TV Asia Pacific ATF 2012

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Formats in Asia Top Buyers KBS’s Kim In-Kyu FINAS’s Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf

ATF EDITION

asia pacific www.tvasia.ws

THE MAGAZINE OF ASIA-PACIFIC MEDIA

DECEMBER 2012

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ABC Commercial www.abccommercial.com/contentsales

IN THIS ISSUE A Victory for Formats Asian broadcasters are increasingly open to adapting foreign concepts 18

Perfect Match A survey of what several leading buyers are looking for 26

Interviews KBS’s Kim In-Kyu FINAS’s Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf MDA’s Yeo Chun Cheng

30 32 34

Ricardo Seguin Guise

Publisher

Mansha Daswani

Editor

Kristin Brzoznowski

“Our strategy is to acquire

• Thai Street Food • Bananas in Pyjamas • Redfern Now

The culinary delicacies of Thailand’s street markets are explored through the series Thai Street Food with chef, restaurateur and cookbook author David Thompson.

Scoring presales for the title, which is set for delivery in April 2013, is among the top priorities for ABC Commercial at the Asia TV Forum (ATF), says Natalie Lawley, the company’s manager of content sales.

Also high up on its list of highlights is the children’s property Bananas in Pyjamas. The series—which has sold pan-Asia and to individual territories, including deals for live events and merchandise—has a second season of its animated version in production that is due for completion in 2013. The company is also using ATF as an opportunity to present Redfern Now. The drama was developed in collaboration with the renowned writer Jimmy McGovern (Cracker, The Lakes). “ABC Commercial holds the worldwide rights and we are very proud to be launching this landmark series as part of our new drama strategy.”

select premium programs, and this is exactly what Asian buyers look for.

”

—Natalie Lawley

Bananas in Pyjamas

Managing Editor Joanna Padovano

Associate Editor Simon Weaver

Online Director Phyllis Q. Busell

Art Director Cesar Suero

Sales & Marketing Director Vanessa Brand

Sales & Marketing Manager

Azteca www.comarex.tv

“We have been able to sell our programming in

• The Kings • Prisoner of Love • Loving You

Terry Acunzo

Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise

President

Anna Carugati

Executive VP & Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani

Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Asia Pacific © 2012 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website:

www.tvasia.ws

The telenovela continues to be the star product for Azteca, according to Martha Contreras, the sales director for Asia at Comarex. “Azteca is renowned for its captivating and notable telenovelas,” she says. “They have great story lines, the production quality is second to none [and there is] a fabulous cast of international stars and creative writers who deliver stories worth telling.”

Among the highlights that Comarex will present at ATF are three Azteca novelas. The Kings (Los Rey) is about a powerful empire ruled by a family that is equally loved and hated.

Prisoner of Love (Amor Cautivo) centers on the life of a girl who was kidnapped after her father was killed before her eyes. Then there is Loving You (Quererte Así), which tells the story of a young woman who leaves behind her untrustworthy relatives in order to start a new life in a small island village, where she meets a charming young doctor. Alongside those novelas is Campeón Azteca, a reality show. The series showcases boxing competitions and spotlights the fighters taking part in them.

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countries like China, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Brunei, Singapore and India.

”

The Kings

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—Martha Contreras

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Dori Media Group www.dorimediadistribution.com • New York • Galis • E-Band

“Business has

been on an upward trend over the past years throughout Asia.

One of Dori Media Group’s goals for this ATF is to continue the growth of its scripted and non-scripted format business with traditional broadcasters. “Ideally we would also welcome continued demand for ready-made products from territories that traditionally dub for their local audiences,” says Andres Santos, the VP of sales for Dori Media America.

One of the titles being promoted at this market is New York, a daily crime drama about the youngest son of a loan shark.The company is also offering up a pair of teen titles, Galis and E-Band.The former focuses on three foster children who are given the opportunity to attend a summer camp, while the latter follows a trio of friends who form a virtual band. “We understand the importance of acquiring programs that bring ratings and results to broadcasters,” Santos says, pointing out that Dori’s titles “have proven to be successful and are clearly targetbased. We can’t wait to present them to both our established and new ATF clients.”

”

—Andres Santos

Galis

FOX International Channels www.foxinternationalchannels.com • FOX Movies Play & SCM Play • SCM Legend • FOX Action Movies

Asia’s Next Top Model

A key focus for FOX International Channels in Asia has been on building up its premium offerings. The company recently launched its FOX Movies Play and STAR Chinese Movies (SCM) Play services as complements to FOX Movies Premium (FMP) and SCM in several markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines.“This brings to viewers a better premium-movie-channel experience and allows them to catch up with their favorite content on FMP and SCM anytime, anywhere,” says Joon Lee, the senior VP of content and communications.

The company also recently rebranded its STAR Chinese Movies 2 channel as SCM Legend.Another company highlight is the recent launch of the FOX Action Movies service in Singapore, ahead of a wider rollout to other parts of the region,“which provides viewers in that market with the world’s best premium action content.”

In terms of programming highlights, STAR World is delivering viewers across Southeast Asia the exclusive run of Asia’s Next Top Model, the first version of the hit format that is pan-regional in its scope.

“Our channels are performing extremely well in the markets in which they are shown.”

—Joon Lee

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GMA Worldwide www.gmaworldwide.tv • Coffee Prince • Yesterday’s Bride • Magdalena

“Buyers gravitate towards innovative story lines and out-of-the-box ideas.”

A refreshing romance brews between the most unlikely of couples at a coffee shop in Coffee Prince, a lead title from GMA Worldwide.The company is also presenting Yesterday’s Bride, about a woman who is in an accident on her wedding day and loses her memory. She falls in love with the doctor who saves her, and soon must make a difficult choice. Magdalena centers on a girl who is exploited by everyone around her. She is forced to marry a rich businessman, who makes her work as an escort. The story follows her struggle to regain her dignity and self-respect.

“These GMA programs appeal to the Asia-Pacific market because buyers are able to appreciate complex, well-written dramas that revolve around unique plots, original themes and unpredictable endings,” says Roxanne J. Barcelona, the VP of GMA Worldwide. “The main selling points of our shows are not only their great stories, but the quality of the talents that appear in them.

GMA’s local artist pool is truly world class.”

—Roxanne J. Barcelona

Yesterday’s Bride

Keshet International www.keshetinternational.com

“We see the booming Asian market as a big opportunity for Keshet International.”

