23 March- C NTENTASIA 5 April 2015

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Turner launches new factual channel Q2 debut for World Heritage Channel

Turner Broadcasting is adding a docu- mentary channel to its Asia bouquet, picking up the pace on a regional ex- pansion strategy that kicked in with the appointment of Ricky Ow in January 2014. The pan-regional World Heritage Chan- More on page 13

$$$$ format kicks off in Asia 4 regional mega formats herald new content era

Star World’s Asia’s Next Top Model and AXN’s Asia’s Got Talent kick off a year of regional mega-formats in Asia, adding an estimated US$16 million into the region’s original production purse and boosting optimism that what works now will be re- peated later... and be even bigger. Asia’s Next Top Model premieres on Star World on Wednesday, 25 March, two More on page 9

Singapore clears schedules for LKY A nation’s father remembered on screen

Singapore broadcasters cleared their schedules from Monday morning to make way for programmes commemo- rating the life of former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who died in the early hours of 23 March. Mr Lee was 91. Regional networks also shuffled sched- More on page 6 c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 2.

HBO Asia preps for AMC, Sundance add big-brand duo to line-up April Durst fest Honourable Woman, Walking Dead spinoff head for Asia

HBO Asia will run the Robert Durst documen- AMC Networks has picked up series (working title). tary series, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Asia rights for award-winning The series is scheduled to Robert Durst, on three consecutive nights political thriller, The Hon- air globally – including from 1-3 April on HBO Signature and HBO ourable Woman (2014), Asia – from late summer, Go, followed on 6 April on HBO On De- for the Sundance chan- followed by season two nel across Asia. in 2016. The eight-part show, Plans are to air the se- starring Maggie Gyl- ries within 24 hour of the lenhaal, will premiere U.S. across the region on 7 The Walking Dead com- May at 11pm (Singapore). panion show, produced by The first-window rights exclude AMC, is set in Los Angeles and , where the series has stars Cliff Curtis (Missing, Gang Robert Durst Maggie Gyllenhaal already aired. Related), Kim Dickens (Gone mand. Durst made headlines around the The acquisition coincides with Girl, Sons of Anarchy), Frank Dil- world in March after being arrested days the announcement that AMC Networks lane ( and the Half-Blood before the series finale in the U.S. He has International has bought international Prince) and Alycia Debnam Carey (Into been charged with murder. rights to The Walking Dead companion the Storm).

LIVELY. ENGAGING. CANDID CONVERSATIONS.

Moshe Safdie with award-winning CNBC Anchor Christine Tan at Managing Asia: Asia Builders, 3rd October 2014.

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FremantleMedia ups Rahman for Asia

FremantleMedia International’s (FMI) Haryaty Rahman has been promoted to senior vice president for Asia sales and distribution, based in Singapore. The promotion is part of the reworked global structure being put in place by new FMI chief executive Jens Richter. Rahman reports to Ganesh Rajaram, Coronation Street ITV Choice executive vice president, sales and distri- bution for Asia, who now reports directly ITV Studios Global Entertainment is fast- Coro- fast tracks soaps in to Richter. tracking two iconic soaps in Asia to air on nation new express play Richter said the changes “reflect our regional channel ITV Choice within a day Street Short windows increased commitment to the emerging or two of their U.K. telecasts. The new win- special coincide with Africa markets, and the potential opportunities dows kick in on 18 May. airs on expansion they offer”. FMI said the new structure ITV Choice is also shortening windows on 15 May, strengthened central operations and a wider slate of drama and entertainment with en- from Asia finance functions and increased sales programming, including tentpole enter- cores on 16 focus in emerging markets. tainment title The Jonathan Ross Show. and 17 May. The majority of dramas going forward, The Emmerdale including Home Fires (5 May, prime time fast-forward will be online and via social across the region), will air first and exclu- media. Discovery airs Air Asia sive within two days of the U.K. Both series will be stripped Monday to The new windowing strategy across Asia Friday. ITV in the U.K. airs double episodes crash special in April and the Middle East follow the channel’s of Coronation Street on Mondays and expansion into Africa in a carriage deal Fridays, with a single episode on Wednes- Discovery has added 60-minute Air Asia with MultiChoice’s DStv platform across days. Monday’s U.K. episodes will air in crash special, Flight 8501: Storm Disas- the African continent. Asia on Wednesday and Thursday. Fri- ter, to its April grid as part of a global The Africa service, which launches on day’s episodes will air in Asia on Monday telecast in 220 countries/territories. 5 May, will be driven out of the channel’s and Tuesday. The programme, produced by ITN regional HQ in . ITV Choice channel director, Nic van Productions for Discovery Networks Inter- From May, Coronation Street and Em- Zwanenberg says the new windowing is national, will air first on Discovery feeds in merdale storylines will run at the same part of an ongoing initiative to keep the , Australia and New Zealand on 5 time in Asia as in the U.K. Currently, Coro- channel current and relevant, “not just for April, followed by , , Malay- nation Street is about a year behind and soaps but across the network”. sia, and through Emmerdale lags behind even longer. The revamped ITV Choice was an- April. A catch-up special has been commis- nounced less than two weeks after ITV said The flight crashed on 28 December 2014 sioned from U.K. production company it would acquire Talpa Media for an initial on its way from to Singapore, Shiver to fast-track viewers through a year’s €500 million. The total value of the deal killing all 262 people on board. worth of Coronation Street storylines. The could rise to €1.1 billion over eight years.

contentasiasummit.com facebook.com/ContentAsia @contentasia c ntentasia Singapore 2-4 September 2015 creating whole new conversations about content in Asia Programme info from Janine Stein at [email protected]. Sponsorship info from Masliana Masron at [email protected] or +65 6846-5988 c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 4.

