Television Asia Plus | March-April 2026

Editor’sNote

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the March-April 2026 issue of Television Asia Plus!

Technology is rapidly advancing. With every new day, a new program, piece of equipment, or tool emerges to make production easier or quicker. This issue is dedicated to these new technologies and how they are shaping the TV and Film landscape in creative ways. We have our cover story, which is all about how companies are leveraging technology to build and expand on existing popular IP. We have an exclusive look at God’s Gang gamifying their animated series as a way to boost their IP and expand their reach.

AI remains a heated debate, whether or not it has a place in the creative space. There are industry experts who believe there is a space for them, particularly Joe Lewis, Head of Audio at The Voiceover Gallery, as he discusses the use of AI in the voiceover industry for our first feature.

Our final feature story from Sportway and Broadcast Solutions as they try to shape the future of live sports production with new technology.

Editor

EDITORIAL/PUBLISHER

Keen Whye Lee Publisher

Mathew Chan Editor editor-tva@harvest-info.com

Danico Acosta Layout and Design OPERATIONS

Mari Vergara Head of Operations mari@asiantvawards.com

SALES

Simon Lee U.S.A, Europe, Middle East Hong Kong/China sales@harvest-info.com

Chua Chew Huat Asia Pacific sales-sg@harvest-info.com

MARKETING

Lali Singson mktg@harvest-info.com

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Michael Magsalin tech@harvest-info.com

Television Asia Plus is published by

Harvest Information Pte. Ltd. 531 Upper Cross Street,#04-16, Singapore 050531

Glassriver seals global distribution deal with Italy’s True Colours for new Nordic psychological thriller series BRKN

Iceland’s leading film and TV production company Glassriver has announced it has partnered with Italy’s True Colours for the global distribution of its new original psychological thriller series BRKN, adapted from Jón Atli Jónasson’s novel BROTIN. True Colours will handle the international distribution of the series, which is currently in development.

Set against the brooding backdrop of Reykjavik, BRKN tells the story of Dóra and Rado, thrust together to investigate the disappearance of a nonbinary teenager, Morgan. What begins as a missing minor case, escalates into a high-stakes investigation. Dóra is recently back on duty after a traumatic incident where she received a gunshot to her head while attempting to prevent her boyfriend’s suicide. Meanwhile, when members of Rado’s family emerge as suspects in the investigation, he struggles to reconcile his loyalty to them with his responsibilities as a police officer. As they race against time to find

CAKE sells over 500 episodes in Asia

Leading kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE has announced a number of deals with partners in Asia.

Agreements finalised by CAKE’s Director of Sales Julien Farçat include in China, partnering with Beijing TFF on preschool nature discovery series Tiny Wonders and tween action Robin Hood adventure Sherwood; Shanghai Senyu acquired Jamie Oliver’s son Buddy’s culinary series Cooking Buddies; Youkou picked up two seasons of Malaysian superhero series Mechamato and Newnot Studio acquired the second season of space series Ready Jet Go!

In Hong Kong, PCCW bought the latest series from the Talking Tom franchise, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, non-dialogue slapstick comedy Cracké Family Scramble and Lilly Singh’s wellbeing series The Mindful

Morgan, a complex web of organised crime, corporate power, and police corruption begins to unravel.

BRKN is created by playwright, screenwriter, and author Jón Atli Jónasson (The Deep, Arctic Circle), director Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson (King Lear, Hamlet, The Ring of the Nibelungen, The Case) and screenwriter, novelist and composer Margrét Örnólfsdóttir (The Valhalla Murders, Trapped, Fanger, The Flatey Enigma).

Jón Atli Jónasson is also the author of the crime novel Brotin. He co-wrote the 2013 Oscar short-listed feature The Deep, and his works have been performed at major theatres including The National Theatre of Iceland. His TV credits include the German-Finnish crime series Arctic Circle, and his radio drama on the Guðmundur and Geirfinnur case won third prize at Prix Europa. Brotin has been sold to several territories worldwide.

Adventures of Unicorn Island. They will also broadcast the 3D animated series Moley, as part of a distribution deal with Bomanbridge. RTHK acquired seasons 3 and 4 of hit New Zealand stop motion series Kiri and Lou and a second season of multi-award-winning adventure comedy Mush-Mush & The Mushables. In Malaysia, Juita Viden picked up two seasons of pre-school hit Yoko.

Dominic Gardiner, MD Distribution at CAKE said, “We’re thrilled to collaborate with leading partners in Asia to bring content that sparks imagination and creativity. From nature discovery to culinary adventures, comedy and actionpacked series, these deals reflect CAKE’s passion for sharing content that resonates with kids globally.”

Epic Story Media and Warner Bros. Discovery dive into season 2 of Rymanco’s Clawlolo

Independent content creation, distribution and licensing company Epic Story Media Inc. (ESM) has secured a commission from Warner Bros. Discovery for a second season of non-dialogue 2D musical comedy series Clawlolo (26 x 3’) in EMEA. Produced by Rymanco Ventures, the new instalment of the shortform series will air exclusively across Warner Bros. Discovery kids networks in EMEA, as well as its global Cartoonito YouTube channels. ESM holds exclusive distribution rights on the series.

Additionally, Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired season one of Clawlolo from ESM for its kids networks and platforms across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, following the success of the series

on the Cartoonito App (Italy) and YouTube channels.

Created, directed and animated by Alexey Alexeev (Mr. Bean: The Animated Series), Clawlolo follows the underwater capers of Eric the Crab and his aquatic friends.

Targeted at kids aged 3-9 years old whilst also being suitable for all ages, the series is designed as a daily vitamin for kids’ brains to boost and recharge their emotional strength.

The Children’s Hospital HUG in Geneva is also screening the series as a dose of joy and laughter for its patients. The first season of Clawlolo was selected for a number of international film festivals, including Annecy International Animation Film Festival, London International Film Festival, Sapporo Family & Children program, Brooklyn Film Festival, Montreal Festival Du Nouveau Cinéma, and Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival.

The deal was negotiated by Jessica Labi from Epic Story Media with Aurélie Wack, Acquisitions & Coproductions Senior Manager, Kids & Family EMEA at Warner Bros. Discovery.

FIFTH SEASON serves global sales for Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders

Global film and TV studio FIFTH SEASON has secured a wave of sales for the three-part docuseries Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders, which FIFTH SEASON co-produced with Dreamchaser and Den of Martians Originally commissioned by Stan in Australia, Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders is directed by the Emmynominated Gil Marsden (United States of Scandal with Jake Tapper) and chronicles the high-profile case of Erin Patterson – an Australian woman convicted of fatally poisoning three relatives with a mushroom-laced meal.

The deals secured by FIFTH SEASON include Netflix (UK), CNN (US & Canada), Bell Media (French Canada), SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway) and MTV Oy (Finland). Stan will air the final two episodes of the series later this year.

A seemingly ordinary family lunch becomes a global media story when four guests fall critically ill, with three later

dying. As the world press descends on the small country town of Korumburra, the deaths become a tragic cultural touchstone with wild theories and speculation running rampant. When the family’s host, Erin Patterson, is arrested and charged with triple homicide, the alleged cause of death is poisoning

by the world’s most lethal mushroom – the death cap – traces of which are discovered in the toxic meal she prepared. With exclusive access into one of the highest profile criminal cases in modern memory, Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders explores how one tragic lunch may shatter the myth of small-town security in Australia, while examining the fairness of a trial amidst a global media frenzy.

FIFTH SEASON’s wider unscripted slate includes the feature documentary on the legendary band Earth Wind and Fire directed by the Academy Awardwinning filmmaker and musicologist Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and releasing on HBO (US); the 10-part docuseries Planes That Changed History from Atomic Television for National Geographic, which uncovers the engineering and design secrets of the world’s most iconic aircraft; and Bad Host: Hunting the Couchsurfing Predator, from Academy Award winning Lightbox, based on hit podcast Verified.

Double Vision, ABS-CBN and Astro Shaw join forces for major new Malaysia-Philippines co-production agreement

At ATF, three significant players in the ASEAN television market announced that they are to collaborate for a major new co-production agreement. Malaysian production company Double Vision and Malaysian studio Astro Shaw will now work with ABS-CBN, the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, to produce three new drama series over the next two-three years.

Under the terms of the partnership, the three series – each 10 hours in length – will be made available to viewers as iWant Originals on the iWant platform, ABS-CBN’s OTT service, and as Astro Originals on Astro platforms in Malaysia.

The first series into production in the second half of 2026, and due for delivery towards the end of the year, will be a

reboot of the landmark romantic drama A Time for Us (Kahit Isang Saglit). First produced in 2008 by Double Vision and ABS-CBN, the series broke ground as one of the first high-profile FilipinoMalaysian co-productions and was the first such title to receive an International Emmy nomination (for Best Telenovela in 2009).

Now, development is underway to reimagine this cross-border, romantic suspense drama for a modern, global audience. Set between bustling Kuala Lumpur and the charged political landscape of the Philippines, A Time for Us follows Angela, a Malaysian woman who unearths a clue to her father’s mysterious disappearance – one that takes her into a shadowy world of international corruption. Meanwhile, Miguel, a Filipino Interpol agent, is on a parallel mission to dismantle a

Bomanbridge Media Secures Deal with Nat

Secret World of Snakes

International distributor, Bomanbridge Media has struck several major broadcast agreements for their brandnew, blue-chip wildlife series, The Secret World of Snakes.

