World Screen Asia TV Forum 2018

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Asia TV Forum Edition

WWW.WORLDSCREEN.COM

THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA • DECEMBER 2018

Trends in Formats, Kids & Drama / Trendsetter Awards Sean Bean / Twitter’s Kay Madati

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2018/ASIA TV FORUM EDITION DEPARTMENTS WORLD VIEW

By Mansha Daswani.

30

16

Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise Group Editorial Director Anna Carugati

UPFRONTS 18 New content on the market.

IN THE NEWS Twitter’s Kay Madati.

34

SCORECARD Ratings for U.S. broadcast network shows.

87

WORLD’S END In the stars.

90

Editor Mansha Daswani Executive Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Managing Editor Joanna Padovano Tong Associate Editor Chelsea Regan

34 SEAN BEAN

KAY MADATI

TRENDSETTER AWARDS

32 TALENT BEHIND THE CAMERA World Screen Trendsetter Awards were presented to Narcos’s Eric Newman, The Young Pope’s Lorenzo Mieli and Money Heist’s Álex Pina at MIPCOM.

Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari Associate Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Rafael Blanco Editorial Assistant, Spanish-Language Publications Jessica Ávila Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider Production & Design Director Victor L. Cuevas Online Director Simon Weaver

TV Asia appears both inside World Screen and as a separate publication.

Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Dana Mattison Sales & Marketing Coordinator Nathalia Lopez

FEATURES

56 CHILD’S PLAY Leading kids’ content distributors weigh in on the opportunities they’re finding across Asia.

66 DRAMATIC SPARK Asian storytelling is in the spotlight as the region’s dramas find fans across the globe.

70 EYES ON ASIA From twist-laden serialized drama to high-concept entertainment shows and intense competition series, the market for formats in Asia is busier than ever.

Business Affairs Manager Andrea Moreno Contributing Writers Steve Clarke Andy Fry Jane Marlow Joanna Stephens Jay Stuart David Wood Copy Editor Amy Canonico

INTERVIEWS

76 BBC STUDIOS’ DAVID WEILAND The executive VP for Asia talks about the gains BBC Studios is seeing across its formatlicensing and content-distribution businesses.

79 MCI’S S ISWARAN Singapore’s new Minister for Communications and Information discusses the potential for the island nation to serve as a bridge between Asia and the rest of the world, while WORLD SCREEN is published ten times per year: January, February, March, April, May, June/July, September, October, November and December.

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Howie Lau reveals how the IMDA is supporting the country’s content creators.

82 TV5MONDE’S ALEXANDRE MULLER The global French-language broadcaster is finding a slew of growth opportunities across Asia, according to its managing director for the region.

84 JKN’S ANNE JAKKAPHONG JAKRAJUTATIP The CEO of JKN Global Media discusses how the company is looking to bring the best of Thai content to the world.

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Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development WORLD SCREEN is a registered trademark of WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, Suite 1207 New York, NY 10010, U.S.A. Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.worldscreen.com ©2018 WSN INC. Printed by Fry Communications No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization.

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WORLD VIEW

BY MANSHA DASWANI

Feeling Bookish I’ve just started reading J.K. Rowling’s Lethal White (published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith) and I’m confused. Not because of its twist-laden plot line—which I’m thoroughly enjoying—but because I have two versions of the novel’s protagonist, Cormoran Strike, in my head.

One is based on Rowling’s vivid descriptions in the first three books in the Strike series. The other is actor Tom Burke who, while absolutely brilliant as the brooding private investigator in the BBC’s series of Strike TV movies, looks nothing like the one I had conjured up in my own head. Indeed, now that I’ve seen the initial three installments—with a fourth, based on Lethal White, on the way—I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a complicated relationship with TV series based on the books I love. I’m always envisioning the screen versions of novels I’m enjoying—how can you not, with all the book-to-TV adaptations on the market today? But they can sometimes be disappointing or, frustratingly, can even change how you feel about the original source material.

With Syfy’s take on Lev Grossman’s The Magicians, I was initially perplexed because the series’ narrative arc was so different from his original trilogy. I had to embrace the show as an entirely different property before I truly started appreciating it. That’s what author Justin Cronin wants fans of The Passage to do when that show arrives on FOX early next year. When the series was officially unveiled this summer, some fans of the vampire apocalypse trilogy were up in arms over significant changes the producers made, including making the character of Babcock a woman instead of a man. I interviewed Cronin earlier this year and he has welcomed the differences. “It’s a version of the story—just like every reader creates a version of the story in their head. So I’m very calm about it. The visual medium is totally different.”

The Walking Dead has a similarly complex relationship with the Robert Kirkman graphic novels it’s based on. It has killed off major characters that still exist in the comics and created entirely new ones for TV. Two years ago I asked Scott Gimple—then showrunner, now chief content officer of the Walking Dead universe—about the relationship with Kirkman’s graphic novels, and he gave this wonderful answer: “So much of it is his work that I am just remixing. I like circling back with him and showing him how I have recut the record, but it is usually his song.” This summer I got to chat with Angela Kang, who succeeded Gimple as showrunner. This is how she put the ever-evolving relationship between show and novel: “What we want most of all is for viewers of

The rash of book-based

properties on TV is not surprising—having a known piece of IP in a crowded market always helps.

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the show who are also readers of the comics, when they see a moment on screen that is adapted from the comic, to feel the way they did when they saw the comic. To feel the sense of surprise or shock or delight or grief. That’s our guiding principle as we adapt what’s in the comic. But of course there are great characters and great plot threads, so we’re going to steal everything we can that helps us along the way!”

The rash of book-based properties on TV today is not surprising—having a known piece of IP in a crowded market always helps. I will watch Good Omens on Amazon because I adored the Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman novel—and it stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant, which is a combination that just cannot be passed up! I will absolutely tune in to the BBC’s The Dublin Murders, adapted from Tana French’s brilliant Irish crime thrillers. For Lorenzo Mieli, who is behind the team that turned Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend into a limited series for HBO and Rai, one of the keys of a successful adaptation—or of any successful drama, for that matter—is authenticity. That is why the team at Fremantle Italia made that show in the Neapolitan language rather than in English. Mieli was among the recipients of this year’s World Screen Trendsetter Awards, alongside Narcos’s Eric Newman and Money Heist’s Álex Pina. All three participated in a panel at MIPCOM, which you’ll find a recap of in this edition, where they spoke about the importance of multidimensional characters. You’ll also hear from actor Sean Bean in this issue about why he was drawn to the character of The General in Sky’s ambitious new drama Curfew. We also get some insight from Twitter’s Kay Madati on how content companies can increase their engagement with viewers by featuring video on the social media platform.

The types of deals content companies are doing with social media platforms falls under what PwC bills as “Convergence 3.0—the confluence of new technology, capabilities and heightened consumer expectations.” In its latest deals analysis, PwC noted, “As competition builds for engagement and advertising dollars, many of the strategies we hear companies talk about center around innovation—from finding new revenue streams or new ways to monetize users, to developing new platforms and new ways to provide a personal and immersive experience to the consumer using the power of data.”

Those strategies will continue to take center stage in 2019 as content producers, broadcasters and platforms alike figure out how to satisfy ever more demanding audiences.

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UPFRONTS

ABS-CBN Corporation The Secrets of El Paraiso / Now & Forever / Betrayal The suspense drama The Secrets of El Paraiso, featuring a wealthy businessman and young professional who fall in love, is among the highlights that ABS-CBN Corporation is showcasing at ATF. Another key title is Now & Forever, which “tells the story of two troubled souls who crossed paths in an unlikely destination when they were just kids,” explains Wincess Gonzalez, sales head for Asia and Latin America. “As fate would have it, they cross paths once more in an accident that will make them remember their fruitful youth.” Asia’s socalled “prince of drama,” Jericho Rosales, stars in Betrayal, which Gonzalez calls a “riveting tale about marital infidelity.”

She adds, “We believe these shows will appeal to Asian buyers because of their authentic and relatable characters in narratives that viewers will surely connect to.”

Betrayal

“The shows’ fast-paced storytelling and the excellent acting of the stars continue to draw viewers.”

—Wincess Gonzalez

all3media international

White Dragon

Cheat / Flirty Dancing / White Dragon From Two Brothers Pictures, the eight-hour drama series White Dragon is set in Hong Kong. The story follows a man who has traveled there in search of answers about the (supposedly accidental) death of his wife, only to learn that she had been leading a double life. Also from Two Brothers is the four-part psychological thriller Cheat. In the way of entertainment, all3media international is offering the market Flirty Dancing. “It has a good combination of two strong elements, dating and dancing, which works very well across territories in Asia,” says Kit Yow, the company’s sales manager for the Asia Pacific. “Dancing is already an all-time favorite and with the romance element added to the show, we are certain this will garner great attention and interest.”

“Over the past few months, we have been collaborating with local companies on coproductions and output deals, and we are looking to expand those collaborations at ATF.” —Kit Yow

ATV

Orphan Flowers

Lifeline / Foster Mother / Orphan Flowers The Turkish drama series Lifeline has been sold in more than 20 countries around the world so far, and ATV is looking to add to this reach at ATF. “The incredible storyline and excellent acting are key factors in Lifeline,” says Emir Düzel, the company’s content sales deputy manager. Also being presented by ATV is Foster Mother, about two sisters who are fighting over a child. “Foster Mother will make the audience question motherhood and the importance of family from a child’s perspective,” says Düzel. Then there is Orphan Flowers, which tells the story of a young woman who is sent to an orphanage by her mother to keep her away from her abusive father. “It’s a brilliant moment for ATV’s dramas; demand is growing thanks to the success of their production quality, casts and scripts,” adds Düzel.

“Our goal is to keep growing in the Asian market.”

—Emir Düzel 18 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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Banijay Rights Ray Winstone’s World: Sicily / Apollo 8: The Mission That Changed the World / Taste for the Nation The travel and adventure series Ray Winstone’s World: Sicily, on offer from Banijay Rights, follows the titular British actor as he travels to the Italian island. “Ray Winstone’s World: Sicily is a mixture of culture, travel, food and light history,” says Samia Moktar, sales manager at Banijay Rights. “This intimate and humorous take on Sicily, fronted by the Hollywood actor Ray Winstone, will appeal to the many Asian broadcasters that are looking for multi-genre programming or for a show that will appeal to a wide demographic.” Apollo 8: The Mission That Changed the World is an archive-driven documentary that tells the story of Apollo 8 and the environmental campaigns that followed. Banijay Rights is also showcasing the format Taste for the Nation, a nationwide search for the next food sensation.

“We recently launched a group company in Asia with the aim of penetrating the Asian market to full effect.”

—Samia Moktar

Calinos Entertainment

Ray Winstone’s World: Sicily

Woman

Forbidden Fruit / Woman / Our Story In Calinos Entertainment’s drama series Woman, the central character is a single mother trying to raise her two children alone. Despite all of the hardships in her life, she never loses hope. “There are single or widowed mothers all around the world who raise their children alone, and this is a great story that people from all parts of the world can relate to,” says Asli Serim Guliyev, the company’s international sales director. Our Story follows a girl who has to raise her siblings after being abandoned by their mother while having to deal with an alcoholic father. It is adapted from the awardwinning series Shameless. Meanwhile, Forbidden Fruit centers on two sisters who are very close but have different personalities and goals in life. The fast-paced series “keeps the audience on their toes throughout,” she adds.

“In the last few years, Turkish producers have started adapting Korean and Japanese formats with strong dramatic themes.”

—Asli Serim Guliyev

Caracol Internacional

The Queen of Flow

Bolivar / The Queen of Flow / Crazy About You Caracol Internacional has been attending ATF for almost a decade, and the company is returning to the market this year with three new productions. Among them, Bolivar tells the story of Simón Bolívar, a man who stood up against the oppression of the Spanish Empire and fought for the freedom of his people. The Queen of Flow follows Yeimy, a talented songwriter who is wrongfully imprisoned. When she is released, Yeimy seeks revenge on those who crossed her, including Charly Flow, a famous reggaeton singer who plagiarized the lyrics of her songs, seduced her and sent her to jail. Crazy About You is a telenovela that evokes the magic of the ’60s. Caracol Internacional believes these three titles will attract Asian buyers with their “thrilling stories, exterior scenes and wonderful casts,” says Maria Estrella, sales executive for Asia.

“This year, we are offering not only distribution of finish products and formats, but also production services.”

—Maria Estrella 20 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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Quiz from God: Reboot

CJ ENM Encounter / Quiz from God: Reboot / Priest Song Hye-kyo (Descendants of the Sun) and Park Bo-gum (Love in the Moonlight) star in Encounter, which is part of CJ ENM’s ATF slate. “The news of the cast already [generated] huge interest both in Korea and other Asian countries,” says Linda Lee, the company’s head of global content marketing. “The romance story, which starts in an unfamiliar place through a coincidental encounter, will capture the hearts of viewers.” Quiz from God: Reboot is the fifth installment of the hit show, which looks on as doctors and forensic scientists investigate mysterious deaths. “Even after four years since the end of the previous season, global fans are still waiting for the new cases that will give them new thrills,” says Lee. Priest, meanwhile, combines the concept of exorcism with the medical genre.

“A huge portion of our sales comes from within Asia, so we are glad to participate in ATF and have the chance to introduce our great shows.”

—Linda Lee

Dori Media Distribution The Box / El Marginal / The Best of All Since 2004, Dori Media Distribution has been attending ATF, which Pauline Ick, the company’s VP of sales, describes as “a very important market to meet Asian buyers and learn about new trends.” This year, the company heads to Singapore with highlights such as the reality show The Box. “This format achieved a truly innovative synthesis between traditional and digital platforms, offering an exciting, interactive and unique entertainment experience,” says Ick. Also being showcased are two installments of the hit crime drama El Marginal. “The award-winning two-season series has amazing production quality, and is shot in a real jail, with huge actors and remarkable directors and [producers],” says Ick. Then there is The Best of All, a shiny-floor game show that tests the “wisdom of the crowd” theory.

