Television Asia Plus | March - April 2022

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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Editor’s Note EDITORIAL/PUBLISHER Keen Whye Lee Publisher Monina Eugenio Editor editor-tva@harvest-info.com Arjay Alivia Layout and Design OPERATIONS Mari Vergara Head of Operations mari@asiantvawards.com SALES Simon Lee Hong Kong, U.S.A., and Europe sales@harvest-info.com Dear Reader, Thank you for picking up the latest issue of Television Asia Plus! In this issue, we’ve put the spotlight on streaming and how it’s growing in Asia.

On the heels of ViacomCBS’ announcement of its name change to Paramount Global in February, we caught up with Paramount Global’s Senior Vice President, Head of Office & Streaming for Asia, Catherine Park. Catherine talked about the company’s plans for its Asian expansion, premium and local content in the making, as well as the global opportunities in streaming.

Meanwhile, in this issue’s cover story, we’ve featured three homegrown Asian OTT platforms: POPTV, WeTV, and iWantTFC. Find out what these platforms are doing in terms of growth as more consumers in Asia are getting in on the video streaming trend.

Finally, in case you missed it, Television Asia Plus had its first webinar of the year, South Asia: A Look At India’s Content Space where our distinguished panel talked about the emerging trends in India’s content space. Simran Hoon, CEO of The Q, talked about India’s free-to-air market, while Dhruv Sinha, Reliance Entertainment’s SVP for International Business, Marketing and Syndication talked about the co-production opportunities, and Murtuza Kutianawalla, Country Head of Distribution and Syndication at Toonz Media Group gave a run-through of India’s robust animation industry.

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We hope you enjoy this issue and we look forward to interacting with you at this year’s virtual run of Hong Kong FILMART!

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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NEWS CONTENT

Disney+ announces content from South Korea and Greater China

Media Prima and SBS Korea enter content production partnership Media Prima Television Network recently collaborated with Korea’s nationwide terrestrial broadcast network, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) for the first time.

Inked through Media Prima’s content production and distribution arm Primeworks Studio, the collaboration involved the joint production for the Malaysian edition of the Korean hit reality show, Master In The House.

in their own right but aspires to take their careers to the next level.

The collaboration has started seeing some early signs of success following an overwhelming response that the reality show gained from viewers, fans and brands ahead of its premiere on 15 January 2022.

The one-hour ten-episode Master In The House Malaysia’ follows the journey of five participating Malaysian celebrities as they discover and learn new skills and wisdom from eight reputable masters. Each of them is successful Anita (Director’s Cut)

As part of the company’s 2022 content slate, Disney+ unveiled more Asian language titles, including Anita (Director’s Cut), King of Savvy, Taiwan Crime Stories and Chinese language drama series A Life Long Journey.

Subject to local availability, the new APAC content titles will be available on the streaming service over the next year. These projects are part of Disney’s ambition to produce local language content and greenlight over 50 APAC Originals by 2023. At the full-year earnings call in November 2021, The Walt Disney Company said that over 340 local original titles for DTC platforms are in various stages of development and production around the world and that the firm plans to increase investments in local and regional content that will resonate with worldwide audiences.

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

Eccho Rights brings K-drama package to Nordic broadcasters Eccho Rights have concluded deals with Sweden’s TV4 and Finland’s MTV3 for a package of premium Korean Drama series.

CJ ENM’s entertainment division engages in a wide array of businesses across the industry spectrum including media content, film, performing arts, and animation.

Both platforms have picked up three action-packed thrillers from Eccho Rights, TRAP and STRANGERS FROM HELL produced by CJ ENM, and TAXI DRIVER from SBS. TV4 and MTV3 become the first local broadcasters in their respective countries to acquire South Korean content.

Eccho Rights established its Seoul office in 2017. Since December 2018 the distributor has been majorityowned by leading entertainment company, CJ ENM, best known for its Oscar-winning sensation Parasite. In addition to its popular original television productions,

Taxi Driver

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VOOT Kids brings Blazing Team: Masters of Yo Kwon Do to India

Superheroes that save the day always drive fandom and stretch the power of imagination of young and curious minds. This holds even more true in today’s times! These adrenalized thrills and spills get further fuelled with the digital première of a new high octane superhero series Blazing Team on VOOT Kids - India’s only multi-format platform dedicated exclusively for children. This boy skewed animation offering for the pre-teen audience, well-received internationally, is produced by China-based Alpha Group and animation studio Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture.

Blazing Teams in this reimagined avatar transports the subscribers into the mystical world of Yo Kwon Do, a practice that brings the skills of the yo-yo together with martial arts. The torchbearers of these riveting adventures are a cool quartet of Parker Bates, Maddie Stone, Scott Hardy, Wilson Tisch who form the Blazing Team, mentored by the wise master Lao- Shi. These ordinary teens explore the extraordinary capabilities as the mystery of doomsday looms large over their hometown of Union City. The eternal question remains - Will the teen turned heroes be able to illuminate the clouds of darkness that threatens their city and themselves?

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Tremblay Bros. and Toonz Media Group to revive SWAT-KATS Twenty-eight years after the original series was produced, cult classic animation SWAT-KATS is all set to make a thrilling comeback.

Show creators Christian and Yvon Tremblay, have teamed up with global animation major Toonz Media Group to produce a brand new series of the popular show featuring high-flying anthropomorphic feline fighters.