The Secret World of Snakes (3 x 60’), a co-production between Bomanbridge Media, South Africa’s Lion Mountain Media and China Media Group(CMG), will debut in China on CMG’s CCTV 9 in early 2026. The three-parter has also been picked up by National Geographic for EMEA and Discovery Asia. The series is slated to air on Nat Geo from 2026 with Discovery expected to launch the series throughout Asia by Q1-Q2 2026.

2025 was the Year of the Snake and this fascinating three-part series celebrates and uncovers the secret lives of snakes: master hunters,

Southeast Asian crime syndicate – and unknowingly to confront the truth behind his own father’s unsolved murder. When Miguel and Angela’s investigations converge, they discover their families are deeply intertwined in a cover-up that spans decades.

The other two scripted series will be Besa and Habitat.

Geo & Discovery

for The

ultimate survivors and misunderstood predators. Shot in various locations around the world including Africa, America, Australia, throughout Asia including China, with rare access granted to Shedao (Snake Island) located in the northeastern China, a UNESCO world heritage site and the only habitat in the world which contains nearly 20,000 deadly pit vipers.

The footage from Snake Island and other habitats around the world, takes viewers deep into the hidden world of strange and bizarre species of snakes, revealing their astonishing survival strategies and extraordinary abilities. Commentating on the announcement, Carl Hall, Chief Creative Officer said, “Snakes capture the imagination like few other creatures. Found on every continent except Antarctica, they’re resourceful, resilient and as one of the

world’s ultimate predators —they make great wildlife TV. China’s extraordinary diversity of snake species, including some of the world’s most venomous, made CMG the ideal partner for this project and with February 2026 concluding the Chinese Year of the Snake, there was a real appetite for the show, allowing us to rapidly secure premium broadcast partners across these major territories.”

Passion Distribution Secures Rights to Extraordinary Crime Documentary Twisted Sisters: Madness & Manslaughter

Passion Distribution has announced it has secured the exclusive distribution rights to Twisted Sisters: Madness & Manslaughter, a truly unbelievable two-part true-crime documentary series that delves into one of the most bewildering and disturbing cases in modern British history. Produced by Mentorn Media for 5, the series will make its international launch at the Passion Showcase event during next year’s London Screenings.

Twisted Sisters: Madness & Manslaughter uncovers the true story of Swedish twins Ursula and Sabina Eriksson, whose inexplicable behaviour in 2008 left police, psychologists, and the public stunned. Featuring footage originally captured in Mentorn’s

own Motorway Cops series, the doc sees the twins repeatedly running into high-speed motorway traffic in an apparently shared terrifying suicide pact. Events escalated when Sabina—released from custody shortly after—fatally stabbed a man who had offered her shelter. Her subsequent escape and leap from a 40-foot bridge deepened the mystery. With unprecedented access, fresh insight and exclusive, never-before-seen footage, Twisted Sisters: Madness &

Manslaughter re-examines a story that has haunted audiences for more than a decade. The series also asks urgent questions about mental health, criminal responsibility, and the fragile boundary between shared delusion and shared danger. “Twisted Sisters: Madness & Manslaughter is a shocking and unforgettable story expertly told by the talented team at Mentorn Media.

It is truly a stranger-than-fiction tale that will fascinate audiences and create conversation.,” said Nick Tanner, Director of Sales & Co-productions “We will launch this remarkable series at our Passion Showcase during the London Screenings and can’t wait to bring such a compelling—and truly unforgettable—story to our international partners.”

Fremantle’s hit series Bad Cop gets Malaysian adaptation with Astro

Fremantle and Astro Shaw have announced that the action-packed crime drama series Bad Cop will be adapted as an Astro Originals premium series for Malaysian audiences. The local version of the scripted format is set to premiere across all Astro platforms including Astro Citra, Astro Ria, On Demand, Astro Go and Sooka starting 19th December 2025. On Demand, Astro Go and Sooka viewers will receive early access, with two episodes released during premiere week – allowing them to watch one episode ahead of the linear channel rollout. Bad Cop follows Emir Khalid, a small-time criminal hunted by ruthless drug lord Tony Redza. During a drug deal gone wrong, Emir unexpectedly crosses paths with his estranged twin brother, Imar Khalid, a police inspector. Their reunion is cut short when Imar is shot in the crossfire with fatal consequences. With police closing in, Imar entrusts Emir with his police identity to escape and

protect their family. As Emir assumes his brother’s role, he is torn between running and redemption while facing growing suspicion within the force.

The Malaysian adaptation of Bad Cop is produced by Astro Shaw, led by creator and showrunner Kavivarmen Vigneswaran, executive producer Raja Jastina Raja Arshad and director Jason Chong. The series features Aiman Hakim Ridza as Emir Khalid / Inspector Imar Khalid, Siti Saleha as Chief Inspector Hana Fuad,

Originally produced by Talpa Germany GMBH & CO. KG for broadcast on RTL Television in Germany, Bad Cop has proven its international appeal. The recent Indian adaptation became an instant success, debuting at No. 1 on Disney+ Hotstar’s Hindi Top 10 within 24 hours of launch and securing a spot in Ormax Media’s Top 5 most-viewed OTT titles of the week (17–23 June 2024).

Harvinth Skin as Detective Abhilan Selvam and Tony Eusoff as Tony Redza.

Keshet International completes further sales in 30 new territories for MTV Finland’s smash hit

Conflict

Global content producer and distributor Keshet International (KI) has completed a further raft of sales for its multi-award-winning global

action thriller Conflict following its world premiere on MTV Finland.

Produced by Backman & Hoderoff and XYZ Films for MTV Finland, Conflict (6×60’) explores the possibility of a proxy war breaking out in Europe and has been described as “compelling, “heart-pounding” and “remarkably timely” by the media. The Englishdominant multi-language drama is officially MTV Finland‘s most successful original drama premiere to date, having smashed ratings records across all platforms when it debuted in Finland. Conflict went on to win Best Drama Series and Best Director at the 2024 Golden Venla Awards, and in France, ranked the #1 most-watched TV show on the Canal+ catch-up service when it premiered there earlier this year. Keshet International has added a swathe of additional territories to its previous raft of sales secured following its launch to

market at MIPCOM 2024, successfully licensing the six-part drama to Canal+ in Benelux, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia; to Lionsgate Play (India) in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka; BETV in Belgium; ERR in Estonia; Free TV in Israel; ITV Uzbekistan in Uzbekistan, Intra Communications in Georgia; LRT in Lithuania; Now TV in Hong Kong; TV4 in Sweden; TV Moldova 1 in Moldova; and 11 territories across the CIS, including Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine, in a pan-regional deal.

These sales are in addition to license deals completed by the global content distributor in 2024, when KI sold Conflict to CANAL+ in France and Poland, AMC Networks International in Spain and Portugal, Telia Lithuania in Lithuania, Telia Estonia in Estonia, Tet and Latvijas Mobilais Telefons in Latvia, and HOT in Israel.

Xilam and UGC team up for Series Adaptation of Bernard Werber’s Bestselling

Novel Empire of the Ants

UGC, one of France’s leading players in the film and audiovisual industry, and Xilam Animation, Academy Award®-nominated French animation group, are partnering to adapt Bernard Werber’s bestselling novel Empire of the Ants for television.

Through this collaboration, the two companies aim to combine the best of their respective expertise to bring to screen this visionary work, which has enthralled readers worldwide for 35 years and sold seven million copies globally, including four million in France.

Targeted at family audiences, the series will follow two parallel investigations unfolding simultaneously: in the human world, exploring who killed the brilliant ant expert Edmond Wells; and

in the ant world, uncovering the secret that the Queen and her militia are hiding that could threaten the unity of the colony.

The adaptation will be produced using live action for the human narrative, and visual effects for the ant world. The project is being written by Vladimir Haulet (Mixte, Mash Up), with the VFX direction being led by globally renowned specialist in photo-realistic animation Nicolas Deveaux, alongside Quentin Reubrecht (Arcane, I Lost My Body).

The series will be produced by Marc du Pontavice and Caterina Gonnelli for Xilam, and by Franck Calderon and Céline d’Asaro Biondo for UGC.

Bernard Werber said, “I am thrilled to see Empire of the Ants finally come to life on screen. This adaptation from such creative powerhouses as UGC and Xilam will bring a unique level of ambition to my universe. I look forward to audiences experiencing this work in a new form.”

Eccho Rights closes three Turkish Drama deals in Indonesia

International distributor Eccho Rights has secured deals with Indonesian broadcasters for three Turkish Drama series. ANTV have acquired Winds of Love, produced by Unik Film and Rains Pictures, and Behind the Veil from Film Yapim Merkezi, while SCTV have picked up Karamel Yapim drama Legacy.

