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Vol. 26 | Issue 05 | October 2019
The Streaming Offensive TV is still king in India’s video content industry BBC Global News brings audiences new series on global trade
editor’snote
PUBLISHING
K.DASS
Disney+ to lead Western Euro OTT boom
EDITORIAL-IN-CHIEF/PUBLISHER editorial@harvest-info.com (65) 6828 9333
MIPCOM 2019 - From blockbuster programming to groundbreaking partnerships, every October, the global media and entertainment industry converges in Cannes to turn every moment into an opportunity, transforming four days of exchange and networking, meetings, screenings and conferences, into lasting business.
EDITORIAL
YI AN ANG EDITORIAL ASSISTANT angyian1998@gmail.com (65) 6828 9333
This year’s big theme, “THE STREAMING OFFENSIVE” reflects the seismic changes in global distribution models, their impact on content production and licensing, and the global response to the direct-to-consumer challenge. The big shift is about to culminate in a massive shake up of the global entertainment content industry with upcoming launches of new streaming platforms – SVOD, AVOD – by legacy players. As 2019 comes to an end, we see the start of an SVOD boom in Western Europe with the addition of around 13 million subscribers to bring the total to 131.20 million gross SVOD subscriptions by 2024 says a study from Digital TV Research.
ALISON YEO EDITORIAL ASSISTANT design@harvest-info.com (65) 6828 9333
DESIGN/PRODUCTION
K. Dass, Editor-In-Chief
SAMANTHA THAM GRAPHIC DESIGNER samanthatkq@gmail.com (65) 6828 9333
Can you imagine, this would mean the total doubling from 65.19 million at end of 2018 and the study suggests that gross SVOD subscriptions will represent 74.2% of Western European TV households by 2024, double that of at the end of 2018. Germany, Italy, France and Spain will all be below the regional average by 2024 while five countries will be above 100% of TV households. The report found that SVOD homes will pay for an average of 1.71 SVOD subscriptions by 2024, up from 1.42 in 2018 and that about 43.4% of TV households will have at least one SVOD subscription by 2024; up from 26.3% in 2018. Penetration is set to reach nearly two-thirds of TV households in Norway, but will be under 30% in Italy. Interestingly the report predicts that the vendor landscape will be changing somewhat over the next five years. Netflix is set to remain the largest pan-regional SVOD platform by some distance, with 54.86 million paying subscribers expected by 2024, 42% of the region’s total. This proportion is down from 54% in 2018, but it does mean that the platform will add 20 million subscribers. However, the Western Europe OTT TV and Video Forecasts report predicts that Disney+ will make a strong and immediate impact, given what the analyst calls extensive brand recognition and an ‘impressive’ content line-up. It forecasts 19.18 million paying subscribers by 2024, fast approaching Amazon Prime Video. All I can say is that Disney+ will enjoy strong early demand! The amount of high-quality content being packed into the offering will make it not only appealing, but very sticky. This is a major studio pooling what is arguably the largest library of high-value content on the planet to populate a single branded subscription service. Notably, to further fortify the service, Disney is pulling select content from third-party SVOD providers like Netflix, suggesting a tribalism of sorts, with big-name studios reserving their best content for their own DTC services. As such, Disney+ will be under a microscope; a running case study of what DTC can be, and a real-time measure of what impact, if any, such tribalism may have on the value chain. TVAplus
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contents
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Review
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People
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Cover Story: TV is still king in
India’s video content industry
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MIPCOM
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Insight
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Opinion
24
Focus
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Technology
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Review
Netflix signs WEF Pledge
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India boasts full cable TV digitisation
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TV is still king in India’s video content industry
Since 2016, TV viewership in India has shot up by 13%. Indians are still glued to the idiot box. In comparison to Hotstar, the leading over the top video streaming platform in India. The growth of television faces no immediate threat from alternate screens and mediums. For at least 10 years, TV and appointment viewing will continue in India. The reason is that TV is extremely affordable. You can get a basic cable for INR120 a month or free-to-air channels via FreeDish. The numbers definitely reflect strong growth in the TV universe. K. Dass reports from Mumbai.
Calrec Brio Keeps it Cool in the Egyptian Desert
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Giorgio Stock joins Gong Yu and Shibasish Sarkar at ATF Leaders’ Summit 2019
The Streaming Offensive
Reed MIDEM announces worldrenowned creator and executive producer Darren Star as the first in its line-up of Media Mastermind Keynotes at MIPCOM 2019. The session will be moderated by Jill Offman, Executive Vice President of Paramount Network International and Comedy Central International. The Star’s Media Mastermind Keynote, will bring his perspective on creativity in the postlinear world to “The Streaming Offensive” theme.
Powerful compact digital audio broadcast console provides unsurpassed reliability and world class performance for Majestic Sound Productions Inc.
Why Targeted Ads are the Key to Engaged Consumers
24 25 BBC Global News brings audiences new series on global trade, delivered in association with FedEx
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CommScope brings unprecedented choice and control to broadband network creators; reveals dramatic gains in scale and lower latency
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DocuBay secures license deal with Ananda Media
32 GMA dramas make waves in Southeast Asia
review
Powersoft brings amplifier platforms to UPLINK
Netflix signs WEF Pledge
Kuek Yu Chuang, Managing Director of Netflix Asia-Pacific (3rd from left) along with representatives from the World Economic Forum and other signatories pose together with H.E. Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Communications and Information of Vietnam (4th from left) to mark the signing of the WEF ASEAN Digital Skills Pledge.
FLORENCE, ITALY — UPLINK has embarked on a quest to offer cinema goers the best indie and foreign films in a country where Japanese blockbusters are becoming increasingly popular at the expense of both Hollywood movies and foreign arthouse titles. Over the last decade, the number of mini theatres has declined as multiplexes have flourished, but UPLINK and its president, Takashi Asai, have remained true to their belief that the future is bright for arthouse mini theatres in Tokyo. The way to ensure this, in their opinion, is to offer a pristine audiovisual experience to their customers. As a result, UPLINK has chosen Powersoft amplifier platforms to drive the bespoke audio systems in its venues in the Kichijo-ji area, one of the city’s most fashionable districts. The audio setup in each of the venue’s five screens is driven by Powersoft Ottocanali amplifier platforms, which power Taguchi Acoustic Lab speaker systems. Prior to the deployment, and in order to get familiar with the world of power amplification, Asai decided to educate himself in order to make the best possible choice for his cinemas and their customers. Asai began conversations with an old friend – Kazunori Taguchi, director of Taguchi Acoustic Lab – to understand how to take UPLINK’s audio systems to the next level. It didn’t take long for Asai to decide that the flat-panel Taguchi speakers were the ideal fit for the UPLINK cinemas, so he was then able to begin shooting out the amplifiers that would be used to power them. Hirata was also full of praise for the efficiency of the Ottocanali’s GPI/O function in reference to the cinema’s emergency cut relay system, as well as the precision made available by Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software, which was used to tune the system for each screen during the installation. TVAplus
ONE: CENTURY Media Day held in Tokyo
HANOI — Netflix recently signed a pledge to partner with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Digital ASEAN working group to help people and governments in Southeast Asia develop creative and digital skills and capabilities for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The pledge is part of WEF’s ASEAN Digital Skills Vision 2020 programme, a private-public project involving a coalition of organisations that seeks to train up 20 million workers in digital skills by 2020. The initiative gained further urgency when a recent WEF-commissioned survey of 56,000 ASEAN youths found that 52% believed they needed to upgrade their skills constantly to succeed in a changing job market. On top of that, they ranked “creativity and innovation” as the most important skill for their future. As part of its pledge, Netflix will start rolling out initiatives focused on three broad areas, namely: • Creative Industry 4.0 Skills Development, which will focus on the skills required to produce content for the internet entertainment industry, including writing, production, and post-production; • Online Safety and Digital Literacy, in partnership with industry experts, consumer advocacy groups, as well as regulators, to equip consumers with the necessary knowledge and tools to enjoy online entertainment in a safe and secure way; and • Agile Governance 4.0, which will be held in partnership with key stakeholders to help regulators navigate changes in the 4th industrial revolution and to keep pace with technological advancements. Netflix will work with various partners to hold workshops and trainings, which will initially be held throughout the next six months in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, with more under consideration in the future.TVAplus TOKYO, JAPAN – The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), recently held the official ONE: CENTURY 世紀 Media Day at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku on 17 September. In attendance was ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, who was accompanied by ONE Esports CEO Carlos Alimurung and President of ONE Championship Japan Andy Hata. Athletes in attendance include former ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki, Japanese legend Yushin “Thunder” Okami, former ONE World Title challenger Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, and ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon, among others. Also featured were celebrity special guests Jurina Matsui, Dante, and Junko Yaginuma.
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review
Saudi Arabia’s first production facility incorporates Baselight
LONDON — Following the lifting of a 35-year ban on cinema in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nebras Films has established the first full facility production and post service, based in Riyadh. As part of a complete offering, the post house includes a Baselight TWO grading suite with the latest v5 software, equipped with a Blackboard 2 control panel from FilmLight. The Kingdom has entered a new era of growth with its Vision 2030 plan to create a vibrant society, in which all citizens can fulfil their dreams in a thriving economy. The unusual demographics of the nation mean that almost 60% of the population is under 30, so there is an enormous new and untapped market in the entertainment industry. To meet this need, Nebras Films is equipped with everything needed to create top quality content today, from ARRI Alexa cameras and motion capture camera rigs to a world class networked post-production facility, for seamless workflows from editorial through VFX to finishing on Baselight. The post-production centre is linked throughout using ContentAgent, which allows virtually instantaneous sharing of workflows between suites. This allows editors to work at lower resolutions, and the finishing artist in Baselight to pick up the cut and the VFX and conform the project in 4K/HDR. The complete infrastructure has been built with HDR in mind from the start. Given the unforgiving light in the desert, the ability to build latitude into a shot and create and refine looks in Baselight without losing detail is an important benefit. The latest release of Baselight v5, used at Nebras Films, offers compelling new features that help to streamline the most complex and time-consuming workflows both within the colour grading suite and in collaboration with editing and VFX. Baselight’s HDR functionality is aimed at developing looks within the extended range and colour gamut, which can then be faithfully retained across the multitude of delivery formats expected today. The post production installation was implemented by Jigsaw 24, one of London’s leading resellers to the creative industry. TVAplus
ACCION appointed as Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific’s channel distributor in Philippines
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific, a wholly-owned subsidiary of international producer, distributor and channel operator Blue Ant Media, appoints Asian Cable Communications, Inc. (ACCION) as the network’s exclusive channel distributor in the Philippines with the exception of Sky Cable Corporation and Cignal TV Inc. Effective 1 August 2019, ACCION will be the exclusive partner and authorized distributor of Blue Ant Entertainment, Blue Ant Extreme, and ZooMoo channels in the country, carrying exclusive and up-to-date content to cater the Filipino audience. ACCION, a cable distribution company, will be providing a gateway for Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific channels to further reach, connect, and engage the Philippine market with its valuable experience in strategizing and marketing products and services, bridging the gap between brands and the local market. Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific offers a wide variety of specialized channels and exclusively licensed content in the Philippines including Blue Ant Entertainment, Blue Ant Extreme, and ZooMoo. Blue Ant Entertainment, a general entertainment channel, carries hit series and shows airing same day and express from the U.S. such as Siren, Bull, FBI, Charmed, The InBetween and dailies including Entertainment Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbertand The Late Late Show with James Corden. The channel also airs box office classics and ‘LIVE’ broadcasts some of the biggest award shows in the world including The Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. Taking entertainment to the extreme, Blue Ant Extreme brings a mix of magic, reality, paranormal, factual, and e-gaming programming to the audience. Show titles include Knock Knock Ghost, Lift Off, Losing Traction, Arcade Cloud and more. The innovative pre-school channel ZooMoo brings a well- curated show line-up produced in collaboration with some of the world’s foremost wildlife makers, early childhood educationalists and technology developers. Programming include LOST!, Animal All Stars, Animal Alphabet, ZooMoo Groove, ZooMoo’s Got Brains, ZooMooPedia, and Dear Scout. TVAplus
october 2019 television asia plus | 5
review
Jeff Daniels to star in showtime drama series LOS ANGELES – SHOWTIME has given a straight-to-series order to the drama RUST, starring Emmy winner and Tony and Golden Globe nominee Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom, Godless, The Looming Tower), who will executive produce and reteam with Oscar nominee Dan Futterman (Capote). Futterman will write multiple episodes of the series, which is co-produced with Platform One Media and based on Philipp Meyer’s celebrated debut novel American Rust. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.
Woodcut Media produces British Police: Our Toughest Cases for Discovery
RUST is a compelling family drama that will explore the tattered American dream through the eyes of complicated and compromised chief of police Del Harris (Daniels) in a Rust Belt town in southwest Pennsylvania. When the woman he truly loves sees her son accused of murder, Harris is forced to decide what he’s willing to do to protect him. Daniels is a five-time Emmy nominee, winning in Best Lead Actor for The Newsroom and Best Supporting Actor for Godless. He has also received Golden Globe nominations on the big screen for his performances in The Purple Rose of Cairo, Something Wild and The Squid and the Whale, as well as one for The Newsroom. Daniels is also a three-time individual Screen Actors Guild Award nominee. His other major screen roles include the Dumb and Dumber franchise, The Catcher Was a Spy, The Martian, Looper, Good Night and Good Luck, Gods and Generals, The Hours, Pleasantville, Gettysburg, Radio Days, Terms of Endearment and Ragtime. The founder and director of the Purple Rose Theatre Company, Daniels is also a three-time Tony nominee, for To Kill a Mockingbird (the highest grossing American play in Broadway history), Blackbird and God of Carnage. Futterman has received Academy Award nominations in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for writing Capote (also earning him a BAFTA nomination) and in Best Original Screenplay for co-writing Foxcatcher. He is a three-time Writers Guild of America nominee, for the aforementioned films as well as The Looming Tower, which starred Daniels. His television writing credits also include Gracepoint and In Treatment. On screen, Futterman shared in a SAG Award nomination for The Birdcage, and has also appeared in film and TV roles including Kill the Messenger, Political Animals, Hello I Must Be Going, A Mighty Heart, Related, Judging Amy and Will & Grace. RUST is executive produced by Dan Futterman, Michael DeLuca (ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA), Jeff Daniels and Elisa Ellis (Narcos, Hannibal) for Platform One Media, which is headed by CEO Katie O’Connell Marsh. TVAplus
India boasts full cable TV digitisation
LONDON – Discovery has commissioned Woodcut Media to produce British Police: Our Toughest Cases and a second season of The Killer in My Family. Both shows will appear on Discovery’s free-to air channel Quest Red. Blue Ant International will act as worldwide distributor (outside of the UK) and has provided deficit financing for the new series, as well as season 2 of The Killer in My Family. Delving into some of the most harrowing and challenging of investigations, British Police: Our Toughest Cases (6 x 60) explores the cases that devastated communities, defined careers and took their toll on even the most experienced officers; from murders to violence, sexual attacks and child abuse. The series will feature in-depth interviews with the CSIs, detectives, family liaison officers, and arresting officers at the very centre of the investigations who all provide unique insight into each operation and their impact and why, in some instances, they took decades to solve. Also featured will be some of the victim’s families who share their perspective on the devastating impact that these crimes had on their lives. British Police: Our Toughest Cases was ordered by Clare Laycock, SVP Head of Lifestyle and Entertainment Brands, and commissioned by Charlotte Reid, Senior Director of Production and Development. Romy Page is Commissioning Executive for Quest Red, Matthew Gordon and Kate Beal are Executive Producers for Woodcut Media and Solange Attwood is Executive Producer for Blue Ant International. Featuring high-profile cases including Britain’s most dangerous prisoner Robert Maudsley, a second season of The Killer in My Family (6 x 60) explores homicide and its impact from the perspectives of murderer’s family members and those who knew the killer personally. Whether it’s the father, sister, ex-wife or the child, each episode will get up close and personal to these individuals to discover the devastating impact of living with a killer. Season Two of The Killer in My Family is executive produced by Jamie Watkins, Content Sourcing and Acquisition Manager (Discovery). Matthew Gordon and Kate Beal (Woodcut Media), and Solange Attwood (Blue Ant International). TVAplus
As of 31 March 2019, there were 1,469 multi system operators (MSOs) registered with India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). TRAI figures also show that since 2003, direct-to-home (DTH) TV services in India have “displayed phenomenal growth”. During the quarter ending 31 December, 2018, there were five pay DTH service providers in the country: Dish TV, Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Sun Direct and Reliance. A total number of 902 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for uplinking only/downlinking only/uplinking and downlinking both, as of the end of March 2019. There were also 328 pay channels recorded at the end of the same quarter,
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which include 229 standard definition (SD) pay-TV channels and 99 high definition (HD) pay-TV channels. MIB’s new regulatory framework for broadcasting and cable services also came into effect during the quarter. The framework, which dates from the end of December 2018, comprises of Tariff Order 2017, Interconnection Regulations 2017 and Quality of Service & Consumer Protection Regulations 2017. As per the Tariff Order, every broadcaster in India now has to offer all its channels on a-la-carte basis to all distributors of television channels and declare maximum retail price, per month, payable by a subscriber for each of its pay channel offered on a-la-carte basis. It is also permissible for a broadcaster to offer its pay channels in the form of bouquet and declare the maximum retail price, per month, of such bouquet payable by a subscriber.