The new series SWAT-KATS Revolution, to be co-produced

by TREMBLAY BROS. and Toonz Media Group will be targeted at

5 to 11-year-olds and will include a slew of new characters alongside the classic protagonists and villains.

The new series will also feature a range of futuristic arsenals including a new jet fighter plane for the heroes, along with other cutting edge vehicles and gadgets. The action-adventure series is slated to bring together top talents from across the world, led by the creative vision of the Tremblay brothers.

The series worldwide

will

be by

distributed Toonz.

Foxtel Group and Discovery, Inc. announce a new multi-year content deal The Foxtel Group (Australia) and Discovery, Inc. announced a new multi-year partnership to supply the Foxtel Group with factual, documentary and reality content from the flagship Discovery Channel, as well as the TLC, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Turbo and Animal Planet channels.

The agreement includes thousands of hours of popular local and international content live and ondemand, including Outback Opal Hunters, Aussie Gold Hunters, Deadliest Catch, Fast N’ Loud, Gold Rush, Naked and Afraid, 90 Day Fiancé, Dr Pimple Popper, Say Yes to the Dress, and Crikey!

It’s the Irwins. Lifestyle content from Discovery’s HGTV channel including Good Bones, Home Town, Fixer to Fabulous, My Lottery Dream Home, Windy City and Flip or Flop.

Content from the Discovery Channel and Investigation Discovery, TLC, Discovery Turbo, Animal Planet will be available for subscribers to stream on-demand on Foxtel and BINGE, including in a range of box sets.

Foxtel Media has also renewed its agreement as the exclusive Australian advertising partner for Discovery, Inc.

March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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NEWS CONTENT

The Great Bake Off format heads to Amazon Prime Video in Japan

BBC Studios Distribution announced that it has licensed the Love Productions format, Bake Off Japan to streaming service Amazon Prime Video in Japan.

The 8-part Japanese adaptation will stream on Amazon Prime Video from 22 April 2022 (4 episodes) and 29 April (4 episodes).

Presented by well-known local actors Maki Sakai and Asuka Kudo this feel-good competition follows ten passionate amateur bakers through a series of challenges that will assess their technique and ability to produce mouth-watering cakes, breads, biscuits and pastries to be crowned Japan’s Best Amateur Baker.

Licensed to over 35 countries including Australia, where it premiered in January as the #1 nonsports show on Foxtel (excluding news) in the overnight ratings, the Japanese adaptation of The Great Bake Off will see the bakers tasked with preparing breads and sweets from all around the world, including soufflé cheesecakes, Swiss rolls, melon breads, and focaccia bread art.

ViacomCBS unveils new company name and international expansion plans for Paramount+ ViacomCBS announced that the global media company will become Paramount Global starting February 16, bringing together its leading portfolio of premium entertainment properties under a new parent company name.

In addition to the name change, the company detailed plans to accelerate the global momentum behind Paramount+, unveiling new content, enhanced product offerings and continued international expansion.

Tom Ryan, President and CEO, Streaming said, “We’re continuing

to leverage our global footprint and long-standing relationships to expand Paramount+ into new markets with enormous potential quickly and economically.”

With Paramount+ and SkyShowtime, the company will have streaming services available in more than 60 markets across the UK, Latin America, Canada, Australia, South Korea, the Caribbean and all major markets in Europe by the end of this year. In 2023, the company will look to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, building on Paramount+’s strong momentum to grow its presence in every region of the world.

TeamTO welcomes Sunwoo to the Mighty Mike family TeamTo announced its agreement with Sunwoo to distribute its global hit series, MIGHTY MIKE (78x7) in South Korea, across all media (linear TV, SVOD, satellite and cable).

MIGHTY MIKE, a high-octane, laugh-out-loud comedy, is set to have an exceptionally strong year, with impressive ratings reported across the globe. Key international broadcasters include CITV (UK), Universal Kids (US), Cartoon Network & Boomerang (worldwide), France 3 (France), Super RTL (Germany), and Tencent (China), among others.

of a sophisticated pug defending his home from furry intruders, while also trying to impress the neighbour’s charming dog.

Every day Mike defends his house from naughty raccoon duo Freddy and Mercury, ever on the lookout for something to steal and drag back to their lair. Three pet turtles and Fluffy the cat also get dragged into Mikes’ hilariously impossible misadventures – while Iris the dog next door admires the action with besotted admiration!

Licensing agents have been appointed to represent Mighty Mike in the United Kingdom (This is Iris), France (France Télévisions Distribution), and China (Uyoung).

MIGHTY MIKE is an original TeamTO production with Canada’s Digital Dimension. The series features the relentless travails

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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ABS-CBN shows continue global stride in 2022

ABS-CBN continues its global march in 2022 with more of its world-class shows reaching foreign audiences, including New Beginnings and Asintado in African territories; plus, La Vida Lena and Mirabilia in Myanmar.

New Beginnings is the latest ABS-CBN show airing in over 41 African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, and Madagascar via the StarTimes channel.

Also making waves in the African French-speaking region is the action-drama series Asintado, which revolves around the opposite

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lives of siblings Juliana and Samantha after being separated at a young age.

Following positive reviews and good ratings in La Réunion via ART for its French-dubbed version, the show also began airing in one of Ivory Coast’s best-known French language, RTI 2.

Also being aired in Myanmar, with its primetime series Deceptive Revenge (Burmese title Maya Galeisar; known locally as La Vida Lena) premiering on January 31 on Fortune TV. Meanwhile, the hit inspirational series Mirabilia (Burmese title Sann Kyae Thaww Kan Kyamar; known

locally as Huwag Kang Mangamba) made its final run on Fortune TV, after debuting in November 2021.

