as user-base ecosystem. With MX Live, creators from across the country can create highly entertaining and interactive content across different

creative formats such as chatting with viewers, lip sync to popular music, singing, dancing, and participating in challenges with fellow live streamers.

POPTV launches anime channel Bento

Filipino families, the Singaporebased streaming service now has its eyes set on hardcore anime lovers.

Filipino anime fans are in for a treat as Singapore-based August Media Holdings’ videoon-demand streaming service POPTV introduces Bento, an allnew anime channel that offers hundreds of anime titles including simulcasts fresh from Japan.

This move is part of POPTV’s vision of becoming the ultimate one-stop entertainment service for Filipinos. After offering a slate of local blockbuster movies and Filipinodubbed Asian content via POPTV, and Filipino-dubbed kid shows via POPTV Kids for the mass market

With Bento, POPTV is also introducing AVOD and PVOD packages that offer both adsupported and premium viewing. In its premium tier, users can access premium titles including weekly simulcasts. Headlining this new anime service are simulcast airings of hit anime series Spy Family Part 2, Beast Tamer, and Welcome to Demon School! Irumakun Season 3 POPTV Bento is now available in the Philippines.

Amazon launches Prime Video Mobile Edition in India

is expanding the accessibility of Prime Video Mobile Edition, which launched last year as a telcopartnered product in collaboration with Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”).

Prime Video India has launched Prime Video Mobile Edition at 599 per year. This single-user, mobile-only video annual plan offers everyone access to highquality entertainment exclusively on their mobile devices, and will now be available to all customers in India. Users can sign-up for

this plan via the Prime Video app (on Android) or website. Created especially for a mobilefirst country like India, Prime Video Mobile Edition is a major step towards making premium entertainment across languages as ubiquitous as smartphones in the country. With this move, Prime Video

Prime Video Mobile Edition provides Standard Definition (SD) quality streaming to customers, giving them a chance to explore and watch Prime Video’s rich catalogue of Indian and international movies, Amazon Originals, LIVE cricket, and much more, on their mobile devices, all for 599 per year. Customers can continue to enjoy all Prime Video features such as X-ray powered by IMDb, and downloads for offline viewing with Prime Video Mobile Edition.

Entertainment company CJ ENM announced CJ ENM Selects is now available to customers in North America on the Apple TV app

for a $4.99/month or $49.99/year subscription plan. CJ ENM Selects will be available for a 2-week trial period on the Apple TV app.

The library includes global hit dramas created by CJ ENM such as Work Later, Drink Now, Hotel Del Luna, and My Mister. It also features box office hit movies Confidential Assignment and Extreme Job, and will soon add CJ ENM signature entertainment programs such as Youn’s Kitchen and Kingdom: Legendary War.

Subscribers to CJ ENM Selects can watch online or enjoy offline downloads of their favorite shows and movies on the Apple TV app. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share the subscription using their own Apple ID and password.

CJ ENM’s critically-acclaimed content has been enjoyed by a global audience through various media platforms and remake versions. CJ ENM’s launch on the Apple TV app is the latest way the company is delivering its premium entertainment to audiences worldwide.

CJ ENM Selects now available on the Apple TV app for users in the US and Canada

Somoy TV, Bangladesh, upgrades to HD production with Ikegami cameras and monitors

Somoy Television, a news–based 24-hour television channel broadcasting nationwide in the Bengali language, has chosen Ikegami HD cameras and monitors for

use at its studio headquarters in Dhaka. The investment forms part of the network’s transition from 576i SD to 1080i HD production and transmission. The new purchase includes 10 Ikegami

HDK-73 HD camera systems, 14 HLM1760WR HD monitors and two sets of HLM2460W HD monitors. Somoy TV’s new HD facilities are scheduled to go live from Q4 2022.