El Marginal

“We constantly bring exciting and highly popular content from the West to Asian audiences, as we will be doing at ATF.” —Pauline Ick

Escapade Media

The Fo-Fo Figgily Show

Slice / Walking Points / The Fo-Fo Figgily Show The factual series Slice looks on as TV personality Adam Richman takes viewers on culinary adventures around the world. Escapade Media is bringing the series to ATF alongside Walking Points, a feature-length doc. “Walking Points presents a possible new cure for cancer, which is a subject matter that affects many people the world over,” says Natalie Lawley, the managing director of Escapade Media. “The series presents this new process through human stories, which give the documentary a very personal feel.” There is also The Fo-Fo Figgily Show, a program meant for youngsters. “The Fo-Fo Figgily Show explores fundamental learning concepts and helps children discover the importance of community and positivity by inviting them to enter a world of enchanted characters, puppets, magical visual effects and 3D animation.”

“I have attended ATF for over 15 years as I always feel the contacts available and the business generated from this market are excellent.”

—Natalie Lawley 22 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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Narcos

Gaumont Narcos / El Chapo / Bionic Max Gaumont is expanding its presence in the Asian market and is attending ATF this year to further these efforts. “We are ramping up our distribution business there and have added boots on the ground with the addition of a VP of TV distribution for AsiaPac,” says Vanessa Shapiro, president of worldwide TV distribution and co-production. “We’re also looking at co-production opportunities in the region, where local market expertise and talent are abundant and each of the diverse countries offers unique opportunities to create compelling stories.” Highlights for ATF include Narcos, which has a fourth season now, set in Mexico, and El Chapo, exploring the life of the notorious drug kingpin. For kids, there’s the buddy comedy Bionic Max, about a bionic guinea pig and a goldfish.

“The Asian market is a key area of focus for Gaumont given its populations and importance.”

—Vanessa Shapiro One World Kitchen

Gusto Worldwide Media DNA Dinners / One World Kitchen / Flour Power Gusto Worldwide Media is bringing hundreds of hours of new 4K programming to ATF this year, in addition to showcasing Gusto TV, its recently launched food channel in Singapore.

“We approach food with a global sensibility, which resonates with Asian viewers who value food culture and appreciate the diversity of their own cuisines,” says Corey Caplan, the company’s senior director of international sales. “Our content stands out with its exceptionally high production values, with all programming produced in 4K UHD.” Offerings include DNA Dinners, which explores “culture and cuisine in a way that has never been seen on television before,” says Caplan.

One World Kitchen features modern and traditional recipes from four diverse Asian and five global cuisines, while Flour Power is a baking series set in a retro-style kitchen.

“We produce over 100 hours of native 4K long-form content every year along with hundreds of short-form videos.”

—Corey Caplan

Inter Medya

Bitter Lands

Bitter Lands / Exathlon / The Pit With strong ratings since its recent debut in Turkey, the drama Bitter Lands is on offer from Inter Medya. “International buyers want to see classic stories about love and family, and we can all agree that Bitter Lands is a special kind of love story,” says Can Okan, the company’s founder and CEO. Exathlon is a sports reality format that looks on as teams of physically fit contestants participate in parkour competitions. There is also The Pit, a drama series produced by Ay Yapim. The show tells the story of a conflicted young man who has to go back to his hometown to become head of the family. “Throughout the past three years, the interest in Turkish content from Asian buyers has increased tremendously and will continue to rise,” adds Okan.

“These series appeal to buyers across the Asia Pacific because of their conservative yet gripping storylines and high production qualities.”

—Can Okan 24 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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JKN Global Media Nakee 1 / Nakee 2 / Switch The story in Nakee, an award-winning series from the JKN Global Media catalog, centers on a goddess who has yearned for her lover for a thousand years. It’s now time to get her lover back and take revenge on her enemies. Also in the JKN Global Media portfolio is Switch, about a man and a woman who come to have their identities swapped and must dress and carry on as the other. “Our drama series feature Thai [actors] with international fan bases such as Nadech Kugimiya and Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund, who have already become popular in Southeast Asia with millions of followers on Facebook and Instagram,” says CEO Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip. “Therefore, we think that our content will for sure appeal to not only Asian buyers but also international buyers.”

Nakee 1

“Our ultimate goal is to bring the pride of Thai excellence worldwide.”

–Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip

NBCUniversal International Distribution

Magnum P.I.

Magnum P.I. / The Enemy Within / The Titan Games NBCUniversal International Distribution is heading to ATF this year with fresh highlights such as Magnum P.I. and The Enemy Within. “Over the years, buyers in Asia have become more discerning with their acquisitions in order to mirror the evolving, elevated taste of today’s viewers,” says Belinda Menendez, the president and chief revenue officer for global distribution and international at NBCUniversal. “Magnum P.I. and The Enemy Within are two of our compelling new dramas that transcend language and culture with their high production values, engaging storylines and diverse, well-developed characters. The Titan Games, hosted and executive produced by Dwayne Johnson, is one of our new unscripted series that looks to redefine athletic competitions.” In the show, Johnson aims to inspire everyday people to push themselves to achieve the impossible.

“We strive to provide ongoing support to all local players in Asia, be they linear or digital channels and services.”

—Belinda Menendez

Nippon TV The Price of Smiles / Abandoned / When Life Gives You Money Nippon TV returns to ATF with a variety of highlights, including The Price of Smiles, an animated fantasy series that takes place on a distant planet. “An innocent princess of a kingdom filled with smiles confronts a young female warrior of an empire that armors itself with fake smiles,” says Cindy Chino, the company’s senior director of international business development. “They not only battle but also thrive on adversity until they are able to appreciate the subtleties of emotion.” Nippon TV is also showcasing the scripted format Abandoned and the unscripted format When Life Gives You Money. “Recently, we are strengthening our scripted and unscripted format sales so that we can provide opportunities for localized content that resonates even more [with] our Asian viewers,” adds Chino.

Abandoned

“Asia has always been the most important market in exporting our content because the viewers can appreciate our Japanese casts and sense of humor.”

—Cindy Chino 26 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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Jesus

Record TV Jesus / Moses and the Ten Commandments / The Rich and Lazarus Record TV has seen success in many markets with its slate of programs rooted in biblical stories. This includes The Rich and Lazarus, The Promised Land and Moses and the Ten Commandments. Its latest offering is Jesus. Delmar Andrade, the company’s international sales director, says that the soap opera tells Jesus’s story with “a wealth of details” that haven’t been presented in previous productions. The story begins even before Jesus was born, with Mary and Joseph in rural Nazareth. It goes on to follow the clashes between good and evil that Jesus faces through to his crucifixion and resurrection. “We hope that Jesus generates much more success than Moses and the Ten Commandments has,” Andrade says. He adds that Record TV has two projects of a biblical nature coming in 2019.

“Jesus has been a worldwide success since its debut.”

—Delmar Andrade

TV Azteca International Maria Magdalena / Mundo Metro / Dementia

Wild by Nature

The historical drama Maria Magdalena re-creates the life of a passionate woman who challenges the laws of a corrupt society that is run by men. The biblical epic features a mix of love, danger, intrigue and faith. TV Azteca International’s slate also includes Dementia, which centers on a reporter who admits herself into a psychiatric hospital in an attempt to solve her grandmother’s murder. There’s also the docureality series Mundo Metro, which turns the lens on the underground transport system of Mexico City, as well as Wild by Nature, exploring the fauna of Mexico. Another highlight is the entertainment series La Academia. The format has garnered audiences from countries such as Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Central America. In the series, viewers vote for their favorite student in a music program and decide the winner.

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Sean Bean had acted in dozens of British theater, TV and film projects before finding global fame as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and then as Ned Stark in Game of Thrones. In 2019 Bean will star in Sky One’s Curfew, about a group of people who take part in a dangerous street race to win freedom from a totalitarian government. Bean tells World Screen about what drew him to the Sky Vision-distributed show and the

By Mansha Daswani character of “The General.”

WS: What appealed to you about Curfew?

BEAN: It was just different. There were so many different layers, so many different genres of style. There’s a kind of horror theme running throughout it, and humor. There’s a massive car race, which was very exciting. The characters have been thrown into this situation where they are trying to win this race in order to find paradise. Does this island that is the star prize for the winner actually exist? And I like the character, The General; I found I could have a lot of fun with him and push it to certain extremes and experiment and play around with the part. I quite liked him. He’s a bit of a psychopath and quite charming! [Laughs] [And I got] to play alongside a lovely co-star, Rose Williams as Faith; we got on very well and she’s very talented.

the babysitter of the children and I think that’s because it keeps thoughts of his family in his mind. He sees her as some comfort, as someone from that world who is still around him. And then he gets her pregnant. [Laughs] She’s nine-months pregnant when you first see us two together and we’re just starting this race. She’s quite game. She’s a strong woman and goes along with it. Then she discovers that his behavior is so irrational and so reckless, he’s such a dangerous man to be around, that she starts having second thoughts about a future with him, especially for the baby. It’s a bit sad really. He’s trying to relive his past through her and this child that is on the way. Unfortunately, she’s thinking of herself. She changes as soon as she is about to have the baby and it [becomes] a different relationship.

WS: Given that you’re in a race and your characters are competing against each other, what was the atmosphere like onset, in between scenes? Were you able to slow down a bit or was it always at an intense pace?

BEAN: Usually I find it quite easy to switch off between shots. I think most of the time I was running back to my trailer to keep warm! It felt like it was minus 30 degrees in Manchester in the winter this year. We were all battling against that, which gave it an added bite, some urgency because you wanted to get it done and get in the warm!

[Laughs] I found it quite nice to relax between takes, especially between set-ups. And then you can save your energy and switch on when they say, “Action!”

WS: What was it like working with the stuntmen on all those dangerous action sequences?

BEAN: It’s Faith who is probably in the worst place because she’s stuck in the passenger seat and having to experience this horror and shock and dangerous behavior from a partner who is driving the car. Things are going through her head all the time, the flashbacks to her story. It’s a really interesting character. She looks cute and pretty and seems girly, but really she’s got an iron character, she’s so strong when it comes to the crunch. She’s much stronger than The General is. You discover that as it goes along.

WS: Without giving away too much of the storyline, what can you tell us about The General’s arc across the episodes, the journey he’s on as he tries to get to paradise?

BEAN: He has a backstory that you learn in further episodes.

He was a criminal, a very wealthy one, very successful and well respected. Life was going well, he had a lovely wife and kids, and then there’s an awful tragedy that changes everything for him. There’s a period of solitude, him coming to terms with this awful tragedy. Then he hooks up with

WS: What new opportunities are you seeing as an actor in this very busy time for the scripted-content business?

BEAN: There are a lot more opportunities now and a lot more choices, not just in the characters I play but in the actual stories and the films themselves and the directors.

People are much more willing to invest in something a little bit different now, [rather than] the tried-and-tested format that we’re so used to seeing. I love the opportunity to do something surreal and different and experimental.

Television is very high quality now, that’s a good thing for all of us.

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From left: Anna Carugati, Álex Pina, Eric Newman, Lorenzo Mieli and Laurine Garaude.

By Mansha Daswani

orenzo Mieli, Álex Pina and Eric Newman discussed the creative process in the Talent Behind the Camera session at MIPCOM moderated by World Screen’s Anna Carugati. The producers were each honored with a World Screen Trendsetter Award in association with Reed MIDEM for their contributions to the global content business. Mieli, the CEO of Fremantle Italia, is behind The Young Pope and My Brilliant Friend. Pina is the creator and executive producer of Money Heist on Netflix.

Newman is the showrunner of Gaumont’s Narcos for Netflix. Pina and Newman both have overall deals with the streaming giant.

Mieli said he likes to surround himself with people who aren’t in the TV business when he’s developing new projects—notably, he teamed up with Paolo Sorrentino on The Young Pope. “I have always been in love with Paolo’s work in movies, and I thought that he was the [least likely] artist I could think of doing television, because of the way he tells stories. His [perspective in movies] was really weird. Thinking about him doing television was even weirder. That’s why I called him. I thought he could be an incredible storyteller in television. I went and asked him, Do you want to do TV? He said, I’ve never watched a TV

L

show! I said, That’s why you should do it. That’s how it happened.”

Mieli had initially considered doing a drama focused on the famous Italian saint Padre Pio. “He’s been a character for mainstream television for both Rai and Mediaset.

I thought, in this new world, what if Paolo Sorrentino approached a character like that and made a totally different show? He said, That’s interesting, and he thought about it. He came back and said, A saint is too little for me—I want to do the Pope!”

Narcos was sparked by a story Newman read in 1996 about the efforts to take down Pablo Escobar and the Cali cartel. “As I dug deeper into it and was confronted by the complexities of the failing endeavor [to win the war on drugs], I was very drawn to it and I began developing it as a film,” Newman said.

Newman was unsuccessful in getting a studio to take the film on. At the time, Hollywood was beginning to rely more on blockbuster tentpoles and franchises. “When Netflix announced they were launching in Latin America and they asked if I had something that might work, I said, Yes, I do, but it has to be in Spanish—at least partially—and we have to shoot in Colombia. I knew very little about television at the time and that seemed to be OK with

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them. They said, Go do it! It took me about 19 years between the idea and actually shooting.”

Pina, speaking through a translator, told MIPCOM delegates about how he came up with the idea for Money Heist. “We planned to do the series with two different time [frames—the heist, and the lead-up to it]. This offered us rhythm, freedom and versatility. We could describe claustrophobic moments, change the ambiance, almost the genre, and step away from immediate events and enjoy different kinds of scenes—more emotional, casual or even comical.”

Mieli talked about the consultants used on The Young Pope and the upcoming The New Pope. “It was anonymous consultancy—you won’t see anyone credited. What Paolo does is he studies a lot, but then he creates everything from scratch. Yes, it’s real, meaning there’s an authenticity in the research, but it’s purely creative in the results.”

DEA agents advised the team on Narcos, Newman said.

“I have not met a [DEA agent] who doesn’t believe strongly that all drugs are the devil and the only way to defeat the scourge of drugs is through law enforcement. I strongly disagree with that. So part of this job has been spending time with people with very different points of view on all sides. Journalists, politicians, cops, occasionally traffickers, they’re all full of s**t when you get their version of what’s wrong, why it happened, who’s at fault.