Aside from African and Asian countries, the programs of ABSCBN, the Philippines’ leading content provider, have also made waves in different parts of the world, including Latin America where the 2015 version of Pangako Sa’Yo aired in Ecuador, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, plus, The Heiress also in Ecuador; Turkey with their foreign adaptation of A Mother’s Guilt, among many others.

March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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NEWS OTT

MetaX OTT Platform partners with WeTV to bring premium Asian ondemand programs to global audiences global content providers such as Gusto TV, YesAuto, Firework, and Fishing TV to deliver an immersive and unparalleled viewing experience to its global users.

MetaX OTT Platform with Open Browser and MetaX Play, announced a partnership with WeTV, a video streaming platform for the best Asian entertainment backed by Tencent Video, to bring a rich library of top-notch content to global fans.

Since 2018, WeTV has launched itself as a leading video streaming service that has gained massive popularity across Asia, providing users with international, local, and original high-quality content in a wide range of genres and languages.

With its line-up of content offerings including TV series, variety shows,

special live events, and animation from China, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, WeTV has been riding the popularity wave of Asian dramas and movies – which has attracted an everincreasing fanbase across the continent and beyond – to bring more premium original content to global households.

Under the new partnership, MetaX OTT platform will leverage its userbase with over 4.5 million monthly active users to ramp up WeTV’s presence around the world. Meanwhile, the collaboration of the two platforms will strengthen the content portfolio of MetaX OTT platform which has teamed up with

The move comes after video streaming platforms experienced a surge in viewership during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown as more audiences worldwide tuned in to online TV shows for entertainment. Data from a study conducted by Statista shows that the COVID-19 lockdowns led to an increase in the use of electronic devices worldwide. More than 50 per cent of the global sample from the study were spending more time on digital screens.

WeTV is now available on MetaX’s Open Browser. MetaX OTT platform has recently launched Open Browser 2.0 which comes with an optimized user interface and improved aesthetics.

Equipped with AI-powered algorithms that recommend a wide variety of global content tailored to viewers’ tastes, the browser has racked up 1 million downloads, serving users in over 200 countries and territories.

Australia’s SVOD service revenue to reach US$3.2B in 2026 Subscription video on demand (SVOD) service revenue in Australia is expected to increase at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% from US$1.9bn in 2021 to US$3.2bn in 2026, driven by solid growth in SVOD subscriptions and unique SVOD households, and steady rise in average monthly revenue per unique SVOD household, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s Australia Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) Forecast reveals that

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

the SVOD subscriptions in the country will increase at a CAGR of 9.2% over the forecast period in line with the acceleration in cordcutting trend among traditional pay-TV viewers and their migration towards on-demand video services.

The accessibility of high-speed broadband services in the country, thanks to the national broadband network, which was formally declared ‘built and operational’ in December 2020, will also facilitate the widespread adoption of SVOD services in Australia. facebook-f TVAPlusMag | twitter TVAsiaPLus | linkedin-in television-asia-plus

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NEWS PAY TV

AsiaSat and NextStep announce collaboration on lifestyle HD channel ‘Thainess’ Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) and Thailand’s leading multi-channel operator Next Step Company Limited have entered into a strategic partnership, bringing together their unique expertise in content aggregation, media management and distribution for the launch of a new lifestyle HD channel ‘Thainess’.

In collaboration with Next Step, AsiaSat will provide technical and marketing support to deliver Thainess to the international market, with full vertical integration that combines the power of broadcasting via satellite, and live streaming by

AsiaSat’s subsidiary One Click Go Live to further enhance audience reach and drive engagement across different content delivery platforms.

At launch, Thainess will be joining the premium neighbourhood of more than 300 C-band TV channels on AsiaSat 7, and enjoy unparalleled access to distribution affiliates across a regional network encompassing over 250 million pay-TV homes and 500,000 hotel rooms.

Thailand to the world, Thainess will take audiences through an amazing journey for a unique experience of the country’s people and culture, history and traditions, arts and crafts, food and music while witnessing the breathtaking scenic landscape, nature and wildlife of Thailand with unmatched picture quality.

Thainess, the international TV service of Next Step, is a lifestyle HD channel broadcasting 24 hours a day in the English language. With a vision of presenting a fresh perspective of

China’s pay-TV services market to remain stagnant between 2021 and 2026 The pay-TV services revenue in China is expected to grow at a sluggish compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.6% from US$35.1bn in 2021 to US$36.2bn in 2026, due to a steady decline in cable TV subscriptions and drop in overall payTV average revenue per subscription (ARPS), according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

An analysis of GlobalData’s China Pay-TV Forecast indicates that cable

TV subscriptions are expected to decline at a CAGR of 0.9% between 2021 and 2026 while the average monthly spend per payTV account will drop from $5.43 to $5.20 over the same period.

primarily driven by solid demand for multi-play bundled packages with integrated IPTV services and increasing fixed broadband penetration in the country that supports the delivery of IPTV services.”

Hrushikesh Mahananda, a Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, says, “IPTV will be the leading pay-TV service platform in China in terms of subscriptions throughout the 20212026 period. This growth will be

China Broadcasting Network (CBN) will lead the overall payTV services market throughout 2021-2026, driven by its monopoly in the cable TV segment.

