11-24 January C NTENTASIA 2016 www.contentasia.tv l https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts facebook.com/contentasia l @contentasia l www.contentasiasummit.com Netflix baits Asia’s censors U.S. streamer shuts eyes to region’s content codes, regulatory slap in the face for local players If Netflix was a country, the world may well be prepping for war right now. Instead, law makers in Asia (with the exception of China, which Netflix hasn’t dared enter yet) seem to be rolling out the red carpet to the U.S. streaming serv- ice. Others haven’t said a word, so effec- tively, the carpet is equally plush. What’s deeply puzzling about this pic- ture? As staggeringly wonderful as Netflix is (and it is, truly deeply), Asia’s regulators are effectively giving the finger to program- mers in the region who have followed the rules, been respectful, paid their taxes, created jobs, trained people, contributed on the ground in so many ways. The big swinging ballsiness of Netflix’s move into Asia is overshadowed only by the mammoth unfairness that now hangs heavy over the entire industry. Unless, of course, regulators plan to use the situation to open up everything to everyone, and let parental controls/ PIN codes rule. A level playing field. Now wouldn’t that really be something? Right now, there’s a lot of hairsplitting over which digital services are actually covered by what regulations. How much is being censored? How much did Me- diaCorp actually cut out of Weeds on Toggle despite parental controls? What exactly did HBO Go cut from Game of Thrones in Singapore? Will regulators take the shackles off? Maybe. Hopefully. After all, the sky hasn’t fallen yet because Netflix dared. More on page 13 C NTENTASIA 11-24 January 2016 Page 2. Hong Kong’s PCCW flicks the switch on viu Singapore Telco flexes mighty Korean content muscle, deal with Singtel in the works Hong Kong telco PCCW turned on the year. Viu Malaysia will be up and running Singapore exclusively to viu eight hours Singapore version of multi-screen platform by April, followed by Indonesia and India after they air in Korea. Select titles will be viu on Monday (11 January), opening later in the year. subtitled in English and Chinese. access to the most comprehensive legal PCCW has signed deals with Korean gi- Other Asian content, including Japa- slate of current Korean content on one ants KBS, SBS, MBC and CJ E&M for 4,000 nese and Taiwanese titles, is being OTT platform across the region ever. hours of new shows a year to power the added. Viu will be offered for free at first, with a viu platform across the region. PCCW Media managing director, Janice premium subscription tier and other func- The rights deal covers about 95% of the Lee, said the platform’s research showed tionality to follow in the next few months in new drama titles from all four broadcast- that between 53% and 80% of viewers in partnership with Singapore telco Singtel. ers, including Remember, Moorin School key markets watch Korean drama regu- Details of the Singtel offering have not and Signal. Viu’s February schedule fea- larly. 66% of Singaporeans regularly down- been disclosed, but are likely to include a tures Descendants of the Sun and Please load and/or stream Korean content. comprehensive download-to-go option. Come Back Master, following the end- KBS Television Division executive MD, Lee The free platform has some download-to- January premiere of Happy Ending Once Ueng Gin, said viewers would find the viu go functionality. Again. Variety titles include Running Man offering appealing “as opposed to having The viu Singapore launch follows Hong and The Return of Superman. pirated, unstable streaming/download on Kong, where viu went live in October last Many of the shows will be available in illegal sites”. C NTENTASIA 11-24 January 2016 Page 3. Lim joins Sony Asia Outdoor Channel goes wild – official Wildlife, fishing, sports & extreme gourmet top 2016 slate Former FremantleMe- dia Asia head of production and senior executive producer, Jef Lim, joins Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia on 1 February 2016 as Jef Lim head of produc- tion, based in Singapore. Lim reports to Virginia Lim, head of content and marketing. Sony confirmed the appoint- ment today after a month at least of speculation (ContentAsia, 18 Decem- ber 2015). Khanom to head FIC format sales Carter’s W.A.R. (Wild Animal Response) Jess Khanom is heading up global format Outdoor Channel enters its sixth year in areas (September 2016); and The Obses- sales for Fox International Channels (FIC) Asia in 2016 with a slate of new exclusive sion of Carter Andrews, (February 2016) Content Sales, effective immediately. original productions from Outdoor Chan- the story of a man who spends 300 days Khanom most recently served as Sales nel in the U.S., prime-time sports docu- a