The DEA is invaluable as a source for us, certainly, but

think what people are reacting to is the fact that we humanize them. Law enforcement tends to see the world as good guys and bad guys. I don’t. I see the world as bad guys and very bad guys. The mistake that people make is depriving someone, even the greatest villain, of their humanity. Monsters do not spring forth from the womb, they are created, and they are created by ideology. If you’re a narco-trafficker, you don’t think you’re a bad guy; you think this situation exists where I can make a lot of money in a country where I could never make that kind of money by playing by the rules. We do sometimes get, You’re glorifying these guys. Their ending is always incredibly unhappy. There is some form of justice. But the criticism that we humanize them, I take as a compliment. One of the deepest compliments [we can receive is that we] got inside the head of someone who is so easily dismissed as a monster and a criminal.”

Pina noted that audiences want complexity in their characters. “In the beginning, we hate Berlin [the lead character in Money Heist], but suddenly we change that and create a highly empathic character. The audience then finds the whole thing more stimulating and more rewarding.”

Newman responded, “What’s so magical about this medium is the ability to take a character like Berlin, who you want to die as [soon] as you get to know him in the show, and by the end, you pray that he doesn’t. It can’t

their version of events is always, We got this guy and then this guy and we arrested that guy. They tend not to focus on the fact that the moment that guy goes down, another guy takes his place. It’s almost like a Hydra—you cut off a head and three heads pop up. We couldn’t reach the level of authenticity that is so important to our audience without [the DEA agents], but they have a very clear, black-and-white view of the issue. The show works for people who have a clear, black-and-white take on it. It also works for people, like myself, who approach it with a bit more complexity.”

On the issue of complex characters, Mieli said that he and his team heard “silence” in response to the not-soholy activities that happen in The Young Pope. “Everyone was expecting a show about the dark side of the Vatican and it was not; it was the creation of complex characters, like a guy who is elected as the Pope and at the end of the first episode tells the audience he doesn’t believe in God.” Mieli added that a year after the show aired, there was an article in the Vatican’s official newspaper calling The Young Pope “one of the most interesting pieces about religion in the last decade.”

Newman said that he and his team have received “some criticism for glamorizing [drug kingpins]—and I

be done in movies—you cannot take a character who, for example, blows up an airplane and think anything about him other than he’s a bad guy and he needs to die.

In the first episode of Game of Thrones, Jaime Lannister throws a child out a window, and by the end of season three, you love him. That is an incredible accomplishment. I don’t think you can do that anywhere but in this medium.”

Mieli referenced Narcos in discussing the decision to film his new project, My Brilliant Friend, adapted from the Elena Ferrante novel, in the Neapolitan language. Narcos, which features both Spanish and English dialogue, “showed the importance of authenticity,” Mieli said. “To have a show in Neapolitan in prime time on an American network [HBO] could change how international shows are seen,” he said.

He added, “In the first season of My Brilliant Friend, there are two twists, one is a pair of shoes and one is a doll. It’s a different way of looking at long-form storytelling. There is no jumping from your chair at every scene.

It’s all about the point of view and the complexity of the point of view of these female characters. It’s a risk, but at the same time, it could open up a new way of considering long storytelling.”

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IN THE NEWS

WS: What are content companies doing right on Twitter, and where do you think they are misunderstanding the platform?

MADATI: The content landscape is changing at an incredible pace. When you look at the last five years, we probably leapfrogged ten years’ worth of transition. There are a lot of partners we’re working with who are thinking around the corner. They are looking at how people are consuming content today and they are structuring partnerships with companies like ours to try to think about how you serve that new user behavior. We’re lucky to be partnered with a lot of people who are experimenting, testing new boundaries, business models and advertising and monetization models, and leveraging our unique value proposition. We’ve only been in this content game for about two and a half years. I still think there is a broad swathe of people who don’t know that Twitter is a viable reach and monetization extension platform.

WS: What opportunities are you seeing in markets like Africa and Asia that are so mobile-centric? Does your strategy for those areas have to be different than your approach to the U.S. or Europe?

MADATI: Fundamentally, because we’re a mobile platform first, the core of that strategy is the same. The value proposition for users, advertisers and content producers alike remains the same.

The real opportunity is for Twitter to be building relationships with content providers in those local markets for their local audiences. There are absolutely going to be these global content [alliances with] sports brands like Formula One or the NBA or NFL. But I also believe we should be in market, really figuring out who the entertainment content providers are, who the local sports providers are, who the news providers are, and working with them to build out those partnerships.

By Mansha Daswani

Twitter is not just a platform for communicating in 280 characters or less.

That’s the message that Kay Madati, the social media giant’s global VP and head of content partnerships, has been relaying since he arrived at the company in 2017. The former BET executive has been busy aligning with companies across the globe for video content on the platform, including announcing a raft of deals in Asia with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and FOX Sports Asia. Madati talks to World Screen about Twitter’s video strategy as the platform seeks to help partners tell compelling stories for a mobile-first audience.

WS: What is Twitter’s overall video strategy?

MADATI: Our content efforts are part of our broader company mission. Our job is to inform our users and the world and serve the conversations that are happening on the platform. I look at what we’re doing with content, particularly video content, as a subset of that, leveraging video to actually tell stories in more compelling ways and working with partners to bring that content to the platform.

We believe that when things happen in the world, they happen first on Twitter. Twitter can be a perfect extension of producers’ reach, audience and monetization propositions.

Content is happening on Twitter right now and we’re excited to be partnering with a myriad of producers and media companies around the world. Twitter is an available partner for those efforts.

WS: You mentioned news and sports. Are those the kinds of content partnerships best suited to Twitter?

MADATI: We definitely see different types of consumption behavior behind different genres, and that makes sense. It’s not a surprise that there is a lot of conversation around sports on the platform. During the World Cup, we saw Twitter light up behind every goal scored. Users are more likely to watch an entire red carpet show in front of the Oscars or BAFTAs. There’s more short-form consumption around news, where they just literally want to get their information, understand it, consume it and then distribute it and share it with their friends.

WS: Is there an ideal length for video content on Twitter?

MADATI: We’ll never be a Netflix-like viewing experience.

These lean-back, watch-for-an-hour experiences aren’t happening on the platform. Depending on what the content is and what you’re trying to deliver in terms of messaging, the sweet spot is somewhere between 1 and 5 minutes. People are producing shorter-form content at higher frequency rates.

Bloomberg is an example with their TicToc brand. They are publishing an enormous amount of clips on a daily basis, but they are short, easily digestible and easy to distribute.

WS: What gains are you looking to see in Twitter’s video strategy in the next 12 months?

MADATI: We are working robustly in the U.S. I’d love to see us penetrated more heavily with our ex-U.S. partners—I’m looking at relationships in Japan, Korea, AsiaPac [as a whole]. I think we can do a whole lot more in EMEA, specifically with the U.K. Brazil and Mexico offer new opportunities. Those media markets are ripe for this kind of experimentation and innovation.

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TVASIA

WWW.TVASIA.WS

DECEMBER 2018

ASIA TV FORUM EDITION

Kids’ Programming / Format Sales / Asian Drama / BBC Studios’ David Weiland / TV5MONDE’s Alexandre Muller MCI’s S Iswaran & IMDA’s Howie Lau / JKN’s Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip

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10 TV ASIA

CONTENTS FEATURES

Lands of Promise Amid lots of dreary forecasts about cordcutting in Europe and the U.S., the pay-TV subscriber base in Asia is still growing, according to new data from Media Partners Asia (MPA).

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Joanna Padovano Tong Managing Editor Chelsea Regan Associate Editor Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Nathalia Lopez Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Asia © 2018 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvasia.ws

The number of pay-TV subscribers across the region is set to increase from 645 million this year to 696 million in 2023, and pay-TV revenues are forecast to rise from $56 billion to $66 billion in the same time frame. This doesn’t mean that it’s a rosy picture for the pay-TV business everywhere in the region; in fact, the sector is contracting in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

“Pay-TV stakeholders are adjusting to new realities as the industry shifts to IP-based distribution,” says Vivek Couto, executive director of MPA. “The growth of highspeed broadband and online video is driving fundamental changes in content consumption and investment across key markets. This, together with piracy, will continue to adversely impact pay-TV industry growth.”

OTT also has its fair share of challenges as local upstarts face off against the big budgets of Netflix and Amazon. But the consensus among local, regional and global players alike is that there is still a wealth of opportunities available across Asia—if you know how to tap into them.

That’s where events like the Singapore Media Festival come in, according to the island nation’s Minister of Communications and Information, S Iswaran. In this edition of TV Asia, he talks about Singapore’s ideal positioning as a gateway to the continent. We also hear from David Weiland, the executive VP for Asia at BBC Studios, about how the rising demand for local content has translated into a booming formats business at the company, particularly with high-end drama series. Alexandre Muller, the managing director of TV5MONDE AsiaPacific, reveals how he is expanding the presence of the French-language broadcaster on both traditional and digital platforms. And Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip shares how she is positioning JKN Global Media as both a leading importer and exporter of top-quality content.

This edition also spotlights some of the companies heading to Asia TV Forum, exploring how they are finding homes for kids’ content and formats across the region. And we take a look at how companies from the Philippines, India and Korea are expanding the reach of their drama series to Europe, Latin America and beyond.

—Mansha Daswani

GET DAILY NEWS ON THE ASIAN REGION

22 CHILD’S PLAY Leading kids’ content distributors weigh in on the opportunities they’re finding across Asia.

32 DRAMATIC SPARK Asian storytelling is in the spotlight as the region’s dramas find fans across the globe.

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36 EYES ON ASIA From twist-laden serialized drama to high-concept entertainment shows and intense competition series, the market for formats in Asia is busier than ever.

INTERVIEWS 42 BBC Studios’ David Weiland

45 MCI’s S Iswaran + IMDA’s Howie Lau

48 TV5MONDE’s Alexandre Muller

50 JKN Global’s Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip

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12 TV ASIA

9 Story Distribution International Moon and Me / Dr. Panda / Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum From Andrew Davenport (Teletubbies) comes Moon and Me, a new preschool series being promoted by 9 Story Distribution International. “Inspired by well-loved tales of toys that come to life when nobody is looking, Moon and Me is the story of a special friendship between two characters from completely different worlds,” says Federico Vargas, the company’s VP of distribution. Another highlight is Dr. Panda, a preschool show based on an app franchise. “Aimed at children 3 to 6 years old, the series offers fresh storytelling and lots of charming moments,” says Vargas. There is also Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, inspired by a book series that “tells the story of important figures in history like Amelia Earhart and Isaac Newton, but from the perspective of when they were kids,” adds Vargas.

“We have an exciting slate to present this year at ATF, across several styles and children’s demographics.”

Moon and Me

—Federico Vargas

Cyber Group Studios Gigantosaurus / Taffy / Sadie Sparks After ranking as the most-screened show at MIPJunior, Gigantosaurus is being presented by Cyber Group Studios.

“The series never stops catching the attention of broadcasters worldwide,” says Noémie Bourrié, international sales and digital content manager. Cyber Group is also offering up Taffy, Sadie Sparks and Ernest & Rebecca. “We are bringing [to ATF] a cute and edutaining preschool show (Gigantosaurus), a slapstick series targeted to kids and families (Taffy), a kids’ comedy-driven show (Sadie Sparks) and a lively and funny upper-preschool series (Ernest & Rebecca),” says Bourrié. “With this diverse content, we have the ambition to collaborate with different yet complementary players.” She adds: “These series are very different from one another and we strongly believe they will catch the attention of Asian buyers.”

Sadie Sparks

“We are at ATF to strengthen relationships with our historical partners, but our goal is also to collaborate with new ones both in sales and co-productions.”

—Noémie Bourrié

Entertainment One Family & Brands

Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad

Peppa Pig / PJ Masks / Ricky Zoom Entertainment One (eOne) Family & Brands is heading to ATF with a slate of preschool programming that includes the animated hit Peppa Pig, “which has a huge fan base in Asia, particularly in China, where its popularity has soared in the past year,” according to Monica Candiani, the company’s executive VP of content sales. “There is also a very special Chinese-themed episode to celebrate Chinese New Year in February 2019.” Another highlight is the animated series PJ Masks. “We’re confident that more kids in Asia will embrace the strong storylines, catchy music score and bold visuals of this show, which has become a huge hit with audiences globally,” says Candiani. There is also Ricky Zoom, an animated series set in a town where all the inhabitants are bikes.

PJ Masks

“Asia is a strategic focus for the business, and we have some exciting plans in the pipeline that we’ll be announcing soon.”

—Monica Candiani 46 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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14 TV ASIA

Global Agency Find My Body / Joker / Gulperi There’s a mix of formats and dramas on offer from Global Agency. In the way of unscripted entertainment, the company is presenting Find My Body, a hybrid of a dating series and a game show. There is also the quiz show Joker, which is being licensed as a format. A major new drama launch is Gulperi, which is the story of a woman who has been treated unjustly all her life only because she is a female. “With hit dramas and formats, our content has been in high demand in Asia, and we hope to continue this progress in the region,” says Işil Türkşen, Global Agency’s sales director for Asia. “ATF is a good place to meet new buyers as well as existing contacts, especially following MIPCOM, where we always launch new projects.” Another highlight from the company is the format Momsters, a cooking competition featuring brides and their mothers-in-law.

Momsters

“There is a demand for fresh, edgy ideas in Asia.”

—Işil Türkşen

Gloob

Gigablaster

Anittinha’s Club / Gigablaster / Brainiacs This year marks the first time that Gloob will have a presence at the Asia TV Forum & Market. “We decided to attend the market since we have done excellent business in Asia,” says Beatriz Thompson, senior sales executive. “Despite the cultural boundaries, opportunities [in the region] grow due to the content consumption, especially through VOD platforms.”

Gloob heads to the market in Singapore with a slate that includes the animated series Anittinha’s Club and Gigablaster, as well as the live-action show Brainiacs. “Both Anittinha’s Club and Gigablaster have high-quality production and universal storytelling,” says Thompson. “Brainiacs is focused on kids’ entertainment but also engages science and technology discussions in a funny way, which is what makes Brainiacs a unique show in the kids’ content field.”