SPOTV expands its reach in Hong Kong Eclat Media Group has announced its distribution deal for SPOTV into Hong Kong with broadcast partner PCCW. Both channels, SPOTV and SPOTV 2 launched on 1 March on PCCW’s Pay-TV platform, Now TV. Sports fans in Hong Kong will now

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be able to watch their sporting heroes compete on SPOTV and get to enjoy front row seats to international sporting events such as BWF World Tour & Major Events, FIM MotoGP World Championships, FIM World Superbike Championships, World Table Tennis, The Open

Championships (Golf Major), Wimbledon and US Open (Tennis Grand Slams). Additionally, they can also catch the latest K-wave of popular sports, including the Korean Baseball League (KBO) and Korean Basketball League (KBL) and V.League from Japan.

March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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NEWS PLATFORMS

Discovery, Inc. to launch new free-to-air channels in New Zealand Kiwis can look forward to a whole new slate of free entertainment when Discovery’s new free-to-air channels eden and Rush launch on Monday, 21 March in New Zealand.

Alongside Three, ThreeNow, HGTV and Bravo, Kiwis will be spoiled with more free content than ever before. eden delivers viewers A Better Everyday as New Zealand’s new fourth mass-market general-entertainment channel. eden will offer an escape from life’s routine, offering content that entertains, informs, and provokes new thinking and interests for viewers.

Critically-acclaimed Australian drama series The Newsreader will premiere on eden on Thursday 24 March at 8:30

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

p.m., establishing Thursdays as the destination for premium international drama. New British drama series Finding Alice follows in the timeslot in May. Keeping New Zealanders across the news of the day, Rebecca Wright joins Discovery to present the allnew weekday Newshub Live at 8pm on eden from Monday 21 March.

A selection of eden’s best content will also be available to stream on ThreeNow. Every episode of The Newsreader and Ellen’s Next Great Designer will be available to stream following the TV broadcast of episode one. eden will launch on Freeview 8 and Sky 13. eden+1 will launch

on Freeview 18 and Sky 505.

Rush will launch with a bang as New Zealand’s home of high adventure, high octane and high adrenaline reality. As the global leader in reallife entertainment, no company can match Discovery’s ability to curate theme nights every day of the week where audiences will Experience More of what they love, guilt-free!

A selection of Rush’s best content will be available to stream on ThreeNow. RushwilllaunchonFreeview14andSky24.

Also from March 21, Discovery channels HGTV and Three+1 will move Freeview EPG positions. HGTV will move to Freeview 19 and Sky 21. Three+1 will move to Freeview 13 and Sky 503.

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NEWS TECHNOLOGY

NetRange and IK World partner to transform STB market in Latin America and Southeast Asia for STB manufacturers who deal with extremely tight production deadlines. The NetRange portal can be used for all connected devices, including STBs, to meet the increasing demand for content.

NetRange MMH GmbH announced its partnership with IK World. This collaboration provides IK World with a combination of ACCESS’s “NetFrontTM Browser BE” and NetRange’s “NetRange Smart STB App Store” on AOSP. This solution enables IK World to offer rich and legally proven content

to users in markets including Latin America and Southeast Asia.

The partnership also incorporates NetRange’s cloud-based ad delivery solution to provide IK World with an alternative source of revenue generation. NetRange and its readybuilt solution is the perfect partner

The NetRange Smart STB App Store solution gives IK World and its customers access to a pioneering, feature-rich ecosystem that includes global media content. Its users can access leading international premium VoD applications, sports content, games, news apps, and linear TV channels through hundreds of apps from over 100 countries.

The collaboration enables IK World to offer STB and other CE device manufacturers and their retailers with world-class, legally-sound content at a cost-efficient price.

Eclat Media Group selects Tata Communications to bring global sports to pan-Asian viewers Tata Communications, a global digital ecosystem enabler, and Eclat Media Group, a premier broadcaster of global sports content, announced the expansion of Eclat’s sports content broadcasting to viewers across Asian countries, including Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. This new agreement powers Eclat Media Group’s newly launched channels, SPOTV and SPOTV2 to broadcast 4000+ hours of content annually.

Tata Communications Ecosystem, coupled with

Media Video

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Connect and Satellite Uplink services, will allow commentators of SPOTV and SPOTV2 to overlay commentary in their local language, which is added to the viewers’ video feeds for relevant regions. Fans across Asia will now be able to watch their favourite global sports in their preferred language commentary, thereby expanding the reach of content to millions of new potential viewers.

Eclat Media Group has recently launched two new channels – SPOTV and SPOTV2 – across multiple Southeast Asia and select East

Asia territories such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Macau, Mongolia, and the Philippines. The channels broadcast content such as tennis Grand Slam tournaments Wimbledon and US Open, motorsport championships MotoGP and WorldSBK, World Table Tennis and Badminton World Federation events, as well as popular Asian sports including the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) League, Korean Basketball League (KBL), V-League (volleyball) and V.League (Japan) competition.

March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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PEOPLE

AVIA appoints Matthew Cheetham as General Manager of the Coalition Against Piracy

The Asia Video Industry Association has appointed Matthew Cheetham as General Manager of the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) with immediate effect.

Over the last four years, CAP has made real inroads into the systemic problems of video piracy faced by the broadcast and streaming video industry in the Asia Pacific. The blocking of pirate sites is becoming more common in many markets, laws have been introduced to limit access to infringing set-top devices, constructive relationships have been forged with intermediaries to limit access to pirate services and investigations and prosecutions have been effected. And yet the problem remains the single biggest impediment to the growth of the legitimate content creation industry and ecosystem.