Bomanbridge enters into Global Distribution on formats with Tencent

Video

production gearing up again post Covid, it is a perfect time to launch this collaboration on new shows. We’re thrilled to work with them as they pivot towards international collaboration; it’s exciting to access a wealth of unique concepts at a time when the global media landscape so desperately wants fresh ideas. We have high expectations on both shows and are already receiving a strong response from key players.”

As part of continued global expansion plans, distribution and production company Bomanbridge Media has entered into an exclusive global format distribution deal with China’s leading juggernaut streamer, Tencent Video. This partnership will give Bomanbridge Media access to Tencent’s premium unscripted IP, including variety, studio-based as well as celebrity/competition formats. The wide array of content

will be part of a significant slate that Bomanbridge will be rolling out in 2023 as part of its ambitious plans to revamp the global format offering, following a clear swing into the needs of highly localized market trends.

According to Sonia Fleck, CEO at Bomabridge, “Tencent Video’s format line-up features a slate of exceptional concepts across the unscripted space, and with

Mr Yang ZhiFan, Format R&D Director at Tencent Video adds , “We highly recommend these two original formats which are clearly representative of our highquality originals from Tencent Video in recent years. Through cooperation with Bomanbridge, we hope our new concepts and formats can be shared with a more international counterparts, kicking off the promotional spread and implementation of formats from Tencent Video in oversea markets.”

Cinegy Capture PRO

Cinegy, a premier provider of software technology for digital video processing, asset management, video compression and automation, and playout services, today announces that Turkey’s Haber Global has deployed Cinegy Capture PRO to create a futureproof acquisition and transcode workflow. As one of

the country’s most watched news services, Haber Global is expanding the channels and live feeds it offers to meet growing demand for its content. The broadcaster’s new 24-channel Cinegy Capture PRO not only supports its current needs but offers additional capacity to grow.

Cinegy Capture PRO provides Haber Global with a simple to install, flexible and reliable ingest resource, with shared access for multiple users. The solution combines ingest and transcode functions in a single system, simultaneously producing video files and web proxies in multiple formats ready for editing.

TVU delivered TVU One live video transmission system to Japan broadcast giant MBS (Mainichi Broadcasting System) in Osaka for their video production. MBS is using multiple TVU One mobile transmitters and transceivers for domestic and overseas live news and sports coverage. TVU was selected

after a highly competitive process. TVU One supports H.265/HEVC encoding with TVU proprietary IS+ (Inverse StatMux+) technology that enables stable IP transmission at higher bit rates with sub-second latency. The TVU one has embedded 5G modems with 4K/HDR support. Tokyo-based video equipment

dealer Star Communications K.K. provided prompt and effective support to MBS. MBS has used its TVU Networks system for coverage from Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The transmissions have come from mountains at over 10,000 feet above sea level and from boats far out at sea.

Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks, explained: “It is of great significance that TVU’s stateof-the-art broadcasting system is being deployed for remote production by MBS. They are affiliated with news network giant TBS and its news network JNN. With this deployment, all of their newsgathering and program relay activities will be operated through the TVU ecosystem.”

Eclat Media Group selects Tata Communications to bring global sports to pan-Asian viewers

Turkey’s Haber Global invests in 24-channel

to support expanded content offering

Chtrbox elevates Karan Pherwani & Mrunali Dedhia to Vice President

Chtrbox, one of India’s creator-powered companies connecting brands and social media influencers, has promoted long-time leaders Mrunali Dedhia & Karan Pherwani to further strengthen its leadership team. Mrunali and Karan have both been crucial in building Chtrbox to its nationwide position as a leader in influencer marketing and creator talent management. In their new roles, they will further innovate and scale-up Chtrbox’s creator-powered marketing solutions across India, while driving synergies with QYOU’s influencer marketing group in the US.

Karan and Mrunali have been heading key growth and servicing divisions at Chtrbox, including managing a team of over 60 influencer marketing & creator content specialists. Their expertise in the domain has led to award-winning work and the successful execution of thousands of creatorled campaigns by Chtrbox over the past 6 years.