“Gloob will be attending ATF for the very first time.”

—Beatriz Thompson

GoldBee

The Athena Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad

The Athena / School of Roars / Cleo & Cuquin According to Christophe Goldberger, the managing director of GoldBee, ATF “has been a consistently strong market” that “has grown substantially in the past five years as the economy picked up in the region and China opened up to foreign kids’ content.” GoldBee heads to Singapore with a slate that includes The Athena, a liveaction show starring Ella Balinska as one of the adolescent students attending a famous art school in London.

“Just as our previous teen dramas, we expect this highend production to perform well in the region,” says Goldberger.

GoldBee is also offering up School of Roars and Cleo & Cuquin. “In terms of animation, strong preschool with some educational content is still in high demand in Asia,” he adds.

“We are looking for new partners to delve into the licensing and merchandising activity in the region.”

—Christophe Goldberger

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16 TV ASIA

GMA Worldwide Family Jewels / Silent Shadow / Color of My Blood

GMA Worldwide is showcasing some of its newest dramas, including Family Jewels, at ATF. Family Jewels is about five sisters who have the same father but different mothers and are all battling for control of their father’s company. Another highlight is Silent Shadow, about a woman who finds love after a difficult separation, though her new man is seduced by another woman—who turns out to be her transgender ex-husband. There’s also Color of My Blood, an action drama about two brothers who are on opposite sides of the law. “We think these will appeal to viewers in Asia who are always looking for themes that are out of the ordinary,” says VP Roxanne J. Barcelona. “Stories that revolve around modern-day issues that affect society today…are appealing and pique the viewer’s curiosity.”

Color of My Blood

“While we continue to provide finished content to our clients, remake rights of GMA’s dramas are also available.”

—Roxanne J. Barcelona

IMPS The Smurfs and the Magic Flute / The Smurfs / The Smurfs: A New Touch of Blue The Smurfs: A New Touch of Blue This year marks the 60th anniversary of The Smurfs brand.

The Smurfs and the Magic Flute is a movie based on the original book by Peyo that first introduced the characters to the world. “This feature film tells the funny and adventurous story of how a magic flute disappeared from Smurf Village,” says Nele De Wilde, business affairs manager for audio and audiovisual at IMPS. There is also The Smurfs classic television show. “The Smurfs TV series offers hours of timeless entertainment for the whole family to watch,” says De Wilde. Another highlight is The Smurfs: A New Touch of Blue, a brand-new show that “features original stories with more complex characters, snappier dialogue, joyful anarchy and irresistible global appeal for a contemporary audience aged 5 to 10,” adds De Wilde.

“The Smurfs are universally known and loved.”

—Nele De Wilde

Infocomm Media Development Authority

Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad

An Excavation Through Time / China at High Speed / Zee Force Five Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) will lead a delegation at ATF of about 70 companies presenting more than 740 hours of content in a wide variety of genres. “We want to encourage our media companies to use technologies to create innovative content that will travel worldwide,” says Howie Lau, IMDA’s chief industry development officer.

For example, the creative start-up iMMERSiVELY will present An Excavation Through Time, a new VR experience that allows audiences to take part in archaeology by “digging” for buried historical artifacts. In regard to co-productions, Oak3 Films and China Intercontinental Communication Center have collaborated on China at High Speed. Meanwhile, from the International Emmy-nominated series Oddbods by One Animation comes the 22-minute special Zee Force Five.

Zee Force Five

“IMDA is excited to stand at the forefront of Asian storytelling with our local content creators.”

—Howie Lau 50 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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Trace of Evil 18 TV ASIA

Rive Gauche Television Something ’s Killing Me / My Misdiagnosis / Trace of Evil Life-threatening medical mysteries are explored in the series Something’s Killing Me, which Rive Gauche Television is presenting. “Something’s Killing Me is a really well-made series that keeps viewers guessing until the very end,” says Jon Kramer, the company’s CEO. My Misdiagnosis, meanwhile, tells the stories of patients who were incorrectly diagnosed.

“My Misdiagnosis delves into a subject that could happen to anyone in the world and therefore has a universal appeal,” says Kramer. Trace of Evil “takes viewers through sophisticated forensic criminal investigations using modern techniques to solve the crime,” says Kramer. “These cases will shock and horrify, but through their ultimate resolution, they demonstrate how modern technologies have shifted the balance of power back to the investigators.”

“Our attendance at ATF is increasing our universe of contacts and our knowledge base of what the region is looking for.”

—Jon Kramer

Studio 100 Media/m4e Arthur and the Minimoys / Wissper / The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill Based on the successful movie saga, Arthur and the Minimoys is one of the highlights being promoted by Studio 100 Media/m4e at ATF. “Visionary director and producer Luc Besson created a visually breathtaking universe and exciting stories with his Arthur movies,” says Anke Manthey, sales project manager at the combined company. “Now he is back on the TV screen with this new action-packed CGI series.” Also on offer is Wissper, about a little girl who can talk to animals, and The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill, which is inspired by the classic book character. “In general, we’ve had the experience that buyers are looking for shows that have a central character and friends, portray positive role models and are filled with humor,” adds Manthey. “All three shows certainly cover these aspects.”

“Despite its complex regulatory infrastructure, we hope to be able to build a solid foundation in China.”

—Anke Manthey

Talpa Global

The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill

The Voice Senior Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad

5 Gold Rings / House of Talent / The Voice Senior Talpa recently closed a three-year deal with PPTV in Thailand for the entire The Voice franchise, including the new spinoff The Voice Senior. “The Voice now caters to all generations and has reached a total of 110 versions airing all over the world,” says Saskia van Lier, senior VP of Talpa Asia. “Looking at the stellar results The Voice Senior scored for its launch season in the Netherlands and Russia, we are sure it will also be a success in the Asian region.”

The company is also presenting the daily music reality show House of Talent and game show 5 Gold Rings. “With House of Talent, we are bringing a multi-screen format to the market that targets the young and hard-to-reach audience with social, music and reality TV fully integrated,” van Lier says.

“Asia is a great launchpad for innovative content.”

–Saskia van Lier 52 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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20 TV ASIA

Turner Asia Pacific I Am the Night / The Last O.G. / I’m Sorry

Turner’s programming spans a wide swath. “We have every genre available for every demo in every Asian market,” says Phil Nelson, managing director for North and Southeast Asia Pacific.

From TNT, there is I Am the Night, a mystery miniseries from Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and starring Chris Pine.

TBS originals include Miracle Workers, a new comedy with Steve Buscemi and Daniel Radcliffe, and The Last O.G., created

by Jordan Peele and John Carcieri and starring Tracy Morgan.

Adult Swim hits include Rick and Morty and Robot Chicken, while truTV’s roster features I’m Sorry and Misfits & Monsters.

Cartoon Network originals on offer include the comedy Summer Camp Island, as well as Ben 10 and We Bare Bears.

Also available from Turner are a number of Japanese original series from the brands TABI Channel and Mondo TV.

The Last O.G.

“Turner’s content offering at ATF this year is almost certainly its biggest and most diverse to date.”

—Phil Nelson

TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific

Les seigneurs

TV5MONDE Asie / TV5MONDE Pacifique / TV5MONDE Style HD

TV5MONDE has been available in the Asia Pacific since 1996 and has grown its subscriber base to over 100 million this year.

There are HD feeds of both TV5MONDE Asie and TV5MONDE Pacifique, as well as an SD feed of TV5MONDE Asie.

TV5MONDE Style HD was launched in 2015 and is dedicated to showcasing French culture and lifestyles. “Apart from providing operators with additional rights such as catch-up and VOD, we also created our own OTT service, TV5MONDE+ Asie, both as a B2C and authenticated service for B2B,” explains Alexandre Muller, managing director of TV5MONDE AsiaPacific. Upcoming programming highlights for December include the football film Les seigneurs, the animated feature Tante Hilda! and classic crime movie Maigret et l’affaire SaintFiacre, as well as the doc Sur la piste des senteurs: Japon.

“To remain relevant and attractive to our partners, TV5MONDE has been very active with nonlinear and OTT initiatives since 2002.”

—Alexandre Muller

Viacom18/Indiacast

Unfaithful Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad

The Serpent / Unfaithful / Beyond Boundaries

There is a third season of The Serpent (Naagin), a saga of love and revenge, on offer from Viacom18/Indiacast. The mythical tale of vengeance plays out after the wedding of a shapeshifting serpent is marred by a group of drunken youngsters.

Another highlight from the company’s ATF slate is Unfaithful (Silsila), which centers on two best friends, one broken marriage and a dangerous affair. Meanwhile, Beyond Boundaries (Bepannah) is a romantic thriller mystery about spousal betrayal. “While our content is symbolic of the core culture and diversity of India, our approach has always been global,” says Debkumar Dasgupta, the senior VP of international business and syndication at Viacom18/Indiacast. “Our series are a perfect blend of emotion, drama and variety, which are synonymous with almost all cultures in the world.”

“Viacom18/Indiacast brings unique stories of love, relationships, drama and mystery.”

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–Debkumar Dasgupta

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Leading kids’ content distributors weigh in on the opportunities they’re finding across Asia.

By Mansha Daswani

Studio 100 & m4e’s Wissper.

reschoolers in China will be able to celebrate the start of the Year of the Pig in 2019 with the globally beloved pink piglet Peppa. The first co-production between Entertainment One (eOne) Family & Brands and Chinese film giant Alibaba Pictures Group, Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year arrives in cinemas February 5. Incorporating Chinese New Year traditions, the film will also feature new characters, Panda twins, who will be the basis of a slate of merchandise just for the local market.

The initiative reflects the growing importance of China to kids’ content distributors, and their willingness to try new models to crack a notoriously challenging market. The country of more than 250 million kids 15 and under has a booming streaming sector that has opened up new opportunities for distributors. There are also strict regulations in

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place, competition from an active, well-supported local animation sector and piracy concerns.

BEHIND THE WALL “China is becoming a more and more important market and we are making a lot of progress with many different partners,” observes Ulli Stoef, the CEO of Studio 100 Media and m4e. “With partners like UYoung (Mia and me) and WeKids (Wissper, Tip the Mouse) we will launch full licensing programs soon. Also, via our sister company Little Airplane and our feature-film distribution department, we are very active in the market. Despite the new rules from SARFT we hope to be able to build a solid foundation in China.”

Stoef adds, “For us, China is not only a one-way street. We think that some of their content has the [potential] to be more international and we’d like to be a partner to distribute Chinese content to the world.”

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9 Story recently scored the distribution rights to Dr. Panda, which is based on a popular app.

and pricing for animation. The challenge still is communiMonica Candiani, the executive VP of content sales at eOne cation and an understanding of the cultural differences.

Family & Brands, is of the belief that there are “fantastic Our goal is to develop a show that resonates in the Asian as opportunities to co-produce shows with Chinese production well as international markets.” companies and platforms. This is something we’re already doing with different platforms in Asia, and you can expect to see some more announcements about this from us very soon.”

Exporting Chinese IP is also on the agenda at 9 Story Distribution to traditional and digital platforms, meanwhile, Distribution International, which has Luo Bao Bei, a Chineseremains the bread-and-butter business for kids’ content comWales co-pro, and Dr. Panda, a Chinese-Dutch collaborapanies heading to Asia TV Forum this year. And by all tion, on its slate. Federico Vargas, VP of distribution at the accounts, it has been a very good year. company, says he’s open to deeper content partnership “This last year has been very lively in the Asia-Pacific opportunities in the region as a whole. “In terms of coregion,” reports Cyber Group’s Bourrié. “Year after year, producing with animation partners in Asia directly, we are we have to adapt to the market evolution. While a paybeginning to explore the potential for select projects with TV partner has shut down its kids’ channel, other partuniversal sensibilities.” ners are coming to the market with a stronger and bigger Noémie Bourrié, international sales and digital content manpolicy oriented to kids. Asia is a keystone market for us, ager at Cyber Group Studios, is also open to co-production with and we are more than glad to bring high-end productions Asian players. “We know this market has a lot of skills and expertise in the animation field. Aside from co-production, we would also be glad to partner on a distribution model with Asian producers.”

Escapade Media is already exploring co-pro opportunities out of its home base in Australia and is “talking to different animation studios in Asia to see what are the best options,” says Natalie Lawley, the company’s managing director.

“There appear to be lots of opportunities for co-productions.”

Studio 100 and m4e’s Stoef is also bullish on collaboration opportunities region-wide. “We feel that there is a lot of talent in the markets and we’d like to share our know-how in terms of distribution and international appeal of shows. I think that the region offers a lot in terms of animation Escapade’s children’s slate includes the live-action preschool series Jay’s Jungle.

SELLING TIME

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Entertainment One’s Peppa Pig is resonating with preschoolers across Asia.

to it and see the strong and faithful interest of the broadcasters grow.”

Escapade’s Lawley says the last 12 months have seen some of the company’s clients “restructuring or reducing their channel output. Whether this has been due to mergers or rebranding their business to appeal to a more specific demographic, there has certainly been a lot of change. We feel this is a very positive position for the region, resulting in new opportunities and hopefully a more stable outlook.”

“Traditional broadcasters remain our most important clients in terms of value in the region, except in China where nonlinear rights generate most of the revenues,” states Christophe Goldberger, the managing director of GoldBee. “But our business with nonlinear platforms keeps growing every year.”

ON-DEMAND “We’ve invested a lot in our AsiaPac business,” says Stoef, noting a recent deal that brought Wissper to India on Nick Jr. Digital opportunities are increasing, he adds, with a slew of the company’s shows on platforms like iQiyi, Youku and Tencent in China. “Free TV is more regulated and it is very difficult to have significant reach for our programs,” he says.

“The SVOD side of the business is becoming more important. Thanks to SVOD, we are able to distribute our catalog much wider in the region than before.”

Candiani at eOne reflects a similar sentiment, noting, “The rising popularity of VOD platforms, particularly in China, has ruffled traditional content consumption, and investors are increasingly seeking new original content to make available on these platforms. Consumers now have multiple touchpoints to access their favorite shows at a time that suits them, but there’s also increased competition due to the volume of content available.”