• Fair & Square • Master Class • Prisoners of War

—Alon Shtruzman

Keshet International has already seen many of its formats licensed and produced in the U.S. and Europe, and Asia marks the next frontier.“We’re obviously very keen to get our shows on air in Asian territories as well,” says Alon Shtruzman, the managing director of Keshet International.

“I’d be happy if by this time next year we would have a handful of formats in production for this market and strong relations with the local creative communities.”

At ATF, Keshet is bringing out the factual-entertainment format Fair & Square, an investigative show that finds and praises honest service professionals.There’s also the musical talent show Master Class, in which children aged 8 to 14 perform all-time classics.The young singers, who are mentored by leading artists in the music industry, are only given positive reviews and feedback. “On the scripted side, we would love to see Prisoners of War, which is known in the U.S. as Homeland, getting a local version,” says Shtruzman. “Aside from that, we have a diverse catalogue of 60 formats that can answer the different needs of the Asian broadcasters.”

Prisoners of War

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Record TV Network www.recordtvnetwork.com • King David • Jackpot!

• Masks

“Working with channels in Asia is something that we have been always seeking to do. ”

—Delmar Andrade

Record TV Network’s soap operas, series, documentaries and entertainment programs have been enjoyed by audiences throughout the world. Latin America, North America, Europe and Africa have been the strongest thus far, “and we are still expanding our business to other territories,” says Delmar Andrade, the international sales director at Record. Asia is high up on the list of priorities. “It’s a very special territory that we are targeting because the Asian market is very [demanding], always reaching for the best products to broadcast in their countries.”

On offer from Record at ATF is the soap opera Masks.

“It has a clever plot with much suspense, mystery, action and many love stories,” says Andrade. In the soap opera Jackpot!, a group of friends wins the lottery on New Year’s Eve.The winners’ dreams soon turn into nightmares when they begin to mysteriously die.The series King David begins in Bethlehem in the year 1045 B.C.Through a chain of events, and

by God’s will, a young shepherd named David becomes the new king of Israel.

King David

Russia Television and Radio/SOVTELEEXPORT sales.vgtrk.com • Life and Fate • Big Ballet • The Spy

As the distribution arm of Russia Television and Radio, the largest state-owned media holding in the Russian federation, SOVTELEEXPORT offers the market more than 14,000 hours of programming. All have a distinctive Russian flavor, with stories that are universal in their appeal. Julia Matiash, the director of SOVTELEEXPORT, highlights the historical drama Life and Fate as one example. “It is based on a universally recognized masterpiece of Russian literature, combining a brilliant Russian cast, the best creative forces and a huge budget—it has everything to become a real best seller.”

SOVTELEEXPORT also offers Big Ballet, which Matiash calls a “classic and innovative format.” The show follows the trials and tribulations of a group of rising ballet stars, looking at their aspirations, determination and challenges.

The Spy is a detective story set in the spring of 1941.

“Elaborate CG graphics [allow for] a unique opportunity to see Moscow [evolve] as it was planned by Stalin in his dreams.”

“For more than ten years, SOVTELEEXPORT has

been presenting the market with high-budget historical dramas, original series, theatrical movies and unique documentaries from Russia.

”

—Julia Matiash

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SBS International www.sbs.com.au/sbsinternational • Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong Part 2 • Food Safari • Blood, Sweat & Sequins

“SBS International has a great range of diverse,

distinctive programming that is sure to appeal to a broad range of Asian audiences.

”

As the distribution arm of Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS International represents a “rich and varied catalogue,” says sales manager Carolyn Johnston.

“SBS Television always looks to express a multiplicity of viewpoints that draws on the best of all cultures from around the world and SBS International’s catalogue is a strong reflection of this.”

For the ATF, the company is offering such programs as the second installment of Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong and the fourth installment of Food Safari. There’s also the hour-long Blood, Sweat & Sequins, which features the competition to be named Miss Pole Dance Australia 2012. “At ATF we are aiming to explore new opportunities with emerging digital and SVOD platforms as well as meet with clients from both the free-to-air broadcasters and multi-territory pay-TV platforms,” says Johnston. “Our goal is to expand our brand further into this region and forge new relationships with as many potential partners and buyers as possible.”

—Carolyn Johnston Luke Nguyen’s Greater Mekong

Worldwide Rights Corporation www.wrcorp.tv • Dr. Love • First Lady • Football & Love

“Last year was very productive for us and we hope to better that this year. ”

—Farid K. Ahmad

Malaysian drama series have amassed quite the following with buyers across the Asia Pacific, says Farid K.Ahmad, the executive director of Worldwide Rights Corporation.

“Buyers have found Malaysian drama to be attractive because the characters and stories are real and original, providing safe family viewing and appealing to wide audiences.” He points out that the company recently sold three seasons of one of its drama titles into China.

Among the lead dramas from Worldwide Rights Corporation is Dr. Love, about two friends who decide to start a blog about relationships and relationship advice.

Worldwide Rights Corporation also produced the dramas Temptation of Love, about the family of a prominent scientist, and Football & Love, which follows the ups and downs of rising football talent. First Lady, meanwhile, comes from Canal 13 of Chile. The telenovela tells the story of an ambitious young woman who will stop at nothing to become the First Lady, including seducing a presidential candidate.

Dr. Love

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P A N O R A M A

By Mansha Daswani

Crossing Borders “Gangnam Style” was inescapable this summer. The song from the Korean popstar Psy rose to the top of the charts in numerous markets around the world, while its accompanying video clocked more than 620 million views on YouTube.

And Psy himself seemed to show up everywhere: teaching his signature moves to Britney Spears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, appearing in a sketch on Saturday Night Live, popping up onstage on The X Factor in Australia. He has since been signed to a record label in the U.S. with aspirations to become, as the head of his new label said,“the first Korean artist to break a big record in the United States.”

Psy’s global fame marks a high point in the so-called Korean Wave—the phenomenon in the last few years that has seen Korean entertainment find legions of fans worldwide. Korean serials remain a staple on broadcasters across the region and the country’s dominant sellers are eager to cross even more boundaries. Kim In-Kyu, the president and CEO of KBS, shared with me the pubcaster’s strategies to expand the reach of its shows in an interview that appears later in this edition.

For other countries in Asia angling to get their productions onto screens globally, Korea has set the benchmark. “We are trying to emulate what Korea has done,” Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf, Malaysia’s information, communications and culture secretary general, told me recently. “Everywhere in the world now knows about K-pop.” He, too, name-checked “Gangnam Style.”