TVAplus
review
Dielectric to present at upcoming Industry Events
RAYMOND, MAINE — Two of Dielectric’s up-and-coming broadcast engineering experts have been tapped for presentations this fall at key industry tradeshows. Electrical Engineers Nicole Starrett and Dan Glavin will address audiences at the 2019 IEEE Broadcast Symposium, with presentations that educate and problem-solve on two of today’s more substantial RF challenges: software-based antenna design (Starrett) and next-generation RF monitoring (Glavin). Glavin will present on the same RF monitoring topic at the2019 WBA Broadcasters Clinic later in October. Starrett will present Antenna Simulation: Tackling Repack and Beyond at the IEEE event at 4:30pm on Thursday, October 3. The closing session of the conference, Starrett will discuss how transitioning from physical to softwarebased design processes prepared suppliers and broadcasters alike for the busy spectrum repack period – and how these now-established design models can be carried into the next generations of antenna and RF design. Glavin will present Real-Time Monitoring of RF Systems Performance at 12:15pm on Wednesday, October 2 at the IEEE event, and again on Thursday, October 17 at the WBA event. Glavin will discuss how innovative radar techniques facilitate real-time monitoring and VSWR measurement of transmission line systems for RF and IT engineers alike. This IP-connected systems approach empowers users to identify fault locations and other performance issues without expensive and time-consuming antenna sweeps. Dielectric introduced its RFHAWKEYE solution for next-generation, IPconnected RF monitoring at the 2019 NAB Show in April. The 2019 IEEE Broadcast Symposium takes place October 1-3 at the Hartford Marriot Downtown (Hartford, CT), and the 2019 WBA Broadcasters Clinic happens October 15-17 at the Madison Marriott West (Madison, WI). TVAplus
Giorgio Stock joins Gong Yu and Shibasish Sarkar at ATF Leaders’ Summit 2019
For the first time in Asia Pacific, Giorgio Stock, President of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Distribution and Advertising Sales, EMEA and APAC, will give a Keynote at this year’s ATF Leaders’ Summit (December 3, 2019). This
bRAND-WARD Services Ltd to manage UK licensing programme Gigantosaurus
Cyber Group Studios – Paris and Los Angeles based producer and distributor of animated television series’ and movies for kids and families – has appointed bRAND-WARD Services Ltd to manage its UK licensing programme for preschool animation IP, Gigantosaurus. bRAND-WARD is the newly formed IP consultancy business with Jean-Philippe Randisi and Trudi Hayward, helping owners/creators to monetise their IP regionally and globally. Gigantosaurus, the award-winning 52x 11’ CGI comedy-action series brings to life Jonny Duddle’s book published by Templar, which has sold more than 250,000 units in the UK alone and 450,000 globally. It features four fiercelyfun dinosaur friends – Rocky, Bill, Mazu and Tiny – who take pre-schoolers on exciting, comedy-filled adventures as they dare to be themselves and explore the world beyond their nests. The laugh-out-loud pre-school animation currently airs on Disney around the globe and is set to hit UK screens on freeto-air channel, Tiny POP, next year. The show is also confirmed to broadcast on free-to-air channels in other territories, such as France Télévisions, Germany’s Super RTL plus Italy’s Rai Yoyo. Content is also available ON Disney’s YouTube channel and will come to Netflix. Cyber Group Studios started an extensive global licensing programme for Gigantosaurus – partners already on board include Jakks Pacific as master toy licensee, and Outright Games who are planning a video game to be published on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Publishing remains a priority for the IP, with Templar planning to publish the first of 40 new TV tie-in books across Europe in 2020. bRAND-WARD is now signing partners for launch late 2020/early 2021. TVAplus timely appearance will allow the industry some insights into WarnerMedia’s vision for the future of the industry and its place and ambition within it. Evolution has brought brave new strategies to the big boys of media and entertainment. From new alliances to business models and development trends, the ATF Leaders’ Summit is a vital day to listen in on some of the most compelling issues the industry is experiencing to-date. In addition, ATF’s Production Day (December 5, 2019) will also offer visions into where investments and efforts are heading. TVAplus
october 2019 television asia plus | 7
review
Filming starts in London on CINEMAX’S LETHAL WHITE
ODMedia Group to premiere Normal is Over 1.1
‘Normal Is Over 1.1’ Worldwide September 23 via iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. UTRECHT, NETHERLANDS — ODMedia Group announced that Normal Is Over 1.1, the compelling and visually rich environmental documentary directed by investigative TV journalist Renée Scheltema, will premiere worldwide on September 23rd on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. The multi-platform launch is being spearheaded by ODMedia Group and joins the company’s growing roster of global releases. The (1 x 112’) feature documentary Normal Is Over 1.1 follows Scheltema as she examines humanity’s wisest responses to climate change, species extinction, resource depletion and the widening gap between the rich and poor. This film connects the dots and offers a stunningly complete picture of the financial and economic paradigm underlying our planetary crises, while documenting profound solutions that establish sound financial and economic systems and approaches to reverse the path of global decline.
SINGAPORE — Filming has begun on the four-episode second season of the CINEMAX and BBC One series C.B. STRIKE, titled LETHAL WHITE. Stars Tom Burke (The Souvenir, The Musketeers) and Holliday Grainger (The Capture, Patrick Melrose) will return, along with Robert Glenister (Live by Night), Natasha O’Keeffe (Peaky Blinders, Sherlock) and Kerr Logan (HBO’s Game of Thrones, Alias Grace) for the fourth story based on J.K. Rowling’s best-selling Cormoran Strike crime novels, written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. In the grips of psychosis, a young man named Billy Knight (Joseph Quinn) arrives in private detective Cormoran Strike’s (Tom Burke) office telling the story of a child he saw strangled many years ago. Strike is simultaneously hired by government minister Jasper Chiswell (Robert Glenister) to investigate Billy’s brother, Jimmy Knight (Nick Blood), who is blackmailing him. As Strike and his partner Robin (Holliday Grainger) work to determine how the cases might be connected, Robin goes undercover in the House of Commons.
Renée embarks on a multinational and multi-year voyage, searching for solutions, interviewing not only prominent experts and thought-leaders of our time, but also everyday citizens who pioneer critical areas of action such as organic agriculture, the banning of plastic, saving species, ecological economics, sustainable architecture, renewable energy, and more. While this film delivers an honest and challenging portrayal of the state of the world, it most of all offers undeniable hope and invites all to participate in the making of The New Normal, a forward-looking series. TVAplus
First dimsum THAI POP 2019 music showcase in Malaysia announced
However, Robin’s private life is unravelling as her relationship with Matthew (Kerr Logan) feels the full strain of her commitment to Strike and her work. At the same time, Strike has his own issues, a girlfriend who confesses she loves him and his complicated ex Charlotte (Natasha O’Keeffe) who is pregnant and back in the frame. This is the second season of the C.B. STRIKE series for CINEMAX. THE CUCKOO’S CALLING, THE SILKWORM and CAREER OF EVIL comprised CINEMAX’s first season. TVAplus
K7 Media’s Founder honoured for contribution to the Korean TV Industry
Global media intelligence consultancy, K7 Media’s Founder and CEO, Keri Lewis Brown, has been recognised for her role in championing Korean Formats. The award, presented on behalf of BCWW Formats at BCWW 2019, celebrated Lewis Brown as a driving force in the success and expansion of the industry in recent years. She regularly moderates panels at international industry events, endorsing the Korean broadcast market. A highly-regarded industry professional, Lewis Brown was presented with the award, ahead of presenting a keynote address at the BCWW event. The media consultancy has long championed the K-Formats industry and continues to work closely with a large portfolio of clients in South Korea and across Asia Pacific territories. In 2018, K7 Media introduced a division devoted to research and expert insight from the region, led by Asia Pacific Manager, Michelle Lin. K7 Media offers bespoke research and media consulting services to broadcasters, streaming platforms, distributors and production companies across the globe. It continues to expand its current range of client services, while maintaining the delivery of its indispensable media reports. TVAplus
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PETALING JAYA — Celebrating upcoming third anniversary in November, dimsum is proud to announce its first Thai music showcase, dimsum THAI POP 2019 on November 10, 2019 at IDEAL Convention Centre, Shah Alam. The showcase ensembles nine artists including Sunny Suwanmethanont, and Tor Thanapob Leeratanakachorn, Jaylerr Kritssanapoom Pibulsonggram, Captain Chonlathorn Kongyingyong and Ice Paris Intarakomalyasut from 9BY9 for 12 group or solo performances. dimsum THAI POP 2019 is supported by Royal Thai Embassy, Kuala Lumpur. Special thanks to Official Hotel: New World PJ Hotel, Official Showcase Venue: IDCC Shah Alam, Official Shopping Mall: Central I-city, Official Beverage: Pepsi. Official media partners for the event are The Star, mStar, 988, Suria FM, and Hot FM. Sunny Suwanmethanont is an acclaimed actor best known for his leading role in Dear Dakanda, which he won the Best Actor award. His other boxoffice movies are I Fine… Thank You… Love You, Heart Attack and Brother of the Year. He reunites with Mai Davika in his recent medical romance, My Ambulance. TVAplus
people ITV Studios Entertainment appoints new Creative Director
MultiDyne appoints new Director of Business Development for EMEA Region HAUPPAUGE, NY – MultiDyne Fiber Optic Solutions has added another broadcast industry veteran to its global business development team with the appointment of Sebastian Mucha as Director of Business Development, EMEA, effective immediately. Based in Poland, Mucha reports directly to MultiDyne headquarters in the USA. Mucha brings more than 22 years of project management, business development, and operations experience to MultiDyne, including successful roles with leading broadcast and fiber-optic manufacturers. His key responsibilities include the development of sales and distribution channels throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa, with a focus on growing MultiDyne’s market share and brand visibility throughout his territory. Prior to joining MultiDyne, Mucha spent 13 years with Grass Valley, a Belden brand, in roles of increasing responsibility. His rise up the ladder came through a series of company acquisitions that began with the purchase of Telecast Fiber Systems. His experience at Telecast, along with his ten prior years at Stratos International, a manufacturer of optical subsystems and components for network, telecommunications and data storage, provides him with an extensive understanding of the value and opportunity that fiber-optic technologies bring to customers across many
Sebastian Mucha
industries and applications. Mucha adds that MultiDyne’s growth opportunity is unlimited, based on its broad product portfolio, the seamless interoperability of its solutions, and the unflagging need for fiber-optic solutions even as broadcasters accelerate their IP transitions. He is also excited about MultiDyne’s aggressive moves into new product areas that take the company deeper into the broadcast infrastructure, and position the company for new markets. Mucha is the second international director of business development for MultiDyne appointed this summer, following the announcement that Kevin Dowd will handle the same responsibilities in the APAC region. Mucha adds that many of the nations across his region, particularly in Europe, require their own dedicated in-country partners to ensure effective communication with end users. One of his most immediate goals is to identify partners that understand local cultures and languages, but also possess the knowledge to customize and configure technical solutions for end users that solve problems and open new opportunities.
NATIONAL – ITV Studios Entertainment has announced that Fiona Clark has been appointed as Creative Director. Clark will officially start her new role in September, replacing Katie Rawcliffe. Clark, who will be responsible for a brief that includes hit formats Dancing on Ice, which returns next year for a 12th series, The Voice and The Voice Kids, has worked on a wide range of entertainment shows as a series producer and executive producer at ITV over the past 10 years, recently overseeing the successful return of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Other credits include The Royal Variety Performance, The British Soap Awards, The Olivier Awards, Tonight At The London Palladium, A Night With Olly Murs and the
LONDON – WarnerMedia Chief Revenue Officer Gerhard Zeiler announced the appointment of Giorgio Stock to the new role of President, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Distribution and Advertising Sales, EMEA and APAC. With immediate effect, Stock, previously President Turner EMEA, takes on responsibility for all entertainment networks, distribution of all networks, advertising sales and the kids networks operations in Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific region. He will continue to report into Zeiler. In his new role, Stock will be supported by the leadership team of Ricky Ow, President Turner Asia Pacific, Hervé Payan, CEO HBO Europe, and Jonathan Spink, CEO HBO Asia, all of whom now report into him. He continues to be based in London. The appointment represents Zeiler’s decision to give the operation a focused leadership that harnesses the existing strengths of the Turner and HBO businesses while also equipping them for further collaboration and growth. In addition to Stock, the international executives serving Zeiler are Whit Richardson, President Turner Latin America, and Rani Raad, President CNNI Commercial. TVAplus Giorgio Stock 10 | television asia plus october 2019
BAFTA-award winning Sound Of Music Live. ITV Studios Entertainment produces some of ITV Studios’ biggest formats in the UK, such as Love Island, now commissioned in 13 territories around the world, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, the 18th series of which in the UK last year was the most watched ever, and Talpa’s The Voice, now shown on every continent in the world, a version of which currently airs in more than 180 territories. TVAplus
LGI announces promotes vice president
TVAplus
WarnerMedia appoints new President
Fiona Clark
Harry Gamsu
MELBOURNE – Looking Glass International (LGI), the Australian based distribution company specializing in factual programming announced today the launch of a new corporate brand identity and name. The company will now be known as LGI Media and amongst the other changes will be the company’s logo and domain name. The corporate name has been refreshed to reflect LGI’s evolving its brand identity.