Karan Pherwani comes with over 10 years of strong experience in India’s new-age media and entertainment industry, including being the leader behind the 2021 launch of Chtrbox’s talent management unit, Chtrbox Represent. Mrunali Dedhia was Chtrbox’s first team member in 2016, and through her 6 intrapreneurial years with Chtrbox has successfully grown multiple influencer marketing divisions, key partnerships, and responsibilities for the company.

Karan Pherwani

Mrunali Dedhia

Keren Shahar appointed new CEO of Keshet International

With over 20 years of experience in the international entertainment industry – 18 years of which has been spent working at Keshet – Keren Shahar has been confirmed as the new CEO of Keshet International (KI). Shahar will commence her new role on 1 January 2023, replacing Alon Shtruzman, who leaves the global content producer and distributor at the end of this year, having led the company for a decade.

Widely regarded as one of the leading pioneers of the Israeli formats sales market - Shahar first joined Keshet Media Group, Israel’s largest media company, in 2004. In 2006, she was appointed Keshet Formats Manager, overseeing the sales of Keshet’s formats abroad. Two years later in 2008, she took on responsibility for Keshet Broadcasting’s Acquisitions department, licensing formats such as The Money Drop, Make Me A Baby, and MasterChef – which has just finished its 10th successful season on Keshet 12 – for adaptation locally in Israel.

As KI’s CEO, Shahar will be responsible for all the company’s activities, including its network of production companies and distribution hubs – KI in Tel Aviv, Keshet UK, Tresor and Keshet Tresor Fiction in Germany, Keshet Studios in the US, and a majority stake in Greenbird Media. She will be tasked with expanding KI’s international production output further, while also boosting its curated catalog of international dramas, factual entertainment shows, and formats with a view to also building the distribution side of KI’s business. As an influential player in the international content market, KI has seen a long list of its series and formats picked up by television networks such as HBO, NBC and the BBC, as well as streaming platforms including Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, during its first decade in operation.

Keren Shahar

A change in the TV landscape and the rise of home-grown Asian content

by Mathew Chan

Success creates demand

It’s no surprise that one of the factors of the rise in Asian content in the West can be attributed to K-Dramas (Korean dramas). They were to some, a gateway to the larger pool of great Asian content and as we approach the end of 2022, the floodgates are fully open for an even more diverse next year of content.

years, which can result in a sort of fatigue for some. With the emergence of popular Korean content — which has been for years popular within Asia but has gradually made its way over to the West — more consumers are realizing that there is a wealth of amazing content from Asia, and not just Korea.”

In the last 2 years, we have seen a rise in global recognition and interest when it comes to Asian content. Proof of this is the success of Parasite and the megahit Squid Game from Netflix in recent years. Parasite, a South Korean black comedy thriller, won a whopping 4 awards (the most wins for any film that year) at the 92nd Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Best Director & Best Original Screenplay for Bong Joon-ho. It is also the first none English film to win Best Picture.

This sentiment is shared by Andy Kaplan, Chairman and Co-Founder of KC Global Media, “The interest in Original Asian content in the West has been growing in the last few years especially thanks to the Korean wave. For many consumers, content from the West has been the dominant player for many

Andy Kaplan, Chairman and Co-Founder of KC Global Media

Augustus Dulgaro,EVP of Asia Pacific, Global Distribution for ITV Studios

Netflix’s Squid Game, came roaring in upon its premiere amassing 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first four weeks in over 142 million households making it the most watched Netflix series, dethroning previously title-holder, Bridgerton. It was the number one series in over 90 countries. The show would continue to garner critical acclaim and accolades through wins and nominations at the Golden Globes, Screen Actor Guild’s Awards, and the Primetime Emmy Awards, gaining record break and history making nominations for non-English programming similar to Parasite. It’s these examples of astronomical numbers and metrics that Augustus Dulgaro the EVP of Asia Pacific, Global Distribution for ITV Studios attributes to the growing popularity of home-grown Asian content, “Success creates demand, and audiences can now seek out fantastic Asian IP, embrace a unique point of view and go on a journey less travelled.”