year on the water, from Panama to Director TV Productions for Warner Bros. mentary feature films, a new Outdoor X the Snake River, and the Louisiana Gulf Her new role is based out of London franchise and the exclusive broadcast Coast to Russia. and reports to Prentiss Fraser, FIC’s SVP/ of new Steve Irwin commemoration/cel- Outdoor Channel is also premiering 12 global head of content sales. ebration series Crocodile Hunter. feature-length sports documentaries on Formats on FIC’s catalogue include the Topping the list of Outdoor Channel Friday nights from March as part of the recently launched Lucky Ladies, School originals is Carter’s W.A.R. (Wild Animal Friday Film theme. for Husbands and F***ing Telemarketers Response), which follows wildlife detec- New franchise, Outdoor X will include as well as National Geographic Chan- tive and professional hunter, Ivan Carter, action and extreme programming on nel’s Brain Games, Street Genius, Car onto the front lines of the wars being weekday prime times and weekends. S.O.S and Science of Stupid and a bou- waged on Africa’s wildlife. The series Returning to the five-year-old Out- quet of telenovela and entertainment premieres in April. door Channel Asia this year are ESPN’s and scripted formats from Fox Interna- The originals slate also features Blue flagship franchises, IndyCar Series and tional Channel’s global hubs. Water Savages, hosted by former U.S. Summer and Winter X Games alongside Navy deep-sea diver and marine natu- ESPN series Search 4 Hurt, World of X https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts ralist, Robin D. Berg, and shark expert Games and Kenny Mayne’s Wider World https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts Eli Martinez (June 2016); Alaska’s Wild of Sports, as well Outdoor Channel origi- https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts Gourmet, which tracks Bradley Ewing nals – Gun Father, Wardens, Alaska Ulti- https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=tsfacebook.com/contentasia delivering gourmet experiences no mat- mate Bush Pilots, Fight To Survive, Gold https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/contentasia?fref=ts ter how in Alaska’s most remote and wild Fever and Madfin Shark. C NTENTASIA 11-24 January 2016 Page 4. Gan, Valentin join Indovision debuts CTE’s Miao Mi NBCU Asia Pac Pre-school schedule highlights Mandarin learning Sony Pictures Television Networks’ former affiliate sales head, Ling Sze Gan, is joining NBCUniversal Ling Sze Gan International Networks on 21 January as Paul Valentin vice presi- dent of affiliate sales and branded digital partnerships for Asia. Gan reports to Christine Fellowes, managing director, NBCUniversal International Networks Asia. In a second new hire, the Asia operation has brought veteran NBCUni exec, Paul Valentin, to Hong Kong-based regional programmer, positioned it as the first pan-regional Singapore. Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), has Mandarin kids channel “created spe- Valentin joins the regional TV sales debuted new regional kids channel Miao cifically to entertain and educate pre- team in the newly created position Mi on Indonesia’s PT MNC Sky Vision. school children regardless of their lan- of vice president, sales strategy The Mandarin educational/entertain- guage backgrounds”. and development. ment channel is carried exclusively on Miao Mi targets kids between three Valentin was previously with Indovision’s Galaxy, Super Galaxy, and and six years old. NBUniversal International for 10 Venus packs, as well as Okevision’s ba- Acquisitions are from China and the years, most recently as director, sic pack. The linear channel is also avail- rest of Asia. strategy and analysis in London. able on Play Media. CTE previously announced first and ex- He will report to Jay McNamara, The linear channel will be followed by clusive acquisitions of Star Babies, Secret executive vice president, strategy on-demand and OTT versions; no time- Y and Happy Friends. development and analysis. table has been given for the digital ser- New buys include Dear Little Wish, vice rollouts. with the characters from Pleasant Goat Miao Mi will be offered with dual and Big Big Wolf; Little Rabbit’s Kung Fu Mandarin/Bahasa Indonesia language Academy starring the characters from tracks. Exceptions are the Miao Mi Class- China’s award-winning 3D animated film C NTENTasia room belts, which only feature songs Legend of a Rabbit; Zoland Animation’s Daily news with and simple storytelling in Mandarin for Rubi; Korean animated series Eori featur- ContentAsia Insider language-learning. ing Asian folk tales; adventure series Fox email [email protected] CTE announced Miao Mi in April this Inventor; and eco-friendly 3D animated for subscription details year (ContentAsia, 20 April 2015), and series Bellbug Popo.