Huy wins MPA movie pitch Workshop ups skills as film scene booms

Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Dung Thanh Huy a social realist tale about a boy who takes has won a feature film pitching competition risks with a mafia gang to save his mother held as part of the one-day Hanoi Spring and her neighbours from having to give up 2015 Film Workshop on 17 March. their home in a decaying building. The event, designed to boost global best The MPA Film Workshop featured inter- practice production skills, was hosted by national producer Jon Kuyper, production the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and supervisor for Warner Bros. Pictures on Baz the Embassy of Denmark and comes amid Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, Peter Jack- major growth in theatrical screens and film son’s The Hobbit trilogy and most recently production across Vietnam. as independent executive producer of The one-day workshop was part of a big- Sean Penn’s The Last Face. ger 10-day film production training course Judges and mentors involved in the aimed at building knowledge and skill levels pitch included Vietnamese filmmakers for Vietnam’s leading film producers. Dang Nhat Minh (The Guava House) Huy’s prize is a trip to Los Angeles for a five- and Pham Nhue Giang (Lost), Bui Thac day film programme in November ahead of Chuyen (Adrift). the American Film Market (AFM). The Vietnam workshop is MPA’s seventh in His project, Thong Rom (Lanky Lilbrat), is the past 12 months.

Philippines ups post-9pm audiences Bridges of Love tops Two Wives in late prime-time

Philippines’ new drama Bridges of Love rated even higher, with 34.4%, although is reinvigorating ABS-CBN’s later evening share was lower at 57%. prime-time slot, with national rat- Bridges of Love, produced by ings hitting 24.4% in the week Star Creatives (Forevermore, of 16 March (source: Kan- Princess and I, The Legal tar Media), national Wife) tells the story of free-TV network ABS- two brothers sepa- CBN says. rated by tragedy The series airs at and later united 9.10pm-9.55pm by their fascina- stripped across tion with the same weeknights. nightclub dancer. At the same The show re- time, Bridges of placed Two Wives, Love is still nowhere a remake of the Ko- near the ratings of rean drama, which the earlier 8.45pm slot premiered in October filled by Forevermore, last year. which reached a rating of So far, Bridges of Love rat- in 33.8% and share of 57% nation- Bridges of Love ings tops the final months of Two wide on Friday, 6 March. Wives, which scored 21.4% aver- Light family drama Dream Dad (the age through February, up from 18.9% in Philippines’ top show in February/Kantar) January. © 2015 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved ™ & © 2015 .

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India’s DD adds “first fresh blood” in 20+ years India’s Prasar Bharati has appointed 55 people to key positions – including programming – at TV broadcast network Doordarshan and radio network All India Radio. Prasar Bharati chief executive Jawhar Sircar tweeted the landmark event, saying, among other things, that this was the “first fresh blood” in 20+ years. Sircar also said DD had 17,000 vacant posts.

China, Korea up profile in Africa China is the country of honour at this year’s Discop Africa, to be held in South Africa in November. Along with China’s growing involvement in Africa, organis- ers also said Korea would host a new pavilion at this year’s event in Johan- nesburg from 4-6 November. The fourth Father of a Nation: Lee Kuan Yew, Discovery Channel edition of indie production-focused From page 1: Lee Kuan Yew memorial includes three-part documentary Time Discopro will run alongside Discop Af- ules after the Prime Minister’s Office an- Nor Tide: Remembering Lee Kuan Yew; rica. Organisers Basic Lead said the two nounced Mr Lee’s death at 3.18am. Lee Kuan Yew: In His Own Words, a six- events are expected to attract more Free-TV broadcaster MediaCorp has part series with extracts of key speeches; than 2,500 delegates from 85 countries. suspended regular schedules during the and Lee Kuan Yew: Forging A Nation, a seven-day national mourning period. series of five-minute capsules featuring News Corp’s Storyful Special broadcasts across all seven key points in Singapore’s history. launches Youku channel terrestrial channels and online CNBC aired a special hour-long pro- News Corp’s Dublin-based social media platforms started at 8am on Monday (23 gramme, The Legacy of Lee Kuan Yew news agency, Storyful, has launched a March) with a live transmission of Prime at noon on Monday (23 March), only Chinese-language channel on online Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s address to the hours after the official announcement, video platforn Youku. The channel will nation. The address was also transmitted replacing the repeat telecast of Meet showcase trending viral videos licensed on MediaCorp’s 13 radio stations. The Press. Hong Kong station TVBJ aired by Storyful. Youku Tudou senior vice Channel NewsAsia, MediaCorp’s dedi- Lee Kuan Yew 1923 – 2015 from 7.30pm- president, Frank Wei Ming, says Storyful cated news channel, will telecast live the 8pm on Monday. has “created a unique way to resolve procession from the Istana to the lying-in- Discovery Channel airs one-hour spe- the copyright problems that have long state proceedings (25-28 March) and the cial Father of a Nation: Lee Kuan Yew troubled the viral video space”. state funeral on 29 March. across Southeast Asia on Tuesday, 24 Channel NewsAsia’s feed will be made March, at 9pm (Singapore/) ABS-CBN seals available to the international media and with encores throughout the week. The news agencies. programme will also air in Australia, Coconuts exchange deal Four other MediaCorp TV channels and Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand ABS-CBNnews.com has signed a two- four radio stations will air Farewell to Lee and Taiwan. year content-supply deal with local Phil- Kuan Yew – Lying in State Ceremony at Discovery said the special “documents ippines’ city website network Coconuts 9am on 25 March and the state funeral. the story of how one man survived World Media. The deal includes the exchange All will air in Singapore’s four official lan- War 2, took on the British Empire, strug- of news, features and video content. guages. gled for independence and fought for MediaCorp’s memorial programming the people and country that he loved”. ASIA PACIFIC VIDEO OPERATORS SUMMIT APRIL 22-24, 2015 AYANA RESORT, BALI