Candiani has also noticed, in the last year, greater requests from linear channels for digital rights to shows.

“This is more commonly the case in Australia and New Zealand, but it is also happening in Asia.”

Cyber Group’s Bourrié has also witnessed this development. “We are of course ready to take this turn and are open to new business models, but these new partnerships need to be fruitful for both parties and we need to work to

structure new models. Working only on revenue share, as many OTT players are suggesting, is not the best option for an independent production and distribution company like ours.”

9 Story’s Vargas references the company’s “considerable business” with the global streamers present in Asia, and with well-established platforms in China. Outside of those players, “We’re seeing quite a few OTT start-ups pop up and try to find their market positioning. In the mix of all that, our traditional partners continue to be an important part of our territory-specific strategies. In many cases, our longstanding partners are still the optimal homes for some of the big brands and franchises that we’re bringing to market.”

GENRE APPEAL Distributors indicate that there’s a broad range of kids’ content striking a chord with Asian buyers. For Candiani, “nondialogue-based slapstick visual humor is popular with kids in Asia and, of course, our very own Peppa Pig and PJ Masks are performing well with audiences in each territory where they are given good exposure by the local platform.

The universal themes in those shows translate well across all markets and good storytelling will always be appreciated by children.”

Bourrié stresses that market demands differ by country, but broadly “comedy-driven shows and CGI productions are performing well. We also notice that some broadcasters are looking for more arts and educational content. This is what makes this market so interesting and dynamic: the plurality of genres and diversity of needs.”

For Vargas, “established brands that have a strong pedigree” are faring particularly well. “This includes classic series like Garfield and Friends, which is why we invested in remastering to 4K HD. It also includes classic series being reimagined with new content, like the new Clifford the Big Red Dog, which we acquired from Scholastic. Shows with brand awareness are resonating in AsiaPac right now.”

He also points to the popularity of curriculum-based series such as Let’s Go Luna! and Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.

Escapade’s Lawley references the importance of volume when dealing with broadcasters and platforms in the region. “Our titles that have more than three seasons have

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Cyber Group arrives at ATF with the animated comedy Ernest & Rebecca.

been reacquired by the same channels, which has been fantastic for those brands. We are still seeing the same challenges with selling live-action content, where animation remains the very dominant need.”

GoldBee has found solid business with the high-end teen dramas it represents on behalf of ZDF Enterprises, such as Mako Mermaids, Wolfblood and Dance Academy, in Southeast Asia. The Athena will be on offer from the company at ATF. “In terms of animation, preschool with some educational content is still in high demand,” such as School of Roars and Cleo & Cuquin, “which seem to resonate well with the audience all over Asia,” says Goldberger.

likely that [in the medium term] we will set up our own business or office in the region in order to have a better understanding of the culture and all other aspects. We hope to be able to announce some additional co-productions with partners in the region very soon.”

Candiani at eOne has her eye on sustained success in China and new opportunities in Korea following EBS’s pickup of PJ Masks this year. “Asia is a strategic focus for the business and in the next year, we will aim to place PJ Masks on additional free-to-air channels across Asia, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Hong Kong. We’re also excited to be introducing our new show Ricky Zoom in AsiaPac very soon. The CGI series follows the adventures of a little red motorbike. We think it will be a big hit with kids and parents alike.”

Southeast Asia is a key focus for Cyber Group’s Bourrié— “we have the ambition to build new partnerships with Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia,” she says, adding, “Of course Japan is a key market that we are working to strengthen our relationship with. We also notice several strong new growing developments in Myanmar and Mongolia.” She will also be committed to sustaining the French company’s robust business with pan-regional platforms and operators in China, Taiwan, Korea and India.

Korea, Indonesia and India are on Lawley’s wish list for expansion at Escapade, but she cautions that there could be a slowdown in the region’s kids’ business in 2019. “I think that there could be reduced options for kids’ content over the next 12 months as budgets decrease and the focus on local productions continues to grow.”

Goldberger, meanwhile, is feeling optimistic as he heads to ATF this year. “We expect AsiaPac to remain a good territory for kids’ and teen content, with stronger local nonlinear platforms maturing and competing with the likes of Netflix and Amazon.”

RIPE FOR EXPANSION Goldberger is bullish about his company’s continued prospects in Asia— despite some looming challenges on the horizon. “China has been our most important market again this year. With the change in regulation approaching, the market will surely become more selective, which might be good for us as most of our content is high-quality series produced for public broadcasters.

Indonesia remains a challenge, especially for animation programs, and we are actively looking to partner with local companies for this particular territory.”

For Stoef at Studio 100 and m4e, South Korea and China remain the company’s best territories in the region, and Japan continues to be a “tough market with its own rules,” he says. “It is very

Preschool animation like GoldBee’s Cleo & Cuquin is doing well across the region.

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ABS-CBN’s Now & Forever.

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Asian storytelling is in the spotlight as the region’s dramas find fans across the globe.

By Mansha Daswani etflix’s Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos made a splash in Singapore last month as they unveiled 17 new original productions from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, India and South Korea.

“Asia is home to the world’s great creative centers producing some of the most compelling films and series of today,” said Sarandos, chief content officer, at the streamer’s first-ever content showcase in the region. “The beauty of Netflix is that we can take never-seen-before stories from South Korea, Thailand, Japan, India, Taiwan or elsewhere, and easily connect them to people all over Asia and the world. More than half of Asian content hours viewed on Netflix this year are viewed outside the region, so we have confidence that our upcoming slate of Asian productions will find fans in their home countries and abroad.”

Netflix certainly has raised the bar for original scripted in Asia, but it’s not the only game in town. The likes of HOOQ, iflix and Viu are making waves pan-regionally, as is HBO Asia with properties like the horror anthology Folklore and the Indonesian thriller Grisse. Elsewhere in the pan-regional space, FOX Networks Group Asia has been investing heavily in Mandarin-language scripted, recently picking up the worldwide rights, outside of China, for the period drama series The Legend of Hao Lan from Huanyu Film.

“Staying on top in the entertainment industry means constantly listening to what consumers want, and we have seen again and again that viewers today are voracious for the most exciting and dramatic Chinese series,” said Cora Yim, the senior VP and head of Chinese entertainment at FOX Networks Group Asia, in announcing the agreement at MIPCOM. “Our strategy is inspired by the FX network series production model, where success comes from developing relationships with the best creative talent,” Yim says. “In terms of original Chinese content collaborations, we also strive to partner with the best talent, top filmmakers and producers to create premium content. We also see this strategy as empowering storytelling and taking our relationships to the next level. The recent expansion of Fox Creative Lab to Taiwan is helping us create a pipeline of 360-degree creative

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talent for FOX in Asia. As well, it enables us to increase the diversity of ideas in the region’s film and TV industry, providing a platform for up-and-coming talent hailing from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and beyond.

Working collaboratively to groom new talent in front of and behind the camera is also helping FOX Networks Group Asia to spearhead an evolving trend we’ve been witnessing for the past few years, in which entertainment from the East is reaching new viewers in the West.”

Turner Asia Pacific is also stepping up its regional scripted efforts, sealing a multi-year pact with mm2 Asia that includes the film Killer Not Stupid, from the multimillion-dollar box-office director Jack Neo. “We are [also] discussing a TV drama with a Taiwanese producer, based on an award-winning script,” notes Marianne Lee, VP of content for general entertainment.

Meanwhile, broadcasters and distributors in the Philippines, Korea and India are finding a slew of additional opportunities to license their drama series, produced for their local markets, within the region and across the globe.

RIDING THE WAVE Korea remains the region’s biggest licensor of drama, with CJ ENM among those leading the charge. “CJ ENM introduces three to five new dramas every month, and the diversity and competency of the lineup leads to their popularity throughout Asia,” says Linda Lee, head of global content marketing at the Korean conglomerate, which arrives at ATF with highlights such as Encounter, Quiz from God: Reboot and Priest. “The Asian territory is one of the most important markets for CJ ENM. The new markets we wish to [enter are in] Europe. We believe we have potential there with both our finished shows and scripted formats.”

GMA Worldwide in the Philippines is also finding interest in its scripted-format slate, according to VP Roxanne J. Barcelona.

“We have received inquiries for drama formats from production companies in Korea, India, the Middle East and Thailand and we hope to unlock new territories through format sales in the future,” she says, adding, “Scripted format sales are doing well in Latin America.”

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In terms of finished programs, meanwhile, Barcelona cites Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa as key territories.

“We are slowly opening up Europe, Central Asia and China.”

For fellow Filipino media group ABS-CBN Corporation, Asia and Africa have been the strongest markets for drama sales, according to Macie F. Imperial, VP/head of integrated acquisitions and international sales. “We are aggressively strengthening our ties with the Latin American and European markets. We are also actively pursuing countries like China and Korea. We are hoping that we will have a strong foothold in these big markets soon.”

Imperial adds that ABS-CBN has become active in the format-sales sector, previously licensing The Two of Us to Cambodia and The Promise to Mexico. “We are in talks with our partners in Asia and the Middle East for format adaptations of our dramas,” Imperial says.

PASSAGE FROM INDIA

New Asian dramas being showcased this ATF include, from the top, GMA’s Silent Shadow, CJ ENM’s Encounter and Viacom18’s Bepannah.

Dramas from India have been steadily expanding their reach worldwide over the last few years. Debkumar Dasgupta, senior VP and business head of syndication and digital at Viacom18/Indiacast, says his company’s shows have reached Central and Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and the Americas, among other markets. “We are looking at introducing our series in China, the Philippines and Japan,” he says.

One Life Studios cracked the Japanese market this year when it licensed its period epic Porus to Hulu Japan. “Now we are aiming to venture into the Latin American market and also Africa,” reports Siddharth Kumar Tewary, founder and chief creative officer at the Indian distribution house.

Digital platforms are beginning to create new opportunities for distributors, but the executives surveyed here note that there are challenges in working with ondemand services.

“Indian dramas are typically long-running, airing for many years,” Dasgupta says. “Digital platforms are looking at shorter series. We have syndicated our series to digital platforms geo-blocked to a specific territory. We are now awaiting the feedback on the performance of the series.”

For ABS-CBN’s Imperial, “Digital platforms have created a dynamic business environment for our drama distribution.

It has led us to reexamine our operations to be able to supply the demands of this emerging digital trend.”

GMA’s Barcelona notes that digital platforms often prefer different kinds of dramas than the ones sought out by linear services. “We find that heavy dramas are preferred by free TV while the romantic comedies are preferred by the pay and OTT markets.”

Barcelona has also observed a willingness for “new, even risqué drama storylines,” such as the one in Silent Shadow about a transgender woman.

Regardless of platform, compelling storytelling will travel, One Life’s Tewary says. “Today, language is not a barrier—if the content is good, it travels globally. Indian dramas are very family oriented and high on drama, which is something that travels all around the world.”

“Our shows capture the celebrations, the trials and tribulations and the joys of our culture well,” says Viacom18’s Dasgupta. “While our content is symbolic of the core culture and diversity of India, our approach has always been global.”

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Endemol Shine’s Humans in China.

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From twist-laden serialized drama to highconcept entertainment shows and intense competition series, the market for formats in Asia is busier than ever. By Mansha Daswani

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he scripted-formats business in Asia isn’t new—Korean and Latin American dramas have been remade across the region for years. But something is different this year, judging by the variety of dramas being adapted in Asia, and the markets they are being produced in. Look at Korea, the biggest exporter of drama in Asia; international shows being formatted there include BBC’s Mistresses and Doctor Foster.

China, long an insular market, has made big bets on Endemol Shine’s Broadchurch and Humans. Japanese platforms in the last year have signed up for versions of Orphan Black and Suits. Even Singapore and Malaysia have gotten in on the scripted-format action, commissioning the firstever Asian version of The Bridge.

“We’ve found that broadcasters are now willing to experiment with scripted formats in order to get access to writers, story developers and scripts that can be localized,” reports Rashmi Bajpai, executive director for Asia at Endemol Shine International.

“Over the last year, we’ve seen an increased demand for our scripted formats and we are engaging in a lot of conversations with players in the region,” agrees Haryaty Rahman, the senior VP of distribution for Asia, International, at Fremantle.

The surging demand for scripted formats is part of an overall expansion of the format business in Asia, with broadcasters and platforms opening up to a wider range of ideas.

“We have seen an inspiring atmosphere this year in the region in terms of co-productions and local adaptations of big international brand-name formats,” says Işil Türkşen,

sales director for Asia at Global Agency. “There is also a taste for original ideas.”

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT! Türkşen observes that “big shiny-floor formats are always in demand in the region—however, the channels are now looking for more edgy and different ideas. There is also a shift to game shows and reality formats.”

Andrew Sime, VP of formats at Banijay Rights, agrees that entertainment formats, in general, are faring well in the region.

“Killer Karaoke has returned to Asia after a couple of years away,” Sime reports. “We’ve just licensed the show in Indonesia and expect it to return in Thailand next year. It’s a flexible studio-based show. In India, more cultural boundaries are being pushed with programs such as Dating in the Dark finding homes where they wouldn’t have done previously. It’s such a distinctive, fun show that it works well as a flagpole title that allows channels to stand out. It’s strippable and helps to reinforce a channel’s daily brand, which is something an increasing number of channels are looking for.”

Rahman says that Fremantle has had a “phenomenal year” with its portfolio of non-scripted formats, noting the company had 55 series on air in the first half of the year.

“Our shiny-floor entertainment talent shows such as Idols, Got Talent and The X Factor continue to do incredibly well across the region,” Rahman says. “The shows are highly successful and clients are renewing them for multiple seasons. In addition, we’re seeing the opportunities to bring these franchises to territories that have never done them before or bringing them back after a long hiatus. An example of this is Idol Philippines. The Idol format last aired 12/18 WORLD SCREEN 71

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shows with original tricks in our catalog,” he says, referencing the game shows Guess Who? and The Box Challenge. Interactive formats are also key, he notes, mentioning Join Instant.

“We believe that among our various types of game-show formats, the ones that have interactive twists and technological mechanisms fit the audiences’ needs the most.”

DIGITAL SHIFT

Survivor is among the formats being showcased by Banijay Rights.