“These new partnerships mark an encouraging moment for Turkish Drama in Indonesia,” said Berkin Nalbantli, Sales Consultant CEE & Asia at Eccho Rights. “It has been a challenging market in recent years, but during ATF earlier this month we saw clear signs of renewed appetite for Turkish content across Asia. Broadcasters are again looking for high quality, emotionally charged storytelling and we are pleased to be part of that momentum returning to the region.”

Eccho Rights previously enjoyed

a major ratings breakthrough with Elif in 2015. The series became one of SCTV’s most watched titles of the year and later inspired a local remake on the same channel, further cementing the brand’s popularity with Indonesian audiences.

Behind the Veil (Gelin) is one of Kanal 7’s most successful series ever. Currently broadcasting its third season, the daily drama regularly rates higher than several of Turkey’s prestigious and high budget weekly series. Behind the Veil is the story of Hançer, who has fought for survival since childhood and will do anything to save her ailing brother. When Cihan, heir to a wealthy family, is expected to enter into an arranged marriage at his mother’s urging, Hançer is chosen, for her beauty and innocence. Hançer accepts the offer to fund her brother’s treatment, but life in the mansion upends everything, especially with Cihan’s ex wife still living there. What

Talpa Studios and FOX Entertainment Studios

House of Hide & Seek

Talpa Studios announces a new creative partnership with FOX Entertainment Studios and acclaimed director-creator David Grifhorst to bring the new family entertainment format The House of Hide & Seek to life. Inspired by the classic childhood game known around the world, the series turns hide and seek into a prime time family show set entirely within an enormous, purpose-built studio environment –a unique approach that transforms the familiar game into a cinematic spectacle. Commissioned by RTL 4 in the Netherlands, The House of Hide & Seek will premiere in 2026 on RTL 4 and will be available to stream on Videoland. The partnership with FOX Entertainment Studios naturally positions the format for a potential US adaptation.

begins as a transaction transforms into a powerful love that defies the family’s plans.

introduce studio show The

In each episode, six celebrity contestants take on a series of nerve-racking rounds inside a gigantic two-story house with more than 120 hiding spots – a largerthan-life set built to feel as though its residents just stepped out. From the grand staircase to the kitchen, garden, living room and a maze of other rooms, every corner is crafted to draw players deeper into the game. Secret passages, unexpected doors and cleverly concealed spaces give the house an escape-room-like thrill, sparking instant childhood excitement. Contestants race through hallways, slip behind hidden panels and try to outsmart one another in a game that blends suspense, humor and tactical play, with viewers following every move in real time. “Talpa Studios is an exceptional, long-time creative

partner, and from the moment we saw The House of Hide & Seek, we knew they had all the makings of a breakout format we could create together –bold scale, smart game design and a premise every viewer understands in seconds,” said Allison Wallach, Head of Unscripted Programming for FOX Entertainment Studios. “Our combined creative vision and ability to turn a universally loved idea into premium, modern family entertainment makes for a powerful collaboration – one with enormous potential to resonate in the U.S. and travel to markets around the world.”

Sony Entertainment Television’s MasterChef India Becomes a Powerful Brand Magnet

Sony Entertainment Television’s MasterChef India continues to strengthen its position as one of Indian television’s most compelling brand magnet properties, offering partners a rare combination of scale, credibility, and purpose-led storytelling. As India moves ahead with confidence and purpose, ‘Desh Front Foot Par Chal

My Mother’s Tale

Raha Hai’, the new season celebrates the spirit, identity and the pride of India, creating a powerful cultural and emotional canvas for brands that stand for trust, quality, heritage, and innovation. Reinforcing this strong brand alignment, Ananda Dairy Ltd. comes on board as the Co-Presenting Sponsor, seamlessly integrating with the

Achieves

Global Agency announces the successful broadcast of the Turkish drama series “My Mother’s Tale” on Sitel, one of North Macedonia’s leading television channels, where the series has quickly become one of the top-performing programs in its time slot.

Since its premiere, “My Mother’s Tale” has consistently achieved strong ratings in total individuals, delivering double-digit AMR figures on a weekly basis and demonstrating high audience loyalty. According to official viewing data, the series recorded an average AMR of 14.11% and an impressive average audience share (SHR) of 31.29%, meaning that nearly one out of every three television viewers was watching “My Mother’s Tale”during its broadcast. In several weeks, the show achieved peak audience shares exceeding 35%, ranking among the most-watched programs of the day.

show’s celebration of homegrown pride and nourishment. Further strengthening the association, Fortune Edible Oils and Foods and Catch Salts and Spices join as Co-Powered By Sponsors categories that sit at the heart of everyday Indian cooking and mirror the show’s focus on taste, trust, and culinary excellence. Reflecting MasterChef India’s broadbased appeal across cookware, energy, and lifestyle ecosystems, the season is further supported by Bergner India, Bharat Gas and Vim ProClean Dishwashing Liquid (Hindustan Unilever Limited) as Special Partners.

Anchored by the return of iconic judges Chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Ranveer Brar, and Chef Kunal Kapur, MasterChef India continues to deliver aspirational content, premium audiences, and deep cultural relevance—making it a definitive platform for brands looking to build meaningful, value-led connections with a nation on the front foot.`

Strong Ratings Success in North Macedonia

Throughout last December 2025 and January 2026, “My Mother’s Tale” maintained stable and competitive viewing levels, confirming its strong position in prime time and its ability to perform consistently in a highly competitive market. This strong performance in North Macedonia further underlines the international appeal of Turkish drama and reinforces

“My Mother’s Tale” as a powerful, emotionally engaging series that continues to resonate with audiences across different territories.

” My Mother’s Tale ” presents the powerful tale of Zuhal and her battle to bring up her three sons and find redemption after betrayal by her husband, tragedy and dark secrets from the past. Her husband achieves success in business but then loses everything through reckless financial decisions, leading to the family’s downfall and leaving Zuhal to pick up the pieces. She had abandoned her career as a minister’s secretary, but as the family is plunged into hardship, she takes on the task of running a bread shop to make ends meet. Her pain is magnified by her sons’ feelings of abandonment and anger at Hasan’s betrayal, and she will need all her strength to overcome that pain and find new meaning in life.

Bundesliga to launch first-ever FAST channel in the UK and Ireland on Samsung TV Plus

The Bundesliga and streaming service Samsung TV Plus have teamed up to provide fans in the UK and Ireland with a dedicated Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channel.

This will be the first-ever FAST channel for the Bundesliga, marking a significant step in the league’s expanding presence in the UK and Ireland.

The new media partnership, which

will run as a multi-year agreement, brings the best of Bundesliga football directly to fans’ screens, subscription-free. Fans can tune in for live action, including Friday night Bundesliga matches and select Bundesliga 2 games, along with a rich mix of highlights, interviews, press conferences, and behind-the-scenes content.

The launch is made possible through a partnership with Samsung TV Plus, one of the world’s largest streaming services, and Wurl, a leader in the free ad-supported streaming TV industry that powers content distribution and monetisation, and will help facilitate the setup of the Bundesliga channel on the Samsung TV Plus platform. Fans in the UK and Ireland can access the channel on Samsung TV Plus, which is available subscription-free on Samsung TVs, Galaxy and Samsung Smart Monitor devices. The launch

of this free-to-view channel will feed the growing appetite for Bundesliga content in the UK and Ireland, especially as England’s captain Harry Kane continues to make waves in the league ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Bundesliga’s expanding presence in the territory is a clear response to the growing interest in high-quality football from the German top-flight and its star players.

This distribution model represents a key milestone in the Bundesliga’s commitment to delivering top-tier content to UK football fans.

With innovative partnerships and the ability to reach fans across a range of platforms, the Bundesliga continues to push the boundaries of sport broadcasting and engagement, bringing the action closer to fans than ever before.

Xilam Group Launches First Streaming Platform TOON BOX

Academy Award®-nominated French animation group, has launched Toon Box – a brand new, kids safe streaming app featuring over 1,000 pieces of content from across its legacy library and new series, alongside an exclusive range of videos, activities, storybooks and games. Aimed at children aged 3-10 years old, the subscription-based and ad-free app is currently rolling

out across 11 territories (the UK, the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, Mexico, Brazil, Australia) and will initially be available on iOS before also launching on Android devices next year. Across its brands, Xilam already benefits from a strong digital fan base with 125 million subscribers across YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and SnapChat globally.

Toon Box will cater to the whole family featuring some of the most iconic series from Xilam’s catalogue including Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko, Where’s Chicky?, Mr Magoo, The Daltons, Lupin’s Tales, Paprika, and more. Episodes will also be available to download and watch offline, and Xilam will update the app with new content each month. To access the full Toon Box offering, new subscribers will benefit from a free first month and can choose between two offers: a monthly

subscription with no commitment, or an annual subscription.

Marc du Pontavice, CEO & Founder at Xilam , said, “The digital space has always been a cornerstone of Xilam’s strategy, and we’ve now established a very wide audience across multiple platforms and touchpoints.

The launch of Toon Box is a significant milestone in our approach as we go direct to consumers for the first time –offering an ad-free, safe and engaging environment for fans to enjoy our extensive portfolio in one convenient and trusted place. Thanks to its smooth user experience, intuitive navigation and high-quality visual design, Toon Box will offer every member of the family a new way to learn and have fun within the world of Xilam.”