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23 March-5 April 2015 page 7. c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 8.

Sony Japan rolls out Outdoor takes digital-first route 1st OTT platform Pictures Television (SPT) Networks’ MCA ties up with BNM/4ME to boost online biz Broadcast Japan is launch- Outdoor Channel has added a digital- director of Multi Channels Asia (MCA), ing its first over-the-top OTT platform first angle to its Asia strategy, kicking off which operates Outdoor Channel. on 25 March. The app, Animax Plus on the new direction with multi-channel “The specific in-market MCNs will al- PlayStation is -supported and network (MCN) operator Brand New low us to accelerate Outdoor Channel’s free to PlayStation users. The service is Media (BNM). market penetration, and to better reach available on PlayStation3 and PlaySta- The strategic alliance takes Outdoor and engage with the underserved and tion4. The service will offer about 500 Channel programming into select ter- passionate communities of people who episodes of anime such as NeonGen- ritories, including Singapore, as part of embrace the outdoor lifestyle and its esis Evangelion. BNM’s 4Me online lifestyle platform from myriad of pursuits,” Creevey adds. 30 March. BNM’s global director, Damien Bray, Outdoor joins A+E Networks’ says the MCN’s focus is “a handful History channel onto BNM’s of lifestyle content genres that Musti 3D comes to Asia MCN. Historyplus.sg offers will be able to command a Singapore-based content distribution/ standalone two- to three- loyal community”. production house, Bomanbridge Media, minute shorts from linear At the same time as has added ER Productions/Paradiso channel strands/shows ramping up its digital TV’s children’s series Musti 3D to its Asia such as Big History, Spe- exposure, Outdoor’s cial Forces, Counting schedule has shifted to Cars and Pawn Stars. focus on story-telling. Ex- BNM will offer short-form clusive titles on the chan- Outdoor Channel program- nel in May include Gun Sto- ming, as well as develop origi- ries with Criminal Minds’ star Gun Stories with Joe nal and branded lifestyle enter- Mantegna Joe Mantegna, who looks at tainment content. state-of-the-art weapons; and The decision comes against a backdrop Kenny Mayne’s Wider World of Sports, of rapidly changing media consumption which goes in search of the world’s most habits, says Gregg Creevey, managing unusual sporting events. Musti catalogue. Animated kitten Musti was originally created in 1969 by Belgian graphic artist Ray Goossens, for kids two Youku Tudou content spend tips $97m in Q4 2014 to six years old. This is the first time the Content costs at 48% of net revenues new 3D series and merchandise will be available in Asia. Youku Tudou’s daily video views have Consumer revenues for the last three topped 900 million, with consumer rev- months of 2014 were US$11.2 million, a ITN Source marks end of enues up 473% to US$24.4 million in 2014 649% increase on the same quarter in compared with 2013, the online video 2013. 2nd Sino-Japanese war platform said in its latest results. Youku Tudou attributed the growth pri- ITN Source commemorates the 70th At the same time, 2014’s net loss soared marily to subscriber-base expansion and anniversary of the end of the Second to RMB888.6 million/US$143.2 million, up pay-per-view orders. Sino-Japanese War with a curated from RMB580.7 million/US$93.6 million in “Our long-term goal is to build a con- collection of archive news footage. 2013. Net revenues rose 33% to RMB4 bil- tent eco-system in which over half of The collection features footage from lion/US$649.5 million. the revenue and video traffic is derived 1930 to the present, including digitised Chairman/chief executive officer, Vic- from our web-native content, i.e. original images from the run-up to the war tor Koo, says other monetisation initiatives content, PGC, and UGC,” says platform that hasn’t been seen since its original are in place in addition to advertising. president Dele Liu. broadcast. c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 9.