As the General Manager of CAP, Cheetham

Matthew Cheetham

will take over from Aaron Herps and build on the accomplishments achieved by CAP to date, with the aim of creating a stronger and healthier environment in which the video industry can prosper.

Cheetham is a qualified lawyer specializing in intellectual property, more specifically copyright protection, with over 20 years’ experience working in Asia-Pacific (APAC) for some of the largest content producers in the world. Prior to taking up his role at CAP, Cheetham was the Premier League’s Head of Business Affairs, Asia Pacific. In this role, Cheetham opened and headed up the Premier League’s APAC office in Singapore, the Premier League’s first office outside the UK, and oversaw all enforcement, policy and outreach efforts for the Premier League in APAC.

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

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PEOPLE

All3media International staffs up to meet growing demand across Asia Pacific region

All3Media International has announced promotions and new appointments at its Singapore office in response to increasing demand for its multigenre content and formats across the region.

Kit

Yow, currently Sales Manager, has been

promoted to Vice President, Sales. In this new role,

Kit

will

continue

to

report

to

Sabrina

Duguet, EVP Asia Pacific, and will focus on sales to China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and pan-Asia.

Alexander Euler, currently Senior Executive Assistant, has been promoted to Commercial Executive for Australia and New Zealand. Alex will focus on secondary rights as well as working with Julie Dowding, SVP (Australia and New Zealand) on sales of new content and Sabrina Duguet on formats sales.

Amanda Pe is joining the team as Sales Executive.

Kit Yow

Reporting to Sabrina Duguet, Amanda will be responsible for finished programme and format sales in India, Mongolia and territories across South East Asia. Amanda joins from Fremantle, where she worked as a Sales Coordinator for 3 years.

A second new hire sees Ellice Low appointed to the position of Media Coordinator. Ellice will assist Sabrina Duguet, Kit Yow and Amanda Pe, and will also take over the administrative organisation and

management

of

the

Singapore

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office.

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C-SUITE

Paramount Global: Forging ahead into the future of streaming

By Monina Eugenio

Paramount Global, the company formerly known as ViacomCBS, is forging ahead in the future of streaming.

During its investor event in February where the company announced its name change, Paramount announced its continued global expansion this year, and in 2023, the company is eyeing to target key markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

On the heels of the company’s big announcement, Catherine Park, Senior Vice President, Head of Office & Streaming for Asia at Paramount Global revealed in an interview with Television Asia Plus that the company is accelerating its streaming efforts in the region.

Paramount+ Asian expansion “We have surpassed our expectations for our streaming plans,” Catherine shared. “Last year, we launched Paramount+ in 25 markets and expanded PlutoTV to 26 markets. With SkyShowtime and Paramount+, we target to have streaming services in more than 60 markets by the end of this year and expect to hit 100 million global subscribers for streaming by the end of 2024.”

Paramount+ will be making an entry into Asia with the upcoming launch of the platform in Korea in June 2022. Catherine revealed that Paramount is currently evaluating the feasibility for Japan and across Southeast Asia. Aside from this, Paramount is looking to expand its other streaming products such as PlutoTV, depending on market needs, for instance, where an AVOD proposition makes more sense.

Premium and local content in the pipeline With Paramount’s push into Asia, Catherine said that the company will be creating 50 new international scripted originals this year. Kickstarting their

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March - April 2022 Television Asia Plus

Catherine Park, Senior Vice President, Head of Office & Streaming for Asia at Paramount Global

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foray into Asia is the recently-announced Yonder, Paramount’s first South Korean scripted original series co-created with TVING as part of their partnership with Seoul-based entertainment company, CJ ENM.

the streaming space with entertainment-defining

“We aim to create more premium local content to

continue to also optimise our channel business as

contribute to our global pipeline, whether produced

well as our consumer products and location-based

by

entertainment, all of which remain important for us.”

Paramount

or

co-produced

with

partners,”

brands, more new content, and enhanced product offerings. Catherine said, “In Asia, while we are focusing on accelerating our streaming efforts, we

Catherine said. “In terms of content and genres, we don’t focus on specific genres but rather, we aim to

Catherine observed that in 2022, consumption habits

cater to what would resonate with our local audiences.”

for media and entertainment is rapidly transitioning to on-demand as there have been many OTT players–

While Paramount’s content strategy is guided by local consumer data, the company is open to trying diverse

stories

in

various

formats

and

genres.

But as consumer needs are constantly changing, Paramount is open to exploring new forms of entertainment be it gaming, metaverse content and even XR content such as live events–all in the name of owning consumers’ viewing time and interests.

both global and local—in every market. With the competition, Catherine said that it’s a necessity to invest in original and exclusive content for subscriber acquisitions, as well as volume to retain subscribers. She noted that it is increasingly difficult to not just be profitable but also sustain profitability.