Prime Video Launches Moviesphere+ as an Add-on Subscription

Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, has onboarded Moviesphere+ as an addon subscription. As part of global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LION), Moviesphere+ offers a vast and exciting library of Hollywood blockbusters, award-winning cinematic gems, popular classic and new TV shows, and much more. Customers in India can now subscribe to Moviesphere+ on Prime Video.

With Moviesphere+ as an add-on subscription on Prime Video, customers can enjoy an extensive slate of multigenre content, including movies such as The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Borderlands, P.S. I Love You, Juno, Prisoners, The Princess Bride, and Jackie Brown. Some of the most iconic and highly acclaimed TV shows, such as Mad Men, Weeds, Black Sails, Anger Management, and the newest season of The Rookie (Season 7), will also be available to Moviesphere+ subscribers.

“We are delighted to launch Moviesphere+ as the newest addition to our add-on subscriptions on Prime Video,” said Gaurav Bhasin, head of marketplace (add-on subscriptions and movie rentals) and Prime Video Ads, India. “Prime Video’s addon subscriptions have become a powerful launchpad for international streaming services and studios to reach

audiences across India. In our effort to serve customers with more choice and convenience, we continue to expand our add-on subscriptions, bringing popular streamers together under one destination: Prime Video. With this collaboration, Moviesphere+’s robust repertoire of Hollywood content will enhance our entertainment experience and broaden the range of global stories available to Indian audiences.”

Prime Video India Rewind Networks and StarHub Bring HITS NOW to StarHub TV+ NBA League Pass as an Add-on Subscription

Rewind Networks has announced the launch of HITS NOW on StarHub TV+, giving StarHub customers an exciting new way to personalise their entertainment experience.

The addition of HITS NOW complements StarHub’s commitment to flexibility, value and a truly customisable TV journey for every household in Singapore.

HITS NOW will be available on StarHub TV+ on Channel 513 from 15 December 2025, with a free preview until 31 January 2026 for viewers to get a sneak peak of the channel and will be offered as an add-on option thereafter. HITS NOW delivers a carefully curated slate of top-tier U.S. television, featuring today’s most compelling dramas like Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Fire Country, Sheriff Country and Matlock starring the incomparable Kathy Bates, alongside crowd-pleasing comedies and game shows such as Ghosts and Who

Wants to be a Millionaire and Family Feud. Viewers can also enjoy the world’s biggest reality and talent franchises, including Britain’s Got Talent, American Idol, Survivor, Top Chef, MasterChef US and Shark Tank, as well as the latest Hollywood updates on Entertainment Tonight. True-crime afficionados will also love delving into the minds of criminals in The One Who Robbed The Cradle, Killer Nanny: Did She Do It?, and Snapped: Killer Couples. Designed to appeal across generations, HITS NOW offers current pop culture entertainment

that viewers can enjoy and feel vested in.

The arrival of HITS NOW on StarHub TV+ brings customers front-row access to some of the world’s most prestigious entertainment spectacles. StarHub viewers can look forward to the LIVE broadcast of The 83rd Golden Globes on 12 January 2026, followed closely by the highly anticipated 68th Annual Grammy Awards airing live on 2 February and the same-day telecast of the BAFTA Film Awards on 23 February. HITS NOW is also introducing a brand new limited series in January, Sandokan: The Pirate Prince, an action-adventure series featuring a Malaysian pirate in the late 19th century. Together with HITS and HITS MOVIES, Rewind Networks’ family of channels delivers well curated, timeless and high quality entertainment to more than 22 million households in 12 Asian markets.

Keshet International & Seven Network launch second FAST Channel: Trucking Hell

Keshet International (KI) and the Seven Network are launching a second FAST channel dedicated to showcasing Crackit’s Trucking Hell on Australia’s premier free streaming platform, 7plus. Titled Trucking Hell, this new FAST channel sees KI licensing and delivering nine seasons (159 hours) of Crackit TV’s Trucking Hell – an adrenaline-fueled “at work” factual entertainment series about heavy vehicle rescue – to the Seven Network for its streaming platform 7plus.

Trucking Hell takes viewers inside the high-stakes world of Crouch Recovery, a family-run heavy rescue operation that clears Britain’s biggest road disasters—fast—so the country keeps moving. Each episode

follows the full recovery cycle, from the emergency call to the final clearance: rollovers, smash-ups, breakdowns, and tangled motorway blockages, tackled with an extraordinary fleet of superheavy recovery vehicles and a crew of larger-than-life specialists. They work in punishing conditions—night, rain, wind, live traffic—with police, highways agencies and customers demanding immediate results. They might look like everyday blokes, but when a motorway becomes a danger zone, Crouch Recovery are the unsung heroes who go in, lift the impossible, and get Britain back on track.

Last December, KI and the Seven Network launched True Crime Files, a FAST channel on 7plus featuring true crime content produced predominantly by Woodcut Media

As worldwide distributor for all nine series of Crackit TV’s Trucking Hell (totalling 159 episodes produced to date), KI has licensed this factual entertainment docuseries to ProSieben and Discovery in Germany, Nelonen in Finland, TV2 in Hungary, Free TV in Israel, Sky in New Zealand, CBS Reality in Africa and Poland, and Viasat in the Nordics, CIS, CEE and sub-Saharan Africa. Trucking Hell is also one KI’s most successful AVOD title, with multiple deals signed with Tubi TV, Little Dot, Pluto TV, amongst others.

Whale TV Expands Global Footprint with New TV Brand Partnerships in Europe, Brazil, and Australia

Whale TV, the leading independent TV operating system, has announced new licensing partnerships with five TV brands: Aiwa, Blaupunkt, EFL, ONVO and JVC. These TV brands will start using Whale OS 10, the company’s latest-generation television operating system, for their upcoming smart TV models. Whale TV also announced Moka as a new Whale OS 10 turnkey ODM partner, to its expanding roster of ODMs. Whale TV now works with 40+ TV brands, including Akai, Philips and RCA, who leverage Whale OS 10 for their televisions.

As one of the few TV OS providers that shares platform monetization with OEM partners, Whale TV enables manufacturers to unlock new recurring revenue streams while delivering a great consumer experience. Whale TV also partners with retailers to drive value creation by connecting retail media networks with its media platform. Whale TV now serves more than 45M monthly active TVs, as

of Q4 2025. “Bringing these new TV brands on as licensees underscores the strong global momentum behind our platform,” said Jason He, CEO at Whale TV. “Our mission is to empower TV brands with an OS that is simple, powerful, and truly partnership-driven. With Whale OS 10, we’re delivering an experience that makes watching TV effortless for

consumers while ensuring that our TV partners can grow sustainably.” Whale OS 10 offers consumers a content-first user experience with faster navigation, smarter content discovery, and seamless access to streaming services and live TV. Built for both performance and flexibility, it is designed to support a wide range of TV categories and price points.

Blue Ant Media Launches HauntTV and TotalCrime on TELUS

Blue Ant Media, a global streamer, production studio, and rights business, has partnered with TELUS, a worldleading communications technology company, to launch two of its free, adsupported streaming television (FAST) channels, HauntTV and TotalCrime.

This marks the first time Blue Ant’s free streaming channels portfolio is available on TELUS’ industry-leading entertainment platforms. As a companion to Canada’s specialty TV channel T+E, known for its paranormal programming, the partnership brings Canadians nationwide access to a curated selection of supernatural and crime programming that caters to niche, high-interest audiences. HauntTV and TotalCrime are now available through the TELUS TV+ app for all Optik TV Stream+ subscribers (featured in the

Free Streaming Channels section and Channel Guide).

“HauntTV and TotalCrime are now live on TELUS’ entertainment platforms, marking Blue Ant Media’s first entry on the TELUS platform for its free streaming portfolio,” said Andrew Irwin, SVP, Content

Distribution & Partnerships, Blue Ant Media. “Building on the success of T+E, our paranormal specialty channel, this partnership expands our footprint in Canada, offering audiences more ways to indulge in paranormal and true crime programming on a trusted national platform.”

“We’re excited to partner with Blue Ant Media and reinforce our commitment to delivering diverse, high-quality entertainment experiences that cater to the unique interests of our customers,” said Jacob Pullia, Director, Content, Strategy & Development, TELUS. “By expanding free streaming content with these compelling paranormal and true crime channels, we’re giving Optik TV and Stream+ subscribers even more reason to enjoy TELUS’ industry-leading entertainment services.”

BBC Studios launches BBC News and CBeebies channel with Telkomsel’s IndiHome TV in Indonesia

BBC Studios and Telkomsel have announced the launch of two live channels, BBC News and CBeebies, on IndiHome TV in Indonesia, marking a significant expansion of BBC Studios’ channel presence in the market. BBC News is now available on IndiHome TV channel 816 and CBeebies on channel 301. Broadcasting round the clock in English in more than 200 countries and territories across the globe, BBC News covers a diverse mix of authoritative international news, sport, weather, business, current affairs and documentary programming. BBC News on TV delivers impartial, in-depth analysis of breaking news, as well as looking at the stories behind the news – not just what is happening, but why.