As a valuable asset and with the reputation built under its previous identity, the optimal decision was to refresh the logo, website and visual identity rather than completely change the company name. By evolving its brand identity, LGI Media will continue to develop, finance, market and distribute unscripted programming, create a foundation for new opportunities and offer a fresh, dynamic approach to content acquisition. LGI Media is also delighted to announce the promotion of Sam Thompson to Managing Director with immediate effect. Thompson has been with the company since 2017 as Vice President of International Distribution and Co-productions, based out of London. In his new position he will be responsible for implementing the company’s content strategy, overseeing the development, distribution and acquisitions of LGI Media’s programming portfolio. Thompson previously served as Head of Global Sales, heading up the distribution division of sports and lifestyle specialist Factory Media and prior to that he worked in international program sales at World Wide Entertainment and Big Media. TVAplus
people Rabbit Films expands international sales team
CHARLOTTE VAN BOCHOVE
HELSINKI, FINLAND – Rabbit Films, one of Finland’s leading independent production companies has appointed Sam Ferguson, a former ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVSGE) executive to their international sales team. Based in London, Ferguson has joined Rabbit Films in August, 2019 as their Senior Sales Manager. Her responsibilities will include managing Rabbit Films’ sales efforts across Asia and all Englishspeaking territories. She will report to Rabbit’s Head of International, Jonathan Tuovinen, who has lead the international department since 2016. Ferguson previously held the position of Sales Manager at ITV Studios Global Entertainment and managed sales into Russia, CIS, Baltics and the
Balkans. During her role, she worked with globally successful entertainment formats including Love Island, Come Dine with Me and Hell’s Kitchen, and scripted series such as The Bodyguard, Harlots and World on Fire. Prior to ITVSGE, Ferguson worked as Banijay Rights’ Format Sales Executive, selling key brands including Wife Swap, Fort Boyard and Psychic Challenge into CEE and Asia. She has also previously held positions at Zodiak Rights, Sony, PRS for Music and BAFTA. Rabbit Films is a TV and film production company founded in 2000 by four friends better known as The Dudesons. It has grown into one of the largest independent entertainment media companies in Finland with several big non-scripted primetime shows on air. Most of Rabbit’s shows are original creations, and the company’s current catalogue includes formats such as primetime entertainment show Posse, musical comedy talent show King, and adventure reality The Ultimate Expedition. Rabbit Films also produces shows based on international formats, such as the huge relaunch of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Saturday Night Live and Shark Tank. TVAplus
Rubrik appoints new VP of Asia Pacific & Japan SINGAPORE – Rubrik, the Multi-Cloud Data Control Company, announced the appointment of Kamal Brar as Vice President of Asia Pacific and Japan. Brar will be responsible
for driving Rubrik’s Asia operations. Based in Singapore, he will report directly to Chief Revenue Officer Brett Shirk. Rubrik has quickly grown from its founding
Synamedia appoints new executives LONDON – Synamedia has boosted its senior team with the appointment of Scott Kewley as VP Advanced Advertising and Data Products. Scott will lead Synamedia’s addressable advertising and data monetization business, building on the firm’s heritage as an industry pioneer through its collaboration with Sky on the development of the AdSmart personalized ad targeting platform. Scott has extensive experience in the media and entertainment sector, having worked with tierone consumer brands and developed strategies and solutions for using data-driven insights to drive revenues. He joins Synamedia from UK OTT aggregator TVPlayer, where he was MD. Before that he worked for BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide) as a senior executive charged with developing a new OTT service. Scott also spent in 2014; earlier this year it raised a $261 million Series E funding round at a $3.3 billion valuation. As data and applications proliferate in the enterprise, Rubrik’s unified platform is uniquely positioned to provide customers with the ability to secure and control their data wherever it resides. Brar joins Rubrik from Hortonworks, where he led its fast-growing business in APAC and the Middle East. Prior to that, he served as SVP of APAC at Talend where he launched its APAC operations. Brar also brings deep NoSQL
six years at Liberty Global, where he held the role of Director of Digital Entertainment for Virgin Media. Additionally, he spent 10 years with Walt Disney, most recently as International Director of Engineering. Synamedia has also appointed Bijal Patel as Chief Financial Officer. Over the last 20-years Bijal has held a variety of senior finance roles in international technology businesses; since 2010 he has focused his expertise on successfully transforming private equity-backed firms. Bijal joins Synamedia from hospitality technology innovator HotSchedules, where he served as CFO for three years. Prior to this, he was CFO at Aptean and before that he was Vice President of Finance at Finastra and subsequently interim CFO. Bijal spent the early part of his career at IBM. TVAplus to knowledge to Rubrik having led the APAC business at MongoDB. Additionally, he has held leadership positions at Oracle, IBM, HewlettPackard, and MySQL. TVAplus
Karmal Brar
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TV is still king in India’s video content industry Since 2016, TV viewership in India has shot up by 13%. Indians are still glued to the idiot box. In comparison to Hotstar, the leading over the top video streaming platform in India. The growth of television faces no immediate threat from alternate screens and mediums. For at least 10 years, TV and appointment viewing will continue in India. The reason is that TV is extremely affordable. You can get a basic cable for INR120 a month or free-to-air channels via FreeDish. The numbers definitely reflect strong growth in the TV universe. K. Dass reports from Mumbai.
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T
hough television is king in India and will remain so for the near future, digital media is expected to overtake the world of film and print by 2019 and 2021, respectively, according to a new report by Ernst & Young, released during the annual Frames conference in Mumbai, organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). India’s media and entertainment sector — which comprises TV, print, film, digital, animation and VFX, live events, online gaming, and radio among others — grew 13.4 percent year-over-year to reach Rs. 1.67 trillion (about $23.9 billion) in 2018, per EY, which estimates it will bloom into Rs. 2.35 trillion (about $33.6 billion) by 2021. Online gaming and digital
media led that growth, the EY report says. Real-money gaming fantasy and e-sports — and casual gaming - the main benefactors in the former, pushed by a 52 percent growth in total gamers that now number 278 million. Meanwhile, digital subscriptions grew by 262 percent in India — the market now estimated at Rs. 14.2 billion (about Rs. 204 million) — with the majority driven by video streaming. 60 percent of streaming video consumption is thanks to partnerships with telecom operators such as Airtel and Vodafone, which provide
free access to Amazon Prime Video and Netflix for a limited time. Over 200 million people watched digital content owing to telco bundling, according to the EY report, with the companies spending about Rs. 3.5-4 billion (about $50-57 million) to acquire content. Paid subscriptions increased from 7 million in 2017 to around 12-15 million in 2018, which is still less than 5 percent of total video consumers, estimated at 325 million in 2018, a growth of 25 percent. Indians spend 30 percent of their phone time on entertainment, the report adds. In terms of content, catch-up TV is 70-90 percent of what viewers see on online platforms of large broadcasters, but that isn’t keeping other companies from spending big on original
content. EY notes that Zee is the largest spender with Rs. 25-30 billion (about $359-431 million), with Amazon and Netflix spending Rs. 10 billion (about $143 million) combined, and Hotstar promising to spend Rs. 1.2 billion (about $17 million) on its new slate, dubbed ‘Hotstar Specials’. Demand for originals increased by around 1,200 hours in 2018, EY states.
box office earners between June 2017-18. Padmaavat was one of them, whose digital rights reportedly went for Rs. 800 million (about $11.5 million). Sanju — another top earner at the box office — earned Rs. 500 million (about $7 million) in satellite rights. The box office failure, Race 3, recovered much of its budget via broadcast rights: Rs. 1.5 billion (about $21.5 million), reportedly the highest ever in Bollywood. Total expenditure grew from Rs. 8.5 billion (about $122 million) to Rs. 13.5 billion (about $194 million). That said, Hindi-language films still had the best year at the Indian box office, garnering Rs. 35.2 billion (about $505.7 million) in net collections. Hollywood films too had a successful year in India, accounting for 10 percent of the total box office in the country. Local ‘dubbed’ versions in Hindi,
Tamil and Telugu make up 50-60 percent of Hollywood revenue in India. The biggest earner, by far, was Avengers: Infinity War with Rs. 2.22 billion (about $31.8 million), making up one-fourth of all Hollywood revenue in India. It was followed by the likes of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Rs. 826 million), Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Rs. 802 million), Deadpool 2 (Rs. 580 million), Aquaman (Rs. 526 million) and the Oscar-winning Black Panther (Rs. 525 million). In total, Hollywood earned Rs. 9.21 billion (about $132 million) in net collections, with the top 10 films making up Rs. 7.5 billion (about $107 million). The biggest hindrance to India’s film sector is the lack of screens and screen penetration in tier-II, tier-III and tier-IV cities, per the EY report. India (9,601) has less than 25 percent of screens
Streaming services are also helping Bollywood, with satellite rights being sold for big bucks. EY says Amazon leads the race, having picked up 13 of top 25
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compared to the likes of China (55,623) and the US (40,837). Multiplexes account for a large portion of that and contributed around 55 percent of the domestic box office. Over in television, the total time spent watching increased to 3 hours 46 minutes per day, estimates EY, with 77 percent of that time spent on general entertainment and movie channels. A third of total TV viewership in India comes from young people aged 15-30. And surprisingly, wrestling overtook cricket as the most viewed sport, narrowly beating it out with 20 to 19 percent of the share. The report also notes that number of Indian households with TVs grew 7.5 percent to 197 million, while HD viewership increased by 57 percent. Lastly, the audio streaming sector grew by 62 percent to reach Rs. 800 million, with the user base growing by 50
percent to 150 million unique users. But despite the relatively low pricing to international markets, the EY report says, the percentage of paying subscribers for music in India is negligible, between 1 and 1.5 million, which is less than 1 percent. Piracy remains a big issue, with 76 percent of Indians surveyed admitting doing so. According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)’s Broadcast India survey, despite the proliferation of smartphones and cheap data, which have fuelled the rise of ondemand entertainment networks like Hotstar and Netflix, Indians remain invested in television sets. BARC, which monitors TV ownership and viewership habits in India, studied 300,000 households for the survey, the findings of which were released on July 26. The survey report indicates a 7.5% increase in the number of TV-owning households across
India to 197 million in 2018. The number of viewers also rose by 7.2% to 836 million. In comparison, Hotstar, the leading over the top video streaming platform in India, has just a little over 60 million users. “India is a country driven by family viewing and this shows in the increase in the number of TV households,” Partho Dasgupta, CEO of BARC India, said in a statement.
Indians streamed the matches on SonyLiv, one of three Indian broadcasters with digital rights, and the only one to release viewership numbers so far. So, the total number is probably much higher. But that isn’t surprising - in April and May, more than 200 million Indians logged on to Star India’s digital arm, Hotstar, to watch the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament.
Across households, the average time spent by individuals on watching TV rose 3% in 2018. On average, Indians spent
The IPL was an “inflection point” for mobile phones as a mainstream platform, says Hotsar CEO Ajit Mohan. India
3 hours 44 minutes on the medium daily in 2018—4 hours and 6 minutes in urban India and 3 hours, 27 minutes in rural India.
is one of the world’s fastestgrowing internet markets, thanks to cheap data and a growing number of smartphone users. And streaming platforms, both Indian and global, have been tapping into this to target a young digital audience, which is largely ignored by cable networks. Ajay and Vaishali Pisal, a couple who live in the western city of Mumbai for instance, do not own a TV. “When we have to watch our favourite programmes, we turn to YouTube or Voot,” says Ajay.
These numbers mean that television still accounts for the largest share (45%) of annual advertising revenue even, though the medium hasn’t grown much in the last two years, according to 2017 estimates by GroupM. “What hasn’t changed is the fact that TV remains the most effective platform for both content creators and advertisers to reach their audiences,” Dasgupta added. Streaming in India A record number of Indians streamed the World Cup on their phones in the latest indication that many young people are deserting television for digital platforms. Some 70 million
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Their five-year-old son has also never watched TV. Ajay points to his smartphone and says, “we let him watch cartoons on this.” Hotstar, founded in 2015, is currently leading the pack with more than 75 million subscribers, according to an industry report at the end of
cover story 2017. A distant second with 22 million subscriptions is Voot, a free platform which is also the digital arm of an Indian media company. Among the global players, Amazon’s Prime Video has racked up more than 11 million subscriptions since its launch less than two years ago. Netflix is trailing with five million subscribers. But JioTV, a streaming platform owned by telecom giant Reliance, could well become the country’s biggest platform since it will be available to the company’s 215 million internet users. But the company is yet to
officially release any subscription data.
age of 35. This worries senior executives at cable networks who realise that their wholesome, melodramatic soap operas, which are a favourite with many in the older generation, do not appeal to millions of young Indians. This is partly why foreign firms are investing in Indian audiences Amazon has already made four original shows for India and seven more are reported to be in the offing. It’s also why the stories online are bolder - be it Netflix’s Lust Stories, a frank, and sometimes funny, exploration of Indian attitudes towards sex; or Permanent Roommates, a
popular web series on YouTube about a young couple’s live-in relationship.
So where does this leave India’s 800 TV channels? On the one hand, there are 40 streaming platforms - all of them less than five years old - that have quickly distinguished themselves. But on the other hand, most of them are largely TV apps that allow users to stream on their phones what cable is already offering.
In 2015, Permanent Roommates became the world’s second most watched web series on YouTube. It was the first series by The Viral Fever or TVF, a popular Indian YouTube channel. Their next one, TVF Pitchers, was also a huge success and brought them $10m (£7.6m) in funding.
Of course, cable and satellite TV is still leading the race - some 780 million Indians watch TV, according to a recent estimate. Only a 100 million use streaming platforms but that number is likely to grow, especially given that 65% of India is under the
“We, a bunch of engineers, realised young people were spending most of their time on their mobile phones,” says Sameer Saxena, the Chief Content Officer at TVF. “We thought why not give them something they would watch on
their small screens.” TVF’s small group of friends has now spiralled into a big company of 200, some 45 of them working on scripts and developing new formats. Its tag line - “TV is dead. Stories are not” - borders on arrogance. But they firmly believe that there will be a remarkable shift from television towards streaming platforms. Advertisers seem to agree. In 2017, streaming platforms earned $1.66bn in advertising revenue and nearly $60m through subscriptions. Streaming offers distinct advantages: you can bingewatch a whole season or watch episodes through the day, especially during long commutes. It also offers privacy for young people living with their parents or as part of joint families. Netflix’s first Indian drama series, Sacred Games, has attracted attention for its sex scenes and explicit dialogues; and while Hotstar doesn’t censor Game of Thrones, Indian TV
viewers are treated to a far tamer version of the series. Many in the industry say it’s an exciting time for India’s video streaming market, which is growing at 30% while television stagnates at just under 10%. But some media executives say streaming platforms - and especially those making original content - have a long way to go. “Most people are looking for excitement,” says Ashok Mansukhani, a Senior Media Executive. “We give our customers 800 channels which air a variety of programmes. TV is here to stay. Cable TV will remain a giant in the media”. Others believe streaming platforms and satellite television can help each other by creating an Indian version of the Apple TV. “Soon you will see video streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hotstar on our platform, besides live TV,” says Harit Nagpal, Chief of India’s Premier satellite television company, Tata Sky. TVAplus
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tradeshow:MIPCOM
The Streaming Offensive Reed MIDEM announces world-renowned creator and executive producer Darren Star as the first in its line-up of Media Mastermind Keynotes at MIPCOM 2019. The session will be moderated by Jill Offman, Executive Vice President of Paramount Network International and Comedy Central International. The Star’s Media Mastermind Keynote, will bring his perspective on creativity in the post-linear world to “The Streaming Offensive” theme.