“I think we will see more consolidation or bundling

In addition to new content, Paramount is also looking at

of subscription services, and local players will need

local remakes of some of its hit titles such as NCIS, The

to seek ways to expand their subscriber base beyond

Shore franchise, Why Women Kill, The Affairs, and Dynasty.

their local markets, or to pursue co-productions

While various streaming platforms have their own content proposition and business models, Paramount’s entry into the region brings to the table a breadth of its diverse content, streaming models, platforms, and global

with regional or global players in order to recoup production cost from other than their home country,” she shared. On the other hand, Catherine believes that consumers will be “spoilt for choice” with many

reach. Catherine said, “We don’t apply a one-size-fits-

streamers offering different content. Case in point–

all approach worldwide, and we tailor our market entry

consumers will opt in and out of various product more

with a focus on local content development to be the

freely, depending on what new and exclusive content

best global platform for non-English content as well.”

is offered, whether for ad or subscription-based.

Global opportunities in streaming With its main focus in streaming, Paramount sees a huge global opportunity to capture audiences

With this, Catherine said that OTT players will need to try to diversify content genres and the method of offering, as well as their content-dropping formats to cater to fast-changing consumer tastes. Catherine

and create value for its viewers and partners.

said, “Players will focus on creating a cosmic view of

With this in mind, Paramount continues to grow

franchised content to build up super fans and leverage

its business and cement its future as a player in

other businesses such as merchandising to fuel fandom.”

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COVER STORY

No way but up for Asia’s homegrown streaming platforms

by Monina Eugenio

More and more people across the Asia Pacific region are getting into the habit of streaming.

According to a report from SpotX in 2021, over 400 million people are now using OTT video streaming services in the region, with over 69% of video viewers watching streaming videos at least once a week.

With the surge of viewership driven by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, homegrown Asian OTT platforms have continuously been innovating to meet the demand for more content. And as streaming becomes more prevalent, consumers’ viewing habits have become even broader.

Opportunities for growth

the Philippines because they help in driving a behaviour change,” Jyotirmoy said. “From our perspective, that is one. Also, markets in Southeast Asia are very unique because of a lot of behaviour traits that people have.”

Meanwhile, Jeff Han, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Online Video said that the Asian market is the cornerstone for WeTV. He remains optimistic about the economic recovery in Asian markets following the pandemic, and with government plans to improve internet infrastructures, the demand for high-quality and rich content has never been healthier.

Jeff revealed that WeTV achieved a significant milestone in 2021 with the streaming service garnering 60 million downloads globally. In the

Jyotirmoy Saha, Founder of mass-market subscription video-on-demand service POPTV observed that viewership is still driven by content that people can relate to, with themes and subjects close to people’s hearts. He said that while there are big players, it’s unlikely that they are going to be the biggest local players in every market and that there will always be space for smaller, local players.

“I think we count ourselves among that. We are not in competition with Netflix. We love the fact that Netflix is in

Jyotirmoy Saha, Founder of POPTV

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same period, WeTV also saw an impressive leap of 95% in WeTV VIP users and a 67% spike in MAU, which continues to grow exponentially year-on-year.

In 2022, WeTV plans to drive growth to be able to meet the content demands of Southeast Asia’s population by producing high-quality and rich content that includes

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Jamie said that ABS-CBN is revitalizing its library with three key areas of focus: content acquisition, coproduction, and global penetration. Jamie shared, “Our investments in people, tooling and tech now afford us great flexibility to bring our deep and popular library to new and old audiences in a more appealing way.”

A robust market presence With OTT becoming a huge part of people’s everyday lives, how do these platforms ensure that they stand out in the market? For players like POPTV, it’s delivering content to commuters through POPTV Trip which was launched in late 2021.

Jeff Han, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Online Video

Chinese, Thai, and Indonesian drama series, as well as other mainstream content categories that Asian users have interests in. They also plan to work closely with local production houses and artists to produce WeTV Originals.

“WeTV attracts an international audience and provides entertainment films across a wide variety of genres,” Jeff said. “We will continue to deepen our cooperation with partners like leading advertising agencies to provide brands [with plenty] of opportunities to optimize their exposure through our platform.”

On the other hand, iWant TFC, the OTT platform owned by the Philippines’ ABS-CBN Corp. has been quite busy in the last two years investing in a modern and scalable foundation. Eugenio “Jamie” Lopez IV, ABS-CBN Head of Digital said that the company has synergized AVOD, FAST, TVOD and SVOD to “define a best-in-breed” approach for each market.

Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano in He’s Into Her Season 1

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Addressing the need for on-demand content in the Philippines where internet speeds can be quite unreliable and expensive, POPTV Trip is the country’s first intransit streaming service. Jyotirmoy said that POPTV is expecting to wire up about 20,000 buses around the country by the end of 2024, and along with its proprietary tech, users may be able to use the POPTV service as they would in a high-speed broadband scenario.

Apart from POPTV Trip, the company is also planning to bring in content that is very rarely available in the Philippines, along with plans of doing local productions. Jyotirmoy shared that POPTV adheres to a two-pronged strategy of content and distribution. He said, “I think what we are trying to do is that fortunately for the operations that we’ve had so far, and the usage, we’ve been able to collect a lot of data in terms of what people are watching. We are going to try to micro-target our audiences by specifically choosing what kind of content or setup people are looking for.”

There is no doubt that there is a growing appetite for Chinese-language content in the region, and WeTV has seen a gradual increase in the quality and production capacity of Chinese content in the last several years. Jeff said, “As one of the largest video content producers in China, Tencent Video has secured a rich, high-quality lineup of Chinese content across diverse categories including dramas, variety shows, and animation for our viewers this year.”

Not only is WeTV betting on Chinese-language content, but they are also producing a lineup of highly-anticipated WeTV Originals every year. Collaborating with local production teams, artists and directors across many Asian countries, WeTV’s “local for local” content has gained traction amongst young, active new subscribers.