CBeebies is home to BBC’s awardwinning kids programming like Bluey and Hey Duggee. Trusted by parents, CBeebies offer a safe and

educational experience designed by developmental experts to promote imaginative play, social interaction, language skills and positive values. Young viewers can also explore other beloved kids programming like Sarah & Duck, Go Jetters & Supertato.

BBC Studios’ Executive Vice President and General Manager for Asia Phil Hardman said on the launch, “Our mission is to bring world-class content

to audiences around the world, because at BBC Studios we believe that stories have the power to start conversations and change perspectives. This is an exciting opportunity to connect IndiHome customers with our trusted news coverage and award-winning kids programming for the first time. And we are proud to work with bestin-class partners like Telkomsel on this shared vision.”

“We are delighted to have this collaboration with BBC Studios, as it reflects Telkomsel’s commitment to continuously strengthen an inclusive and empowering digital ecosystem for Indonesian society. By bringing world-class content such as BBC News and CBeebies to IndiHome TV, we aim to provide broader access to trusted information and educational entertainment for our customers,” said Vice President Digital Lifestyle at Telkomsel, Lesley Simpson.

Vizrt launches AI-powered advances for speed and accuracy in media management

Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, and accuracy in the industry-leading media asset management (MAM) system, Viz One 8.1. Broadcasters and content owners

today face mounting pressure to deliver more content, faster, and across more platforms. With the ever-growing volume of raw footage and the limits of manual shot logging and archive research, traditional workflows are no longer sustainable.

To address these common challenges, Viz One 8.1 integrates with aiconix’s DeepVA sovereign AI platform, automating key stages of media management and moving teams from time-consuming manual processes to managing media with speed and accuracy.

“Content creators need AI that works for their specific needs, not a one-size-fitsall solution,” says Esther Arroyo, CMO at aiconix. “DeepVA’s ability to train custom

models and generate structured, machine-readable metadata ensures Viz One customers can optimize their workflows and deliver more relevant, localized content to their audiences.”

Faster research and clip discovery mean fewer bottlenecks and greater creative flexibility for broadcasters and content creators working across news, sports, and entertainment on any platform.

“Viz One 8.1 is the next step in our longterm vision to accelerate efficiencies,” says Jochen Bergdolt, Head of MAM at Vizrt. “By combining Viz One’s proven reliability with intelligent automation, we’re giving customers the tools to work smarter today – and build stronger media operations for tomorrow.”

ROCK Networks and NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC To Launch “Universal DIVA” Across Asia

ROCK Networks has announced an agreement with NBCUniversal International Networks and Directto-Consumer to launch a branded entertainment block “Universal DIVA” on its flagship channel, ROCK Entertainment. Through this agreement, ROCK Entertainment will deliver globally renowned reality TV content from Bravo and engrossing true-crime series from Oxygen to key Asian markets, broadening the channel’s premium entertainment offering.

The new one-hour branded block will air every Monday to Wednesday at 22:30 – 23:30* showcasing Bravo’s most talked-about reality franchises – including The Real Housewives and Below Deck – to audiences across Asia.

“Universal DIVA” will also feature gripping true crime titles from Oxygen including Buried in the Backyard, A Plan to Kill, and Accident, Suicide or Murder, as well as curated fashion and pop culture moments, featuring all the red carpet glamour from film

premieres and awards shows, hosted by Bella Varelis. “We are thrilled to partner with NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC to bring iconic Bravo reality programming to our viewers,” said Beatrice Lee, CEO of ROCK Networks. “’Universal DIVA’ is a curated experience that meets Asia’s growing appetite for premium reality content, further cementing ROCK Entertainment as the region’s destination for worldclass entertainment.”

“A powerhouse brand in the US and a successful free-to-air network in both Australia and New Zealand, Bravo is the linear home of iconic reality TV content, and Oxygen is renowned

for its riveting true-crime series; we are delighted that this content will be offered to viewers across Asia with the launch of “Universal DIVA” on ROCK Entertainment,” said Chris Taylor, MD, NBCUniversal International Networks & Directto-Consumer and TV Distribution, APAC. “As one of the world’s premier entertainment portfolios, we are focused on fulfilling an appetite for branded entertainment offerings across Asia by leveraging our powerhouse content and brands, creating innovative entertainment destinations that complement our clients’ platforms.”

Broadcast Solutions Group acquires PMT Professional Motion Technology

Broadcast Solutions Group, a leading system integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast and media industry, has announced the acquisition of PMT Professional Motion Technology GmbH. As part of this acquisition, Broadcast Solutions Group will fully merge Egripment Deutschland GmbH (part of the group since September 2025) with PMT. Going forward, both companies will jointly operate under the name PMT Professional Motion Technology GmbH.

The Egripment brand will remain an integral part of the new, strengthened group through its Dutch headquarters, rental operations and the manufacture of camera support equipment.

With a team of 20 employees, PMT Professional Motion Technology will continue to serve its customers from its existing German locations in Hamburg and Cologne. The acquisition is accompanied by a reorganisation of the company’s

management structure. Christian Gärtner, former Managing Director and shareholder of PMT, will hand over his responsibilities to CEO Maximilian Breder and Philip von Senden, who will assume the role of COO with responsibility for sales and marketing. Gärtner will remain closely involved with PMT as an experienced consultant, actively supporting the transition to ensure continuity and stability.

Technical leadership will be led by Tim Ritter as CTO and Martin Dreesbach as CTIO for Egripment and PMT, focusing on technology and innovation across both companies. In his role, Martin will work closely with Tim Ritter and will

continue to contribute his expertise within Egripment as R&D Manager, as well as acting as a development partner for the Broadcast Solutions Group’s CTO Office.

Broadcast Solutions Group leverages PMT’s long-standing expertise to build a strong foundation for innovative special camera systems products and services. The group aims to further expand its market position in the GSA region across sports productions, entertainment, and live events, while offering customers an even more comprehensive portfolio of camera motion solutions.

wedotv Strikes Major Distribution Deal with LG Channels for 6 Channels in MENA, Asia and LATAM

wedotv, the global free ad-supported streaming network, has expanded its distribution partnership with LG Channels Smart TV streaming platform to include distribution in the MENA region, Asia, and Latin America. The announcement was made by Iza Piotrowska, Global Business Development Director, wedotv.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), LG Channels MENA has launched the FAST channels wedotv BIG stories and wedotv sports , as well as two channels development specifically for the region: wedotv cars and wedotv Get.Factual. All of the channels feature the content with Arabic subtitles. LG TV customers in Singapore and Taiwan will be able to watch wedotv movies and wedotv sports with English, Malay, and Neutral Chinese subtitles by the end of the year.

LG TV customers in Latam and Brazil will have access to the single IP FAST channel wedotv amor: Piel Salvaje by the end of the year. Piel Salvaje is a popular telenovela available in both Portuguese and Spanish.

“wedotv Channels have been available on LG Channels in Europe since 2023 so it is exciting that LG customers in MENA, Asia, and Latam/Brazil can now enjoy our regionally tailored content as well,” said Iza Piotrowska. “A large part of what makes wedotv successful is our ability to adapt and customize our channels – and even create entirely new channels – for the markets we serve. These launches are indicative of that strategy. We customized content and marketing for each market to assure that viewers’ interests and needs are met, and our platform

partners succeed.” In addition, LG TV users with a subscription to LG Gallery+ , LG’s visual curation service, can enjoy curated content from wedotv’s time2Rlx channel, which features environmental scenes –landscapes, ocean waves, tropical beaches, panoramic views of iconic skylines – shot in 4K and accompanied by ambient, environmental sounds or a gentle musical soundtrack. The time2Rlx content is now on LG’s SVOD service LG Gallery + in South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom and across Europe.

Spain’s national public broadcaster deploys Alfalite NEOPIX LED technology

Spain’s national public broadcaster, RTVE, has upgraded one of its main television production facilities in Madrid with the installation of two Alfalite NEOPIX 1.5 MATIX AlfaCOB LED screens, marking the first-ever deployment of NEOPIX technology in a broadcast environment.

The installation comprises two custom LED displays: a 7 x 2-metre curved screen and a 9 x 1-metre secondary display, both designed to meet the demanding requirements of daily television production. The screens will serve as the primary visual background for news, current affairs and interviewbased programming.

The project was delivered in collaboration with Datos Media Technologies, Alfalite’s technology

partner, further strengthening the Spanish manufacturer’s presence within one of the country’s most important audiovisual production centres. The installed displays belong to NEOPIX, Alfalite’s premium LED family developed for critical applications where image consistency, reliability and long-term performance are essential. Featuring a 1.5 mm pixel pitch, the screens are well suited to broadcast environments that require close viewing distances and precise visual reproduction. For this project, NEOPIX integrates MATIX AlfaCOB, Alfalite’s proprietary Chip-onBoard (COB) technology. This solution enhances LED protection, improves visual uniformity and optimises thermal dissipation, while also providing a more robust and easy-to-maintain surface — key advantages for intensive use in

television studios. According to Luis Garrido, Executive Director of Alfalite, “Public broadcast environments operate under extremely demanding technical conditions, where reliability and visual consistency are essential on a daily basis. Working once again with RTVE confirms the strength of a relationship built on technical criteria and trust in the technology. NEOPIX 1.5 MATIX AlfaCOB meets the requirements of everyday television production and represents a ‘Made in Europe’ solution developed specifically for these environments. The collaboration with Datos Media Technologies has been key to the success of this project.”