Malaysia’s neighbor Singapore is also eager to continue raising its profile as a content provider and as a media hub; in this edition, Yeo Chun Cheng, assistant CEO of the industry group at the MDA, provides an update on those efforts.

Another way in which Asian concepts are making their presence known globally is as formats. Japan, in particular, has spawned a number of ideas that have been adapted elsewhere— most notably Hole in the Wall. Ultimately, though, the region is buying far more formats than it is exporting; indeed, it seems to be buying a lot these days. We look at Asia’s format-buying trends in this issue, surveying a range of distributors, big and small, about the successes they are having in Asia, as well as the challenges they are facing in tailoring Western concepts to Asian needs.

The region’s major broadcasters are, naturally, also buying finished programs; a broad cross-section of buyers, from networks in Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, shared with me their acquisitions strategies in the run-up to the Asia TV Forum, as did executives from three of the biggest pan-regional entertainment channel operators: Sony Pictures

Television Networks, Universal Networks International and FOX International Channels. For these three, the competition for first-run, exclusive rights to big American shows is fierce as they seek out a growing share of Asia’s ever-widening pay-TV universe. According to the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia, the number of multichannel homes in the Asia Pacific now stands at 446 million, reflecting a 57-percent penetration. Another recent report, from Media Partners Asia, found that Asia’s top 50 pay-TV platforms have a combined customer base of 111 million, a 12-percent year-on-year gain, with India and Indonesia identified as the key growth markets.

All eyes will certainly be on India as its digital transition progresses.“We are positive on the process and see a significant boost to digital subscriber growth and ARPUs across DTH and cable platforms,” said Vivek Couto, MPA’s executive director, in the company’s latest research report. But for many, making money out of India will not be easy, and the market has already seen its first casualty, BBC Worldwide Channels, which pulled the plug on CBeebies and BBC Entertainment in the country last month. In a statement announcing the closure, the company said, “India is a dynamic and fast-growing media market but remains uniquely challenging for pay-TV channels. Specifically, delays in digitization and the need for channel operators to pay cable platforms for carriage make the economics of running channels very challenging at this time.”

Meanwhile, as BBC Worldwide was exiting the generalentertainment market in India (BBC World News remains in the country), RTL Group was making its entrance. BIG RTL Thrill, a new action channel from Reliance Broadcast Network and the RTL Group, went live November 5, delivering imported content dubbed into Hindi. Other major media companies will undoubtedly be looking to expand their presence in this complex yet potentially very lucrative market in 2013.

The prospects for the region as a whole are positive for 2013 (the year of the snake, according to Chinese astrology.)

ZenithOptimedia expects advertising revenues to rise to $148.4 billion. That’ll be good news for the distributors en route to Singapore for the Asia TV Forum, who will all be hoping that broadcasters are flush with cash and eager to open up their checkbooks.

Get daily news on the Asia-Pacific region

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The Voice of Korea on Mnet.

A Victory for

Formats Asian broadcasters are increasingly willing to adapt concepts from around the world.

By Mansha Daswani

F

ormat distributors trying to crack the Asian market have not always had an easy time of it. For many years, while European and North American broadcasters were eagerly adapting imported concepts, Asian channels were either hesitant to take a risk on producing a version of a show that was conceived of elsewhere—or were just pirating those ideas.

The leading format distributors surveyed here indicate that much has changed; indeed, 2013 is shaping up to be the year in which the Asian format trade becomes a significant business for many outfits. Shows like The Voice, Got Talent, Next Top Model, MasterChef, The Dr. Oz Show and others are popping up on broadcasters in China, Korea, India,Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and beyond.

“We are receiving demand for our formats everywhere in Asia,” reports Hyeonza Hong, theVP of sales for Asia for ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE). “In previous years, there were a smaller number of territories and broadcasters who would 36

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be looking to acquire formats. But this has completely changed.”

Hong refers to recent deals such as CJ E&M of Korea picking up Popstar to Operastar and Shenzhen TV in China coming on board for its own version of Nanny 911.“In short, we are spending more time on format sales than we have ever done before.”

“We see the booming Asian market as a big opportunity,” says Alon Shtruzman, the managing director of Keshet International, which thus far has built up a strong business in the U.S. and Europe. “We’re obviously very keen to get our shows on air in Asian territories as well. I’d be happy if by this time next year we have a handful of formats in production for this market and strong relations with the local creative communities.... The Asian TV industry is big, diverse and fast growing. We are an international business. I truly believe that we can appeal to every market.”

Business has picked up enough in Asia in the last year to warrant Shine International setting up a new base in the region, in 12/12

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Plugged in: Keshet International has a diverse array to offer Asian broadcasters, including the scripted format The “A” Word.

Singapore.“The Singapore HQ will provide Shine’s partners with an on-ground presence specializing in content and brand partnerships,” says Matthew Ashcroft, the company’s senior VP for the Asia Pacific. “We must think local and develop richer, deeper relationships with our partners to drive more local commissions and off-screen ancillary and brand-partnership opportunities.”

EYES ON CHINA

Shine has seen its most notable gains in China; MasterChef China, on Dragon TV, has been renewed for a second season, as has Clash of the Choirs on CCTV-1.

China is also shaping up to be a vibrant market for Global Agency. Izzet Pinto, the company’s CEO, says that his Asian business in general has been “booming” in the last year, with China and Vietnam among his key markets. Global Agency recently licensed a number of formats into China, including Mom,Vote 4 Me!, Who Is the Best?, Rise or Fall and Blind Taste.

“In the last few years China has changed and moved from being a market that was known for copying formats to one that buys and produces them in large numbers and has really embraced the formats business,” says Sebastian Burkhardt, the head of sales at Banijay International, which has licensed Honey, Pack the Bags!, among other formats, into the country. “It is a highly competitive market with over 100 commercial channels as well as the huge public broadcaster CCTV, and all of them have a big appetite for unscripted content.”

“We’re seeing Chinese broadcasters put more faith in foreign formats to help strengthen their programming schedule and improve their production skills by partnering with foreign consultants,” says Mary Chan, the VP for production in the Asia Pacific at Sony Pictures Television (SPT). “This past summer, there were at least ten format shows running in prime time on all the top networks in China.” Among them were SPT’s own The Sing-Off and The Dr. Oz Show.

Ramping up business in China is a priority for numerous formal sellers, but Stephanie Hartog, executive VP of formats at ALL3MEDIA International, cautions that distributors should have realistic expectations about this massive market.“It’s easy to 38

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overestimate the opportunities there. It is a difficult market, which already produces a lot of content of its own. It’s a mistake to think they’ll take anything you offer them.They won’t.