The numbers don’t lie. There seems to be an unparallel amount of success happening right now for Asian content and there’s no end in sight as more and more shows are coming thanks to streaming. Whether the next Squid Game or Parasite is among them though, is yet to be seen.

Access to new stories in the time of streaming

This demand for more Asian content would not be possible if not for how easy it is now to access global content by the press of a button or a touch of the screen thanks to streaming services. It’s hard to imagine that just a few years ago, the content you could consume was limited to what broadcasters would air.

The rise of smart phones and smart TVs has led a new key player in the content business, that being of streaming. Netflix is currently available in over 190 countries around the world and the media conglomerate, Disney, is constantly rolling out it’s streaming service, Disney+, worldwide. This paves the question, is streaming the future in Asia and will we be receptive to it? Ayesha Surty the SVP of Licensing, Global Entertainment at ITV Studios has an answer, “There is no longer a clear distinction between traditional TV and streamers in Asia, viewers are platform agnostic. With the growth of BVODs, every traditional player is going after the same audience. Streamers which considered themselves

Ayesha Surty, SVP of Licensing, Global Entertainment at ITV Studios

niche and subscription-based are now shifting to a ‘fremium’ model (Subscription + ad-based) so there are no longer any clear and distinct lines. “

Even Andy Kaplan shares similar sentiments, “The idea of traditional TV as we know it has evolved beyond the extremely linear, rigid approach of the past.” He goes on to say that “Asian market is definitely receptive to the ever-changing media landscape and that they welcome interesting, novel concepts.”

content. “The appeal of Asian content comes at least in part from the broader range of cultural influences that feed into formats. In an increasingly globalised world, we all consume the same news, books, films and music, but Asian-originated content can approach universal themes in a new way.”

It boils down to how Asians have a different viewpoint when it comes to different themes. With the Western market flooding with content about the same themes, seeing them through a different lens, through a different culture, brings about a new perspective in viewing things. What was typical now has a new coat of paint. Even the with Parasite and Squid Game that attempts to shed light to and expose the inequality in South Korean culture, resonated with the world because it’s a theme a lot of people can relate to in this day and age.

And as Ella mentioned, we are living in an increasingly globalized world. Asians immigrating to the West and Westerners moving to Asia, we live in a world where cultures and people are constantly interacting in a daily basis. Gone are the days where a certain culture is too foreign to appreciate. The content people seek want to be reflective of the world we live in and that means Asians included.

The appeal and universality of themes

Even with access and success, it all boils down to the actual quality and appeal of these content. But what about Asian content appeals to such a wide range of audiences who aren’t necessarily Asian themselves? According to Ella Umansky, VP Format Acquisitions, Global Creative Network at ITV Studios, it’s all about the universality of the themes in Asian

Ella Umansky, VP Format Acquisitions, Global Creative Network at ITV Studios

The innovative future of content

TV remains to be a big source of content for people to access. Global content is quite literally accessible at the palm of your hands these days and there’s an array of content waiting to be consumed. It’s a matter of shifting through and finding them. But content has evolved and have crossed platforms. KC Global Media is fully aware of this and Andy Kaplan says they are always in search of what’s new, “we are constantly looking to innovate and reinvent what it means to be a modern media provider.”

And one example was their first scripted podcast, Fey Hollow which premiered last June 2021. It was a crime thriller podcast that allowed listeners be part of the story by letting them choose the fate of Fey Hollow thanks to the unique dual ending. Because of this Andy said it paid off because the podcast reached #1 on Apple Podcast’s fiction category and #5 overall on Spotify of the week of it’s release. Fey Hollow even featured homegrown Singapore talent like Lim Kay Tong and Noami Yeo.

Another show they have coming which was just recently announced is Jonesy, an eight-part sci-fi comedy series which sees a man and his imaginary friend traverse a new world ravaged by violent weather systems that bring with it monsters out for humanity. This is in collaboration with Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority, with homegrown production studio Monochromatic Pictures.