NAGRAVISION Teams Up with the English Football League to Tackle Live Sports Piracy

NAGRAVISION, a Kudelski Group company and the world’s leading independent provider of content protection and media and entertainment solutions, has announced a partnership with the English Football League (EFL) to help detect, disrupt and deter live sports piracy across all matches of the 2025/6 football season.

The new partnership will utilize the live piracy monitoring and enforcement capabilities of the NAGRA Streaming Security solution.

Fighting live sports piracy is a key focus for both the EFL and the industry at large as they look to sustain the value of live sports content, support their member clubs and deliver the best fan experience possible.

To achieve this goal, the EFL will utilize NAGRA Streaming Security’s dynamic piracy monitoring to quantify the scale of piracy threats against their live sports content. The solution’s anti-piracy intelligence capability will also enable the EFL to measure the impact of takedown and

enforcement activities and will provide an overview of pirate activities targeting their content. “NAGRAVISION’s dynamic, real-time monitoring is an effective and important part of our work to protect our content, clubs and their supporters,” said Russell Byrne, Head of Broadcast Operations at the English Football League.

“The level of information available to us means we can better monitor, identify and take down illegal streams as they appear across various platforms, and ensure that we are providing the best possible experience to those that pay for legitimate services.”

The NAGRA Streaming Security solution is designed to provide a holistic view of pirate activity across content rights holders’ portfolios through powerful

AI-enabled insights. Based on a 30year case history of global pirate activity, the solution provides clear information designed to directly address the business goals of the rights holder, such as revenue protection, brand integrity or managing compliance and licensing.

NAGRA Streaming Security delivers end-to-end protection against content theft and content restreaming to ensure premium assets, such as live sports, remain secure across all devices and networks. Delivering insight from a range of technologies including advanced multi-DRM, forensic watermarking and real-time antipiracy monitoring and enforcement, the solution safeguards revenues and combats illegal streaming.

Nippon TV and FOR-A’s on-device AI solution “viztrick AiDi” to be deployed by NBC Sports

Nippon TV and FOR-A America have announced the world’s first deployment of viztrick AiDi—an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV. NBC Sports will use the real-time AI solution during coverage of several live events, throughout 2026. AiDi delivers real-time player tracking, face tagging, object recognition, 2.5D telestration, auto-score graphics, and motion data analytics—without internet connectivity. Automatic 9:16 cropping with auto-tracking using highly intuitive operation enables incremental streaming business for mobile phones. FOR-A America is responsible for the sales and delivery of viztrick AiDi.

“We were looking for the right tool for streaming live sports that would automatically crop athletes to a 9:16 aspect ratio with auto tracking,” explains Tim Canary, Senior Vice President of Engineering, NBC Sports. “AiDi is that tool. AiDi uniquely provides real-time processing with minimal delay, which is key for live sports content. “AiDi was designed

and developed by broadcasters, so it solves the specific challenges we face every day. It easily switches between AI mode and manual mode. This is particularly useful when the scene switches from a tight to a wide shot. If AI can’t grab the right athlete instantly during a camera switch, you can easily re-track them manually with AiDi. You never lose the athlete you’re tracking, which is a very important detail for our live coverage. Nippon TV and FOR-A collaborated with us, understood our needs, and quickly implemented them with AiDi.” Takayuki Shinoda, Lead Developer of viztrick Aidi, Global Strategy Headquarters, Nippon TV

The Voiceover Gallery launches Short-Form Content Division

Audio production company The Voiceover Gallery has announced the launch of its Short-Form Content Division, an agile production model designed to service the growing demand for high-volume, fastturnaround digital content across live action TV and film, animation and branded content.

The division features a production model that prioritizes speed, experimentation and remixability and allows for content to be commercially scaled and compatible for broadcasters, FAST channels, and streamers as well as digital platforms. The Voiceover Gallery will offer content producers end-to-end production, including casting, talent booking, technical planning and delivery. The model follows the global success of the digital series

Transformers: CYBERWORLD from Omens Studios and Hasbro Entertainment. The Voiceover Gallery delivered full audio production across all 36 episodes, including voice casting, recording and editorial. The series launched on YouTube and has since amassed over 2.2 million subscribers across multiple demographics. The new division is built around a flexible model, incorporating robust tracking systems that provide real-time view across every stage of production. This tracking monitors word counts, takes, versions and pickups in real time, allowing producers to maintain accuracy and performance continuity across large volumes of content. From AI tools for script revisioning, asset delivery and voice scheduling through to recording, edits and pick-ups, the approach enables The Voiceover Gallery to deliver fast-turnaround audio, voiceover, subtitles and localisation at scale, without compromising on quality

said, “We are honored that our technology has been selected by NBC Sports, a global leader in sports broadcasting. It is deeply gratifying that Nippon TV’s creative power, honed at the forefront of broadcasting, has gained recognition beyond borders—this is extremely encouraging for us. This selection is not the ultimate goal, but the first step in our journey toward the global market. We will continue to pursue ‘AI that is truly useful on location,’ delivering new value to video production sites worldwide.”

or consistency. The unique offering reflects a broader industry shift, with short-form content increasingly in demand for audiences, as well as digital platforms such as YouTube offering IP testing ground for longerform commissions. Katie Berkes, Head of Production, said, “This model is designed in line with the realities of digital-first production, where audiences are looking for high volume, high-speed and high-quality content. The Voiceover Gallery will continue to deliver audio for content that can travel platforms and territories, resonates with broad and diverse audiences, and can be produced at speed without sacrificing consistency or performance quality.”

Skandha’s New VP Sales Role Signals Bold Growth Ambitions

Skandha Media Services, a leading provider of media workflow, automation, digital-first solutions and managed broadcast services, has unveiled a new Vice President of Sales position; appointing K.S Avinash to the role as the company scales its market presence across broadcast, OTT, and content production sectors.

With more than sixteen years of experience spanning sales, presales, and transformative media technology roles, Avinash joins Skandha at a pivotal time as broadcasters, OTT platforms, and content owners reimagine their operations for a fastevolving, AI-powered future.

Avinash brings extensive expertise in post-production workflows, media asset management (MAM), content supply chain optimization, and cloud onboarding for marquee clients in India and the broader APAC regions. His proven impact with innovative solutions at companies including Planetcast, Real Image Media Technologies, and SRSG, as well as his longstanding engagement with leading broadcast enterprises, demonstrates deep knowledge of the region’s challenges and the opportunities emerging from next-generation media trends.

Avinash’s sales leadership is defined by his commitment to measurable outcomes for clients, said Nitin Jain, managing partner – Business & Solution Engineering, Skandha Media Services.

“His pragmatic technical background, combined with a proven ability to build lasting industry relationships and a passion for seamless customer support, align with our vision to deliver best-in-class service to broadcasters and content owners in established and new markets.”

Avinash’s track record includes successful delivery of complex infrastructure projects, from launching nationwide

content supply chains in India, to supporting OTT platforms such as MX Player with robust, reliable filebased workflows.

His project management credentials range from setting up remote offices under COVID restrictions, managing large cross-border installations, and leading lean, agile teams to complete challenging technical rollouts under tight timelines.

K.S Avinash

Alfalite appoints Mariano Aragón as America Channel Sales Manager

Autentic is further strengthening the strategic development of its digital activities. With immediate effect, Julian Althaus will take over responsibility for the Channel Division as Director Channels & Digital Sales.

Based in the U.S., Aragón will lead Alfalite’s channel development strategy to expand its presence across North America. His mission is to position Alfalite as a trusted partner for studios, television networks, production companies, and corporate clients seeking the highest standards of quality, precision, and reliability in LED display solutions.

“Taking on this role represents an exciting opportunity. The U.S. is a global leader in technological innovation and a reference in audiovisual production and virtual environments,” said Mariano Aragón. “Being able to represent Alfalite in this context is a privilege, especially because of the unique value our European engineering and LED technology bring to the market. My goal is to build long-term partnerships with specialized integrators and expand Alfalite’s footprint across the country.” With over two decades of experience in international B2B sales and market development within the broadcast-media and technology services industries, Aragón brings a strong track record in business strategy, partner programs, and brand expansion. Early in his career, he spent more than eight years as International Affiliate Sales Director for RTVE—Spain’s national public broadcaster—where he was based in Miami and responsible for expanding RTVE’s distribution and partnerships across the Americas.

For the past 10 years Aragón has worked an independent consultant advising international companies on market-entry and business development strategies in Latin America and the United States, helping technology brands scale their operations and partner ecosystems in competitive markets. Speaking about his priorities in the new role, Aragón highlighted his focus on strengthening Alfalite’s presence in broadcast and virtual production/XR, developing a solid network of partners, and

expanding into workspace & SOC and public administration environments.

“Our priority is to create long-term alliances and ensure first-class technical and commercial support throughout the U.S.,” he noted. “Alfalite offers a unique combination of technology, R&D investment, and rigorous manufacturing and quality control processes. Our flagship products, such as Modularpix Pro and the exclusive ORIM® (Optical Resin Injection Module), deliver key advantages for broadcast and XR applications — including flawless color uniformity, durability, and outstanding on-camera performance. In addition, our product range combines energy efficiency, mechanical precision, and reliability, making it equally ideal for fixed installations in workspace and Security Operations Center (SOC) environments, as well as public administration and government, where image quality and sustainability are top priorities.”