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ore than 1,700 decision makers and exhibitors from above 100 countries will come to the event to display and speak about products related to the field of television, content production and distribution, Video and DVD, Cinema, New media, mobile, advertising, licensing and merchandising, service and post production. Themed “The Streaming Offensive”, the conference will bring sharp focus to the seismic changes in global distribution models, their impact on content production and licensing, and the global response to the direct-toconsumer challenge. Darren Star is the creator of the current smash hit series Younger which recently wrapped its sixth season on Viacom’s TV Land and was picked up for a recordbreaking seventh season set to debut next year. He is
now in production on his new Paramount Network series Emily in Paris starring Golden Globe-nominated actress and author, Lily Collins. Star is the creator and executive producer of three of the last decade’s most popular television phenomena: Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place and the three-time Golden Globe and Emmy Awardwinning HBO comedy series Sex and the City. In each series, Star’s multi-dimensional characters, captivating settings and layered plot lines hooked viewers, and became significant elements of contemporary pop culture. Darren Star joins James Farrell, Head of International Originals for Amazon Studios; Farhad Massoudi, CEO/ Founder and Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer of TUBI; Twitter’s Kay M. Madati, Global VP and Head of Content Partnership; Max Conze, CEO
Darren Star on Sidewalks Entertainment about Younger
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of ProSiebenSat.1; Bibiane Godfroid, CEO, Newen; Maria Kyriacou, President, ITV Studios International and Jed Mercurio, screenwriter and showrunner announced as keynote speakers for MIPCOM 2019. Shortlist unveiled for MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards Reed MIDEM announces the shortlist of programmes in the running for the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards 2019. Dedicated to championing and promoting diverse and inclusive content that can make an impact on wide audiences, the third edition of the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards will be held on Monday 14 October 2019, at the Carlton Hotel, Cannes, France. The 21 nominated programmes, all of which have
been broadcast in the past 12 months, have been recognised by the Pre-Selection Jury for providing a fair and accurate representation of BAME, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities. They are also seen as standing out for originality and excellence in terms of storytelling, casting and production values, challenging stereotypes, and showing a positive impact.
tradeshow:MIPCOM showcase, MIPCOM is for the first time hosting the NHK 8K Theater, complete with a 248-inch 8K screen and a 22.2 multichannel sound system, located on the third floor of the Palais des Festivals.
The winning programmes will be chosen by charitable organisations that campaign for equality and inclusion, including GADIM, GLAAD, ILGAEurope, Minority Rights, Race Equality Foundation, SCOPE, Show Racism the Red Card, and Sporting Equals, and will be announced at the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards ceremony, an invitation-only event for some 200 leading TV executives, held in partnership with A+E Networks and Diversify TV. The Pre-Selection Jury includes members of the MIP Markets Diversity Advisory Board, along with a panel of TV experts. They include: Bunmi Akintonwa, CEO, Little Black Book Company Int.; Mounia Aram, CEO, Mounia Aram Company; Sahar Baghery, Head of Business Development, Amazon Prime Video; Bruna Capozzoli, Creative Director, Popcorn Digital; Sean Cohan, President, Wheelhouse Entertainment & Chief Business Officer, Wheelhouse Group; Patrick Connolly, SVP, Programming and Marketing, AMC Networks International; David Cornwall, Managing Director, Scorpion Television; David Ellender, President, Global Distribution & Co-productions, Sonar Entertainment; Nick Smith, EVP Formats, All3Media International; Sallyann Keizer, Managing Director, Sixth Sense Media; David Levine, GM,
Disney Channels UK; Cédric Petitpas, YouTube Family Partnerships, YouTube KIDS; Shabnam Rezaei, Co-Founder, Big Bad Boo; Francesco Tocci, Head of Documentary and Format Department, Nonpanic (Banijay); and Deborah Williams, CEO, The Creative Diversity Network (CDN) The shortlist features an eclectic selection highlighting a variety of voices and talent from around the world, from major linear and non-linear broadcasters representing 11 countries across all continents. Themes tackled include love, friendship, family, heritage, and humour, as well as challenges and issues of inequality. TVAplus
NHK to showcase Ultra HD 8K Screenings at MIPCOM Japanese public broadcaster NHK is organising a series of screenings and talks on ultrahigh-definition 8K video at MIPCOM 2019 as part of the showcase “Live the Story: NHK 8K”. To stage the ultra-HD
The screenings will feature the international premiere of a dramatisation of Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel An Artist of the Floating World in 8K HDR (high dynamic range), a medium ideally suited to bringing the nuances of the artist’s world into sharp focus. Japanese actor Ken Watanabe will be on hand to share his experience of playing the lead role. Another highlight will be NHK’s 8K Talks sessions involving international producers who have partnered with NHK, plus the opportunity to see the resulting 8K content. These sessions will highlight the transformation of 8K production, which until recently has been seen as requiring huge commitments of equipment and money. The sessions will turn the spotlight on 8K production in China, in music and art, one of the first genres to use 8K, and in natural history and science, an area ripe to enter a golden age thanks to ultrahigh definition. NHK launched the world’s first 8K channel in 2018. The public broadcaster plans to broadcast the 2020 Olympic Games from Tokyo in 8K, in an historic first. Yukinori Kida,
NHK’s Executive Director of Broadcasting, said: “8K has mostly gained attention for the exceptional quality of its images and sound. By working with international creators, I have come to believe that 8K HDR is a tool for enhancing viewers’ sensory and emotional perception. It offers a new way of storytelling — one that creates the ultimate immersive viewing experience.” TVAplus
NIPPON TV Heads to MIPCOM with one new scripted format and two game show formats With the company’s continued success of its scripted formats (Mother, Woman –My Life for My Children –), along with its game show format Beat the Rooms co-produced with Red Arrow Studios International, Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV), the leading commercial broadcaster network and production powerhouse in Japan, announced today that they will be heading to this year’s MIPCOM with one new scripted format, Your Turn to Kill, and two new game show formats, Red Carpet Survival and Sokkuri Sweets. Mr. Atsushi Sogo, President of International Business Development for Nippon TV, made the announcement. “We are delighted to be offering these new titles at this year’s MIPCOM,” commented Mr. Sogo. Your Turn to Kill, our new crime/mystery scripted format, was created with international adaptations in mind and has 20 episodes which is almost double the number of regular Japanese drama series. It is a format that one cannot stop watching episode after episode to find out who the suspect is and viewers predict it avidly on social media while they watch.
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tradeshow:MIPCOM and directed by Gina Hole Lazarowich, following the 3-year transition journey of trans model Krow ahead of MIPCOM. Krow’s TRANSformation, from Vancouver based production company They Film, will open the Raindance Film Festival in London. formats internationally.
NipponTV-YourTurntoKill-MIPCOM-2019
Our latest unscripted format, Red Carpet Survival is a neverbefore-seen entertainment game show which is perfect for family viewing and can turn any location into ground zero simply by laying a red carpet. And our third title, Sokkuri Sweets is our newest answer to the many inquiries we continually receive for our wacky Japanese game show formats. Sokkuri means ‘exactly the same’ and it really is impossible to figure out if the items are real or fake. It is amazing to see celebrities bite into a shoe thinking it is made of chocolate. We look forward to meeting all our clients and new buyers at MIPCOM.” TVAplus
Discovery to present expanded formats slate at MIPCOM Discovery, Inc., the global leader in real-life entertainment, today announced their fall and winter lifestyle formats slate, to be presented at MIPCOM, the annual event that brings together the global television industry to discover, trade and celebrate content, taking place in Cannes. Discovery’s Program Sales team will showcase the comprehensive lineup of lifestyle formats for the first time since Discovery acquired Scripps Networks in 2018, which allowed Discovery to acquire content in
categories ranging from food and home to science and auto. Discovery now possesses the industry leading non-fiction formats catalogue, allowing the media company that is found in 220 countries and territories, to truly exhibit an extensive list of titles at MIPCOM. “Discovery is known for owning the greatest collection of nonfiction IP in the international media industry,” said Elliot Wagner, Senior Vice President, Program Sales at Discovery, Inc. “We deliver content to consumers in passion areas that include a range of lifestyle and factual content, and this year at MIPCOM we are excited to present that impressive suite of content to programming partners for local adaptation.” Discovery’s international program sales strategy is built on answering the demands of consumers in a time when local content is becoming increasingly more relevant. With formats standing as the largest growth pillar for international distribution, Discovery has a proven track record of success in releasing
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Highlights at MIPCOM will include Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay, in which skilled chefs go head to head with culinary master Bobby Flay, Chopped, the network’s iconic cooking competition that tests chefs’ abilities through three timed rounds using mystery ingredients, and Guy’s Grocery Games, where Guy Fieri challenges competitors to a high-stakes grocery store cooking competition. From HGTV, Discovery will present House Hunters, in which home seekers across the country search for their perfect home, and Kitchen Crashers, which follows designer Alison Victoria as she transforms kitchens for lucky homeowners. From Discovery Channel, Naked and Afraid follows one man and one woman for 21 days, meeting for the first time in the nude, as they are paired and tasked to survive some of the world’s most extreme environments with no food, water or clothes. TLC’s Drag Me Down the Aisle has become a huge hit, following four of America’s most beloved Drag Queens who have made it their mission to make brides feel like Queens on their big day.
Throughout the documentary we witness the continual challenges faced by Krow, including hormone therapies and numerous invasive surgical procedures. As Krow grows in confidence in his new body, he returns to his career in the fashion industry taking his first job as a male model on the runway at Paris Fashion Week. Janice Strangward, Head of Sales and Acquisitions at Wag Entertainment comments, “We are thrilled to have acquired this life-affirming documentary feature to offer international buyers at MIPCOM. This extraordinary and candid film is a real testament to the special relationship which developed between Gina and Krow over a long period of time and shines the light on many issues that need to be faced during a transgender journey. It’s a great opportunity for viewers to learn about gender transformation and to begin to understand the myriad obstacles, challenges and ultimately freedoms that this change can bring.” TVAplus
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WAG Entertainment acquires inspiring documentary ahead of MIPCOM Wag Entertainment has acquired feature documentary Krow’s TRANSformation (1 x 90’), an inspiring film produced
Krow’s head shot
tradeshow:MIPCOM LGI MEDIA brings exciting new documentary slate to MIPCOM LGI Media (formerly Looking Glass International) is bringing a wealth of exhilarating factual documentaries to MIPCOM 2019. Headlining the slate of high-end documentary titles is the science series Cosmic Futurist (6 x 60’) produced by Fusion Productions. Humanity is poised to make the next giant leap into the universe. The series takes a journey into the future with NASA Chief Engineer and Futurist, Jon Cowart as he explains the science behind the technological and experimental advances NASA is currently working on! Reality series Spiky Gold Hunters (6 x 60’) produced by Pango Productions reveals one of New Zealand’s most dangerous jobs and gets a unique insight into the sub-culture of sea urchin fishermen. Six courageous and charismatic characters battle the tempestuous elements of Southern New Zealand. Faced with freezing temperatures, inherent threat of shark attacks, and the perils of free diving, these real cowboys of the southern oceans take us on a wild ride
both on and off the water as they look to get rich in the pursuit of Spiky Gold!
the arts & culture show Yohji Yamamoto: Rebel in Black (1 x 60’) produced by NHK. TVAplus
Gracefully gliding over Australia’s multiple diverse landscapes, Eye in the Sky (3 x 60’) produced by Grainger Television captures this island continent from a heavenly perspective. Captured in stunning 4K, destinations covered range from the stunning coastlines and Great Barrier Reef to the amazing outback, centred around the iconic Red Rock, Uluru. Produced by GTV Inside Saudi Arabia: Race to Change (1 x 60’) is a fast paced, emotional and history making story, going deep inside the inner circles of sports management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A young prince and a strong team of female managers fight the odds to open their country with sports: Formula E in the oil country, the first female and male audience international pop festival, tourist visas online for the first time - and a strong management team of Saudi Arabian Ladies.
KEW Media distribution’s scripted slate in Cannes Leading content company Kew Media Distribution, part of the Kew Media Group, will showcase a raft of diverse, new-to-market scripted programming at MIPCOM. Headlining Kew Media Distribution’s slate of fiction programming is supernatural single drama The Small Hand: A Ghost Story (1 x 94’) from Susan Hill, the author of The Woman in Black. Antique book dealer Adam Snow (Douglas Henshall Shetland, Outlander) leads an empty life, infatuated with Alice (Louise Lombard - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), the wife of a wealthy client (Adrian Rawlins - Chernobyl),
and barely present for his older brother, Hugo (Cal MacAnich - The Victim), who is suffering a mental breakdown. New drama mini-series, Cold Call (4 x 60’), is a Chalkboard Production for Channel 5. June Clarke (Sally Lindsay – Scott & Bailey, Coronation Street) is trying to make ends meet as a carer, as well as caring for her ill mother. After losing her job and discovering her daughter Hana (Taj Atwal – Line of Duty) is pregnant, June makes the rash decision to sell her home. A dazzling, modern adaptation of the hugely popular classic Worzel Gummidge, inspired by the renowned novels from author Barbara Euphan Todd, will also be available from Kew Media Distribution at MIPCOM. A treasured tale of a witty, mischievous scarecrow who mysteriously comes to life, now reimagined for a modern audience, with CGI technology bringing the characters back to the screens, Worzel Gummidge (2 x 60’) is a comedic, magical fantasy for all ages. The third season of award-
Further documentary titles include Irish Gangsters (1 x 60’), a true crime show produced by Revelation Films for Virgin Media and
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tradeshow:MIPCOM KEW Media distribution’s scripted slate in Cannes
winning Frankie Drake Mysteries (10 x 60’) follows 1920s Toronto’s only female private detectives, Frankie Drake (Lauren Lee Smith, The Shape of Water) and her partner Trudy Clarke (Chantel Riley, Wynonna Earp) as they fight crime with the help of keen police morality officer Mary Shaw (Rebecca Liddiard, Alias Grace) and spirited morgue attendant Flo Chakowitz (Sharron Matthews, Mean Girls). Coming soon is the 6th season of multi awardwinning drama series Line of Duty (6 x 60’), from the creators of global hit Bodyguard, Jed Mercurio and World Productions. Set in the fictional police anticorruption unit AC-12, Line of Duty is a cat-and-mouse thriller that takes a probing look into modern policing and corruption. Following the global success of Agatha and the Truth of Murder, which has already sold to more than 139 territories, Kew Media Distribution is bringing to MIPCOM two new Agatha films from the writer Tom Dalton (The Pharmacist), commissioned by Channel 5 and produced by Endemol Shine’s prodco label DSP.
Leading UK-based distributor DCD Rights sees its popular factual titles travel to every corner of the globe, ahead of launching brand new factual shows; Haunted Encounters, Secrets Of The Nazi War Machine, The Blitz: Britain On Fire, The Redemption Project and From Hell: Caught On Camera Series 2 at MIPCOM. DCD Rights is delighted to confirm that Secret Nazi Bases (6 x 60’), a Go Button Media production for UKTV, Discovery Science & Discovery has sold to major global broadcasters, including; Foxtel, Australia, A&E in CEE and Scandinavia, Prima Group in the Czech Republic, Emirates Cable TV E-Vision for the Middle East, True Visions in Thailand, ProSiebenSat.1 for German Speaking Europe and Discovery Communications for Spain. The Nile: 5,000 Years Of History (4 x 60’), a Rare TV & SandStone Global production for Channel 5, is another of DCD Rights’ factual titles to be sold to a raft of broadcasters worldwide, including; SBS Australia, Viasat World for Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS, Dazzler Media in UK & Eire, Choice TV
TVAplus
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in New Zealand, TVO, Canada, GEO Television for German Speaking Europe, Acorn TV, North America; Prima Group in the Czech Republic, France TV for French Speaking Europe, Knowledge Network, Canada, Foxtel for Australia & New Zealand, Expressive Media for Spain & Andorra and True Visions in Thailand. The Redemption Project (8 x 60’) is a Citizen Jones Productions for CNN. Already sold by DCD Rights to Mediawan Thematics for French Speaking Europe and Foxtel for Australia and New Zealand, the series follows the journey of the victim - or surviving family members - of a life-altering crime as they come face-to-face with their offender in the hopes of finding answers or seeking some sense of closure. Van Jones will serve as a guide for the viewer throughout this
transformational experience. Through unique access to the U.S. prison system, and a rare glimpse into the restorative justice process, this powerful series will explore the human potential for redemption. Also new to market, From Hell: Caught On Camera Series 2 (4 x 60’) uses jawdropping real-life footage, from the funniest to the most dramatic, to show just what can go wrong on our roads, holidays, jobs and in our homes. Other titles to be showcased as part of DCD Rights’ diverse factual slate for MIPCOM include Haunted Encounters, Secrets Of The Nazi War Machine, and The Blitz: Britain On Fire. TVAplus
insight
Calrec Brio Keeps it Cool in the Egyptian Desert Powerful compact digital audio broadcast console provides unsurpassed reliability and world class performance for Majestic Sound Productions Inc.