Exploring opportunities in the digital space is a key growth area for many format distributors doing business in Asia. Sime notes that Banijay is “actively exploring” new developments with SVOD platforms in the region.

“We have strong relationships with players such as Amazon and Netflix in Europe and the U.S., and we’re already working to replicate those with the emerging Asian SVOD platforms,” he explains.

“The region has a strong demographic of young, middle-class audiences that readily engage in both digital and mobile content. This makes the likes of interactive game shows such as All Against 1, which has its own app, more appealing. The increase in OTT platforms has also led to linear broadcasters now working harder than ever to develop, produce and acquire genre-defining programming to make their channels stand out in a crowded marketplace.”

Endemol Shine’s Bajpai says that the biggest trend affecting the industry is “finding ways to extend the viewing experience from traditional linear to nonlinear, including social media—i.e., spin-offs and extensions produced as additional content, the linear series being simulcast or even premiered on nonlinear, and repacking of the shows to provide an extended audience once the linear run has completed. Most broadcasters are eyeing the advertising revenue that’s now available on these platforms and finding ways to engage with what the audience wants to watch on these platforms.”

The consensus among format distributors heading to ATF is that opportunities are emerging everywhere in the region.

in the Philippines over ten years ago and we’re excited to see it return to the country again and this time around on a different network, ABS-CBN, in 2019.”

Endemol Shine is also seeing strong traction on returning brands, with MasterChef commissioned for a fifth season in Indonesia and the renewal of Million Dollar Minute in Vietnam.

“Talent shows continue to garner interest in countries like India and most of Southeast Asia,” says Bajpai on what’s working well in the region. “Game shows are always welcomed by the broadcasters and we’ll be able to announce a few more deals soon. We’re thrilled with the success of MasterChef Singapore and Myanmar. Big Brother dominates our reality slate in India and the Philippines. What is important to note is that any format that offers sponsorship opportunities will be seen favorably by the client due to the growing loss of subscription revenues and therefore advertising revenues.”

Game shows have been one of the main categories for Talpa Global, according to Annelies Noest, director of formats and global network at the company, with recent commissions on Divided and 5 Gold Rings.

“Our talent format The Next Boy/Girl Band is also gaining a lot of traction in this region, reaching the hard-to-reach millennials and an even younger demo,” Noest says.

The other talent behemoth on Talpa’s slate is The Voice. “We recently closed a fantastic three-year deal with PPTV in Thailand for the entire The Voice franchise, bringing not only The Voice and The Voice Kids to PPTV, but also the latest addition to the brand, The Voice Senior,” Noest says. “In Indonesia, The Voice Kids has been renewed for a third season and has been scoring amazing ratings.”

Can Okan, founder and CEO of Inter Medya, says his company is eager to tap into interest in entertainment formats region-wide.

“When we take into account the strength and domination of Korean formats in the region, we think that it’s an advantage for us to have studio Inter Medya is looking to sell game shows like Guess Who? into Asia at ATF. 72 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

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platforms,” she explains. “Thailand, Vietnam and the rest of Southeast Asia are also always focus points. It would be great to see markets like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh open up to international adaptations of formats.”

For Talpa’s Noest, “Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are becoming more important, with an increased appetite for local content across the free-to-air channels and different OTT platforms. In other territories in Asia, we are also doing business and see great potential for our formats. India is also a very interesting market with lots of opportunities for great content.”

This year Banijay Group established Banijay Asia in India under the leadership of Deepak Dhar, which “triggered a clearer pipeline into the entertainment market there alongside [Banijay-owned] Sol Production,” Sime says. “The group has been able to focus attention on format sales, production and original IP development in India and has strengthened its position across the region. In the last 12 months, we have also succeeded in expanding into new territories, selling Psychic Challenge to Mongolia. Meanwhile, we continue to foster strong relationships in territories such as Indonesia, with the format sale of Killer Karaoke; Vietnam, where we have most recently sold Wonderkids; and South Korea, where we have been working with producers to acquire new formats.”

ASIAN INSPIRATION

FOX Life has had tremendous success with Asia’s Next Top Model.

“Talpa is currently the number three player in the Asian format sales market, with 29 formats confirmed for 2018 so far, and counting,” Noest notes. “Format distribution volume almost tripled over the past three years, with Talpa shows reaching new markets like Singapore, Malaysia and Mongolia, to name a few. With our Asian headquarters in Hong Kong and recent expansions in the local production and sales team, Talpa has increased its focus on the region.”

BOOM TIME One territory that has been particularly active in the last year is Thailand, Fremantle’s Rahman says. “Our X Factor and Got Talent formats are on air on Workpoint TV. Our Price is Right Thailand continues to be a hit on True4U, as is our Take Me Out Thailand, which has been on Ch3 for over ten seasons. Family Feud Thailand enters into its fifth season on one31 this year and we’re excited to grow our relationship with the channel with their recent acquisition of Thank God You’re Here Thailand for 2019.”

Thailand has also been a strong territory for Endemol Shine, alongside the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, Bajpai says. As for where she’d like to be doing more, she lists Indonesia, Myanmar and Mongolia.

India has been key for Global Agency, Türkşen reports, referencing interest across its lifestyle, reality, shiny-floor and scripted slate. “India is a very important market, with a large television audience both on the traditional and new-media 74 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

The potential for taking Asian concepts global is emerging as a growth area. Nippon TV, for example, is looking to replicate the success of its hit Dragons’ Den, which is represented worldwide by Sony Pictures Television.

Shigeko “Cindy” Chino, senior director of international business development at the leading Japanese broadcaster, notes, “Working together with international partners allows us to widen our perspectives and scrutinize our products from a global standpoint.”

Chino says that Nippon TV brings to the international market its understanding of the kinds of concepts that will work with audiences, given that it produces more than 90 percent of its programming slate. “Our creators are now set to exercise their creative expertise not only in our local market but internationally,” she says. Successes include its dramas being remade in Turkey and Korea and pickups in Thailand and Mongolia for its game show Silent Library.

Endemol Shine has taken on locally developed formats, such as The Society Game and Perfect on Paper from Korea and China’s The Nation’s Greatest Treasures from CCTV. “However, we see demand for imported formats outweighing the demand for local,” Bajpai says.

Sime says that Banijay Rights has been working with Japanese and Korean outfits “to find innovative new ideas with international potential. At MIPCOM we launched Yes, Let’s Discover the World, based on a comedy segment that aired on Nippon TV in Japan. Our Italian company DRY has also been working with South Korean broadcaster CJ ENM on a new entertainment format called Cooking Box.” Asia remains a “great launchpad for innovative content,” observes Talpa’s Noest, citing the use of AR in the Thai version of Dance Dance Dance. “We are known for bringing big, innovative content that’s more than just a TV format, but that activates and engages users across multiple touchpoints, while at the same time triggers new revenue streams. Given the large number of millennials in this region, we see big potential for our formats that engage these target groups.”

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By Mansha Daswani

Speaking at MIPCOM, BBC Studios CEO Tim Davie discussed the company’s focus on bold British creativity across all genres, from natural-history epics to premium drama, prime-time entertainment to kids. That commitment was strengthened by the recent merger of BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide, which is already starting to create a wealth of new opportunities, according to David Weiland, executive VP for Asia. Weiland chats with TV Asia about BBC Studios’ content-licensing, format and brandeddestination businesses across the region.

TV ASIA: What have been the most significant developments in your Asian business over the last 12 months?

WEILAND: The biggest development as an organization has been the merger [of BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide]. That’s going to have a significant positive impact on our business going forward, particularly in the area of production.

We’ve seen a real development in our scripted-format business. In the last year, we managed to license 12 different formats across mostly North Asian markets and India.

In Korea, we’ve licensed five. At MIPCOM we announced

Doctor Foster going to JTBC. We’ve also had a lot of success there with Life on Mars on CJ. In China, our continued relationship with Tencent and CCTV around our natural-history titles is developing. Tencent is co-producing our next landmark, Dynasties. And on the back of that, we’re trying a new online community with Tencent, playing to their strengths as a big digital player.

We’ve just launched BBC Earth Tribe, with long-form content, short-form content and real interaction with our onand off-screen talent in the premium factual space. We just had the executive producer of Dynasties in China doing press and talking to fans in Beijing. We’ve been live streaming from some of our locations for Tencent subscribers.

We’re doing some really innovative things in Asia because it is so mobile first, digital first—things you possibly wouldn’t do in more mature markets like Western Europe.

BBC Player has launched into a much wider base. It’s now available to Telekom Malaysia’s broadband and pay-TV subscribers in Malaysia. We’re trying lots of different methods to get our content to consumers in different places.

TV ASIA: What’s driving the expansion of your scriptedformat business?

WEILAND: We have had a strategic aim to refocus on that side of the business. That was partly because in North Asia, with regulations in China, entertainment formats were becoming harder. We started in Japan and South Korea and we hired some script-editing and production expertise, so we weren’t just selling based on the original version and a one-page flyer about it. We were almost pre-adapting it and saying, Here’s the original version, this is the storyline, these are the characters, and this is how we think it could work in Korea. It’s not that we were giving them the finished product, but we were able to make that leap so that they could absolutely see how it could be relevant to their audience. [Similar efforts in] China and India followed. And in India, we’ve got our own production unit, so we have that talent within the team.

In South Korea, it also felt like there was a bit of a move away from the classic K-drama formula of boy meets girl. They were looking for slightly edgier content, maybe skewing more toward the crime genre, and there possibly were not quite enough writers who could write that type of content. The ones we’ve licensed—Life on Mars, Orphan Black, Luther, Criminal Justice, Doctor Foster—all have that slight edge.

So the market has changed slightly.

TV ASIA: Is your Indian production team creating original ideas for the local market, or is it focusing on adapting existing IP? WEILAND: It’s always had a twin track. We have production units in a number of markets around the world and the main focus is on producing our own formats. India has been very successful with Dancing with

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the Stars (Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa) for many years on Colors, and other formats. But when you have a production company, it makes sense for them to also develop original ideas.

In India, we’ve done some quite long-running dramas and original entertainment shows. With the introduction of digital in the Indian market, they’re looking more at shorter runs of edgier scripted dramas. Criminal Justice falls into that. And The Office offered the opportunity to try something different from the usual formula of scripted content.

TV ASIA: What are the trends you’re seeing on the entertainment format side?

WEILAND: We just announced we’re doing Stupid Man, Smart Phone in Singapore for Mediacorp. That’s a slight innovation where we are working with Singapore and our India production team. They are also making programs for our own branded services, like Got Science? with a Malaysian stand-up comic named Harith Iskander. It was made for BBC Earth channel in Asia and for BBC Player.

Going back to the merger, we have new heads of the factual entertainment and entertainment divisions at BBC Studios, Suzy Lamb and Hannah Wyatt. They are working on more big Saturday-night shiny-floor entertainment shows, as well as very accessible, strippable, quiz and factual-entertainment shows. So I think we’re going to see more coming out next year.

The one big format disappointment I have had is with Bake Off, which has been a monster hit for us all around the world, but in Asia, the only place we’ve done it is Thailand.

There isn’t necessarily such a baking culture here in Asia.

We are always trying to look at what resonates and what’s relevant. That’s why the breadth of our catalog is useful.

TV ASIA: How has the finished-program-sales business been?

WEILAND: Content licensing is still our biggest business. We have a lot of different lines of business and market-by-market we look at our best route in. In Southeast Asia, we’re probably more focused on our branded services, in North Asia more on content licensing. We certainly license more to digital players than TV— AVOD, SVOD, any type of on-demand is probably about 70 percent of our content licensing and 30 percent is TV. We still have very big free-to-air relationships, particularly with NHK, KBS, Thai PBS, Mediacorp and to a certain degree TVB. But there is a lot of activity going on in that digital space, led by China. There’s been a lot of growth—Amazon is quite active in Japan and India, there’s HOOQ, iflix, myVideo [in Taiwan]. We’re working with all of them. Factual is probably our lead genre— it’s easy to localize, it travels and it’s where BBC Studios has a bit of an edge. Some of these big shows, like Dynasties, the natural-history landmark with David Attenborough, are four years in making, with multi-million-pound budgets. That needs a degree of commitment. Preschool is a positive story for us.

Drama works well, particularly in that digital space. Certainly free-to-air broadcasters are focusing more on local content, and then possibly other Asian content. The slots for international drama on free-to-air TV are diminishing. But that’s where digital has really come in—they have unlimited shelf space, and they’re tapping into potentially a younger audience that wants to explore different types of content from around the world. We’re seeing a real boost in packages of drama.

TV ASIA: What new opportunities is the merger creating for your Asian business?

WEILAND: The BBC in-house production machine is now part of a combined distribution-production company, and it is making content for [third-party broadcasters].

We’re starting to have conversations with commissioners in Asia who are interested in engaging directly with our producers. Some may end up becoming co-productions and some may be direct commissions. We’re having conversations in markets like Japan, China and Korea about what more we could do. There are lots of local producers commissioners can call on, so why do they want to engage with the BBC? It’s in areas where we can offer something different—big-scale documentaries, natural history, science shows—where we have that heritage, that expertise, that global reach. A lot of companies, particularly in China, want to get involved in shows much earlier.

I think in the next year that is going to start to be a really interesting development.

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BBC Studios has stepped up its format activity in Asia with recent deals that include a Korean version of Mistresses for CJ ENM.

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By Mansha Daswani

Singapore’s new Minister for Communications and Information, S Iswaran, was at MIPCOM this year touting the country’s proposal to the global content community: “Make with Singapore.” The shift in thinking from the “Made in Singapore” tagline comes on the heels of Crazy Rich Asians, the blockbuster Warner Bros. film that is largely set in the island nation. With Asian storytelling in the global spotlight, Iswaran tells TV Asia, Singapore is keen to entice more international media companies to work with local talent to create globally appealing titles.

TV ASIA: What potential do you see for the Singaporean production sector in the global market today?

ISWARAN: I came on board [as Minister] in May. The first thing that struck me about this space was the convergence of media and technology. You see the tech giants, Amazon and so on, increasingly moving into the media space and acquiring content, because they recognize that’s going to drive some of their other businesses. And then the media companies are increasingly going towards the technology side, trying to acquire new kinds of capabilities. The telcos and the cable guys are also migrating into the media space.