Mariano Aragón - Alfalite (low)

Creamsource Taps Industry Heavyweight Markus Zeiler as Group Managing Director

Creamsource, renowned for its Vortex series of cinematic lighting, is laying the groundwork for its next phase of growth with the addition of Markus Zeiler as Group Managing Director.

He joins at a pivotal moment, as the company expands into new markets, deepens its R&D efforts, and develops the next generation of tools shaped by the needs of filmmakers, partners, and production teams.

Since 2005, Creamsource has been guided by its founders, Tama Berkeljon and Sasha Marks, whose hands-on engineering, product philosophy, and deep curiosity continue to define the company’s DNA. Their long-term vision centers on innovation, new product lines, and responding to what the community is asking for. With Markus stepping into operational leadership, Tama and Sasha gain more dedicated space to stay immersed in the pipeline of new technologies and tools. His role stretches across everything required to bring a product from development into the world, giving the founders the freedom to stay focused on future innovation.

Markus’ experience spans LED development and lighting leadership at ARRI, as well as business growth and expansion at MBS Europe. He has overseen product and operations teams, led major global initiatives, and helped drive the worldwide adoption of LED lighting in film and television. His combination of operational discipline, technical fluency, and industry insight strengthens the foundation around Creamsource’s growing roadmap, enabling the company to scale with intention while staying grounded in the craft.

“We’re thrilled to have Markus join the CreamTeam,” said Tama Berkeljon, CEO of Creamsource. “We’re fully aligned on where the company needs to go and how best to support our customers in a changing market. His depth of knowledge and experience

strengthens the whole organization and allows me to focus even more on the vision and R&D work that shapes our future.”

“I’m very excited to welcome Markus to the team,” added Sasha Marks, Creamsource CTO. “He brings a tremendous amount of industry and leadership experience, and with him in the hot seat, I’ll be able to dive even further into R&D and new product innovation alongside Tama. After more than twenty successful years, I’m looking forward to this next stage of Creamsource’s evolution.”

Creamsource Markus Zeiler Group Managing Director

Tatsuhiko Inoue appointed as new NHK President

NHK announced the appointment of current Vice President Tatsuhiko Inoue as the next President of NHK.

appointment was decided by NHK’s Board of Governors which met last December 2025 to discuss the successor to President Nobuo Inaba, whose term ended last January 2026. Following the announcement, Inoue held a press conference last night to express his views on NHK’s role amid a changing media landscape.

Inoue joined NHK as a news reporter in 1980, beginning his career at NHK’s Nagasaki Station in southern Japan, where he spent six years covering disasters, incidents, and a wide range of local news. From 1986 onward, he specialized in political and foreign affairs reporting, later rising to become Head of the Political News Division in 2005. He subsequently served as Controller of Editing in the News Department. In June 2011, in the aftermath of the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, he assumed the role of Director of the Programming Department. In this capacity, he was entrusted with comprehensive responsibility for planning and coordinating NHK’s entire programming, including news broadcasts dedicated to safeguarding lives and delivering vital information to the public.

Inoue became a member of NHK’s Executive Board and was appointed Senior Director in 2014, a role that involved shaping NHK’s strategies and corporate plans. From 2016, he served for six years as President and CEO of two NHK technical affiliates— NHK I-Tech and Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT)—where he oversaw initiatives supporting broadcasting technologies and Japan’s satellite broadcasting infrastructure.

In February 2023, Inoue was appointed Executive Vice President of NHK in recognition of his extensive professional expertise, broad

network of relationships both within and beyond NHK, and his considerable managerial experience. Inoue is 68 years old.

Before Inoue, six consecutive presidents came from outside the broadcaster. He is the first NHK official to become president since 2005, when Hashimoto Genichi took up the position

Tatsuhiko Inoue

Gamifying the God’s Gang IP

Gamifying an Animated Series

There’s a phrase we all know; ‘content is king’ (and queen), but only when it carries meaning. In today’s fragmented media landscape, attention is abundant, but retention is low, and depth is scarce. The brands that make it long term are not blaring, but are the ones built on a strong narrative that can travel across formats without losing their soul. The evolution of God’s Gang - from animated series to interactive game - is a case study in how to build a values-driven IP in a multiplatform, attention-competitive world.

Many children’s brands expand into games, books, and merchandise after achieving screen success. But sustainable franchises are rarely format-first, but have strong roots as a universe-first IP. The origins of God’s Gang trace back to the early 2000s, in an era dominated by cultural phenomena like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, we posed a radical question: what if action heroes reflected religious diversity and modeled unity instead of uniformity?

The idea didn’t materialize at the time, but it exposed a gap in the market - a lack of aspirational storytelling

around coexistence. Years later, after a career spanning startups, technology, and venture capital, this idea was revisited with a clearer thesis: children’s media could tackle spiritual identity and shared humanity without becoming preachy. Then God’s Gang the animated series officially launched in 2023 with eight short-form episodes across YouTube and OTT platforms.

The tone was action-comedy with coexistence at its’ core. From its’ inception, the project was positioned not as just “a show,” but as an expandable narrative ecosystem, which is an important distinction when creating an IP that has legs to develop and grow.

Gamification is not a spin-off, it’s an amplifier In early 2026, God’s Gang launched a side-scrolling platformer released as a freemium title across iOS, Android, and Window. On the surface, it followed a familiar formula of unity engine, freemium model, single-player story mode, but on a more strategic level, it represents something more important. The shift from passive engagement to participatory storytelling from going to animated series to game. Too often, IP extensions into gaming are treated as monetization

layers with predictable results of shallow mechanics wrapped in recognizable branding, which audiences can sense are inauthentic and can start to disconnect. It was important to explore a different route, and instead of adapting episodes directly. The team expanded the mythology, with each hero receiving a 15-level narrative arc written by Rob Kutner, known for his Emmy-winning work on The Daily Show. Gameplay mechanics were designed as metaphors for character

philosophy. Storytelling became a tactical tool. This is where gamification becomes meaningful. When mechanics align with the messaging, interaction in this form deepens understanding of the IP as a whole. It also gives you new forms of narrative arc to develop your central characters, or new ones altogether if you go down that route.

Developing a mobile game from an animated series requires fluency in storytelling and systems design. India’s developer ecosystem combines strong engineering depth with English-language narrative sensibility, making it particularly effective at extending Western-origin IP into interactive formats.

By collaborating with Techy Mau Games and MiracleSkies – two leading game developers headquartered in India – this lead to a unique and wellpositioned global partnership as both understood the nuances of these projects. As an indie games studio, working with us, an indie (as in not owned by a studio) content production company, we moved quickly and didn’t have red tape in the way. As producers, its important to seek out partners who understand not only the narrative structure, but the scalability of the digital product design. These types of interactive studios are increasingly operating as co-creators rather than just contractors. They are not simply executing the brief, but are actively contributing to gameplay architecture, design, and live-ops strategy in a way that complimented what we had built over the years.

AVRAHAM MAY NIMROD

The choice of a left-to-right scrolling platform was also crucial. The genre naturally supports momentum, progression, and quest-driven structure, mirroring the spiritual and emotional journeys embedded within the series. Rather than reinventing gameplay conventions, the team leveraged familiar mechanics to lower friction and increase accessibility for younger audiences.

Building IP for a polarized world

Children’s content today competes not only with other shows, but with infinite scroll feeds and algorithmic distraction. The attention economy rewards spectacle, but long-term brand equity is built on coherence and consistency. God’s Gang enters a market shaped by division, where conversations

around identity and belief often feel adversarial. That thematic clarity translates well across platforms. In animation, the message is embedded in plot and humor, whilst in gaming, it becomes embodied through cooperation and strategic play. Planned multiplayer modes will extend that into shared digital spaces, turning coexistence from narrative principle into lived experience. For IP builders, the takeaway is clear: format expansion should reinforce the brand thesis, not distract from it.

The modern content pipeline has become inherently global. What matters isn’t geography, but cohesion. With distributed production models now standard across television, extending that collaboration into gaming is a

natural next step. By taking this mobile-first approach, it can ensure accessibility across territories, whether the audience is in Europe, North America or Southeast Asia. Additionally, unlike broadcast metrics, mobile analytics offer live data from the audience, providing realtime insights into which characters’ players gravitate toward, where engagement drops, what narrative arcs resonate. That data can inform future seasons of the animated series, as well as how to best move forward when developing your gamified IP.

From audience to participant

Perhaps the most important shift in going from a series to a game is the move from viewer to participant and a player. Younger generations do not simply want to consume worlds; they want to inhabit them. By allowing players to step into the roles of its heroes, God’s Gang transforms abstract values into experiential learning. Progress requires collaboration, and success rewards patience and creativity.

This participatory layer also future proofs the franchise. A universe that can be watched, played, shared, and eventually co-created is inherently more resilient than one confined to a single medium. In a digital era defined by short attention spans and constant scrolling, interactivity becomes essential. A welldesigned platform rewards involvement and retention, as well as creativity, and collaboration – the longer you stick with it, the more you’ll get from it.