Calrec Mark Butler Majestic Sound
Mark L. Butler, the owner of Majestic Sound Productions,
out the production. “We climbed down 30-foot ladders
Inc., knew he was in for quite a challenge when he agreed
and then had to crawl through tunnels and climb over
to go to the middle of Egypt and open a sarcophagus on
sarcophaguses,” he explains. “In one tomb, we had to
a live TV broadcast to 100 countries. The live Discovery
make our way through a 40-foot-long tunnel, all the while
Channel event aimed to showcase one the biggest
trying to avoid stepping on 3,000-year-old skeletons and
archaeological finds in 15 years and was co-hosted by
artifacts, in order to set up our RF system. We were not
real-life Indiana Jones, Dr. Zahi Hawass, former Minister
allowed to bring in any antennas or source the RF gear
of State for Antiquities Affairs for Egypt. For live audio
from outside the country, which proved to be the biggest
mixing, Butler turned to Calrec’s Brio36 compact digital
challenge of the shoot. We were using a lot of mismatched
broadcast audio console.
RF gear to connect the talent to multiple receivers.”
Throughout the production, Butler relied heavily on
Fortunately for Butler, he had a brand-new video truck
the Brio, which easily stood up to the harsh Egyptian
and Calrec Brio to work with. “I generally work on Calrec’s
environment. “Being in the middle of the desert made for
Apollo or Artemis, so this was my first show on the Brio,”
a lot of logistical issues and problems,” explains Butler.
he adds. “The learning curve was pretty easy and soon I
“We dealt with sandstorms, rain, high winds, and even
was navigating as though I work on it all the time. There
poisonous cobras and desert vipers, but the Calrec Brio
is so much power in such a compact package, and I loved
offered the perfect amount of ruggedness to get the job
being able to ‘draw’ EQ on the screen. Before the Brio,
done.”
smaller trucks wouldn’t necessarily have the budget or the space for a larger Calrec, so the Brio really fills a missing
Though Butler worked mostly from the production truck
piece in the mobile audio puzzle.”
during the live portion of the event, he also explored the tombs during the pre-taped segments and while planning
Butler notes that while security was very tight, working under such extreme conditions was both thrilling and easier than initially expected. “The local crew and truck engineers from Egypt were fantastic to work with, very knowledgeable and adapted to all the curve balls that got thrown at them,” he says. Throughout the entire production, we were provided special forces and military police. We had one of the largest security contingents in Egypt, second only to the President.” Calrec designed the Brio to be a go-anywhere, doanything solution, and this project has certainly proven the console’s power and durability. “This is literally one of the most intense productions we’ve ever seen, and we’re glad that Calrec was part of such an historic event,” says Helen Carr, Regional Sales Manager, Calrec. “Mark was mixing on a Brio in incredibly inhospitable conditions, so this is a great example of how portable, lightweight, powerful and rugged the Brio console truly is.”
22 | television asia plus october 2019
TVAplus
opinion
Why Targeted Ads are the Key to Engaged Consumers According to Media Partners Asia, online video advertising and subscription revenue in APAC is set to grow from US$26 billion in 2019 to as much as US$52 billion in 2024. This is hardly surprising when you consider the drastically shifting popularity of Over-the-Top (OTT) video in the region, which reported record growth in 2018. While subscription models are growing in popularity, piracy remains an issue in APAC. This is one reason why ad-supported models could be an important way of attracting consumers to a service and monetizing that effectively. How can broadcasters tap into this opportunity without ending up with disengaged consumers frustrated by a constant flow of ads? Personalisation for Engagement We all know what it is like to be bombarded with adverts which are often irrelevant and detract from what we are watching. That said, most consumers are willing to view ads if they then have access to premium content that would otherwise be expensive. In APAC, in particular, there is a prevalence of ad-supported content, which competes for viewers not only with subscription services but also with pirated material. Addressable, or targeted advertising serves ads to viewers that are much more relevant to them. For the most part, broadcasters already have access to data about subscribers and are able to build up a picture of viewing habits and how those relate to purchasing habits. Tapping into that data and pushing the right ads to the right audiences means that consumers will be less frustrated by ads they see as these ads will be of interest to them. Ultimately this will enhance the user experience and increase engagement with the service. Advertisers also win in this scenario of course because it will mean that the conversion rate of ad views to purchases will likely be much higher than with the widespread approach of serving the same ads to everyone. Challenges to overcome While addressable advertising is not a new idea, many content providers are still faced with a number of challenges to make it a reality: Making all Ads Addressable Often broadcasters are unable to make the entire ad inventory addressable, leading to some ads not being able to be targeted and some slots left unfilled. This is often because critical metadata about the ads is not available, for a number of reasons. This Ad signalling metadata (SCTE 35) can often be disturbed en-route to distribution partners. If distributors don’t know the start and end time of the ads and the associated contextual information, they cannot be replaced. By taking temporal fingerprints at playout, combined with sophisticated software
Roger Franklin, GM, Crystal to generate accurate in-band and out-of-band metadata, it is possible to ensure that signalling is delivered intact to distribution partners. Varying Interpretations Like all technology, the SCTE 35 metadata protocol has evolved considerably, resulting in multiple ways to describe content and ad boundaries. When different distribution partners use different profiles, it can be very challenging to ensure the outcome is the same. In order to achieve consistency of signalling, you need software that combines information extracted from automation, traffic and MAM systems with the programmer’s business rules to create metadata that accurately describes the playing ads or program segments, and all the events’ boundaries. You then also need the ability to deliver that signalling to all your distribution partners in any SCTE 35 profile they require. Fast and Secure Ad replacement needs to happen instantaneously in a live feed to ensure a great viewing experience. This means that signalling needs to be delivered in real-time, or better yet, in advance so that ads can be replaced quickly. At the same time, it is critical that signalling is only delivered to the correct distribution partners. So in addition to having to work fast, broadcasters need to also ensure that their system is secure. Maximizing Ad Revenue Once addressable advertising is enabled for the entire ad inventory, broadcasters should also look to maximize its potential. While the signalling metadata is critical, supplemental data can provide greater details about the linear ad load and contextual information about the programs that contain the ads. This data, delivered to distribution partners can further enhance their ability to serve ads that are targeted and relevant. Knowing the guests on a TV program, its genre, who the teams are in a game, as well as the details of advertisements in the breaks, provides enhanced information to Ad Decision Services for better decisioning and the serving of more targeted ads. Ultimately all of that will lead to engaged consumers and happy advertisers. TVAplus
october 2019 television asia plus | 23
focus
BBC Global News brings audiences new series on global trade, delivered in association with FedEx BBC Global News, the BBC’s international commercial news division and FedEx Express have struck a commercial sponsorship and branded content deal around a brand new multi-platform series on global trade Made on Earth explores the story of the world’s remarkable and ever adapting trading networks, which help businesses reach billions of potential customers around the world. The editorial series reveals key moments, worldwide shifts and changing trends happening in the industries involved in creating eight everyday products – spices, paper, coffee, flowers, whisky, handbags, bicycles and semiconductors. From rose farmers in Kenya to florists in the UK, brewers in Scotland to bar managers in China, Made on Earth takes audiences on a journey across the world to discover the reliance on global connectivity for consumer goods. The commercial deal involves FedEx Express becoming the exclusive sponsor of the new TV and digital series on BBC World News – which is watched by over 100 million people every week - and BBC.com, which reaches more than 110 million unique users each month. To appeal to an even wider audience base, the series will also be subtitled into local languages to appear on international BBC News sites including BBC Afrique, BBC Brasil, BBC Chinese, BBC Mundo and BBC.jp in Japan, adding extra value to the deal. As part of the partnership, the BBC has created a bespoke digital hub at BBC.com/made on earth. The hub will feature articles, links to episodes on the BBC’s dedicated video streaming section, BBC Reel, and a series of commercial films created by BBC StoryWorks, BBC Global News’ commercial content-marketing division, which will also be available on BBC World News and on selected BBC social media
Sean O’Hara
24 | television asia plus october 2019
BBC Presenter Finn Aberdein talks to Kartika, a worker at Abraham Kallummachal’s spice farm in India
handles. Following the first run of the series in the autumn, the Made on Earth content will retain its presence on the BBC’s platforms, ensuring ongoing audience engagement. Sean O’Hara, Executive Vice President, BBC StoryWorks & Advertising, said: “International trade plays a crucial role in providing people around the world with access to products which enhance their daily lives, so we are delighted to join up with such a prestigious global brand as FedEx Express to offer audiences this fascinating insight into the vast trading networks which shape the way in which we all live.” Brie Carere, FedEx Corporation EVP and chief marketing and communications officer, said: “Global trade is our business. This strategic partnership with BBC Global News gives a voice to the entrepreneurs, manufacturers and consumers of goods from around the world and shows the endless possibilities available. The unique combination of the BBC’s compelling storytelling and worldwide reach will ensure that the subject of international trade will make an impact with audiences globally.” TVAplus
Whisky Bar Manager Chris Wang
technology
CommScope brings unprecedented choice and control to broadband network creators; reveals dramatic gains in scale and lower latency Technology breakthroughs will drive immediate innovation in the core, access layer, and edge; new topologies signal marriage of 5G and cable technology; new customer initiatives push boundaries.
Continuing its leadership in next-generation network technologies, CommScope today announced three new breakthroughs that dramatically improve network scale, speed and latency. The advances – in architecture design, interface speed, and edge performance – create unprecedented choice and control for broadband network operators. All will become elements of the company’s Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) and 10G portfolios. CommScope will discuss and demonstrate the new technologies at the SCTE•ISBE Cable-Tec Expo beginning September 30th in New Orleans. “The most important new use cases are relentless about response time. Faster speed plus lower latency is the new normal,” said Morgan Kurk, executive vice president and chief technology officer, CommScope. “Three things are required to achieve this—an end-to-end view of the network; an agnostic approach to technology; and a distributed architecture that breeds innovation in the core, throughout the access layer, and at the edge.” The company separately announced significant progress with European and U.S. service providers delivering the earliest benefits of 10G innovations and at varying stages of network transformations. “The innovations being fielded now are all about anticipating the network of tomorrow,” said Kurk. “5G especially requires a flexible network, and open architectures gain new importance when cloud plus edge approaches become the imperative.” CommScope will also use the Expo to mark the 10th anniversary of its first virtualized, cloud-based solution for cable providers. The company offered its first managed service in 2006, and its first conventional cloud service in 2009. CommScope has been at the leading edge of technology development in media and broadband networks for more than 20 years. It disclosed its foundational work in 10G earlier this year, and announced a breakthrough, 8.5 Gbps network trial with Virgin Media in Europe shortly thereafter. Raising the Performance Bar from Core to Edge CommScope will detail technology breakthroughs next week that improve performance at the core, throughout the access layer, and at the edge: • DAA Aggregator – This massively scalable new architecture extends fiber deeper into the network, lowers total cost of ownership, and requires relatively minor changes to existing fibre deep networks. The change significantly increases the number of homes passed per RPD serving group – from 20 to 40 to between 150 to 300 – enabling deeper reach into neighbourhoods and a simplified path to network upgrades. • Extended Soft FDD – This new combination of software-only Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Extended Spectrum DOCSIS® (ESD) – pushes network interface speeds beyond 1.2 GHz and is already being hailed as a preliminary flavour of DOCSIS 4.0. The advance comes just four months after the company first demonstrated soft FDD.