There are all sorts of challenges to be faced when you’re looking to develop a business there.”

ALL3MEDIA has had considerable success in Asia with Cash Cab, with a pan-regional version airing on AXN and adaptations in several markets. Hartog believes the format resonated because of the “simplicity of the structure and the fact that the heart of the idea appeals to everybody.”

Having the right concept for the right territory, Hartog explains, is vital. Indeed, she concedes that that has been the challenge for ALL3MEDIA in building up its Asian business in the past. “We have not historically had loads of studio-based

Dining out: Global Agency recently licensed a raft of formats into China, including Blind Taste.

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Culinary titans: Shine has licensed MasterChef into a host of markets, including Korea, where it airs on Olive TV.

entertainment shows,” she says. “That’s something that’s of major appeal for Asia. We are getting more of those coming through.

We’ve also had quite a few very expensive studio-based shows, which can be more troublesome to place.We’ve been working to figure out how to bring those costs down and set up hub productions rather than trying to produce in every single territory.”

Beyond costs, there are other challenges to consider when deciding which formats to pitch to Asian broadcasters. “Formats that require big prizes are comparatively more difficult to adapt in Asia,” says SPT’s Chan. “Some of the biggest challenges include local laws on winnings, while others are budgetary concerns.”

“Big entertainment and reality shows,” are generating the most enthusiasm with buyers, according to Burkhardt at Banijay, which is offering up Beat Your Host and Stars in Danger. He says they “fit into the genre bracket that our Asian clients tend to respond very well to.”

TALENT SEEKERS

assists its broadcaster clients. “Our producers can advise them on their production, give them examples and other ideas from the different countries that have produced the show.”

ALL3MEDIA’s Hartog has found that offering up production support has been crucial, particularly in encouraging broadcasters to license formats rather than attempting to copy an idea on their own. “There’s an understanding of the benefits of working with a format owner,” she says. “Plus, there’s the benefit that you will then get the next good show from that supplier if you behave appropriately! That means working with people rather than working against them.”

Another important element in a successful format adaptation is flexibility, particularly when adjusting a concept to different cultural sensibilities. “I let the client make the changes,” says Global Agency’s Pinto. “Major companies prefer to have everything stick to the bible. I am the opposite. If I let them revise it a little bit, it will be more successful.”

Shtruzman, from Keshet, which is bringing the factualentertainment series Fair & Square, the docu-reality Marathon and the dating series Dear Neighbors, to ATF, reflects a similar sentiment. “The key in tapping into new territories is to adapt the formats to the local culture and language while keeping the show’s DNA. It can only be done by working with local cre-

Chan asserts that “talent shows are hot in Asia right now,” a view echoed by a number of distributors.“We’re finding that our holy trinity”—Idols, X Factor and Got Talent—“continue to do really well,” says Ian Hogg, the CEO for the Asia Pacific at FremantleMedia. All three shows have cracked new markets and shored up renewals in the last year. Talpa Distribution’s The Voice has been making its way across Asia, finding slots in Korea, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Another talent format, this one from Mexico, has also been attracting broadcasters: Academy Fantasia.

Martha Contreras, the sales director for Asia at Comarex, notes that the format, from Azteca,“is a great combination…of reality and a talent show. It’s an inspirational and positive show for all audiences.”

On the air for ten seasons in Malaysia, on Astro Ria, Academy Fantasia has also been adapted in Thailand as well as in India and Singapore.

“Apart from providing a bible, we support local partners by giving them access to our own producers,” Hitching a ride: In addition to several local-market versions, ALL3MEDIA’s Cash Cab has spawned says Contreras on how Comarex a pan-Asian edition, set in Singapore and broadcast on AXN. 40

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Head above the rest: Eccho Rights distributes a number of Asian-originated formats, including Exit, from Japan.

ators and [catering] to a local appeal that will connect better with the audience.We are already talking to individuals and companies in order to build the right teams that would bring our shows to Asian territories.The challenge for us is to find the right creative engine to attach to every show.”

A networking approach is built into the business model at Sparks Eccho, which has a library of formats from member companies around the world—including in India, Australia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia. Gary Pudney, who oversees the Asia-Pacific region at Sparks Eccho, is eager to sign on new partners in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. He is also keen to drive the company’s distribution business in Asia, taking a booth for the first time at the Asia TV Forum, where he will be showcasing a mix of music-based titles, game shows and adventure reality, among other genres.

Shine is looking to clinch further deals on MasterChef, as well as Got to Dance and Best Bakery, among others. “They all [feature] real people, showcasing their best talents by doing inspiring things,” Ashcroft says. “These great formats have been developed and evolved in some of the toughest TV markets in the world.

So when we present them to our local clients across Asia, what they’re seeing are some of the finest tuned formats available.”

ITVS GE has seen strong interest in its hit reality show Come Dine with Me as well as the recently introduced Surprise Surprise, Marry Me and The Audience. Hong also expects interest in Real Life:The Musical. “In Asia, it is not a part of our culture to always express our feelings to our loved ones. Real Life:The Musical helps people to share messages such as ‘I love you’ and ‘I am sorry’ by staging a musical event. It is very entertaining and moving.”

as Homeland, and is offering up other dramas like The “A” Word.

FremantleMedia, which has a thriving dramaformat business in Europe, sees potential to build on that base in Asia, especially in India, China and Indonesia. FremantleMedia is also interested in bringing Asian concepts to the global market, partnering with Fuji TV in Japan on a joint development initiative that has already resulted in a number of titles. Banijay, meanwhile, represents Spinsanity, from Lighthearted Productions, Nippon TV and Yoshimoto USA. A pilot has aired in Japan.“We anticipate further production on this format in Japan so it makes sense to keep rolling it out across Asia,” Burkhardt says.

Sparks Eccho has been rolling out the Japanese format Exit in a number of markets internationally and has several other Asian-originated concepts to offer. Pudney concedes that there are challenges in bringing properties developed in Asia to broadcasters in the U.S. and Europe. “We have taken out a number of Asian formats this year, but before doing so we cut a new promo with an English voice—the international market expects this. As for other cultural differences, you can’t really change them, so it’s down to some slick editing to ‘internationalize’ them.”

Whether as a source of new ideas or a home for them, Asia clearly holds huge potential for the format business. And while most sellers admit that license fees remain below what one would garner in more mature markets, that isn’t stopping them from tapping into the opportunities that Asia’s media landscape presents.