The larger lesson

The journey from animated series to game is not just about moving across platforms. It is about strategic alignment. Start with a strong narrative foundation, design mechanics that embody your message, choose formats that amplify (not dilute) your thesis, and finally, treat your audience as active stakeholders in the world you build. In an industry often obsessed with scale, God’s Gang offers a quieter reminder: coherence scales better than noise. When story leads and technology follows, gamification becomes more than an engagement strategy. It becomes an invitation to play, to participate, and ultimately, to experience unity in action. Because whether it’s a fiveminute episode or a fifteen-level quest, the principle remains the same: tell a meaningful story, build a world worth entering, and then invite your audience to become part of the light.

AVRAHAM MAY NIMROD

AI Thought Leadership; AI In Voiceovers

By Joe Lewis, Head of Audio at The Voiceover Gallery

Digital platforms are continually changing how audiences consume content, and the demand for fast and flexible voiceovers is at an all-time high. A new level of agility is needed from all sides to fulfil the demand for short-form video, social campaigns and rapid-turnaround branded content. Here at The Voiceover Gallery, this new wave of content creation has prompted an evolution in our workflow, where the use of AI supports productivity without replacing or hindering performance.

While AI is impacting many areas of the creative industries, we’ve decided to be deliberate in our approach. We reject the idea that AI can be used as a generative creative tool to replicate or replace voiceover artists; instead, we have chosen to use it strategically to become more efficient and streamline processes.

Short-form digital content operates at a rapid pace. With campaigns often requiring multiple edits and platform-specific formatting, often within hours as opposed to days, demands must be met at all times. This is why we integrate AI-assisted tools into the administrative and technical sides of production. Internally, AI supports the building and population of

trackers that manage casting, licensing, usage rights and talent availability, meaning we no longer have to rely on completely manual Excel deployment or specialist spreadsheet expertise, as these processes can now be handled more efficiently, accurately and accessibly through AI-assisted tools.

Operationally, precision is extremely valuable when working across multi-platform campaigns, where deliverables can multiply quickly. With these tools, when used correctly and accurately, the team can focus on creative decision-making instead of sacrificing valuable time to repetitive administrative tasks.

So often in voiceover, scripts need to be dynamic and adaptable, whilst always retaining extreme precision. Digital-first content is no different. A 30-second script might need to become 15 seconds. A hero edit might need six cut-down variations.

AI tools are used to assist with formatting scripts and preparing version-controlled documents, which is a task that historically has taken a significant amount of time and resources. Again, these tools are used to support the work rather than generate any creative copy. The creative voice remains entirely human-led.

AI just aids efficiency in preparation and organisation to ensure that short-form deliverables are ready for recording without obstacles.

One of the most valuable, although often overlooked, applications of AI lies in post-production. Every producer knows the ‘Magic Take’, the moment the VO captures the exact right tone and conveys the exact amount of emotional authenticity, and so often it’s the exact take that contains a minor technical imperfection; unwanted mouth noises, a background noise or a plosive that clips slightly.

In the past, this level of ‘clean’ was still possible, but the outcomes were often variable, resulting in a rerecord. But today, AI-powered audio restoration plugins allow engineers to remove minor distractions, while preserving the integrity of the original performance. The goal is not to artificially enhance or manipulate the read, but to retain brilliance that would otherwise be lost.

We know that this approach is extremely useful when working with children. Capturing spontaneity and natural rhythm in a young voice is a delicate and often challenging process. Recreating this in a follow-up session can be extremely difficult. AI-assisted clean-

up tools help protect those authentic performances, ensuring they meet professional standards without compromising their originality.

In an industry shrouded in questions around synthetic voices and generative AI, positioning matters - and clarity around the subject is increasingly important. The Voiceover Gallery’s stance is straightforward: technology should be used to support, not replace, human creativity. For us, human voices remain at the heart of every project; their performances, interpretations and connections simply cannot be automated. We use AI to increase productivity, not to replace professional talent. By maintaining this boundary, we ensure that new tools strengthen rather than diminish the value of creative expertise.

The rise of short-form content has done more than shorten scripts; it’s shortened timelines and expanded output expectations. Brands expect agility, and we often need to prove scalability. Platforms reward immediacy. By integrating AI into operational infrastructure as opposed to relying on it for creative output, we think that we have adapted to this new landscape without sacrificing our core principles. Faster administrative systems allow for quicker casting, and efficient formatting means smooth versioning. When used right, intelligent clean-up tools allow us to retain brilliant performances that can occasionally be compromised by recording issues. The result is a workflow that is modern, responsive, and digitally aligned, while remaining unmistakably human.

Whilst AI dominates the headlines as a disruptive force, The Voiceover Gallery aims for a quieter model of adoption. We recognise the power of technology, but our trust is firmly in talent and human creativity. Authenticity and originality are still the keys to highquality output, but technology can simply help us reach our goals more efficiently.

Sportway and Broadcast Solutions acquire Studio Automated to jointly shape the future of live sports production

Sportway Media Group, a world leading AIautomated sports production company and Broadcast Solutions, a leading system integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, has announced that they have jointly acquired Studio Automated, a leading AI technology provider for automated and remote live sports production.

With this acquisition, Sportway and Broadcast Solutions take a significant step toward building one of the world’s most advanced and scalable platforms for live sports production. By combining AI-driven technology, software-defined workflows, premium broadcast hardware, and global operational expertise, the partnership aims to cover the entire spectrum of live sports production — from grassroots competitions to top-tier international events.

Studio Automated brings industry-leading AI software that already operates thousands of cameras across venues throughout Europe. Its technology enables a high level of automation in multicamera live production and remote workflows and supports a wide range of sports including football, ice hockey, basketball, and handball. The platform has become a key building block for efficient, scalable, and sustainable live sports production, supporting global green production targets.

Sportway contributes to one of the world’s largest live sports production footprints, delivering hundreds of thousands of matches per year across multiple sports, leagues, and markets. Through its large-scale operations, Sportway provides real-world production environments in which AI-based workflows are continuously trained, refined, and deployed at scale — enabling reliable, proven automation in demanding live conditions.

Broadcast Solutions adds another critical dimension through its long-standing presence at the highest level of live sports production worldwide. As a leading system

integrator and technology provider, Broadcast Solutions delivers OB vans, remote production infrastructures, VAR solutions, and premium broadcast workflows for major international events. Through its acquisition last year of Egripment B.V., a global specialist for camera movement technologies in sports, live entertainment, and broadcast, the partnership gains direct access to premium camera hardware, engineering expertise, and an extended end-to-end value chain.

All three parties — Sportway, Broadcast Solutions, and Studio Automated — have worked closely for several years with DMC Production in live sports environments. DMC has played a key role in refining Studio Automated’s AI-based multicamera production software across sporting events. This long-term collaboration has ensured that the technology is not only innovative, but also proven in real-world, high-pressure production conditions.

Together, the acquisition enables a truly integrated, glass-to-glass production ecosystem — combining AI-driven production, software control layers, camera systems, infrastructure design, and scalable content distribution.

Looking ahead, the shared technology roadmap will further expand the platform’s capabilities. By enabling real-time event detection directly from live video feeds, the ecosystem will allow the creation of instant highlights, clips, and replays during live matches. This enhances fan engagement, unlocks new content formats, and creates additional monetization opportunities for broadcasters, leagues, and rights holders.

The joint platform brings together:

• AI production continuously trained on real, largescale live data

• Tight integration of software, hardware, and production workflows

• A unified ecosystem where premium broadcast productions and automated workflows coexist

• Real-time event detection powering instant highlights and replay experiences

• A single partner for rights holders — from grassroots level to top-tier productions

“It is a major step in the evolution of Sportway Media Group to bring core software capabilities fully inhouse across the production value chain,” said Daniel Franck, CEO of Sportway.

“We have worked closely with Studio Automated for more than seven years. A shared technology roadmap

allows us to further strengthen our offering and deliver even more scalable and reliable live productions to our clients.”

“Live production is in our DNA,” commented Rainer Kampe, CTO of Broadcast Solutions. “We have been actively looking to embrace software-defined and AI-based production tools for multi-tier and highvolume live sports environments. Combining Studio Automated’s world-class AI algorithms with our specialist camera technology and premium broadcast workflows creates strong and tangible synergies.”

“Our global activities open up a much larger international market for Studio Automated’s solutions,” added Stefan Breder, Co-CEO of Broadcast Solutions. “By integrating these AI-based technologies directly into our project, rental, and systems workflows, we significantly expand their reach and practical application across all levels of live sports production.”

Studio Automated co-founders Paul Valk and Paul van den Haak see the acquisition as a key step to accelerate growth, expand market presence, and strengthen the company’s position in AI-driven live sports production. “We are very proud of what we’ve built over the past six years and fully support the vision of Sportway Media Group and Broadcast Solutions to take Studio Automated to the next level,” said Paul Valk.

By combining deep technology expertise, global operational scale, and premium industry access, Sportway, Studio Automated, and Broadcast Solutions are uniquely positioned to define the next generation of live sports production.