ITV also looks to global content and distribution, as well as producing more relatable and youth centric formats. From Loaded in Paradise, Bad Chefs and more. The have a slate of global IP in scripted formats like Nolly and Malpratice to non-scripted fair like A Year of Planet Earth and more. Their diverse catalog is what makes them an attractive partner because they offer quality content as the demand continues to drive up.

The hunger for Asian content sees no end in sight and as the media landscape is continually evolving, the spotlight is prime for the taking. With strong lineups of content and commitments to spear head diverse content from the likes of KC Global Media and ITV Studios, the next big blockbuster Asian TV show or movie could come sooner and more frequently than anyone would have anticipated or expected.

Jonesy

Malpractice and A Year of Planet Earth

WeTV’s commitment to local content

by Mathew Chan

Home-grown content is the name of the game

In the first half of the year 2022, WeTV experienced strong regional growth with a 60% leap in monthly active users year-on-year, along with a significant hike in both its existing subscriber base and relative income. The company’s robust performance has helped WeTV retain its position among the top 3 OTT platforms in Southeast Asia in terms of daily active users.

One of the strategies of WeTV to keep this growth going is investing in high-quality, local original content. [We] see an ever-expanding collection of captivating stories originating from Asia, and we want to tell those stories

and play an active role in achieving greater diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry,” said said Jeff Han, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Video.

“Through the highly anticipated rollout of locally-produced WeTV Originals, we hope to strike a chord among our local and regional audiences and continue sustaining our existing strong relationships with local studios and film makers.”

With their past originals becoming hits like Layanga Putus series in Indonesia that had millions of views, it’s a no-brainer that they continue to invest. “It was nominated for “Best Lead Actress”, “Best Supporting Actress” and “Best Director” awards in the 35th Festival Film Bandung under the web series category” Jeff commented on the success of the series.

Jeff Ha, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Video

Layanga Putus

“Meanwhile, WeTV Originals scheduled for release include Thai melodrama “The Wife” and boys love series “609 Bedtime Story”, as well as Indonesian “Imperfect the Series”. On upcoming regional indemand titles, viewers can also look forward to “The Longest Promise” starring “The Untamed” star Xiao Zhan, and “Three-Body” which was adapted from the award-winning Chinese science fiction trilogy.”

Three-Body is not to be confused with the upcoming Netflix adaptation created by the producers of Game of Thrones which is set of release sometime in 2023.

Increasing regional growth with strategic partnerships

WeTV announced earlier this year new partnerships with local telcos in South East Asia, particularly in Thailand and Indonesia. And this has become a cornerstone in their business. “WeTV has always prioritised partnerships with local telecommunication

service providers in SEA,” Jeff said. He notes that it is with these partnerships that allow them to further strengthen their commitment to making sure that along with their high-quality local content, the streaming experience if fined tuned and made more accessible.

Aside from Thailand and Indonesia, Jeff said that they will continue to partner with more networks across the region which includes upcoming partnerships in Malaysia, “Moving forward, we also have plans to further expand our partner network in the region, through upcoming partnerships with telecommunication service providers such as Digi and Celcom in Malaysia.”

A market of great opportunity

South East Asia is a growing market for streaming with about one in three Southeast Asian viewers now streaming OTT. It becomes clear that by partnering with telcos, WeTV helps ensure that the money they invested in creating original content can be and will be seen by as many viewers as possible.

Streaming content and technology go hand in hand with infrastructure. Without having the stable internet connection and reach, viewers and consumers will not have access to content. WeTV clearly saw the opportunity and will continue to invest and they will continue to see the returns.

609 Bedtime Story

The Wife

Smart changes drive POPTV’s expansion

by Mathew Chan

The launch of Bento

Anime is a thriving industry that made over $24 billion globally last year and is expected to reach almost $28 billion by the end of 2022. This has driven streaming services to ramp up their anime content in both licensing content and commission original ones. The industry does not merely thrive on the shows and movies themselves but all the merchandise and events that surround them. Games, shirts, figurines, conventions, you name an anime, and there’s hundreds of officially licensed materials as well as even more fan-made content.