Global Agency’s Pinto says, “80 percent of the growing [economies] are in Asia. Maybe the license fees are not great, but there are lot of small and big countries over there. If we can enter most of them, Asia can become a major client for us.”

NEW MARKETS

Hong is optimistic about driving further gains in ITVS GE’s format business over the next 12 months, and is particularly excited about Vietnam and India. Pinto says that Global Agency will be placing an emphasis on Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand in the coming months, as well as continuing its efforts in China. The focus will largely be on unscripted formats, but Pinto is among a number of executives who see the potential of the scriptedformat business in Asia.

“This year we closed an important deal in the Philippines for telenovela formats,” says Contreras, at Comarex. “These telenovela formats have been locally produced in other countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam so there are still lots of opportunities for formatting and adapting our telenovelas in Asia.”

Keshet is keen to see an Asian broadcaster on board for Prisoners of War, which was successfully adapted in the U.S. 42

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Good behavior: ITV Studios Global Entertainment’s format deals in Asia including selling Nanny 911 into China.

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GMA Worldwide’s One True Love.

Perfect

Match

Buyers heading to ATF are seeking out high-quality, cost-effective imports across a variety of genres. By Mansha Daswani

A

s pay-TV penetration rates have slowly crept up across Asia—the regional figure now stands at about 57 percent— cable and satellite channels have been taking an increasing share of prime-time viewing. Recent figures from the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia indicate that 70 percent of audiences across the continent are watching multichannel TV. It’s good news for the pay-TV business as a whole and a reminder to the dominant terrestrial broadcasters that they’re not the only game in town anymore. As everyone vies for their share of eyeballs and ad revenues, the need to invest in high-quality, appealing entertainment has never been more important. And at Asia TV Forum this December, buyers across the board will be looking out for brand-defining shows to add to their grids in 2013.

The battle is perhaps fiercest among the major pay-TV English-language general-entertainment channels, where the 44

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competition to secure the first-run, exclusive rights to the big shows out of the U.S. and the U.K. has intensified as the playing field has become more crowded. The most dominant players in the entertainment space are FOX International Channels (FIC), Universal Networks International (UNI) and Sony Pictures Television (SPT), which each operate a diverse portfolio of networks targeting a variety of demographics. As a result, their programmers have a broad buying remit for the Asia TV Forum this year.

At FIC, Michael Dick, the head of acquisitions, oversees purchases for a portfolio that includes STAR World, FOX and FOX Movies Premium. “We do acquire hundreds of hours of series and several hundred movies per year when all our channel groups are added up,” Dick says. Asked about what some of the group’s standout successes have been as of late, Dick notes, “We have been very happy with 12/12

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continued success of The Walking Dead and the return of Homeland on FOX Movies Premium (FMP). DC Cupcakes and The Apartment: Style Edition are doing fantastically well on STAR World, and we are very happy with our growing partnership with the UFC and are looking forward to the UFC Macao, as it’s going to be live on FMP and FOX. I think there is almost too much to mention, but we have been very lucky to have managed to pick up such great content recently.”

Dick says that the group will be acquiring more feature films, “as we are expanding the number of movie channels we are running.” In addition, “We are always looking for strong new reality shows for STAR World and first-run must-see TV series for FOX.”

essary Roughness will soon be on the grid, plus the reality show Face Off and, from the U.K., the comedy Spy. The femaleskewing Sony Entertainment Television (SET), which recently shored up the rights to Lionsgate’s ABC series Nashville, is gearing up to launch new seasons of Damages and the reality shows Top Chef, Millionaire Matchmaker and Flipping Out. The terrestrial broadcaster MediaCorp’s Channel 5 has also lured audiences with entertainment content out of the U.S. and the U.K., complemented by top-flight sporting events.

UNIVERSAL SLATE

An eclectic mix of shows has been performing well for the UNI portfolio. DIVA Universal, which has a distinct female skew, has fared well with Downton Abbey, Smash and Suits.

“DIVA Universal delivers great drama, be it scripted or nonscripted, targeted at the modern female working adult,” says Marianne Lee, the director of programming and acquisitions at UNI. “Programming includes relationship dramas (Smash, Suits, The Good Wife), procedural dramas (Rookie Blue) and reality with a competition element (Top Chef, My Kitchen Rules).

Universal Channel has carved a niche for “character-driven series with big personalities in rich plotlines,” Lee says. “Programming for the channel includes procedurals where the central characters are the key hook of the show (Grimm, House) and character comedy built around relatable situations (Whitney, The Office).”

For Syfy, Lee is acquiring a mix of scripted and unscripted series—including Alphas, Haven and Sinbad—TV movies and a range of adventure and fantasy programming.

Of her overall acquisitions strategy, Lee says, “We continue to invest in high quality original content, as that’s what ultimately drives audiences to the channels.

Unique content with digital properties will be useful to market the programs.”

FRESH MIX

Sony Pictures Television has three generalentertainment channels in Asia: AXN, beTV and Sony Entertainment Television. All three services are acquiring drama, comedy and reality shows, according to Yan-Jong Wong, the VP of programming for English content at SPT’s networks in Asia. “We buy consistently around the year to ensure our channels are always offering a wide variety of fresh and high-quality programs available on the market,” she says.

Recent acquisitions that have done well for the portfolio include Last Resort on AXN and season two of Sherlock on beTV. “The upcoming third season of Sherlock has been acquired for beTV,” Wong says. “We are also looking forward to the premiere of a new comedy series, The Wedding Band.”

Comedy is a new addition to the beTV grid,Wong notes, following its repositioning and rebranding from AXN Beyond earlier this year in order to “appeal to wider audiences.”

New for 2013 is Legend Fighting Championship on AXN, plus Gaumont International Television’s Hannibal, which the channel is a global co-producer on. At beTV, Chuck and Nec12/12

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Wild times: Telenovelas such as Televisa’s Triumph of Love air on broadcasters across Asia, particularly in daytime slots.

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“Our day-and-date telecast of X Factor and branded series such as Grimm and Undercover Boss have performed well,” says Joy Olby-Tan, the VP of network acquisitions. “Our carriage of the London Olympics also created large channel buzz.”

The channel acquires about 2,000 hours a year, Olby-Tan says. The aim is to “provide the best curated mix of quality international English entertainment across all key genres— movies, drama, comedy, variety, entertainment, reality. The international sports content that we currently provide is event programming in nature.”

new morning block. The broadcaster already carries foreign dramas in the afternoon and in prime time. She also needs kids’ fare for a weekday morning block.