From page 1: Formats show by country, the first regional talent weeks after AXN’s Asia’s Got Talent pre- show of its kind in Asia, the most expensive miere on 12 March. in Asia in its category, and the most logisti- Next up are NBCUni’s How Do I Look? cally complicated format ever. for Diva in mid-2015, and, later in the year, SPT Networks Asia’s executive director A+E Networks Asia’s MasterChef Asia for of production, Derek Wong, says bal- Lifetime. MasterChef is being produced ance was important. “We didn’t want c ntent in Asia by the Singapore-based produc- one country or one genre to dominate,” tion unit of the Endemol Shine Group. he says, adding: “We know people will How Do I Look? has been commissioned be watching the balance quite closely”. from NBCUniversal-owned production In addition to driving AXN’s regional Formats house, Matchbox Pictures. original content agenda, Asia’s Got Tal- Between them, the four new series add ent has been filmed with local host links Outlook 52.5 hours of new and original video con- for four local markets – India (VH1/Via- tent and countless hours of com TV18), Indonesia (Anteve), Vietnam engagement into a market clamouring (VTV-6) and Thailand (Channel 3). Local 2015 for local relevance and with pay-TV plat- terrestrial stations air the show with their forms demanding original shows. own host links. The four also push the envelope on The additional local channel exposure budget, raise the bar on production val- is a key element. “Given the size of the Q2 update out ues, and potentially set a new standard investment and for a project like this to on 1 April on what can be achieved in viewership be able to achieve the financial goal, and sponsorship. we needed to think out the box,” says Asia’s Got Talent set the ratings bar high, SPT Networks Asia’s senior vice president boosting competition and optimism that and GM, H.K. Ang. “We are addressing a The where, when, record-breaking production spend market where free TV and pay TV have will pay off for everyone. The the opportunity to cover a different seg- what, why and premiere topped its slots in ment of the audience,” he adds. how of Formats in Singapore, Malaysia, Philip- Perhaps the most talked-about as- pines (source: Kantar Media pect of the long-running negotiations Asia. S’pore/Philippines, AGBN- ahead of the September 2014 green- MR Malaysia supplied by light was Sony’s appetite for the risks AXN). involved in being so ambitious. Please contact Television (SPT) The day after the show pre- Aqilah at Networks Asia miered, Ang said he was [email protected] said the episode happy with the sponsor- or +65 6846-5985 delivered 10x the ship secured by both rating of the next Eng- SPT’s in-house team to add your formats lish-language GE chan- and the team deals and productions nel in the three markets. at - in Asia In Taiwan, Asia’s Got Tal- Media out of ent was the day’s top Singapore. “Of programme among course as a busi- www.contentasia.tv international GE ness person there @Contentasia channels, with a is never enough, but I’m Facebook/Contentasia 79% share. happy...” Covering 15 markets, Asia’s Adapted from ContentAsia...in Got Talent ticks print. Out on 1 April 2015. multiple ‘firsts’ Distributed at MIP Doc (11-12 April), boxes, including the MIP TV (13-16 April) world’s biggest talent and at MPA’s APOS (22-24 April).

Asia’s Next Top Model season three host, Georgina Wilson Live: 235 Out on 1 AprilTrim: 245 2015 Bleed: 259

ISSUE ONE 2015 C NTENTASIA

The difference on-demand PLUS: Formats, TV life beyond cricket , line & sinker: in India – nor not, what’s going on in OTT gamechangers is really making in Asia , the industry in numbers

Bleed: 349 Bleed: Trim: 335 Live: 325

Bad people make good TV.

        

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John Content Asia Magazine Front cover 09/09/14 09/09/14 CMYK

Hillary Christina Eric Kerri Find us at MIP Doc (11-12 April),1 MIP TV (13-16 April) and at MPA’s APOS (22-24 April)

For editorial info, contact Janine at [email protected] To advertise in any of ContentAsia’s publications or online, contact Masliana at [email protected] (Asia, Australia and Middle East) or Leah at [email protected] (Americas and )

23 March-5 April 2015 page 10. c ntentasia schedules 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 11.

ContentAsia Schedules – a look at scheduling strategies around the region. HBO

Time/Day Monday, 23 Mar Tuesday, 24 Mar Wednesday, 25 Mar Thursday, 26 Mar Friday, 27 Mar Saturday, 28 Mar Sunday, 29 Mar 5.30pm: The Odd Life of Timothy 7pm 6.35pm: The Da Vinci Code (rated 6.50pm: The Lost World: Jurassic 5.50pm: Open Season (2006) Green (2012) Escape Plan (rated 16, 2013) Red 2 (2013) 18, 2006) Park (1997) 7.15pm 5.50pm: Jerry Maguire (1996) 2 Guns (rated 16, 2013) The Fast And The Furious (2001) Casual Vacancy S1 Ep1 (rated Casual Vacancy S1 Ep3 (rated 9pm Casual Vacancy S1 Ep2 (rated 18, 2015) 18, 2015) 18, 2015)

Girls S4 Ep10: Home Birth (rated Malavita (rated 16, 2013) 10pm 18, 2015) The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (rated Fast & Furious 6 (rated 16, 2013) 16, 2014) 10.30pm Gravity (rated 18, 2013) 10.50pm 11.10pm Paranormal Activity: The Marked 47 Ronin (rated 16, 2013) Man of Steel (2013) Ones (rated 16, 2014) 11.20pm Elysium (rated 16, 2013) The Assassination of Jesse James By Hannibal (rated 18, 2001) 11.30pm The Coward Robert Ford (2007) Girls S4 Ep10: Home Birth (rated The Best Man Holiday (rated 18, 2015) 11.45pm 16, 2013) 12am

Action/adventure: 8hrs/22% Crime/thriller: 6hrs/16% Sci-Fi: 5hrs/13% Comedy: 4hrs/12% Superhero/fictional: 4hrs/12% Drama: 4hrs/11%