Morgan Kurk Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
CommScope
• Revolutionary new DOCSIS timing protocol – Precise timing distribution over the DOCSIS network is now possible. Such precision is imperative for time-critical processing and applications, where a fraction of a second means the difference between success and failure. Current and future applications include mobile backhaul, virtual reality, and autonomous vehicle control. “It’s no longer enough to have the fastest network,” said Tom Cloonan, CommScope chief technologist for network solutions in the company’s Office of the CTO. “2020 is about efficiency and simplicity. There will be significant changes to architectures over time, and it’s important to work with a company that has both industry-leading technology and the expertise to execute at any point in that transformation.” “CommScope furthers its industry leadership role by introducing new solutions that address the needs of cable operators as they modernize their networks,” said Liliane Offredo-Zreik of ACG Research. “CommScope has the most comprehensive portfolio that meets the evolving and increasingly divergent needs of the cable industry.” Europe, U.S. Building Gigabit Cities from the Ground Up CommScope also today revealed European and U.S. networktransformation projects currently underway, including its role as a foundation of Europe’s first eight Gigabit Cities with Liberty Global in Southampton (England), Utrecht (Netherlands), Warsaw (Poland), and Bochum, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Mannheim (Germany). The European projects build on CommScope’s regional momentum, including groundbreaking Remote PHY work being done for Stofa and Eltrona. Toward that end, the company also announced it anchors a forthcoming fibre-to-the-home conversion through which municipal network innovator Wyandotte Municipal Services/Wyandotte Cable (Wyandotte, Michigan) will offer smart home applications. Wyandotte’s aggressive and innovative plan for full conversion to fibre-to-the-home relied on CommScope’s advisory services to identify its strategic opportunity, assess the various technology and architecture options, and ultimately design its path forward. The final end-to-end plan included relocating and expanding their headend. The advanced edge performance also lays the groundwork for wireless integration. TVAplus
october 2019 television asia plus | 25
review
2019 International Emmy nominees span 21 Countries NEW YORK — Nominations for the 2019 International Emmy Awards were announced by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. There are 44 Nominees across 11 categories and 21 countries. The full list of Nominees follows this release. Winners will be announced at a black-tie ceremony on November 25, 2019 at the Hilton New York Hotel. Nominees come from: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom & the United States. In addition to the presentation of the International Emmy Awards for programming and performances, the Academy will present special awards to Christiane Amanpour, one of the world’s most preeminent broadcast journalists, currently Chief
International Anchor for CNN and host of PBS’ nightly global affairs show Amanpour; and to Game of Thrones’ Creators and Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who masterfully brought to the screen the epic world of George R.R. Martin’s best-selling fantasy novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Since its debut in 2011, Game of Throneshas been billed as one of the world’s most popular television series; airing in over 207 countries and territories. This year’s Gala partners are: Phoenix Satellite Television, TV Globo, RT America, Ay Yapim, Ernst & Young, Deluxe, Miptv, Sofitel Hotels and Variety. TVAplus
CyberArk Global Advanced Threat Landscape 2019 Report SINGAPORE — According to a new global survey from CyberArk, 45 percent of local organisations believe attackers can infiltrate their networks each time they try. As organisations increase investments in automation and agility, a general lack of awareness about the existence of privileged credentials – across DevOps, robotic process automation (RPA) and in the cloud – is compounding risk. According to the CyberArk Global Advanced Threat Landscape 2019 Report for Singapore, less than half of organisations have a privileged access security strategy in place for
DevOps, IoT and other technologies that are foundational to digital initiatives. This creates a perfect opportunity for attackers to exploit legitimate privileged access to move laterally across a network to conduct reconnaissance and progress their mission. Preventing this lateral movement is a key reason why organisations are mapping security investments against key mitigation points along the cyber kill chain, with 30 percent of total planned security spend in the next two years to focus on stopping privilege escalation and lateral movement. TVAplus
GMA premieres suspense-mystery drama
Hitachi Kokusai Cameras enable high IMAG and streaming quality for FAC WOODBURY, NY — 80-yearold First Alliance Church (FAC) in Calgary, Alberta produces two distinct live video feeds of their services, each optimized for a particular purpose – image magnification (IMAG) to enrich the worship experience for on-site visitors, and online streaming to reach congregants unable to attend in person. Overhauling their production infrastructure to HD, FAC purchased four Z-HD5500 cameras from Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. (Hitachi Kokusai) to capture high-quality video for both applications while accurately reproducing the church’s rich LED lighting effects. Approximately 3000 people gather each weekend at FAC Calgary to attend one of the church’s three Saturday evening and Sunday morning services. Replacing their aging, standard-definition analog equipment as part of a major upgrade initiative, the church found the Z-HD5500s to be a perfect fit for their goals and environment. Supplied by systems integrator Applied Electronics, the Hitachi cameras have exceeded Nadeau-
Bonilla’s high expectations for their LED lighting reproduction. Under the guidance of video director Russell Moore, the church’s volunteer video team creates separate productions for online streaming and for IMAG on the church’s two 24-by-13 foot Stewart Filmscreen front projection screens on the sides of the stage. FAC Calgary chose equipment from Ross Video including a Carbonite Black 2S switcher as part of their HD upgrade, and were pleased to discover the tight integration between the Hitachi cameras and the Ross Dashboard open control and monitoring platform. Most importantly, the new cameras have helped the church meet their goals of improving the visual experience for worshippers both on-site and online. TVAplus
26 | television asia plus october 2019
The cast of “Obsession” (L to R): Megan Young, Rayver Cruz, Kris Bernal, and Kim Domingo
GMA Network recently premiered its newest suspense-drama Obsession (Hanggang Sa Dulo Ng Buhay Ko). It tells the gripping tale of a woman who faces off an unusual rival - the vengeful spirit of her husband’s ex-girlfriend. The series is top-billed by Miss Earth 2013 Megan Young (The Stepdaughters) and Kris Bernal (Impostora). The story begins when Yvie (Young) senses a sinister presence in her house. She feels a spirit watching her, trying to disrupt her happy life with her husband, Matteo and their adopted son, Santino. Yvie tells Matteo about this, but he does not listen to her. He believes his wife is showing signs of schizophrenia, a mental disorder which Yvie’s mother is suffering from. The spirit grows stronger and possesses Katya, Yvie’s best friend and causes her to do horrific things to take away Matteo and Santino from her. Yvie seeks the help of a psychic and discovers that the evil spirit is the ghost of Naomi, Matteo’s vengeful ex-girlfriend who committed suicide after he left her. Yvie courageously fights for her family and faces off with a Naomi’s spirit who will stop at nothing to wreak havoc in her life. TVAplus
review
DocuBay secures license tvN celebrates deal with Ananda Media Singapore’s National Day with exclusive line-up
MUMBAI, INDIA AND NEW YORK, USA — DocuBay, the premium international documentary VOD streaming service by IN10 Media Group, announced a license deal with Ananda Media, the Francebased global distributor of action sports and adventure travel programming. The license deal features award-winning titles shot in 4K and from a wide range of topics including Latino boxing culture, solo Arctic sailors, adventure climbing, and the sport of aerial silks. All the films will be available for streaming on DocuBay when the service launches globally in August 2019. Notable titles acquired from Ananda Media include award-winning features like Sea Gypsies: The Far Side of the World, a feature about a crew of miscreants sailing on a 120-foot hand-built sailboat across 8,000 miles from New Zealand to Patagonia; Food Patriots, a feature chronicling one family’s attempt at shifting away from processed foods to more fresh, local and organic choices after their son battles an antibiotic superbug; Vertical Belles explores an all-female aerial silks
group in a small Canadian town and the journey of this death-defying artistry; and El Boxeo, the awardnominated feature of the emergence and dominance of Latinos in boxing, once a traditional all-white sport. Notable 4K titles acquired include Una – The One, a feature following the story of the endangered Una River in the Balkan region; The British Backpacker Society: Across the Sahara, an adventure story of a young group of British backpackers using any means necessary to reach the shoreline of Senegal; and Running For Good: The Fiona Oakes Documentary, a feature by award-winning director Keegan Kuhn that follows world record marathon runner Fiona Oakes in her attempt to set a new global record in endurance racing. TVAplus
Yvan Lucas reunites with Quentin Tarantino LONDON — The latest movie written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, took the 2019 Cannes Film Festival by storm. The film visits late 60’s Los Angeles with colour and vitality realised by cinematographer Robert Richardson. To create the distinctive vintage look of the period, Yvan Lucas, a veteran DI colourist with a unique international story, made the most of the rich functionality of the Baselight grading platform. Lucas, based in Los Angeles, is a pioneer of colour timing. He started at film lab Éclair in Paris before moving to DI grading and eventually to the US. His career spans over 30 years and ten different labs, and has included creative collaborations with a long list of iconic cinematographers, including Darius Khondji, Robert Richardson and Rodrigo Prieto. Lucas credits the work he did with Khondji and director Jean-Pierre Jeunet – especially Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children – on
launching his international career and leading him to Los Angeles. With his incredible eye and memory for colour, Lucas has been credited with dailies and DI on over 60 features on both sides of the pond, including Se7en, Amelie, I am Legend, Argo, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Lost City of Z and the upcoming Martin Scorsese film The Irishman. He has become a key figure in the film industry, working with highly regarded directors such as Luc Besson, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. And, of course, Quentin Tarantino. TVAplus
SINGAPORE — In celebration of Singapore’s National Day on 9 August, tvN has curated a 7-day exclusive line-up, giving audience the best Korean entertainment experience. Viewers can enjoy the latest drama, express variety shows, including the much-loved Na PD shows, as well as global K-pop music shows all in one place. Tune in to Singtel Ch. 518 / 619 and StarHub Ch. 824, during their free preview period (Singtel: 6-12 Aug; StarHub: 8-14 Aug), to get a taste of what tvN offers! The special line-up opens with a BANG – running a marathon of the latest women-empowering Korean drama, Search: WWW, starring a stellar female main cast Im Soo-jung, Lee Da-hee and Jeon Hae-jin, alongside model-turn-actor Jang Gi-yong. The drama follows the career and love lives of three ambitious women who work at Korea’s leading search engine companies. The tear-jerking finale leaves audience with a smile and satisfaction. Binge watch the whole series again from 6-9 August (Tue - Fri) from 15:00, 4-episode back-toback broadcast. For the weekends, tvN has prepared side-splitting line-up, extending
its Na’ight (Na PD’s night) to the afternoon. Watch a mini marathon of fans’ favourite Kang’s Kitchen 3, which sees the return of beloved member Kyu-hyun from Super Junior, who took a hiatus from the show as he served his military service. With his return, the gang also switch from running a noodle/snack restaurant to a pizza house! Catch your dose of happiness on 10 August (Sat) from 15:00 for the 2-episode back-to-back broadcast. TVAplus
Qligent brings Multiplatform TV Monitoring to TecnoTelevisión México LONDON — Qilgent, a specialist in cloud-based, enterprise-level content monitoring and analysis, is ramping up its visibility in Latin America with its first regional, standalone exhibition at the 2019 TecnoTelevisión México Conference. The industry’s first vendor to offer a truly cloud- and service-based monitoring and analysis platform for multiplatform television, Qligent will demonstrate its flagship Vision Compliance/QoS/QoE media quality assurance platform along with its groundbreaking VisionAnalytics solution. Qligent exhibits at Stand 816 from August 14-16 at the World Trade Center in Mexico City, Mexico. While this occasion marks the first year this trade show is taking place in Mexico City, the event is expected to attract a broad swath of media creation and delivery professionals from the broadcast, cable TV, digital post production, and new media markets. Qligent will share its booth
with GAD Electronics of Argentina, its manufacturer’s representative and regional partner serving the Central and South American markets. The two companies will remain tightly integrated across all sales and marketing throughout Latin and South America as they work to bring Qligent’s message and value proposition to customers throughout the region. TVAplus
october 2019 television asia plus | 27
review
New Cobalt Digital New HBO Asia original Solutions Support 4K series Adventure Of The Workflows for Studio and Ring begins production Mobile Applications NEW YORK — Cobalt Digital will showcase its card-based 4K and HDR workflow solutions for openGear frames next month at IBC2019 in Amsterdam (Stand 10.B44). Product highlights will include its new decoders and encoders, RIST Main Profile, bidirectional SDR/HDR conversion solution for live production, and new multiviewers and distribution amplifiers. Plus, the company will debut a new 12G openGear router and RIST gateway solution. The new 9992-DEC Series of HEVC/AVC/MPEG-2 decoders for openGear frames will be introduced at the show. Like the company’s 9992-ENC series of encoders the flexible 9992-DEC features payas-you-go licensing, so users only pay for required features when needed. Designed to meet the most stringent requirements for today’s broadcasters, the 9992DEC supports up to 4K resolution and offers a full complement of audio decoding capabilities. The series also includes the 9992-2DEC dual-channel decoder, as well as the 9992-DEC-4K-HEVC with singlechannel 4K or dual-channel 2K and support for H.265. Earlier this year, Cobalt was one of several companies to receive an Emmy Award for its collaborative work on ARQ, the underlying technology powering RIST. At IBC, Cobalt will debut support for the RIST Main Profile, which adds features such as encryption (DTLS or PSK), tunneling, NAT traversal, point-to-multipoint distribution, low bit rate optimization, and reliable ST-2110 transport. New advancements in HDR at the show include a complete end-toend HDR workflow within Cobalt’s 9904-UDX-4K up/down/cross converter. Utilizing Technicolor’s suite of HDR tools, which can be
Cobalt Digital 9992-DEC Decoder
bundled into a single ordering option, the 9904 can generate dynamic metadata when converting from HDR to SDR and back to HDR, preserving the full HDR picture information. Cobalt continues to develop its popular 9971 Series of multiviewers, adding dual outputs and user controls. Delivering uncomplicated monitoring of asynchronous 4K and HD signals, all three models accommodate a variety of signals and applications. All models also include HDMI outputs for economical viewing on consumer-grade 4K monitors. Onebutton template presets simplify setup, but users can also create and save customized layouts. Up to five 9971 can be installed in one 2 RU openGear frame – and multiple cards in a cascaded chain can provide multiviewer layouts of up to 64 sources. The new 9915 Series of DAs support 4K 12G-SDI sources and allow for copper runs long enough to reach most equipment within master control. One of four models in the series, the 9915DA4x16-XPT-12G, includes four input channels that can be crosspointrouted to 16 DA outputs in several configurations. Up to 10 cards can be installed in one openGear frame, allowing for up to 40 channels of input and distribution to up to 160 outputs. TVAplus
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TAIWAN — HBO Asia announced that principal photography has begun in Taiwan for the eight-part hourlong Mandarin romantic comedy series, Adventure Of The Ring. Shooting will take place in Taipei till October 2019. Set and filmed in Taiwan, the series is scheduled to premiere next year across HBO Asia’s 23 territories on their on-air, online and ondemand platforms. Adventure Of The Ring tells the stories of different couples who come in contact with an engagement ring. On a morning commute, the ring is misplaced by a man on the day of his proposal, threatening to disrupt all his plans. Chris Wang (Time Traveler, Love Family) plays Yi Zhi, the man who loses the ring and Allison Lin (HBO Asia Original The World Between Us, Family Time) is Lisa, Yi Zhi’s intended bride. As the search for the ring continues, Yi Zhi and Lisa re-examine what love means to them as the ring travels through the hands of other couples and impact their lives. Helmed by Nelson Yeh (Far And Away, Mad King Of Taipei) and directed by Golden Bell nominated director, Kitamura Tayoharu (Running Man, Q Series – Love Of Sandstorm), the series
stars Chris Wang (Time Traveler, Love Family) and Allison Lin (HBO Asia Original The World Between Us, Family Time). This series is produced in partnership with Good Image with support from The Ministry of Culture of Taiwan, Taipei Film Commission and Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation. HBO Asia started producing Original productions in 2012. To date, HBO Asia has aired 16 Original productions including award-winning series, movies and documentaries such as HBO Asia’s first Japanese drama series Miss Sherlock; the network’s first original documentary, The Talwars: Behind Closed Doors; its first Chinese language drama series, The Teenage Psychic; two seasons of the network’s dark fantasy series Halfworlds; and a horror mini-series, Grace. Later this year, HBO Asia will premiere the second season of the award-winning series, The Teenage Psychic; a brand-new anthology series Food Lore, heartfelt stories told against the backdrop of Asian cuisine, as well as Invisible Stories, a drama series about the extraordinary stories hidden behind ordinary people. TVAplus
review
FilmLight presents Colour On Stage at IBC2019
colour as exemplified by the hit film, ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’. • Joining forces: Strengthening VFX and finishing with the BLG workflow Mathieu Leclercq, Head of Post-Production at Mikros Image in Paris, is joined by Colourist Sebastian Mingam and VFX Supervisor Franck l’Alberta to showcase their collaboration on recent projects. • Maintaining the DOP’s creative looks from set to post Meet with French Digital Imaging Technician Karine Feuillard ADIT, who worked on the latest Luc Besson film ‘Anna’ as well as the TV series ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’, and FilmLight Workflow Specialist Matthieu Straub. • New colour management and creative tools to make multidelivery easier Explore the latest and upcoming Baselight developments, including a host of features aimed to simplify delivery for emerging technologies such as HDR. With FilmLight’s Martin Tlaskal, Daniele Siragusano and Andy Minuth. TVAplus
Free programme expanded to two days to provide greater opportunities to see industry leaders in finishing demonstrate their craft.
LONDON — At IBC 2019, FilmLight is hosting the free two-day seminar series, Colour On Stage, on 14-15 September 2019. The event provides an opportunity for visitors to participate in live presentations and discussions with colourists and other creative professionals at the peak of their craft.