Jeff said that WeTV feels confident that this quality content will continue to attract more local subscribers as they increase their market share in the region. For instance, Indonesia and Thailand can look forward to

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COVER STORY

“We are very keen to make sure that we are a very local service, we are not expecting our audiences to come to us to view international content, they come to us to watch content that’s close to their heart.”

“Our core business is content creation,” Jyotirmoy continued. “Our platform is just a means of helping us reach our content directly to our audiences. We have plans, but plans are paired and commensurate to the size of the market and the size of the OTT-watching crowd.”

Jyotirmoy promised that POPTV will create a lot of content, and adapt international content which works well in markets like the Philippines as well as new formats.

Eugenio “Jamie” Lopez IV, Head of Digital, ABS-CBN

locally-produced content such as Kawin Tangan and the Thai romance drama, I Feel You Linger In The Air. Aside from this, WeTV has also partnered with top telcos in the region and global device providers to ensure that current and new subscribers receive superior visual experiences. Some brands that have partnered with WeTV include PT Telekom Indonesia, AIS Thailand, Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi.

Positioned as “The Home of Filipino Stories”, iWantTFC prides itself in the biggest library of loved content from series, live channels, movies, and originals that reflect Filipino culture, history, values, and aspirations.

Jamie said, “Our iWant Originals [allow viewers] to discover bright new creators and artists–Filipino talents who are not afraid to experiment with themes and formats.” He also revealed that iWantTFC is partnering with content providers from around the world to further cater to viewers’ evolving tastes.

Betting big on original productions and localized content Among the many things that owe to the success of many platforms is their captivating content, and that is why they constantly need to keep evolving to cater to the discerning tastes of today’s viewers.

POPTV is focusing on its content acquisition showcasing Filipino productions on its service. Jyotirmoy said,

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And it’s not just in the Philippines where adaptations are hitting it big. WeTV also has a slew of original projects in the pipeline, including The Wife, a Thai adaptation based on a popular Thai novel that has garnered a lot of attention in the past two decades.

Other WeTV Originals planned are Indonesia’s My Lecture My Husband Season 2, and Little Mom Season 2 which enjoyed a successful run during its first season.

In 2022, WeTV plans to achieve more milestones. “WeTV aims to become the go-to streaming platform for global users and partners in the region in 2022 and beyond,” Jeff said.

Meanwhile, iWantTFC is gearing up to present the next season of the iWant Original, He’s Into Her which enjoyed a lot of success thanks to its stellar cast and crew and interesting storyline. Jamie said, “[There are more] iWant Originals in the pipeline for production, with titles spanning different themes and genres.” He also revealed that the platform is continuing its partnership with GMMTV for the Boys Love Thai series which resonates well with Filipino audiences.

While iWantTFC has faced many challenges in the past few years, Jamie said that their team is working hard to improve on its content and platform offerings.

Content-wise, iWantTFC has sharpened its content curations and recommendations, and they looked for various partners and collaborators, both local and global so that its subscribers can enjoy more titles.

Platform-wise, iWant TFC is doubling down on a smoother user interface, such as the Watch Now, Register Later function, which helped the platform usher in a more casual, curious audience. Apart from this, iWant TFC is made more accessible with a progressive web app so viewers can enjoy watching their favourite content without having to download the mobile app. Jamie revealed that these changes have been positive for the platform as its MAU grew 55% in January 2022 versus September 2020.

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TRADESHOW HK FILMART

FILMART Online to run in tandem with EntertainmentPulse

The Hong Kong International Film and TV Festival (FILMART Online) is returning as a virtual event, running online from 14 to 17 March.

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), this year’s FILMART Online features a variety of film and TV productions and connect major players from the global film and TV industries. This year, the annual tradeshow will also see the debut of EntertainmentPulse, which highlights the latest developments in the Hong Kong Film and TV market under the new normal. It aims to offer in-depth insights for the benefit of industry players, both local and international.

Diverse thematic discussions EntertainmentPulse’s first edition welcomes industry experts to join discussions covering topics such as OTT media platforms, content creation trends, content localisation, the future of documentaries, and the potential of the metaverse and non-fungible tokens in the context of the entertainment industry.

Featured speakers are as follows: •

Jessica Kam-Engle, Head of Content and Development at Walt Disney Company, Asia Pacific, who will offer insights into how Disney+ is collaborating with leading content creators to showcase stories from the Asia Pacific region to global audiences;

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•

Daniel Seah, CEO of Digital Domain in the Asia Pacific will guide participants through the recent development and application of “virtual humans”;

•

Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox will analyze emerging trends in the metaverse.

Also included in the global line-up of speakers are Asher Rapkin, Director of Global Business Marketing for the Facebook app and Emerging Platforms at Meta; Melody Hildebrandt, Chief Information Security Officer of FOX and President of Blockchain Creative Labs (BCL); Imamura Keni-chi, Executive Producer of NHK Enterprises Inc and Advisor for Tokyo Docs; Tommy Lo, Executive Producer and Script Supervisor of TV series Ossan’s Love (Hong Kong version); and Hong Kong actor and film producer Gordon Lam.

2,200+ newly released productions on display This year’s FILMART Online brings together over 700 exhibitors and expects to attract about 8,000 participants from across the industry value chain.