LOCAL FLAVOR

Indonesia, like the Philippines, is heavily dominated by local programming, but broadcasters are making some room for imported fare. Kompas TV, which has been in operation for just over a year, is acquiring documentaries and factual entertainment to complement its local dramas and sitcoms, according

A tale of two cities: The Comarex series Daniela has been imported by platforms in Singapore, Malaysia and China, among others.

Office romance: Buyers across Southeast Asia have snapped up Caracol’s The Secretary.

At ABS-CBN in the Philippines, Western programming remains important, but the broadcaster has seen particular gains recently with Asian dramas, notably those with “domestic themes or those targeting housewives,” says Evelyn “Leng” Raymundo, the VP of program acquisitions, distribution and DTT channels.

“They are long-running dramas which delivered good ratings but were acquired at a reasonable price—so [they are] sustainable.”

With an annual acquisitions budget of about $26 million for free-TV and pay-TV platforms, Raymundo is purchasing everything from drama series to animation, lifestyle and entertainment programs, movies and sports. Asked if her programming needs have changed significantly over the last 12 months, Raymundo notes,“For foreign acquisition, the requirements remain the same except that since our local dramas are exceptionally strong nationwide, especially during prime time, any foreign acquired content should be equally strong and compelling.”

For her 2013 programming remit, Raymundo is looking out for more Asian dramas, following the introduction of a

to Julie Wibowo, the program acquisitions manager at the channel. About 30 percent of the overall programming budget is devoted to acquisitions, and Wibowo notes that that might increase slightly in 2013. At ANTV, Gunawan, the program director at the station, says that about $3 million is spent on acquisitions annually. In terms of finished programming, the budget primarily goes to classic animation and Korean drama.

While some imports have done well for ANTV and Kompas, both Gunawan and Wibowo put formats at the top of their acquisitions lists for 2013.

Gunawan notes that this is a slight change in strategy; the broadcaster had limited its format buys after low ratings for a quiz show it aired earlier in the year. Looking ahead to 2013, however, Gunawan will be looking out for strong concepts in the talent, game-show, reality and comedy format genres at ATF, as well as animated series and movies.

Wibowo says that Kompas is looking for “family quiz/game-show formats” as well as some light-entertainment

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offerings. While her acquisitions are currently dominated by finished product, she is looking for more formats.

In Korea, the pay-TV broadcasting behemoth CJ E&M is also picking up a mix of finished programs and formats for its portfolio of channels. “We always try to find the new, trendy programs,” says Seung Ae Sohn, head of acquisitions and sales, notably in the featurefilm, drama and reality genres.

Sohn notes that recent successes have included Hollywood blockbusters, the NBC hit Grimm and adaptations such as The Voice of Korea. Other formats that have been adapted by CJ include Top Gear, Got Talent, Next Top Model and Project Runway.

“CJ E&M has licensed the most [formats] in Korea,” Sohn says.

MediaCorp is also keeping an eye out for format ideas that “have strong brand values and relatability to the Singapore audience,” Olby-Tan says. In the Philippines, Raymundo says that ABS-CBN is “home to the biggest franchises in formats,” including Big Brother, X Factor, Deal or No Deal, MasterChef and, coming next year, The Voice and Minute to Win It. In the pan-regional space, AXN was the first broadcaster to produce its own versions of international formats, starting with The Amazing Race. Since then, it has aired its own Cash Cab, as well as an edition of Minute to Win It exclusively for its Indian feed. “We are always on the lookout for exciting and innovative formats that can work for our channels,” SPT’s Wong says.

UNI has also become a format buyer, adapting NBCUniversal’s Hot Guys Who Cook. Lee is focused on “fresh and contemporary formats” that would appeal to audiences across Asia.

Last month, FOX International Channels debuted Asia’s Next Top Model, based on the CBS Studios International format, on STAR World. “We are new to this space, so we are open to just about any business model,” Dick says. “The main focus will always be...if we think the show will work for the channel on which it will air. [We] are actively looking for more formats.”

Formats, however, still remain a small part of Dick’s acquisitions remit. Heading into ATF, Dick notes that he doesn’t have anything in particular on his wish list. “We don’t wait for the markets to find out about and acquire new shows.We try to keep in contact with our content partners year-round and pick up shows whenever they are available or we have a specific need.We are also very lucky to have a worldwide network of channel teams all looking for content and sharing information year-round.”

For 2013, Dick adds,“We are going to make every effort to be increasingly strategic about selecting our partners and the deals we do. As we have in the past we would rather do larger volume deals with strategic importance for us and our partners than lots of small deals, as we feel this approach will help us get the rights we require and will help keeps license fees reasonable.”

DIGITAL FUTURE

At ATF, MediaCorp’s Olby-Tan is mainly concerned with prime time, but is also open to “working out any new win-win content business models,” with distributors for other day parts.

She is also eager to sort out issues with content owners over windows and nonlinear rights. “Any content with day/date or short windows from original telecast will be prioritized over others that have long, untenable holdbacks.

We also want programs which are able to provide content across multiple platforms.... With the change in viewers’ lifestyles, we increasingly take a 360-degree approach in providing multifaceted content across multiple touchpoints.”

ABS-CBN’s Raymundo echoes that sentiment: “While there is no immediate monetization, new-media rights are becoming more important for us as [we] explore various ways to deliver content to viewers.”

“Digital rights will be the key points in negotiation in 2013,” says Sohn.

That’s a view that will undoubtedly be shared by buyers across the Play time: Broadcasters across Asia have slots for kids’ content, creating opportunities ATF show floor. for companies like ABC Commercial, which represents The Adventures of Figaro Pho. 12/12

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Foodie revolution: Lifestyle programming such as Red Arrow’s The Taste has proven popular with Asian buyers.

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By Mansha Daswani

While it is one of Asia’s most insular markets when it comes to the acquisition of international content, Korea has become one of the region’s biggest programming exporters, with a wealth of daily dramas making their way to broadcasters across the region. Among the leading producers of Korean content is the public broadcaster KBS. Its president and CEO, Kim In-Kyu—whose current three-year term at the organization ends this year—was recently honored with the International Emmy Directorate Award. Kim shares with TV Asia Pacific the challenges of the Korean market and KBS’s initiatives to drive technological development, making its content available on multiple platforms in this highly wired market.