Romance: 3hrs/8.5% Horror: 1.25hrs/3.6% Animation: 0.3hrs/0.7%

Time/Day Monday, 20 April Tuesday, 21 April Wednesday, 22 April Thursday, 23 April Friday, 24 April Saturday, 25 April Sunday, 26 April

7pm 5.05pm: Beyond Borders (2003) 5.30pm: Treasure Planet(2002) 5.10pm: John Carter of Mars (rated 16, 2012) 6pm: Dinosaur (2000) 7.10pm 6.50pm: Fast & Furious 6 (rated 6.55pm: Jurassic Park (1993) 6.50pm: Captain Phillips (2013) 7.20pm 16, 2013) Collateral Damage (2002) Escape Plan (rated 16, 2013) Poseidon (2006) Austin Powers: The Spy Who 7.25pm Shagged Me Encore of 9am premiere: Game of 9pm Thrones S5 Ep2 (rated 16, 2015) Afflicted (rated 16, 2013) Encore of 10am premiere: Labor Day (rated 16, 2013) 300 (rated 16, 2006) 10pm Silicon Valley S2 Ep2 (rated 16, 2015) A Single Shot (rated 16, 2013) A Million Ways To Die In The West Red 2 (2013) 10.30pm (rated 16, 2014) Encore of 10.30am premiere: 10.50pm Silicon Valley S2 Ep2 (rated 16, 2015) Veep S4 Ep2 (rated 16, 2015) 10.55pm Game of Thrones S5 Ep2 (rated 11pm Kick-Ass 2 (rated 18, 2013) Veep S4 Ep2 (rated 16, 2015) 300: Rise Of An Empire (rated 18, 2014) 16, 2015) Labor Day (rated 16, 2013) 11.30pm Pain & Gain (rated 18, 2013) Stranger Than Fiction (2006) Blade II (2002) 11.55pm Hollywood On Set 593 (2003-)

12am

Action/adventure: 10hrs/28% Comedy: 8hrs/22% Crime/thriller: 6hrs/16% Drama: 4hrs/11% Romance: 3hrs/9% Horror: 2hrs/6%

Sci-Fi: 2hrs/6% Animation: 0.6hrs/2% Entertainment news: 0.1hrs/0.2%

HBO Asia is stepping up its anti-piracy fered on HBO On Demand and HBO Go, will boost our continued effort to offer le- fight from April with U.S.-Asia simulcasts which is available in Hong Kong and gitimate content live and direct from the of three HBO Original series along with the Philippines. HBO On Demand U.S. without any delay,” she says. day-and-date prime-time encores. is available in Hong Kong, In- The early-release initiative The new titles bring the number of donesia, Singapore, , kicked off in August last year HBO/ day-and-date hours HBO Taiwan and Vietnam. with day-and-date releases in Asia can make available in Asia to al- Slashing the premiere win- Asia of Game of Thrones sea- most 100. dow in Asia to zero is part son four, Girls season three, The Game of Thrones season five, Silicon of an on-going anti-piracy Newsroom season three, True Valley season two and Veep season four campaign. Blood season seven and Veep premiere worldwide on 13 April at 9am “Piracy has been and will contin- Magdalene Ew season three. (8am Jakarta/Thailand), followed by an ue to affect our viewership poten- “Shortening windows in Asia vis- encore telecast at 9pm (8pm Jakarta/ tial,” says HBO Asia’s head of marketing, à-vis the U.S. is key to retaining viewership Thailand). creative and content, Magdalene Ew. loyalty,” Ew says. Series that require age restrictions of 18 In addition to efforts with regulators and Key performers for 2014 across the and above will be delayed while censors other organisations to promote legal ac- region included HBO Originals Game take their cut. This includes Singapore cess to content, Ew says viewer educa- of Thrones season four and True Blood and Malaysia. tion is key to stopping piracy. season seven. The new seasons of Game of Thrones, “While the simulcast of the programmes HBO Asia Original mini series, Grace, Silicon Valley and Veep will also be of- is not a silver bullet to combat piracy, it More on page 13 c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 12.

Out on 1 April 2015

C NTENTASIA Asia’s factual schedules: Asia’s top factual trends Who’s who and what’s on where

FACTUAL 2015

1. Factual_Cover.indd 1 23/3/15 10:56:08

ContentAsia...in print+interactive

Find us at MIP Doc (11-12 April), MIP TV (13-16 April) and at MPA’s APOS (22-24 April)

For editorial info, contact Janine at [email protected] To advertise in any of ContentAsia’s publications or online, contact Masliana at [email protected] (Asia, Australia and Middle East) or Leah at [email protected] (Americas and Europe)

23 March-5 April 2015 page 12. c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 13.

From page 11: Schedules about a father’s mistake that condemns his family to unspeakable horror, per- formed equally well last year, Ew says. “These exclusive, first-run shows are impor- tant to our brand and help to differentiate our channel across the region,” Ew adds. More made-in-Asia titles are being planned. Details have not been confirmed but industry speculation is that one of the projects on the drawing board is a feature film based on Malaysian writer Tan Wan Eng’s novel, The Garden of Evening Mists. If the co-production with Malaysia’s Astro Shaw happens, the film will be HBO Asia’s fourth local production after Dead Mine, Game of Thrones season five, HBO Asia Serangoon Road and last year’s Grace. It will also be HBO Asia’s first based on output deals with Hollywood studios such The live ceremony was part of a multi- an existing novel, following in the foot- as Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, platform offering HBO Asia built around steps of HBO Originals such as Game of Universal Studios, Warner Bros., the event. Thrones, True Blood and The Leftovers. and MGM. “Making our content available on Programming priorities for Asia this year HBO is pushing in other directions too, multi-screens will continue to be among include adding strong, good quality in- adding the live telecast of the Oscars our top priorities,” Ew says. dependent titles to complement existing to its Asia slate for the first time this year.