While to some, anime has been on the rise only in recent years, but in countries like the Philippines, anime has been a staple in mass media as early as the 90’s and early 2000s. On both big networks ABS-CBN & GMA, there have been anime airing in the mornings and afternoons for years. From the likes of Dragon Ball Z, Doremon, Princess Sarah, Full Metal Alchemist, to

even Yu Yu Hakusho (where they have one of the most memorable dubs dues to the fascinating name changes), there have been countless generations raised by anime.

Which comes as to no surprise that POPTV has recently launched their new channel Bento, catering to this exact market. But with so many streaming services, already offering anime, and anime centric VOD platforms, what makes Bento different? According to Jyotirmoy “Moy” Saha, CEO & Founder of POPTV, it’s accessibility, “The USP is not just the package but also how we deliver it. We are now available inside public buses. Filipinos make 500+ million passenger trips by bus.” And since POPTV pinas has content geared towards Filipinos with dubs, as well as plenty of kids content, it’s the perfect platform for something like the bus.

The problems and solutions to accessibility

The biggest challenge streamers and VOD services have to overcome in countries like that Philippines still remains to be tech and connectivity issues. As Moy would put it, “connectivity issues are yet to be addressed but constant

Jeff Ha, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Video

innovation in those areas is being driven by many.” And indeed in the Philippines, slow and limited connection is what separates viewers. Those who have access and can afford have moved on to streaming and those who can’t remain with traditional broadcast television, making the decision to be available in buses and even ferry routes all the more smarter. Bento is able to break and capture that same audience in the 90s who’s only means of access to anime was on broadcast tv. It’s no secret that traffic in the Philippines is bad, but using this to their advantage, POPTV & Bento is able to entertain a captive audience stuck in traffic looking for solace.

But the innovation doesn’t stop there for POPTV, they will explore other means like “smart downloads at friendly Wi-Fi hotspots - releasing soon in over 7500 hotspots nationwide” Moy said.

What the future holds

And while having more titles doesn’t equate to more viewers, according to Moy, “The future of content lies in a smaller variety but a higher quality of content.” He continues, “People mostly tend to choose something to watch from the first 3-4 lines of content that they see in an interface. These are all evolutionary paths in the content delivery business and will help to make digital entertainment services lighter and better in the future.”

The power and appeal of anime and their growing profits cannot be overlooked. As streamers rethink their content strategies and figure out how to remain competitive in the ever growing landscape, POPTV has found their formula and will continue to build on that, making them hard to overlook as well.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Horimiya

MIPCOM concluded its 38th edition last October 20, at Cannes with roaring success. Studios like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery were back with beach stands and international productions were back with Banijay, and All3Media to name a few.

MIPCOM, dubbed as the “mother of all content markets,” welcomed over 10,000 delegates from 96 countries with lots of talk over the continued global demand of content as well as the ever looming recession and what kind of cost cutting measures were necessary.

In the drama department sci-fi and spectacle were the big names with All3Media’s Western thriller The English, with star Emily Blunt at attendance and leaving her mark on the Cannes walk of fame. Other big titles were AMC’s Orphan Black Echoes, NBCUniversal’s SYFY drama The Ark, & Wild Bunch TV’s Arcadia.

Other highlights includes the prestigious Diversify TV Awards which aims to champion diversity and inclusion across international tv production. The awards, which is now on its sixth year, were held

at day three of MIPCOM. Big winners include Sort Of, produced by Sphere Media Toronto for CBC and HBO Max and Pour toi Flora, produced by Nish Media for RadioCanada winning Representation of LGBTQIA+ & Representation of Race & Ethnicity for scripted respectively.

MIPCOM returns to Cannes for its 38th edition