KBS’s

Kim In-Kyu

TV ASIA PACIFIC: How has Korea’s advertising market per-

formed over the last year? How important is advertising revenue for KBS? KIM: In 2011, total advertising revenue in Korea increased by 10.9 percent to 9.56 trillion won ($8.7 billion).Terrestrial broadcasting advertising, which takes up the largest portion, increased by 6.9 percent to 2.36 trillion won ($2.1 billion). This is due to [increased] competition between the large advertisers, such as the electronics, telecommunications, and automotive companies; a surge in marketing [spend] in proportion to the increase in exports and domestic demand; and a recovery of the advertising [market] in general to an average level, which shrunk in the financial crisis in 2008.

KBS operates 13 channels, including two TV, seven radio, and four DMB [digital multimedia broadcasting] channels. We sell advertising for one TV channel (KBS 2TV), one AM radio channel, one FM 1 channel, and one DMB channel (KBS Heart). In 2011, the advertising revenue of KBS was 598 billion won ($544.8 million), a 25.4-percent share, second among the terrestrial broadcasters (following MBC).

The ad market for cable TV in 2011 was 1.4 trillion won ($1.3 billion), an increase of 18.4 percent, [with the fourth-largest share] after terrestrial TV, the Internet and newspapers.

Cable TV channels are aggressively investing in content production and trying to take their share of advertising, which remains [half the size of ] the advertising income for terrestrial TV. Even the growth for cable TV has 48

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stalled recently. Meanwhile, in December 2011, four generalentertainment cable channels whose major shareholders are the main newspapers launched to an unexpectedly poor performance in terms of audience ratings and advertising revenue.

KBS is largely financed by the license fee, advertising revenue and other commercial income. Through a reorganization in 2011, KBS created new departments responsible for developing business opportunities, which include a global strategic center and new-media center. Due to such efforts to diversify income, commercial revenues increased from 14 percent [of total revenues], 193 billion won ($130.2 million), in 2005 to 23 percent, 348 billion won ($317 million), in 2011. Content sales increased from 26 billion won ($23.7 million) in 2005 to 140 billion won ($127.5 million) in 2012 thanks to diversification of sales outlets, development of killer content and the efforts to secure the copyright wherever it is necessary and possible.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: Is the 15-second or 30-second spot still preferred among Korean advertisers? What new ad forms are you developing?

KIM: The 15-second or 30-second spot is a common form of the commercial in a terrestrial-TV advertising market as well as for cable TV. The percentage of [product placement] in terrestrial-TV advertising in comparison to total advertising is still negligible. Nevertheless, [product placement] when legally permitted for the first time in 2010 amounted to 4.7 billion won ($4.3 million), but increased to 211 billion won ($192.2 million) in 2011, displaying a remarkable 450-percent growth.

In the past, advertisers’ relationship to the program was indirect in the form of sponsorship. But recently, with the advent of new forms of advertising such as [product placement], there begins to emerge a trend of advertisers trying to be involved in the production in a way to increase the effectiveness of their marketing [spend]. This trend is more prominent in cable TV than in public TV. 12/12

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Having taken into account the fact that commercialization can violate the independence of production and programming, KBS does not allow advertisers to take part in the process of program planning and content development.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: On-demand and DVRs have radically transformed the broadcasting business in the U.S. Are these factors affecting KBS? KIM: South Korea is one of the most wired countries for broadband coverage, including wireless connections, and also has very high rates of PC, IPTV and smartphone penetration. Naturally, real-time viewing of terrestrial TV decreases while viewing hours through PCs, IPTV and smartphones have been increasing.

KBS, in an effort to keep pace with this trend, has developed Player K to make it possible to watch not just real-time TV but also reruns on smartphones, [tablets], PCs and so on.

Around 3 million viewers (6 percent of the entire population) have access to Player K. Player K, unlike traditional terrestrial TV, is interactive and can give a variety of different viewing experiences to the audience. Moreover, anyone anywhere in the world can have access when connected to the Internet.

In addition, KBS is building a new smart-media ecosystem (Open Smart Platform, OSP) in response to over-the-top [platforms] such as Google TV and Apple TV. The existing OTT market is a closed one dominated by large companies while OSP allows everyone in the value chain of OTT to play an active role. KBS is working on the rules and systems in which revenues are evenly distributed according to contribution, and standardizing content and devices so that everyone can participate in this ecosystem. OSP will become a global platform on the strength of Korean content.

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We did test broadcasting of full HD dual streams for the Seoul region in 2010 and 2011, and demonstrated 3D TV broadcasting of the G20 Summit in November 2011. As a part of trial broadcasting we also broadcast the IAAF World Championships Daegu 2011 in high-definition 3D. To stimulate production of 3D content, we launched a project team for 3D content and produced a medical documentary, Fetus, in 3D, which records pregnancy from inception to birth.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What gains have you seen in KBS’s international-distribution business?

KIM: In Asian markets, Korean content is one of the most popular. Of Korean content, KBS content scores the highest turnover. The 2011 revenue was approximately $80 million.

And it is expected to grow to $85 million in 2012. Overseas sales are occurring mostly in Asia. However, we are trying to expand our markets in the Arabic region, Eastern Europe, Russia/CIS region and Latin America. Although VOD is a preferred form of content consumption in Western Europe and North America, we recently sealed a deal with a French company for the broadcast rights to Boys Over Flowers and Iris.

What is behind the popularity of Korean content is K-pop and Korean pop-music stars. Stars such as Girls’ Generation, TVXQ, Big Bang and other artists are popular across Asia as well as in Europe and America. Dramas that feature them also enjoy enormous popularity.

Ties that bind: KBS is a significant producer and distributor of serialized family dramas, with a portfolio that includes My Husband Got a Family.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What progress still needs

to be made to complete the digital switchover?

KIM: The digital transition will be completed at

the end of this year. KBS invested 818 billion won ($745.1 million) for the successful transition, aiming at 96-percent digital coverage nationwide.

Since Korea is a mountainous country with a number of small islands, it is not possible to achieve 100-percent digital coverage only with a terrestrial signal. In 2010 KBS put up 32 billion won ($29.2 million) to establish the Foundation of 100% Digital Viewing. The purpose is to deliver clear digital broadcasting for areas that a terrestrial digital signal cannot reach by setting up satellite low-power repeaters. But for the successful transition, the voluntary participation of the viewer and the government’s active support are needed more than anything else.

c

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What are KBS’s plans for

3D broadcasts?

KIM: In 2010, KBS set up a 3DTV Strategy

Plan and has been in discussion with the Korea Communications Commission for allocation of a frequency in order to provide universal 3D viewing.