From my perspective, this convergence creates a unique opportunity for Singapore. Facebook, Amazon and Google are present in a significant way in Singapore.

We have media companies like Disney, HBO and Netflix. And then we have Singaporean companies.

That’s one reason Singapore has a unique positioning and value proposition in the context of the current shifts we see in the global media landscape.

The second thing that struck me, and in a way, it’s an extension of what we’ve been seeing in the more general economic space, is the rising interest in Asian markets. It’s not just about Asia as a market with a few billion consumers; the interest in Asian storytelling has picked up significant momentum, not least because of Crazy Rich Asians. Not that that [film] encapsulates all that we are or what we can do, but it’s emblematic of what is possible in terms of partnerships and capabilities.

The third piece is talent, both in Singapore and in the region as well. We have people who are very capable. Collaborations are becoming more common between our own and international players. And our own talent is making an impact on the international scene.

It’s a good convergence of factors—industry trends, market relevance and our own capabilities. When you put them together, we have a more than even chance of carving a niche position for Singapore in this exciting space.

The tagline is, “Make with Singapore.” Come to Singapore and work with us to address the larger opportunity in the region.

TV ASIA: What’s your sense of the biggest challenges Singaporean creatives face in tapping into opportunities in the global landscape?

ISWARAN: The biggest challenge is that, if you’re a content creator or content owner, you need to be able to think in a platform-agnostic way and not get locked into any one platform. It’s not just cable, not just free to air, not just a subscription model, not just mobile and internet—it’s all of the above. The same content can be adapted to different channels because they reach different market segments. Of course, you have to start with a focal point. You can’t say, I’m all things to all [platforms]. You could start by saying, I have a piece of content I am gearing towards the youth and for that, maybe optimizing for the mobile platform makes a lot of sense. But you should also be looking at, How can I leverage this for some of the other platforms? This is the big challenge—understanding this diversity. With the OTT and direct-to-consumer business gathering momentum, the temptation would be to focus on that. While that could be an interesting and lucrative area, you do need exposure in other aspects. And if you’re in the business from the other side of it, let’s say a Mediacorp, the key is to start thinking about how you can have more collaborative models for generating content. If you’re a telco you have a different challenge—it’s no longer about just having the pipes, it’s what you put through the pipes and how much of it you have influence over and ownership of. I don’t think these challenges are unique to Singapore.

TV ASIA: In what ways are you supporting talent development to help create the next wave of media entrepreneurs and storytellers in Singapore?

ISWARAN: Singapore is very good at developing programs—so things don’t just get talked about, they get done. The government can create the

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enabling conditions, but ultimately the talent has to run with it. You can’t hothouse this. We have various programs and are talking about what else we can do, working with different parties, to give our talent more exposure. But first and foremost, you must have the spark; you must want to tell a story. Then all these [programs] become relevant. But if you don’t have the inner spark, then it’s a very different game.

There are a lot of people in Singapore who are very excited about storytelling and getting their perspective out. Our key challenge is to create different platforms for them to [find partners] and also to showcase their work. So we had 19 companies at MIPCOM, with 460 hours of content. This is one angle—bringing Singaporean companies to the world.

The other aspect is the Singapore Media Festival, where we’re trying to bring the world to Singapore, and to Asia through Singapore. So to answer your question, it’s about developing people, trying to create opportunities for them to work on their own, showcase their work and partner with others. It’s about working with our companies to bring them abroad, and also bringing the industry to Singapore.

TV ASIA: I’ve been covering the IMDA’s presence at MIPCOM for a long time and was struck this year at the huge range of content being showcased by Singaporean companies, from traditional animation and docs to short- and longform drama and entertainment formats.

ISWARAN: That goes back to the whole point about the way the world is seeing Asia as a source of content. It’s not just about cartoons or anime; it’s not stereotypical content anymore. The appreciation for Asian stories and narratives [is growing]. That creates a window of opportunity.

TV ASIA: What other developments do you see that will impact the Singaporean media industry?

ISWARAN: Funding models will change. Everyone is talking about different ways of funding. This is all very reminiscent of venture-capital funding. This could be interesting in our context because Singapore is a business and financial center. There could be funding solutions in the private sector, maybe helped along by some government initiatives.

By Mansha Daswani The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) plays a significant role in fostering the country’s content sector through a variety of initiatives. The government agency organizes the Singapore pavilion at trade shows like MIPCOM and hosts the Singapore Media Festival (SMF), which encompasses the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore and SMF Ignite.

Howie Lau, chief industry development officer at IMDA, talks to TV Asia about the organization’s key content-promotion initiatives and the importance of SMF. TV ASIA: Tell us about IMDA’s role in strengthening Singaporean content creation.

LAU: The IMDA has a role as a catalyst in both the tech and media spaces. Tech has been a really buoyant industry and Singapore is known as a tech hub, in Asia and across the world. In the media space, a lot of things are shifting, a lot of new models are being tested.

From the IMDA’s perspective, we’re looking to continue our holistic approach across tech and media to create more opportunities for the industry, for its constituents, for the ecosystem. The spotlight is now brighter than ever before on the Asian marketplace. The nice part about being in a hyper-connected world is that you no longer just look at the domestic market. If you do something awesome, it can travel, it can go across the rest of the world. Infrastructure has opened the doors in terms of what’s possible. For example, payment options if you’re going directly to the consumer. We’re saying, we can

create connections so the storytellers can focus on telling great stories, but the rest of the pieces are naturally there for them.

TV ASIA: Does IMDA have a role to play in helping producers bring the funding together for shows?

LAU: There are a couple of aspects to that. One is trying to create more opportunities for the ecosystems to connect, whether it’s [at MIPCOM] or the Singapore Media Festival. The other aspect is, we have created a number of different programs and funding [schemes] to help start the engine a little bit. It’s important to create the platforms and the engines, but at the end of the day, it is about opening the connectivity between the different stakeholders. At the same time, [it’s also about] exposing the different stakeholders to new models. We have to take an active and yet in-the-background role to try to get everyone to come to the same dance floor and then hopefully the sparks will come from that.

TV ASIA: What are some of the new highlights for Singapore Media Festival this year?

LAU: One is the [Asian Academy Creative Awards] to recognize creative excellence. As you know, commercial viability is important, but at the same time, so is recognizing talent. Having a strong awards [event] is important. The other aspect is SMF Ignite, which is creating a platform for new formats, next-generation storytelling. We’re pretty excited to have Nas Daily coming in to do workshops, exposing what’s possible in making short-form, telling a story in a different way. We have folks who know the conventional storytelling route; SMF Ignite will expose what else is possible.

At ATF, one of the unique things is a pitch for Chinese-language content. There is a lot of interest in the Chinese market, so there’s a pitch event focused on trying to get different genres—thrillers, sci-fi, horror. Everyone wants to understand how to get into the Chinese market.

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MULLER: On both traditional and OTT distribution, the Indian subcontinent remains the biggest market for TV5MONDE in the Asia Pacific (and worldwide), representing over 70 percent of the channel’s global reach in the region. Nevertheless, out-of-home distribution (i.e., hotels and universities) represents a substantial source of revenue with over 160,000 hotel rooms (the vast majority in China) officially carrying at least one of our channels.

On the distribution front, the team is active in all markets, including smaller countries, and recent successes include Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Maldives and Sri Lanka, among others. Malaysia remains a work-in-progress market, as well as Australia and New Zealand, where our reach remains poor and which represent a priority in the coming years.

TV ASIA: What initiatives have you engaged in off-screen to further build the brand?

MULLER: On the marketing front, the team has been very active and engaged with viewers off-screen, through both traditional and digital means. TV5MONDE has supported a vast number of French film festivals all over the region. TV5MONDE also supported the second edition of the Seoul Pride Film Festival this year, with a special screening of the French award-winning web TV series Les engagés. TV5MONDE’s “Teach & Learn French” online language-training program has also been a real asset in the region. We partnered with a large number of learning centers. Social media is a must where we engage with 2.5 millionplus fans in four languages (French, English, Japanese and Korean) on Facebook, Twitter, Kakao and Instagram.

TV ASIA: Tell us about how TV5MONDE is making its content available on as many platforms as possible to expand your reach.

MULLER: To remain relevant and attractive to our partners, TV5MONDE has been very active with nonlinear and OTT initiatives since 2002. Apart from providing operators with additional rights such as catch-up and VOD, we also created our own OTT service, TV5MONDE+ Asie, both as a B2C and authenticated service for B2B.

By Mansha Daswani

For French citizens living abroad, TV5MONDE has long served as a link back home, delivering French-language sports, news, drama and entertainment to 200-plus markets. The global broadcaster has built up a significant presence in the Asia Pacific with two feeds, TV5MONDE Asie and TV5MONDE Pacifique. Alexandre Muller, managing director of TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific, tells TV Asia about the growth of the broadcaster’s regional presence and his plans for tapping into the continued demand from Francophiles across the continent.

TV ASIA: What are the major developments you’ve seen in your AsiaPac business over the last year?

MULLER: TV5MONDE has been available in the Asia Pacific since 1996 and moved its [regional] headquarters to Hong Kong 11 years ago. Since then, the development of TV5MONDE’s portfolio has seen a continuous growth from 18 million subscribers in 2007 to over 100 million this year.

The overall distribution has grown by 9 percent since last year on traditional cable, satellite and IPTV, and has boomed to over 200 million mobile users on OTT, mostly driven by India (including Reliance Jio and NexGTv), but also by new players like OONA in Indonesia.

TV ASIA: What new markets are opening up for you? And where has your business been the strongest?

TV ASIA: Are there particular types of content—sports, lifestyle, drama—resonating most with your viewers?

MULLER: The unique format of TV5MONDE regional channels resonates well in the region. If sport (French football’s Ligue 1 Conforama and rugby) and drama series are the most popular genres in most countries on pay-TV services, news and documentary are essential to out-of-home operators. The recent addition of TV5MONDE Style, a full HD thematic French lifestyle channel, to our portfolio, 100 percent subtitled in both traditional and simplified Chinese as well as English, serves as a firm offer in this part of the world, allowing us to enlarge our proposal to the public, and progressively help our partners to switch from SD to HD. TV ASIA: What do you see as the greatest challenges and opportunities for TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific in 2019?

MULLER: The SD/HD transition has been nearly [completed] in the Pacific region; the switch to HD will remain a challenge in most countries in Asia over the coming years. To continue being relevant to the market, we will, therefore, need to reinvent ourselves, adapting our offers and services to the growing needs of both traditional and new players. That surely represents a challenge, but if we manage to do so, I believe this will open plenty of further opportunities.

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for this content to the local broadcasters, channels and other [platforms]. On the other hand, JKN has changed its role to be a content exporter to the world. We produce documentaries related to the King and the Queen of Thailand, collaborating with super brands like National Geographic and HISTORY to help our company to broadcast JKN’s original content worldwide.

In June 2018, JKN became the sole distributor for BEC World, selling Thai series to the global market. This year, JKN attended several markets such as FILMART, Vietnam Telefilm and recently MIPCOM. JKN is also having a stand at ATF [and is presenting the] Thailand: Fresh Content panel. We will bring two Thai superstars, Ken Phupoom and Taew Natapohn, to showcase our featured Thai content Nakee, which is an epic franchise that consists of a drama series and a theatrical movie.

TV ASIA: Tell us about your recent deal with ABS-CBN Corporation.

JAKRAJUTATIP: We closed an output deal with ABS-CBN to acquire more than 200 hours of Filipino content to distribute to the Thai market. JKN and ABS-CBN also collaborate on marketing campaigns, such as bringing ABS-CBN’s artists Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Jericho Rosales and Maja Salvador to our JKN Mega Showcase 2018: Diamond Blue [event in August]. All of them got a good response as their series have been broadcasting in Thailand. We are also in discussions with ABS-CBN for an upcoming drama series co-production to feature superstars from [both] countries.

TV ASIA: What other kinds of partnerships are you pursuing?

By Mansha Daswani

With its tagline of “The Pride of Thai Excellence,” JKN Global Media is on a mission to bring the country’s unique storytelling to global audiences. Long known as a leading importer of content—licensing shows from around the world for distribution to TV and digital platforms in Thailand—the outfit is also a prolific producer and is offering a range of content to the international market. Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, the CEO of JKN Global Media, tells TV Asia about the company’s business locally and its worldwide aspirations.

TV ASIA: Tell us about JKN’s positioning within Thailand.

JAKRAJUTATIP: JKN is the number one global content management and distribution company in Thailand. JKN is both an influencer and a trendsetter in the country. Our company brings in new content that Thai audiences have never seen before—JKN is the window to the world for Thai audiences.

JKN is also collaborating with BEC World to distribute premium Thai drama series worldwide.

TV ASIA: What are your international aspirations for JKN Global?

JAKRAJUTATIP: Previously, going to the global content markets around the world, I acquired a lot of good programming covering all categories in fiction and factual. JKN expects to be the sole global content importer and distributor

JAKRAJUTATIP: JKN is looking for content that we can represent and distribute into Thailand and worldwide. We also are looking for partnerships in the area of co-production to produce our own series. Right now we have several projects in collaboration with big production houses and broadcasters in India and the Philippines.

TV ASIA: What makes JKN’s content distinctive in the global marketplace?

JAKRAJUTATIP: The Thai content that we represent and distribute contains good scripts with good production [values] and they can travel internationally. In addition, our drama series feature Thai artists who already have an international fan base, such as Nadech Kugimiya and Yaya Urassaya, who has already become popular in Southeast Asia with over a million followers on Facebook and Instagram.

TV ASIA: What are your goals for the company in the next 12 to 18 months?

JAKRAJUTATIP: Our goal now is to focus on the East Asian markets and to penetrate other markets such as the Middle East, Africa, the U.S. and Latin America as the next step. Our ultimate goal is to bring the pride of Thai excellence worldwide.

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NETWORK SCORECARD Source: The Nielsen Company, September 24, 2018, to November 4, 2018.