From page 1: Turner genres in Asia to four – kids, gen- clude documentary festival award win- nel – “premium and 100% pure eral entertainment, news and ners, the Smithsonian Institution/Kajima- documentary” – will air nature, documentary. Vision’s Dream Window: Reflections on travel, history and culture pro- Turner hasn’t disclosed how a Japanese Garden (1992); Ocean-Pix’s gramming. Signature content many hours of content the 60-minute Salmon Forest (2011); Remem- features Unesco’s World Heri- channel will launch with but bering Vietnam: The Wall at 25 (2007); tage Sites. says the schedule will include and MLK: The Assassination Tapes (2011). Turner Broadcasting says the Gerhard Zeiler “hundreds of hours” of first-run, ex- Zeiler says the aim is to “share man- channel targets “audiences who clusive shows. kind’s greatest treasures so that they may seek a meaningful and undiluted docu- Flagship titles include The World Heri- be cherished and safeguarded for our mentary television destination”. tage, Journey to Natural World Heritage children, grandchildren and future gen- “We believe there is still a strong de- Sites and Beautiful Planet, along with erations”. mand for premium documentary con- Asian titles Asia’s Monarchies and Asia “Heritage tells us not only who we have tent... with many established brands in Rising. Another Asian title is Spirits of Or- been but also who we are today. Our the documentary space adopting an chid Island (2008), by Taiwan’s PTS, about shared heritage, as well as our historic and increasingy factual entertainment ap- a volcanic island on the southeast coast natural environment, are all critical to the proach to programming, we see an op- of Taiwan that is home to the Tao people future of the world’s economic, ecologi- portunity for a 100% pure and authentic from the Philippines. cal and cultural wellbeing,” Zeiler adds. documentary service,” says Turner Broad- The new channel has also acquired Sir World Heritage Channel rolls out with casting System International president, David Attenborough’s blue-chip docs – Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indo- Gerhard Zeiler. three-part Conquest of the Skies (2015), nesia and Thai subtitles. Zeiler added that the channel “will also which aired on Sky 1/Sky 3D in the U.K. Over-the-top (OTT) and catch-up rights feature more Asian heritage content and in January this year, and Flying Monsters have been secured for select content. this is something that viewers in this region (2011) – along with travel shows Travel Carriage deals for the new service, de- are seeking more and more”. Bug and Paradise Asia. livered in full HD – have not yet been dis- World Heritage Channel brings Turner’s Titles programmed in year one also in- closed. c ntentasia formats 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 14.

ContentAsia’s regular section, ContentAsia Formats, looks at formats and format development in Asia, including new seasons, series and trends and what these mean to channels, producers and the overall formats industry in the region.

High School Band

Thailand’s ThaiTV3 Family channel has created its first high-school band entertainment format. High School Band debuts on Saturday, 9 May, at 10am, with the finale episode scheduled for 1 August. The original Thai format, which cost the broadcaster about US$150,000 to make, was created by TV3’s programme acquisition exec Art Kaneearch and produced jointly by Songwut from local production house Sawasdeekrab2507 Company. TV3 designed the 13-part one-hour format as “simply a call out to youngsters, teens, rockers and pop boy band and girl High School Band launch group alike who want to show off their passion for a Korean hit or a billboard Turnouts at the auditions for the Northeast extend to neighbouring countries if ballad to more than just friends in school,” and South regions on the first two Saturdays broadcasters pick up the format,” Kaneearch says. TV3 says finalists will in March (7 March, 14 March) were Kaneearch adds. be offered a one-year internship with unexpected and overwhelming. “We had The High School Band format is being organising broadcasters. to increase the audition to Sundays on 8 offered to share for free with broadcasters “TV3 wants to be friends with high- March and 15 March,” says Kaneearch. in neighbouring countries for at least two school students,” Kaneearch says, High School Band’s third audition was held years. TV Stations in Vietnam, Indonesia, adding: “It’s every broadcaster’s dream in on 21 March, and the fourth the Philippines, , and to have their own format recurring and last audition round for contestants in have already been offered the every year with viewers and participants the North region will be held on 28 March. format, including the production bible, anticipating being a part of”. At the same The format, hosted by local artist Chow episode treatments, flying producers time, reaching out to local communities, Chow, will allow the judges to exercise and other elements designed to create schools, students, the younger generation, a veto against any band into the final successful shows. “recruiting them to become fans of the but he/she can only do it once. “This is So far, Myanmar and Cambodia have channel without being too cheesy is never one of the firsts, no shows here has ever confirmed and are expected to join in the easy,” he adds. allowed a judge to do this before,” says filming of the format, says Kaneearch. The first season showcases local high Kaneearch. “They are eager to see how the original school students from, for example, a hill Channel 3 is happy with the sponsorship Thai version will turn out,” he adds. tribe school in Northern Chiang Mai. so far. “Sponsorship is full and we will c ntentasia FORMATS at the ContentAsia Summit 2015 2-4 September 2015. Be included. Contact Malena at [email protected] c ntentasia platforms 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 15.