Cignal TV expands playout capabilities with Imagine Communications
From shining a light on the FilmLight BLG ecosystem in VFX, to the role of the colourist today, to understanding colour management and next generation grading tools – this event helps guide attendees through the opportunities and challenges of modern colour finishing and delivery. Originally staged as a one-day event at both IBC2018 and NAB2019, Colour On Stage has been expanded both due to its popularity and in order to provide sessions with artists throughout the production and post colour pipeline. This year’s IBC programme includes colourists from broadcast, film and commercials, as well as DITs, editors, VFX artists and post-production supervisors. To date, programme highlights include: • Creating the unique look for ’Mindhunter’ Season 2 Join colourist Eric Weidt as he talks about his collaboration with director David Fincher – from defining the workflow to creating the look and feel of ‘Mindhunter’. Eric will break down scenes and run through colour grading details of the masterful crime thriller. • Real-time collaboration on the world’s longest running continuing drama, ITV Studios’ ‘Coronation Street’ Improving production processes and enhancing pictures with efficient renderless workflows, with Colourist Stephen Edwards, Finishing Editor Tom Chittenden and Head of Post Production David Williams. • Looking to the future: Creating colour for the TV series ‘Black Mirror’ Colourist Alex Gascoigne of Technicolor explains the process behind grading ‘Black Mirror’, including the interactive episode Bandersnatch and the latest Season 5. • Bollywood: A World of Colour Delve into the Indian film industry with CV Rao, Technical General Manager at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. In this talk, CV will discuss grading and
Compact, powerful playout platform adds functionality and resilience; provides stepping stone to IP connectivity in the future
HONG KONG — Cignal TV, the leading satellite broadcaster in the Philippines, has expanded its playout capacity using the fully integrated Versio modular playout solution from Imagine Communications. Cignal TV broadcasts premium content on both television and radio to more than two million subscribers across the country. To meet the expectations of its audience, Cignal TV continually adds high-quality content and channels. The new playout system gives the broadcaster increased scalability and speed to market with a future-proofed, software-based solution. Imagine Communications worked with systems integrator Composite Technology Inc. on the geo-dispersed Versio solution, which expands the system to 4+1 channels,
providing redundancy on every channel. The channels have the capability of live broadcasting, switching via Cignal’s existing Platinum VX router. Imagine’s market-proven ADC automation system ensures reliable, flexible and efficient operations across the entire workflow. Content is stored on an Imagine Versio IOX SAN highperformance online storage system, connected to the Versio array over 10 gigabit fiber ethernet. The Versio software also provides the broadcast graphics, and a Nexio Motion workflow engine provides content management. Imagine and Composite Technology delivered the project as a turnkey supply, with strong continuing support from Imagine’s local and regional engineering teams. TVAplus
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review
Qligent Strengthens Vision Analytics Platform
ACMP Change Management Europe 2019 Conference focuses on broadcast and digitalisation FRANKFURT AM MAIN — At the European Conference of the international Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP), experts from industry, academia and consulting will examine topics that play a decisive role in the areas of digitalisation and change in a manner that is both interactive and relevant to the real world. A number of presentations will focus on the disruption caused by modern broadcast technology, an area where change management is increasingly in demand. Essentially, the focus is always on measures companies can use to implement transformations together with their employees as smoothly as possible.
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — Qligent has updated its industry-first, awardwinning Vision Analytic innovation for IBC2019 with a fully matured, open platform that harnesses the power of data mining, machine learning, and predictive data analytics. Vision Analytics exists to address three main concerns: user engagement, silent sufferers, and audience churn. Qligent will exclusively showcase Vision Analytics at a special stand (14.C19) from September 13-17 in the RAI Exhibition and Conference Center; Qligent will also retain its usual location at Stand 8.E47. Vision Analytics addresses the “4 Vs” of big data: velocity, volume, variety and veracity. Its engines leverage scalable cloud processing to manage a nearly limitless number of static, dynamic or event-based datasets to help broadcasters, MVPDs and OTT service providers quickly address issues and take corrective and preventative action. The software samples video content and aggregates data from a variety of systems and components throughout the ecosystem to understand and correlate the factors that contribute to higher engagement. With a reliable data set, users can develop a host of analysis results, visualizations, and automated reports to suit unique business needs. Qligent has added several important new features to Vision Analytics for IBC2019: • Key Quality Indicators (KQIs) with specific performance parameters for broadband and internet delivery • Service-independent correlation engines to identify and reconcile problems over any delivery network • An intuitive Reports Builder application that allows users to create actionable reports, customizable to each service • A new Dashboard Constructor for web and mobile devices that allows users more flexibility in adding widgets, graphs and other customized reporting elements meaningful to their operations • A refined predictive analytics model to more effectively combat buffering issues for IPTV, OTT and mobile delivery services Qligent’s unique deployment of networked and virtual probes creates an endto-end, controlled data mining environment to produce trusted and secondary opinion datasets within Vision Analytics. The analytics engines are never thrown off by variables, such as operator error, viewer disinterest, or user hardware malfunction, assuring that the integrity and variety of the data is maintained. All findings are presented on a user-friendly dashboard and reports that summarizes key performance indicators (KPIs), key quality indicators (KQIs), and other vital criteria pertaining to multiplatform content distribution across creation, delivery, and consumption. TVAplus
According to the German chapter of ACMP, there is a lot of catching up to do in the broadcast sector when it comes to change management. The most stateof-the-art technology implementation cannot achieve the desired efficiency gains if it is rejected by the very people who work with it. According to ACMP Global Board Member Rainer Dunkel, three crucial factors in particular need to be supported by targeted change measures: IP infrastructures as technical disruptors, increased cross-media workflows and agile working methods. All this represents an enormous change for employees. However, implemented correctly, IP-based broadcast networks, cross-media working and agility bring decisive competitive advantages. That’s why no media company can afford to ignore these trends. If management does not involve its own employees in the change process from the outset, any benefits will be partially or completely cancelled out. In the worst case, a company loses valuable employee resources. At the conference, speakers from well-known companies such as Axel Springer SE, Beiersdorf, Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, Imagine Communications, Lawo, Lufthansa and VMware will present solutions and discuss how to bring transformation to a successful conclusion. Executives, industry experts as well as experienced change management and digitalisation consultants will meet for an open, practise-focused exchange. TVAplus
MBC launches Creatives Communities Collaboration in LA Aiming to build closer working ties between Hollywood and the MENA region, supporting the professional skills of a new generation of creative media talents, MBC Group has announced the Creative Communities Collaboration (CCC). The programme sees partnership with the leading pay-TV group with the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts (USC) with the participation of selected Hollywood film and TV experts, senior U.S. government officials, top content industry players, scholars and MBC Group board members. Since 2016, MBC Group has partnered with the private media school, a number of leading Hollywood executives and showrunners to organise high-level entertainment
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industry gatherings and professional exchange programmes on the role of media in promoting tolerance through positive storytelling in the Arab world. One outcome of this process has been the Middle East Media Initiative (MEMI), a State Department-funded professional training programme produced by USC aimed at increasing the capacity and standards of the Arab world’s creative talents and original storytelling. TVAplus
review
CP Communications covers MultiVenueCrossFit Games with Hybrid Broadcast and Production System
T. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – CP Communications, a leader in innovative solutions and services for complex live event productions, exhibited the full power of IP streaming and bonded cellular networking for live sports production at the 13th CrossFit Games, which represents the world championship event for the athletic competition.
Contracted by Carr-Hughes Productions, CP Communications provided all content acquisition, networking and delivery services across all areas at the multi-venue, 20-acre Alliant Energy Center complex in Madison, Wisconsin. The complex includes an exhibition center, vendor pavilions, a sponsor’s row, a beer garden and an outdoor competition area – North Park Stadium – built specifically for this event. CP Communications established a base at the exhibition center outside the Alliant Energy Center, and built a fiber infrastructure from its 40-foot CP-1 Digital Communications Trailer to cover the entire competitive course. The fiber infrastructure also delivered the live event production feeds that were distributed throughout the complex, allowing fans, participants and sponsors to watch the events in real-time. The 13th CrossFit Games took place August 1-4, with a focus on aerobic, weightlifting and gymnastics for the nearly 200 male and female participants. The fiber infrastructure was based around four, 48-strand fiber trunks to a demarcation point, where anywhere from 24 to 60 fiber strands were run to the various competition and spectator areas. The fiber network accommodated all audio, data, and video acquisition, transport and distribution services required between these locations and CP-1, which served as CP Communications’ production workspace in the broadcast compound. MultiDyne VF-9000 high-density video fiber transmission frames and MD-3000 fiber transceivers were used at all locations to move and process signals between any point, with a Dante network deployed to supportaudio and intercom on the same fiber backbone. CP Communications’ technical personnel covered the event outside using multiple cameras (a mix of wireless RF handhelds, PTZ and POV cameras, and hard cameras on scissor lifts), with Mobile Viewpoint Airlinks used to encode and deliver signals over a bonded cellular network. The CrossFit organization also served as the World Feed host broadcaster, providing a completely IP-based world feed to various websites and social media services (including YouTube and Facebook) in multiple languages. CP Communications engineers monitored the all fiber, IP and bonded cellular feeds on board CP-1 — including the acquired signals coming back to the trailer, and the world feed transmissions going out. CP Communications also took advantage of the public internet by deploying a Unity Intercom system for team-wide communications. TVAplus
Synamedia unveils new solutions and services to combat piracy at IBC 2019 LONDON – At IBC 2019, Synamedia, the world’s largest independent video software provider, will unveil enhancements to its security portfolio that help combat the evolving threat from hyper-distributed piracy in the age of infinite entertainment. Synamedia’s Streaming Privacy Disruption managed service features a single workflow across both broadcast and IP streaming for easy and comprehensive security management on any distribution and delivery network. Also new is the ability to disrupt leaks immediately without waiting for third-party takedown. Synamedia also offers an effective way for its infinite customers to convert viewers of pirated content to legitimate subscribers by replacing basic takedown warnings with notices that encourage viewers to sign up, resulting in new revenue streams. Another highlight from Synamedia will be Intelligent Piracy Monitor for Streaming Piracy Disruption customers. Unlike other analytics services that only use standard web site crawling techniques, Synamedia offers deeper intelligence about piracy from its world-class Operational Security (OpSec team). This gives customers a detailed analysis of the nature and scale of the problem and the impact of anti-piracy initiatives. Also new from Synamedia’s OpSec team is an anti-piracy service for any content owner wishing to deepen its understanding of pirates’ activities. This new service leverages significant investment in Synamedia’s forensics lab with a focus on reverse engineering, as well as an expanded team that comprises psychology and criminology experts working alongside engineers, intelligence analysts, cyber- and field-investigators. Synamedia is also unveiling enhancements to its award-winning Credential Sharing Insight, which helps combat both casual and for-profit credentials sharing and turn casual account sharing into incremental revenues. New security responses for compromised accounts are tailored differently for the account owner and the accounts sharers. At IBC, Synamedia will also highlight its platform-agnostic approach by showcasing deployments on RDK, Android TV and Synamedia Evo. Synamedia has pre-integrated its security software into set-top boxes from Android TV ecosystem partners including Sagemcom and Arris, helping customers such as Viasat and Get accelerate their time to market. Synamedia’s security software is also deployed on Vodafone Deutschland’s GigaTV service running on RDK devices, and on its Evo platform at a large number of customers worldwide. Synamedia’s VP Intelligence and Security Operations, Avigail Gutman, will be speaking on the topic of ‘Protecting Content Distribution’ at the IBC Cyber Security Forum on Thursday, 12th September at 15:00. Orly Amsalem, Senior Product Manager, Security, Synamedia will be on an IBC Content Everywhere hub panel ‘Securing content to protect revenues and the eco-system’ on Tuesday, 17th September at 11:00. TVAplus
MTV announces new line-up for the quarter T. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – In a country with diverse audience preferences, MTV has stood the test of time and withheld its position as India’s no.1 youth entertainment brand. Creating platform agnostic youth content, the first half of calendar year 2019 has been rewarding for MTV. Be it with content that struck a chord, campaigns that won accolades or brand partnerships that went beyond conventions, MTV has continued to bring the best to young India. From discovering the complexities of relationships in MTV Splitsvilla 12 or learning to fight one’s own insecurities in Ace of Space to now creating the country’s first ever hip-hop talent with Hustle, MTV invariably places youngsters’ entertainment and interests at the forefront, rightfully owning the position of India’s #1 youth brand. Continuing to be the torch-bearer of all music formats in India, MTV Hustle will foster India’s hip-hop culture for the first time through television. As India’s first-ever rap reality show, MTV Hustle is being judged by hip hop stalwarts Nucleya, Raja Kumari and Raftaar who will mentor and support the contestants. The show will witness 15 rap talents from across India, battle it out through gruelling training and competition to emerge as India’s biggest hip-hop star. TVAplus
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review
GMA dramas make waves in Southeast Asia
Beautiful Stranger
GMA dramas continue to make waves across Southeast Asia. A number of GMAproduced series are currently being aired in Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam through successful partnerships between the Network’s content distribution subsidiary, GMA Worldwide, Inc. (GWI), and prominent broadcasters and content aggregators across the region. In Malaysia, the acclaimed GMA drama Legally Blind is gaining popularity through free TV channel TV3 Malaysia. Starring Janine Gutierrez, the series is about a blind lawyer seeking justice after she became a victim of rape. The series premiered July 1 and took over the timeslot of another popular GMA Drama, A Woman Scorned (Ika-6 Na Utos). Legally Blind is also being aired in Vietnam through Vietnam Television’s cable division Saigon Tourist Cable Television Company Limited (SCTV) on SCTV17, as part of their line-up of dramas for August. Another GMA series in Vietnam is the revenge drama Beautiful Strangers currently aired by Vietnam Cable TV’s Giai Trí TV. The top-rating series stars two of the Philippines’ most bankable dramatic actresses, Heart Evangelista and Lovi Poe as two women at odds with each other who later realize that their true enemy is yet to be revealed. In Brunei, GWI brings romantic comedy series Poor Señorita, broadcast by the country’s oldest free-to-air terrestrial television channel, Radio Televisyen Brunei’s (RTB) Aneka. The series tells the story of a rich heiress who decides to give up her wealth after being mistakenly diagnosed with cancer. Finally, in Thailand, GMA’s adaptation of the hit Korean drama My Love From The Star recently premiered through the cooperation between JKN Global Media and digital terrestrial television channel GMM 25. The Philippine version of the series stars Jennylyn Mercado as a movie star who falls in love with her neighbor, played by Gil Cuerva, who turns out to be an alien from another planet. GMA’s top-rating dramas continue to be loved by viewers across Southeast Asia, and GWI remains to be the premiere source of quality Filipino dramas known for stories that push the boundaries of the imagination while combining all the elements needed for capturing viewers. TVAplus
The 16th China Intl Film & TV Program Exhibition announces major exhibitors & conferences
BEIJING CHINA & NEW YORK — Ms. Jianing Shen, EVP of CITVC (China International Television Corporation) & GM of CHNPEC, announced the line-up of major exhibitors and a robust 2-day conference agenda for the CIFTPE (China International Film & Television Program Exhibition). The CIFTPE will take place in Beijing on September 11-12 at a new venue, the China National Convention Center (Beijing) and will feature projects and companies from China’s Film & TV Import Export Association (FTIEA) as well as technology and creative conference panels. This year, for the first time, the CIFTPE attracted international media and content partners such as NATPE (the largest U.S. National Association of Television Program Executives) and will also welcome over 25 Embassy representatives and International organizations such as the U.K’s Department for International Trade, KBS Media, KOCCA (Korea’s Creative Content Agency), NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai), Myanmar Motion Picture Development Branch; and Embassies such as Romania, Spain, Austria, Ukraine, Malta, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Myanmar,
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Over 8,000 attendees are expected to attend, as are dozens of exhibitors from overseas. Exhibitors from China and abroad include; China Media Group (CCTV, CNR, CRI and CGTN), CITVC, CHNPEC (China Radio, Film & Television Programs Exchanging Center), CCTV Audio-Visual Archives, Shanghai Media Group (SMG), Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation (JSBC), Shandong Film & TV Production Co., Ltd., Taiwan Visual and Audio Production Association, Teledifusão de Macau S.A., MediaCorp TV Singapore, Daylight Entertainment Co., Ltd., New Classics Media Corporation Limited, Linmon Pictures, as well as major OTT platforms such as iQIYI, Tencent, Youku,along with gaming companies, VR content production companies. A strong conference program is being planned which will feature global executives from streaming platforms, major international studios, media technology experts, and more. Topics include: creative discussions for modern dramas; presentation for producers on how to navigate the international content industry, and more. TVAplus
Argosy supports TTL Video in infrastructure upgrades LONG CRENDON UK — Argosy, leading international supplier of critical infrastructure products for the broadcast, media and AV industries, has teamed with broadcast engineering and sports stadia facility specialists, TTL Video, to bring the infrastructure of newly promoted clubs into the UK’s top football division this coming season, in line with the very latest broadcast requirements.
Legally Blind
Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Algeria and others.