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class production, [the investment has to come] from the government as well as the producer himself. As it is now, the producers are still asking, How much can the government contribute? They should plan for [financing high-quality productions] and get the investors. There is a limitation to what the government can do. We need to educate our industry players so that they can really progress in the future. That is one of the challenges among the producers.We also need to know what the market needs. What are the needs and wants of the international market?

We are trying to emulate what Korea has done. Everywhere in the world now knows about K-pop [Korean pop music]. We have a lot to offer to the world.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What have been the greatest achieve-

ments for the Malaysian content business in the last year?

SIARAF: The number of companies joining us [at international markets like MIPCOM] is increasing. The second improvement we have seen is in the number of companies who are sellers.The number of people interested in the international market is increasing. This year we have 200 titles ready for sale or co-production. Our catalogue has very strong support and interest from international players.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What qualities make Malaysia a good

media capital for the Asia Pacific region?

SIARAF: As far as our intention to be a hub of media in Asia,

Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf

or the ASEAN region for that matter, we are moving towards that by organizing a number of international events. We are organizing the Kuala Lumpur Communications & Creative Industry Mart next year. We want to see the development of the media industry in Malaysia as well as show the world what we have to offer to them in this area. We are working together [with other ASEAN countries].We are going to have a co-production agreement with Singapore.We are inviting foreign partners to invest in our shows. When they are investing, we hope that we can give them some kind of rebate. [These are some of the] initiatives the government has taken to ensure the development of the content industry in Malaysia.

By Mansha Daswani

TV ASIA PACIFIC: How have you been investing in talent

FINAS’s

Over the last few years, the government-backed National Film Development Corporation Malaysia, better known as FINAS, has been steadily increasing its presence at international markets like MIPTV and MIPCOM. With a string of local initiatives, the organization, together with other agencies under the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture, has been helping to raise the profile of Malaysia as a key media hub in the region. Most recently, the organization announced the Film in Malaysia scheme, which offers up tax rebates for local and international producers filming in the country. Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf, the secretary general of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture, sees that initiative, and others, as central to the growth of the local content industry. He tells TV Asia Pacific that Malaysia is following Korea’s lead as it looks to position itself as producer of world-class content.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What challenges are you experiencing as

you seek to raise the profile of Malaysian content globally?

SIARAF: When we are trying to export our products to the international market, we’ve got to make sure the quality is world class. This is the real problem. To come up with world50

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so that you have the human resources to produce worldclass content?

SIARAF: Manpower definitely is a very important ingredient to the success of any investment that we make. We have a number of international universities producing graduates in the [media] field. At the same time, there are master classes conducted by FINAS. There’s no point in having incentives if we have no manpower to manage [the productions]. That’s why we’re continuing to do human-resource development: courses, seminars. We are blessed with multiple languages in Malaysia. English, Mandarin, Tamil. This is a real asset for the development of the industry.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What else can FINAS do to accelerate

the growth of the Malaysian content sector?

SIARAF: Beside FINAS we have some other agencies— MDeC, MCMC; the latest addition is MyCreative Ventures, whereby the government allocates some funds, about $70 million, to fund creative content. We feel it’s very important to accelerate the growth of this content industry.

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The tiny island nation of Singapore has long looked outward for growth. Indeed, the country was among the first Asian markets to make an aggressive play to be part of the global content business. The government-backed Media Development Authority (MDA) has been developing initiatives to lure international media companies to Singapore, and has been assisting the efforts of local producers to co-produce globally and get their content out onto the world stage. Yeo Chun Cheng, the organization’s assistant CEO of the industry group, tells TV Asia Pacific about the MDA’s financing schemes and provides an update on Mediapolis, an ambitious media hub that is slated to open in Singapore in 2020.

Canada. Are there any markets you’re looking to develop new relationships with in 2013?

YEO: There is a rich source of still untapped potential that we can harvest from the region. For countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China, there is synergy associated with our cultural affinity and shared histories. With the right partnership and collaboration, this could make for compelling content that transcends the region.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: How is Mediapolis progressing? Can

you tell us how this facility will help attract more international media companies to Singapore?

Media Development Authority’s

Yeo Chun Cheng TV ASIA PACIFIC: You recently restructured

YEO: Mediapolis is on track to be fully developed by 2020.

your financing mechanisms. Can you tell us why this was done, and what effect it will have on producers?

YEO: In September of last year, the MDA revised our funding schemes to better meet the evolving needs of the media industry. In the past, MDA’s funding to local industry players was often in the form of coinvestments. This encouraged equity participation and intellectual property ownership by applicants. Our new grant schemes now focus on idea and story development, [improving skills] and the employment of Singaporean talent. [They also focus on] the potential of the media projects to generate…value for Singapore’s industry. With 45 schemes streamlined to just five, companies now find it easier to understand how we can help them. In view of new consumption habits, the funding support for projects that span more than one form of media has now become an even more seamless process. We are seeing a good response. As of September 30, MDA had supported 557 projects and committed $15 million across all five grant schemes.

This globally integrated media city of the future will play a key role in positioning Singapore as a home to the future of media and in attracting international players with its wide range of facilities, such as soundstages with greenscreen capabilities, digital production and broadcast studios, media schools as well as interactive digital media and R&D facilities. Already, Mediapolis is attracting key media players.

Besides the national broadcaster, MediaCorp, which will be locating to Mediapolis in 2015, other international tenants include GlobeCast and Dolby.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: You have a

number of co-production treaties with other countries already, including Australia and 52

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TV ASIA PACIFIC: What are your expectations for ATF and

ScreenSingapore this year?

YEO: We have merged ATF and ScreenSingapore, making it a much bigger event. The converged film and TV event promises to attract a much larger contingent from more countries, including Singapore, France, China and Malaysia, as well as attracting new representations from Australia and the United Kingdom. We expect increased international business-collaboration opportunities for all, including over 100 Singapore TV, animation and film companies at the market. This will be the largest Singapore delegation ever. We are also organizing...targeted business matching and networking sessions for international broadcasters and media companies to meet with local media companies at the market.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What are your overall goals for 2013?

YEO: The key focus for MDA’s industry development

efforts is to strengthen the quality of our local publicservice-broadcast programs on local channels, and to build a sustainable and competitive environment for media businesses.

When it comes to growing our local media industry, MDA remains steadfast in continuing support for content, talent and enterprise development, and in working closely with industry partners and associations. We see transmedia as an area of significant opportunity for Singapore companies to build stronger linkages between the different media subsectors such as film, television, animation, games, interactive media, print and music.

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