In ContentAsia’s regular section on up-and-coming online platforms in Asia, Malena Amzah speaks to Nuttawut Lertsrimongkol, senior marketing manager of over-the-top Line TV service in Thailand, owned by Japan’s Line Corporation, a messaging mobile app company.

Channel. What else are you looking to buy? More va- riety shows, series and exclusive content. Subscribers With more than 33 million Line users in Thailand, “we do not want to limit our potential growth by setting the expected download number for Line TV. We would like to do our best to approach anyone who wants to have fun watching a variety of content on Line TV.” Social media “We mainly use our chan- nels, such as the official Line Thailand account and Facebook fanpage, to promote our content and feature our promotional campaigns. Our partners and content providers also help to pro- mote us on their social networking chan- nels.” Challenges “Line TV is trying to differenti- What is Line TV? Line TV is an online TV Subscription rates Line TV is a free service ate itself from others by providing higher service and an extension of the mobile currently offering advertising-supported quality full episodes of content (mainly messenger app, Line (launched June (pre-roll/post-roll) streaming video. Oth- dramas and movies) appealing to lo- 2011). Line TV bundles TV series, mov- er business models will be considered cal tastes for free. Line TV offers content ies, music videos and Line TV exclusive moving forward. based on the analysis of local users’ content for free via smartphones, tablets The offering Key content will be original tastes from various angles. Also, we’re and PCs. and exclusive to Line TV. Premiering trying to provide high quality Thai Launch Line TV became available for series is Thai drama Stay, a ro- subtitles... besides Thai content, download in Thailand at the end of 2014 mantic-comedy co-produced we service and plan to source and officially launched on 6 February with Thai studio GTH and shot more full episodes of Korean in Bangkok. The development process in Saga, Japan. Directed by dramas or reality shows as fast took about six months. The service is Yong Songyos Sugmakanan, as we can, minimising the gap geo-blocked for Thailand. Stay premiered on Saturday, between real-time window. The Why Thailand? ”Thailand is a fast growing 14 February. The series stars Sun- goal is to also provide special market and Thai people are open to try- ny Suwanmethanont, Supassra Nuttawut Lertsrimongkol functions connected with the ing new things. Currently there are more Thanachat, Teeradon Supap- messaging app Line as a so- than 33 million Line users in Thailand. We unpinyo and Thiti Mahayotaruk. Line TV cial platform. We also have a good rap- believe Thai people enjoy entertain- exclusive content also includes Korean port with content providers, including ment, so we have selected series, music entertainment title SurpLINES. Korean TV stations, broadcasting channels, and videos and variety shows, both from Ko- artists include boy-bands EXO and Super various production companies, who can rea and Thailand, to meet the desires of Junior as well as girl group Girls’ Gen- supply good quality content for us.” the Thai audience,” says LIne TV’s senior eration. The slate also features content Line TV’s 2015 priority “Our priority is to marketing manager, who is responsible from local partners, including GMM, continue to provide good, quality con- for the platform. , Vithita Anima- tent for free, which appeals to Thai us- Where else? There are plans to roll out tion, Thairath TV, TrueVisions, TrueMusic, ers and building good partnerships with similar services in other Asian markets. TNN, Tigercrys, Pearypie, Fedfe and Dex content providers.” BCA15AdW192xH250P.indd 1 20/3/15 5:31 PM 23 March-5 April 2015 page 16. c ntentasia tech 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 17.