A rating point represents one percent of the estimated 119.9 million TV households.

Courtesy of ABC.

Rank Program

Network

Distributor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94

CBS CBS NBC CBS NBC ABC CBS CBS NBC NBC CBS CBS NBC ABC NBC CBS NBC NBC CBS ABC FOX CBS CBS CBS CBS CBS FOX CBS ABC ABC CBS CBS CBS CBS ABC CBS NBC FOX ABC CBS FOX CBS ABC ABC FOX ABC NBC ABC ABC CBS ABC FOX ABC FOX ABC ABC NBC ABC NBC CBS ABC NBC FOX ABC FOX NBC FOX ABC FOX FOX ABC NBC CW NBC ABC CW FOX CW CW CW ABC CW CW CW CW CW CW CW CW CW CW CW CW CW

Warner Bros.

CBS Studios Intl.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

Twentieth Century Fox Sony Pictures Television CBS Studios Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

NBCUniversal Talpa Global CBS Studios Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

NBCUniversal Disney/Carsey-Werner NBCUniversal CBS Studios Intl.

Talpa Global NBCUniversal Warner Bros.

Disney Media Distribution Twentieth Century Fox CBS Studios Intl.

Warner Bros.

CBS Studios Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

Warner Bros.

Twentieth Century Fox NBCUniversal BBC Studios Entertainment One Sony Pictures Television CBS Studios Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

Twentieth Century Fox Disney Media Distribution NBCUniversal Twentieth Century Fox Disney Media Distribution CBS Studios Intl.

Twentieth Century Fox Endemol Shine CBS Studios Intl.

Disney Media Distribution Twentieth Century Fox Sony Pictures Television NBCUniversal Disney Media Distribution BBC Studios CBS Studios Intl.

Twentieth Century Fox Warner Bros.

Disney Media Distribution Twentieth Century Fox Disney Media Distribution Disney Media Distribution NBCUniversal Sony Pictures Television NBCUniversal CBS Studios Intl.

Warner Bros.

NBCUniversal Twentieth Century Fox Disney Media Distribution ITV Studios Global Ent. Warner Bros.

Twentieth Century Fox Twentieth Century Fox Twentieth Century Fox Twentieth Century Fox Twentieth Century Fox NBCUniversal Warner Bros.

NBCUniversal Banijay Rights Warner Bros.

Twentieth Century Fox Warner Bros.

CBS Studios Intl.

Warner Bros.

N/A Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

DCD Rights Warner Bros.

Hat Trick Intl.

Entertainment One Electric Entertainment Associated Television Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

CBS Studios Intl.

Warner Bros.

The Big Bang Theory NCIS Manifest Young Sheldon This Is Us The Good Doctor FBI Blue Bloods New Amsterdam The Voice Monday Bull 60 Minutes Chicago Fire The Conners Chicago Med NCIS: New Orleans The Voice Tuesday Chicago P.D. Mom Grey’s Anatomy 9-1-1 NCIS: Los Angeles God Friended Me Hawaii Five-0 Survivor Murphy Brown Last Man Standing Magnum P.I. Dancing with the Stars The Rookie S.W.A.T. SEAL Team The Neighborhood Madam Secretary Modern Family Criminal Minds Law & Order: SVU The Resident Station 19 MacGyver Empire Big Brother A Million Little Things The Kids Are Alright The Cool Kids The Goldbergs Will & Grace American Housewife Dancing with the Stars: Juniors Happy Together Single Parents Lethal Weapon America’s Funniest Home Videos Star How to Get Away with Murder black-ish Dateline Shark Tank The Good Place 48 Hours Splitting Up Together Superstore The Simpsons 20/20 Hell’s Kitchen Blindspot The Gifted Fresh Off the Boat Bob’s Burgers Family Guy Speechless I Feel Bad Riverdale Midnight, Texas Child Support The Flash Rel Supergirl Charmed Arrow The Alec Baldwin Show Supernatural Black Lightning DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Legacies Penn & Teller: Fool Us All American Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Burden of Truth The Outpost Masters of Illusion Dynasty Crazy Ex-Girlfriend The Originals

Viewers 2+ (000)

P2–11

P12–17

M18–49

F18–49

M25–54

F25–54

M50+

F50+

16,989 15,559 15,111 14,159 14,145 12,860 12,612 12,047 11,918 11,477 11,347 11,342 11,221 11,071 11,028 11,010 10,848 10,816 10,189 10,053 9,949 9,889 9,829 9,677 9,527 9,147 9,047 8,717 8,556 8,305 8,225 8,173 8,079 7,842 7,795 7,698 7,548 7,329 7,328 7,237 7,196 7,189 7,113 6,710 6,538 6,348 5,817 5,653 5,614 5,535 5,498 5,494 5,394 5,246 5,167 5,121 4,663 4,609 4,537 4,475 4,302 4,225 4,177 3,816 3,801 3,707 3,606 3,509 3,350 3,315 3,130 3,040 2,508 2,491 2,333 2,312 2,074 2,053 2,035 1,961 1,929 1,748 1,711 1,679 1,640 1,274 1,049 958 941 892 814 788 544 434

0.8 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.9 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.3 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.2 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.9 0.7 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

1.0 0.7 1.3 0.9 1.1 0.9 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.9 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.8 0.6 0.5 1.1 1.1 0.6 0.6 0.6 1.0 0.3 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.4 1.2 1.3 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.3 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.5 1.1 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.6 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.8 0.6 0.3 0.2 1.5 0.1 0.2 0.8 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

3.1 1.7 2.7 2.2 2.3 1.7 1.5 1.1 1.7 1.7 1.3 1.7 1.5 2.1 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.7 1.4 1.4 1.9 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.9 1.1 2.0 1.3 0.7 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4 0.7 2.0 1.1 1.3 1.2 0.9 1.0 1.7 1.8 1.1 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.1 1.1 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.3 0.8 1.1 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.9 1.2 0.5 0.8 1.1 2.1 0.4 1.1 0.6 1.2 0.7 1.7 1.9 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1

4.1 2.2 4.1 2.9 5.7 3.3 1.9 1.5 3.5 3.0 1.8 1.4 2.6 3.2 2.5 1.6 2.9 2.5 2.2 4.5 3.2 1.4 1.4 1.3 2.4 1.7 2.1 1.4 1.7 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.8 1.0 2.8 2.0 2.6 2.0 2.3 1.0 3.0 2.8 2.5 1.9 1.6 2.0 2.2 1.9 1.2 1.3 2.1 1.3 1.0 2.3 2.2 1.8 1.1 1.1 1.9 0.9 1.6 1.5 1.3 0.9 1.3 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.4 1.2 1.0 1.1 1.4 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2

4.8 2.5 3.9 3.4 3.0 2.3 2.2 1.7 2.3 2.5 1.9 2.4 2.0 2.9 1.9 1.9 2.2 2.2 2.3 1.7 2.6 1.8 1.8 1.6 2.7 1.7 2.9 2.0 1.0 1.7 1.8 2.0 2.1 1.1 2.7 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.2 1.3 2.1 2.2 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.1 1.7 1.6 0.9 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.1 1.3 1.1 1.4 0.9 1.2 1.6 0.8 1.1 1.5 2.5 0.7 1.4 0.9 1.6 0.9 1.9 2.1 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.7 0.5 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1

6.0 3.4 5.5 4.5 7.2 4.3 3.0 2.4 4.6 4.1 2.8 2.1 3.4 4.5 3.3 2.5 3.9 3.3 3.4 5.3 4.2 2.2 2.2 2.1 3.4 2.7 2.9 2.2 2.3 2.5 2.5 2.2 2.7 1.7 3.7 2.8 3.2 2.7 3.0 1.6 3.7 3.3 3.5 2.8 2.2 2.7 2.9 2.7 1.6 1.9 2.8 1.8 1.4 2.7 2.8 2.5 1.6 1.5 2.2 1.3 2.2 1.9 1.5 1.3 1.7 1.2 1.5 1.2 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.2 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.8 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.2

9.7 10.1 7.5 8.2 4.4 5.4 8.1 8.0 4.8 5.4 6.6 7.9 5.4 4.7 5.3 6.9 5.0 5.7 5.7 2.6 4.1 6.1 5.9 6.3 4.9 4.7 5.6 5.6 3.4 4.4 4.7 5.5 4.5 4.8 3.1 4.0 2.9 3.2 2.6 4.6 2.2 2.6 2.3 2.9 3.8 2.7 2.3 2.3 2.0 3.1 2.1 3.3 3.0 1.5 1.4 1.8 2.2 2.0 1.6 2.2 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.6 1.6 2.2 1.7 1.6 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.2 0.5 1.5 0.9 0.9 0.8 1.0 0.7 0.9 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.2

11.0 12.3 10.3 10.0 10.1 10.6 9.8 10.5 9.4 8.4 9.4 8.0 8.9 8.0 8.9 8.8 8.0 8.0 7.7 7.1 6.6 7.8 7.9 8.0 6.0 7.9 5.5 6.3 8.2 6.4 6.2 5.4 5.6 6.7 4.5 5.6 5.4 5.6 5.8 5.7 4.0 3.9 5.5 4.8 4.3 3.7 3.8 3.5 4.7 3.8 3.4 3.2 3.8 2.8 3.7 3.3 4.0 3.3 2.3 3.8 2.9 2.3 1.0 3.4 2.2 2.7 1.6 2.5 0.7 0.6 2.2 2.0 0.7 2.0 1.9 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.7 1.7 0.9 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.2

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WORLD’S END

IN THE STARS Almost every national constitution forbids the establishment of an official state religion. But this secular bent doesn’t stop people from looking to the heavens for answers to life’s most troublesome questions: Will I succeed? Will I find love? Will I go on tour with the Spice Girls?

Every day, papers, magazines and websites worldwide print horoscopes— projections for people born in a specific month, based on the positions of the stars and planets. While many people rely on these daily, weekly or monthly messages for guidance in their lives, some readers skip over them entirely.

The editors of WS recognize that these little pearls of random foresight occasionally prove pro phetic.

But rather than poring over charts of the zodiac to pre-

John Stamos

Sean “Diddy” Combs

scopes in an attempt to legitimize the science.

As you can see here, had some of these media figures remembered to consult their horoscopes on significant dates, they could have avoided a few surprises.

Sarah Jessica Parker

JOHN STAMOS

JULIA ROBERTS

Global distinction: Fuller House’s “Uncle Jesse.”

Sign: Leo (b. August 19, 1963) Significant date: November 5, 2018 Noteworthy activity: While appearing as a guest on the

Global distinction: Hollywood A-lister.

Sign: Scorpio (b. October 28, 1967) Significant date: November 4, 2018 Noteworthy activity: The actress, currently starring in the

talk show Busy Tonight, the 55-year-old actor shares a story about a visit with his wife to a fertility doctor when she was trying to get pregnant. As part of the process, he had to give a sperm sample and was sent into a room with entertainment options that could help provide stimulation. “I turn the TV on and it’s on Fuller House,” the actor reveals, referring to the family-friendly sitcom he stars in. “And I’m like, if I’m going to masturbate to myself, it’s going to be my old self—not the new one.”

Horoscope: “To learn to love yourself, treat yourself the way you treat those you love.” (dailyom.com)

Amazon thriller Homecoming, appears as a guest on Busy Philipps’ new E! talk show. The host asks Roberts about an infamous photo taken of her at the 1999 Notting Hill premiere in which she flashed ample armpit hair while waving to fans, questioning whether it had been a feminist statement on her part. “I think I just hadn’t really calculated my sleeve length and the waving and how those two things would go together,” she instead admits.

Horoscope: “You tend to be guarded about what others see of you. Don’t be afraid to open up more.” (astrologeranne.com)

ALEC BALDWIN

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Global distinction: American funnyman.

Sign: Aries (b. April 3, 1958) Significant date: November 2, 2018 Noteworthy activity: Saturday Night Live’s Trump imper-

Global distinction: “Posh Spice.”

Sign: Aries (b. April 17, 1974) Significant date: October 31, 2018 Noteworthy activity: After the former Spice Girls member

sonator is arrested and taken into police custody, charged with assault and harassment after allegedly punching a man as the result of a dispute over a parking spot in Manhattan. The 60-year-old actor takes to social media to deny details of the accusation: “The assertion that I punched anyone over a parking spot is false.”

Horoscope: “By all means let your feelings show, but don’t lose control completely or you could find some equally strong emotions coming back at you.” (theglobeandmail.com)

announces that she has decided not to rejoin the recently reunited all-female musical group for their upcoming performances in the U.K., Mel B (a.k.a. “Scary Spice”) posts a pic on Instagram of herself dressed as Beckham for Halloween, holding up a sign that reads: “No, I am not going on tour.”

Horoscope: “Don’t make a choice because someone else does. Stick to what you feel is best for you and don’t let anyone pressure you.” (mercurynews.com)

dict world events, our staff prefers to use past horo-

Julia Roberts

SARAH JESSICA PARKER SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS Global distinction: Rapper & entrepreneur.

Sign: Scorpio (b. November 4, 1969) Significant date: November 4, 2018 Noteworthy activity: The music mogul celebrates his 49th birthday with a party at his L.A. mansion. The festivities are shut down after police receive multiple calls about the ruckus caused by the reported 200 people in attendance with more than 50 cars parked down the street. Diddy’s personal security helps disperse the crowd of celebrity attendees.

Horoscope: “Your attitude is commendable but taking your confidence too far could lead to cavalier behavior.

Stay positive and be respectful of others.” (tarot.com) 90 WORLD SCREEN 12/18

Global distinction: Sex and the City alum.

Sign: Aries (b. March 25, 1965) Significant date: October 31, 2018 Noteworthy activity: The Divorce actress admits to The Late Show host Stephen Colbert that she doesn’t recall much about the classic Halloween movie Hocus Pocus, in which she co-starred as one of three witches during the early part of her career. “I remember the filming of it, I just I don’t remember what the movie is about as much,” she says. “My character’s not very bright. But I fly and sing, and I think I like to kill children, I don’t know.”

Horoscope: “Don’t let all of the success that’s coming your way go to your head. Don’t forget your roots, or your heart will be corrupted.” (magichoroscope.com)

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