TTL Video managed the projects from end to end, supported by the provision of 30+ kilometres of fire retardant triax cabling, SMPTE hybrid cabling and 8-way COAX cabling from Argosy. The cable profiles are driven by the production requirements of the international broadcasters who cover the matches and by the leading UK outside broadcasting units that are stationed at the different stadia on match
Argosy supply latest audio and video cabling to support live HD and 4K broadcasting from stadia joining the premier league in the 2019/2020 season.
days. Just before the summer, Argosy delivered a range of cables to TTL Video for installation into the three stadia, including 10km of Draka higher-rate CPR grade HD triaxial video cable. TTL Video is the first company in the UK to use this extremely exciting innovation by Draka, as it is the first triaxial cable on the market to meet the recommended UK fire protection norms. TVAplus
review
5G boosts SK Telecom Q2
Premiere of Keeping Up With The Kardashians season seventeen
E!’s mega-hit series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, returns for its seventeenth season on September 9 at 9 PM. In the aftermath of a devastating betrayal that left her and her family shaken, this season Khloé sets out on a quest for healing as she navigates unfamiliar co-parenting territory and faces some setbacks along the way. As Kim awaits the arrival of her fourth baby, she receives an unnerving medical diagnosis that could change her life forever. Meanwhile, Kourtney reaches a milestone birthday.
The market data was revealed in second quarter results which showed that for the quarter ended 30 June 2019, the telco recorded revenue of KRW 4.437 trillion, operating income of KRW 322.8 billion, and net income of KRW 259.1 billion. On a consolidated basis, this meant that SK Telecom’s revenue and operating income increased by 2.4% and 0.1% respectively, quarter-on-quarter (QoQ). This also showed a revenue turnaround in mobile communications business and growth in media, security and commerce businesses. Media demonstrated both quantitative and qualitative growth in the second quarter backed by the increase of IPTV and Ultra HD subscribers. The line’s revenue increased by 15.2% year-on-year (YoY) and 2.1% QoQ to KRW 322.1 billion. SK Telecom added that its media business is preparing for a giant leap in the second half of 20189 when it will introduce a representative OTT service in Korea by integrating the oksusu and POOQ businesses. It will also drive a merger between SK Broadband and t-broad, a multiple system operator (MSO), to create a total media company with more than 8 million subscribers. TVAplus
Planetcast launches Cloud.X Turbo At IBC 2019 NEW DELHI — Planetcast media services limited, a global leader in Digital Media technologies announced the launch of its brand new cloud platform CLOUD.X TURBO, which simplifies the roll out of a TV channel in just 48 hours. The Planetcast design team has consolidated the experience of more than two decades of digital media origination in its latest version CLOUD.X TURBO. Planetcast will hold an exclusive preview of CLOUD.X TURBO at its booth number 1.F65 in hall 1 at IBC 2019 along with a live demo for the visitors at the show. CLOUD.X TURBO offers complete visibility of the entire digital media origination process to all the stakeholders in the digital media value chain. CLOUD.X TURBO has developed an intuitive common template that enables users to control storage, media, playlists, graphics, playout and even the cloud delivery. Planetcast has outshone the capabilities as true cloud solutions for complex workflow for digital and legacy media technologies. It provides a complete eco-system for Digital Media direct to the customers. The highly sophisticated software product CLOUD.X TURBO is the first on the planet to support live sports TV channels and various other formats for other mobile and device application. Planetcast provide Infrastructure as Services, Platform as Services (cloud playout, cloud OTT, Cloud Recaster) for distribution and service delivery platform specifically designed for Digital Media. Planetcast provide media transits in various formats SDI/ASI, IP, Satellite etc. TVAplus
In what’s becoming an annual family tradition, Kendall, Kylie, Kim and Kris head to New York for their most campy, and glamorous, Met Ball yet. In true Kardashian/Jenner style, Kylie throws a lavish birthday celebration for Khloé that she won’t soon forget. Tensions rise as Scott receives some unsolicited parenting advice from Kris’s boyfriend Corey, resulting in a family divide. Just when it seems no one in the family can see eye-toeye, Kris plans a bonding trip to Wyoming for a cattle drive to bring the family closer together. In a series first, Kim and Khloé break the fourth wall amid concerns that certain family members are not pulling their weight when it comes to sharing their lives for the cameras, threatening to take drastic action. In the face of adversity, the Kardashians set out to prove that headlines only tell part of the story and that this family can overcome any obstacles thrown their way. TVAplus
Southeast Asian Film Financing Project Market 2019 launches new selection panel SINGAPORE – The Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market 2019, on the platform of ScreenSingapore, announced the line-up of this year’s selection panel. On board this year is Carlene Tan, Senior Manager, Animation Development at The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia); Anderson Le, Co-director of Programming, Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) | Programmer, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival | Programming Consultant, Far East Film Festival; and Marie Roselle Y. Monteverde, Executive Vice President, Regal Entertainment, Inc. Enhancing the Ecosystem As an all-encompassing content market, the SAFF Project Market will expand and evolve as finalists meet with financiers, commissioners and investors, as well as listen in on a curated discussion panel by decision makers. Since its launch in 2015, the SAFF Project Market has become a key regional platform for established and upcoming content creators to come together and present their projects to the international marketplace. With approximately half of the projects coming through its ranks having been produced, in production, or acquiring financing, the SAFF Project Market has proven to be the region’s most effective film financing platform for filmmakers working in Southeast Asia. Encouraging Road Ahead Past finalists of the SAFF Project Market continue to make a mark for themselves, underlining the real value of being part of the alumni in connecting dots and making dreams come true. Kerwin Go, who participated as a finalist in 2017, has since seen his project Mina-Anud completed, with the anticipation of being released in the Philippines on August 21, 2019, through the participation of Regal Entertainment’s Marie Roselle, who met the project and its team at the market. A pioneering filmmaker in Laos, Mattie Do had her project, “The Long Walk” go into production in Sept 2018, since her own participation at the inaugural SAFF Project Market in 2015. Supported by Aurora Media Holdings and 108 Media, “The Long Walk” has been selected for the Venice International Film Festival and is due a release this year. ScreenSingapore takes place from 4 to 6 December 2019, and is a part of the Singapore Media Festival (SMF). TVAplus
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review
Olympic Channel documentary premieres 24 September MADRID – Demonstrating the unifying power of sport, Running in North Korea follows Olympians Aimee Fuller, from Great Britain, and Mirjam “Mimi” Jaeger, from Switzerland, in the intriguing country of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as they run the 2019 Pyongyang Marathon. The Olympic Channel original documentary premieres worldwide on Tuesday, 24 September at Olympic Channel website, its mobile apps and on connected TV devices. Running in North Korea captures the journeys of two Olympians as they travel to Pyongyang to participate in the 2019 Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, also known as the Pyongyang Marathon. During their week-long visit, Aimee Fuller and Mirjam “Mimi” Jaeger experience the local sports culture and meet fellow Olympians from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Fuelled by curiosity, wonder and a wish to connect with athletes no matter their nationality, the Olympic Channel original documentary is an inside look at the isolated country and showcases the power of sports to go beyond politics. The Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon is held annually every April and is one of the largest sporting events on the DPRK sporting calendar. Runners from around the world, including nearly 1,000 foreigners, participated in the 2019 event. The 26.2-mile course started in front of a near capacity crowd at the 50,000 seat Kim Il Sung Stadium and led participants by many of Pyongyang’s important landmarks, along the Taedong River and through residential neighbourhoods.
TechStorm Announces Extended Distribution in Philippines with Omnicontent Management INC. (OMI) Partnership SINGAPORE/MANILLA – TechStorm, the world’s first 24/7 HD channel on tech, startup and eSports focused award-winning TV shows today announced broadened distribution through partnership with Philippines’ OMNICONTENT MANAGEMENT INC. (OMI). OMNICONTENT MANAGEMENT INC. (OMI) is tasked to expand the channel’s inmarket presence to further strengthen carriage distribution with the country’s leading MSOs and provincial cable systems.
The Olympic Channel original production is made possible through the efforts of the National Olympic Committee of the DPRK who helped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to give the film crew access to the country. In January 2018, the IOC paved the way for the DPRK to compete at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 resulting in an athlete delegation of 22 athletes who competed in three sports and five disciplines. DPRK athletes joined the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the Opening Ceremony under the Korean Unification Flag. Offering unparalleled access to Olympic sports and athletes all year round, the Olympic Channel lets fans experience the power of sport and the excitement of the Olympic Games 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in 11 languages. The Olympic Channel over-the-top (OTT) service is available worldwide and subscription-free at Olympic Channel website, its mobile apps and on connected TV devices. TVAplus
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“We are overwhelmed by the enthusiastic market demand in Philippines and is pleased to work with OMI to bring TechStorm’s distribution further. OMNICONTENT MANAGEMENT, INC. (OMI) has a multi-decade long track record of channel distribution and we are pleased to work with them to offer our unique, unduplicated content entertainment”, says Debbie Lee, Founder & CEO of TechStorm. OMI Executive Vice President (EVP) Mr. Edric Dy said, “Our team is eagerly looking forward to this partnership to bring a refreshing, unique brand of entertainment that captures the imagination and aspirations of the Filipinos. TechStorm has an impressive first and exclusive content that focuses on tech gadgets, startup dreams and eSports, we know this will be a much welcome channel for many Filipino families across the country.” TechStorm will be bringing First & Exclusive programmes such as The Gadget Show and Buy It now to its viewers and in line with this huge announcement, premiere the World’s No. 1 Business reality show, Shark Tank Australia, the series feature multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons known as sharks who give budding entrepreneurs the chance to secure business deals will air double episodes from 8 September, every Sunday at 7pm. TVAplus
LGI Media secures sales for Spiky Gold Hunters MELBOURNE –LGI Media (formerly Looking Glass International) the Australian based distribution company specializing in factual programming has secured several pre-sales for its new fact-ent series Spiky Gold Hunters (6 x 60’). A+E Networks UK and The History Channel Iberia for its entertainment channel BLAZE and Foxtel/A&E Networks Australia have picked up Spiky Gold Hunters, the observational reality series produced by Pango Productions Ltd, Auckland. Commissioned by TV New Zealand Spiky Gold Hunters follows a team of six courageous, rough and tough free divers as they battle the tempestuous elements of Southern New Zealand to deliver the gastronomic equivalent of “gold” to fine diners around the globe. With real jeopardy these charismatic divers of the southern oceans takes
audiences on a wild ride both on and off the water as they look to get rich from one of the world’s finest and most in demand and expensive delicacies, a unique sea urchin harvested from one of the world’s fiercest oceans, right at the bottom of the world in New Zealand. They literally put their bodies on the line every single time they jump into the water in an attempt to feed the burgeoning international market’s hunger for this prized delicacy. This remarkable fact-ent series has also been acquired by Viasat World exclusively for Viasat Explore across CEE, Russia CIS and Nordics. TVAplus
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GMA Brings The Way To Your Heart to the Dominican Republic Through Latin Media Corp.
GMA opens a new territory as its groundbreaking drama “The Way to Your Heart” (Onanay) enters the Dominican Republic. Through the successful partnership between the Network’s content distribution subsidiary, GMA Worldwide, Inc. (GWI) and Latin Media Corp. (LMC), the Spanish-dubbed version of the series will be aired by Color Vision 9 as “El Amor Mas Grande” beginning October 7. The Way To Your Heart tells the story of a mother with achondroplastic dwarfism longing for the acceptance of her daughter, while struggling through her difficult situation complicated by the lies, prejudice and discrimination around her. The series was a huge ratings success in the Philippines and was widely praised for giving little people positive representation in media. Aside from The Way To Your Heart, GWI also has a distribution agreement with LMC for two of its hit dramas – The Heart Knows (Un Corazon Especial) and Stay With Me (Que Date A Mi Lado). GMA’s content are popularly known for stories that push the boundaries of the imagination, or explore daring, uncharted themes, while offering the audience a rich array of emotional experiences. With the premiere of The Way To Your Heart, GWI hopes to bring more GMA dramas to the Dominican Republic and continue to strengthen its presence in Latin America. TVAplus
Dejero Keeps IRONMAN Australia Connected in Challenging Conditions WATERLOO, ONTARIO – Dejero, an innovator in cloud-managed solutions that provide Emmy award winning video transport and Internet connectivity while mobile or in remote locations, recently provided five HEVC capable EnGo mobile transmitters and a 4-channel WayPoint receiver to Next Up Digital, for the 8-camera remote coverage of the professional race at IRONMAN Australia, in Port Macquarie via IRONMAN’s global social media channels. The 2019 IRONMAN Australia race consists of a 3.8 km swim course, a 180 km bike course, and 42.2 km run course. Next Up Digital was tasked with covering all 10 hours of racing which was broadcast live to Facebook’s new platform Facebook Watch. Given the extreme distance and constant movement of such an event, the crew required a flexible and reliable mobile broadcasting solution that could still transmit high-quality live streams while following athletes through the race.
Live broadcasting and streaming specialists, Next Up Digital, were tasked with finding a solution and put Dejero’s EnGo mobile transmitter through rigorous testing to ensure the coverage and production would be reliable given the scope of such a large event. TVAplus
Hit music talent show The Remix is nominated for the 2019 International Emmy® Awards Nominations for the 2019 International Emmy® Awards were announced by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Global Agency is proud to say that hit music talent show The Remix is a nominee. Winners will be announced in November at the International Emmy® Gala in New York. The Remix is a reality show created by the Indian production company Greymatter Entertainment. It has been sold 15 countries; including China, South Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia and Nepal. Currently the show is a preproduction of second season in South Africa. In 2018 The Remix has become an Amazon Prime Original show. The format became the first ever singing show of Amazon Prime Video and has streamed across 200 countries worldwide.
their own album with a famous music label. There are 16 pairs made up of a famous singer and a DJ, with a supporting music producer. The DJ and singer pairs have to work together to bring a new flavor to existing tracks. The idea is to create a better sound while retaining the groove and rhythm of the song, and they only have three days to prepare. Izzet Pinto, Founder and CEO of Global Agency, said: “We’re thrilled to be sharing this exciting news with the whole industry. We are immensely proud of the format’s persistent achievements. The Remix has always been one of our most attractive formats for buyers from many different territories. We believe that The Remix will win the 2019 International Emmy® Awards. TVAplus
The Remix also won an award at the 23rd Asian TV Awards as the Best Non Fiction Programme and was a winner at the Golden Umbrella Awards in the Best Entertainment Category by Mediamixx. The Remix is a music talent show where DJs and singers pair up and compete over 13 weeks for a big money prize and the chance to cut
Nickelodeon brings Slimefest to Asia SINGAPORE – Nickelodeon continues to expand its events business in the region, bringing the brand’s iconic SlimeFest to the Philippines. The slime-filled, multiplatform music and entertainment event for kids and families will be the first-ever SlimeFest in Asia. The event will take place at Manila’s Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on September 28. SlimeFest has seen success around the globe as a multiplatform music and entertainment event since its overseas inception in 2012 in Australia. Nearly 162,000 people have attended Nickelodeon SlimeFest events around the world to date, including sold-out shows in South Africa, Australia, Germany, Italy, UK and Spain. Also coming up is SlimeFest UK in October, with more international event dates to be announced later this year. The event in the Philippines will mark the seventh local adaptation. Thai-German singer, songwriter and actress Jannine Weigelwill headline SlimeFest in Manila, performing for the first time in the country. Pop singer and star of Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans Kira Kosarin will host as well as perform at SlimeFest, with other acts to be announced soon. Concertgoers can expect an immersive one-of-a-kind experience and plenty of the brand’s signature green slime. In addition to live music, SlimeFest will feature a nonticketed festival area with music-themed activities for the entire family. TVAplus
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