U.K. shifts military Analytics driving sports engagement, FIC says satellite over Asia Asia fans more social than in Europe, delegates told Spare communications capacity to be sold Fox International Channels is diving deep- er than ever into sports analytics in Asia, Britain is shifting one of its communi- betting its future on the ability of “big cations satellites over Asia Pacific for data” to deliver more engaging viewer the first time to deliver protected and experiences. secure communications services. The Panelists said during a Fox Sports Acad- advanced military satellite, Skynet 5A, emy “power of sports analytics” seminar should be in position by the middle of in Singapore this month that cutting-edge this year, the U.K. said at an arms con- next-generation analytics were driving vention in Malaysia this month. The new ratings spikes and keeping fans in the room during commercial breaks. No rat- position means greater ability to support Sam Leadsom, FIC Asia; Jason de la Peña, regional humanitarian and peacekeep- ings details were immediately available. FIC Asia; Ed Fitzpatrick, Repucom; Martyn U’ren, FIC Asia ing operations. As part of a multi-million FIC production vice president, Sam pound investment, Airbus Defence & Leadsom, said content built around sports Space, which operates the satellite on analytics was the answer to a bigger con- behalf of the U.K. Government, will also cern among sports broadcasters. Ed Fitzpatrick, Repucom’s executive build a ground station in Australia. The “We use sports analytics to improve vice president for Asia said the compa- U.K.’s Ministry of Defense said the move our story telling and that in turn helps us ny’s data collection helped businesses represented significant export opportuni- achieve the bigger content challenge, make more informed decisions about ties for the U.K. as any spare communi- which is to provide engaging content, sports and their investments. Often, he cation capacity would be sold. all day, every day. Now we can produce said, “all we see is massive increase in data and analysis usually associated with rights fees whether on the sponsorship digital products onto the big screen,” side or the broadcaster’s side”. Fitzpatrick Leadsom said. said sponsors and broadcasters needed SpeedCast acquisition He added that data analytics helped to understand how sports “moves the ups energy levels increase time spent on the channel, en- needle for them”. couraged engagement across multiple Social media and fan involvement was Hong Kong-based satellite comms ser- screens, and drove perception of chan- key, said Accenture Digital’s managing vice provider, SpeedCast, has acquired nel expertise and insights. director, Malik Bhandari. “Sports audienc- U.K.-based managed network services “63% of live race viewers also watch es in Europe and Asia behave differently provider, Hermes Datacommunications additional supplementary shows that are on social media. Asia is far more social International. The acquisition, expected heavily based on analytics and data,” when it comes to sports,” he added. to be complete by 25 March, creates a said FIC vice president, ad sales re- Jay Kidd, NetApp’s senior vice presi- new “global force” providing communi- search, Martyn U’ren. These also provide dent and CTO, said decisions made cations and IT services – including fibre additional commercial opportunities he based on data and analytics could al- connectivity and satellite services – to the added. ter game results. “Sports such as F1 are energy sector. SpeedCast said the acqui- The missing measurement link should be incredibly competitive... the top 10 can sition boosted its presence in Southeast filled in next year with a new tracking sys- be separated by less than a second”, he Asia, among other spots in the world. tem. Details remain under wraps. added. c ntentasiaTECH Technology for content people Be included. Contact Masliana at [email protected] or +65 6846-5988 for advertising & Malena at [email protected] for editorial info c ntentasia 23 March-5 April 2015 Page 18.

WHO SAID WHAT... HBO Now offers a new generation of HBO fans many of the best TV programmes in the world C NTENTASIA without a cable or satellite subscription... Now, with the same simplicity as buying an app, cus- Editorial Director tomers can subscribe to HBO Now and instantly Janine Stein start viewing their favourite HBO programmes as Assistant Editor they air. This is huge.” Malena Amzah Apple senior vice president, Eddy Cue, on Time Warner’s deal for new streaming service, [email protected] HBO Now, for Apple TV. HBO Now will cost US$14.99 a month and will be available to anyone Research Manager with a broadband connection, whether or not they have a traditional pay-TV subscription. CJ Yong The launch date in the U.S. is likely to coincide with the new season of Game of Thrones in [email protected] April. Last year, HBO chief Richard Plepler said the 10 million U.S. homes that subscribed to Editorial Research broadband but not pay TV was “a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be Aqilah Yunus left untapped”. (Deadline.com, 9 March 2015) [email protected] Design The involvement of these internet companies Rae Yong has a positive meaning and can promote the film industry, improve the quality and make the Associate Publisher Chinese film market bigger... meanwhile, we (Americas, Europe) and VP, must regulate the market to create an orderly and fair International Business Develop- market. We would like to cooperate with Hollywood and ment learn from each other. It is healthy competition.” Leah Gordon Luan Guozhi, deputy director of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and [email protected] Television (SAPPRFT), told a news conference to announce details of next month’s Beijing Sales and Marketing (Asia) International Film Festival. (The Hollywood Reporter, 18 March 2015) Masliana Masron [email protected]

The troubles on Fashion Police are just one part of To receive your regular free copy an emerging reassessment of E!’s role as a magni- of ContentAsia, fying glass of celebrity beauty... the backlash has please email begun, not just against the vacuity of red carpet [email protected] coverage, but against E!’s role in promulgating it... At its best, Fashion Police was a rare thing: a high-profile home for criti- Published fortnightly by: cism on television... But E! is nothing without its celebrities [and Pencil Media Pte Ltd it’s reliance on celebrity interviews and goodwill makes the 730A Geylang Road show] part of an untenable setup that one day reveres celeb- Singapore 389641 rities on the red carpet and the next day marches them onto Tel: +65 6846-5987 a gangplank and pushes them into the water.” contentasia.tv New York Times’ Critic’s Notebook feature headlined “Without Joan Rivers, Fashion Police asiacontentwatch.com is falling apart”. The column said that “without Ms Rivers as ballast, the recent episodes felt slightly unhinged, a collection of lightweights punching upward when they weren’t busy Copyright 2015 Pencil Media Pte fawning”. The article also said Giuliana Rancic’s dual role as newswoman and fashion critic was a “debacle waiting to happen”. (15 March 2015) Ltd. All Rights Reserved. MICA (P) 111/06/2013 To the extent that this has all gotten very in- tense and serious — it’s meant to be fun... When it stops being fun or if we think that we’re offending or crossing a line, absolutely, c ntentasia that’s the time to re-evaluate and that’s what we’re do- Daily news with ing, frankly, with things like the mani-cam.” ContentAsia Insider NBCUniversal Lifestyle Networks Group president, Frances Berwick, during the controversy over email [email protected] E!’s red carpet programming ... E! has put Fashion Police on hiatus after Kelly Osborne quit, for subscription details followed by Joan Rivers replacement Kathy Griffin, who exited after seven episodes. Griffin said the show had “a culture of unattainable perfection and intolerance toward difference” and called it a formulaic “dog pile” on The View.