Major production companies based in Hong Kong – including Edko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures, Entertaining Power Company, Golden Network, Golden Scene Company, Golden Sun Films Distribution, Mandarin Motion Pictures, Media Asia Distribution, Mega-Vision Project Workshop, Mei Ah Entertainment Group, One Cool Film Production, Sil-

Metropole Organisation, Universe Films Distribution Company, TVBI and PCCW – and international production houses from Mainland China, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, the Middle East, India, Europe and North America, will release and promote more than 2,200 new productions during the four-day event.

Exhibitors can showcase their productions and company information on their own dedicated page on the FILMART Online platform. Supported by big data and artificial intelligence technology, the one-stop sourcing platform allows buyers to search for productions according to their specific interests. The organiser will also arrange online business matchings for buyers and provide a list of recommended exhibitors tailored to their needs to promote trade and collaboration within the industry.

Through the platform’s built-in video conferencing and messaging functions, buyers can establish connections with potential partners around the globe.

The event will also feature the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which will be held from 14 to 16 March.

As the leading financing platform for film production in Asia, HAF strives to create opportunities for business exchanges between industry professionals.

The forum will present shortlisted movie projects, 28 of which will be indevelopment projects (IDP) and 15 workin-progress projects (WIP). Among the shortlisted projects, 11 are based in Hong Kong while 21 up-and-coming directors are helming a feature film for the first time. New works by industry veterans such as Fruit Chan, Stanley Kwan, Tetsuya Mariko, Nonzee Nimibutr, Yang Chao and Yang Heng are also on the list.

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HK FILMART CONTENT SHOWCASE

FORTISSIMO FILMS

Sexual Drive

Keep Running

US Release: April 22, Japan Release: April 29

Duration: 87’

Duration: 70’

Genre: Children, Documentary

Producers: LI LI, Co-producers: Xu Huan and Yu Fang, Executive Producer: Zhang Chong Synopsis: In the city of GenHe, the coldest part of China, a team of teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds run every day under extremely harsh circumstances. The sports school has provided them with something they couldn’t get from their families: joy and hope for a better life. A heart-warming documentary devoted to the vivid, optimistic, and positive spirit of youth, introducing a group of ordinary characters and guiding us through a stunning natural landscape.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Producers: Goto Tsuyoshi Synopsis: Japanese triptych about sex, food as an aphrodisiac and secret desires. From Natto, Mapo Tofu, to Ramen, protagonist Kurita shows up in each part, disrupting the apparent quiet lives of married men and women, always carrying a Chinese chestnuts box under his arm.

Hot Soup China Release: March 2 Duration: 102’ Genre: Drama

Producers: Lyu Xinyu, Zhang Ming Synopsis: Four women in contemporary Shanghai are pursuing happiness in their lives. Their stories intertwine, as if they were those of a single person.

A young executive argues with her fiancé about starting a family.

A PhD student clashes with her professor about her thesis about happiness.

A teenager fails to find the perfect boyfriend that meet her father’s expectations.

A young woman dreaming of the US is stuck in a cab with the cabdriver in love with her.

Contact Details: Gabrielle Rozing - gabrielle@fortissimofilms.com

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HARBOUR RIGHTS

Flavors

Champs-Elysees, The Avenue Of A Thousand Secrets

Duration: 80x52’ Genre: Travel

Duration: 7x52’ Genre: Lifestyle and Culture

Production company: Ananda/Ampersand Synopsis: Discover the magic and beauty of some of the world’s most enchanting destinations; their natural wonders, outstanding monuments, their crafts and breathtaking landscapes.

Production company: Upside Television Synopsis: You think you know everything about the Champs-Elysées, the ultimate symbol of Paris?

This series is an invitation to travel to the heart of the traditions and peculiarities of the world’s most celebrated countries.

Think again. This series unveils the backstage and unknown places of the most famous avenue in the world, showing the Champs Elysées as never seen before.

Extreme Elevators, Sky Is The Limit

Casting Lady Justice

Duration: 48’

Duration: 20x52’

Production company: La Concepteria

Production company: Legio Felix

Genre: Science and Technology

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Comedy

Synopsis: The elevator is an invisible means of transportation and yet the most used in the world.

Every day, more than a billion human beings take them.

Synopsis:Anya is a joyful investigator that always finds to handle dangerous situations

Since its creation in 1853, it has followed the industrial evolution and accompanied new technologies. Today, it is a sophisticated, high-performance piece of equipment.

But her dream is to become an actress and, while waiting for her big moment, she’s working on the side as a stuntwoman, providing the film set with police equipment or anything she can access from the evidence room.

When we enter an elevator, we are far from imagining all the innovations it has benefited from over the past decades.

Contact Details: Harbour Rights www.harbour-rights.com

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young criminal unorthodox ways and solve cases.

Each episode is a one-off investigation where humour is prevalent.

Teremoana Seguin Managing Director tseguin@harbour-rights.com

Ryan Leung International Sales Executive executive@harbour-rights.com

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HK FILMART CONTENT SHOWCASE

MATTEL

Barbie It Takes Two Duration: 26x22’

Genre: Kids Animation

Executive Producers: Christopher Keenan, Frederic Soulie Synopsis: Join Barbie “Malibu” Roberts and Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts for fun, laughter and exciting new adventures in the brand-new 26-episode series Barbie It Takes Two™. The series follows Barbie and Barbie as they attend a year of performing arts high school in NYC, set out to record a music demo, and take odd jobs to fund their dreams, all while exploring the Big Apple and travelling back to Malibu often to visit family and friends.

Filled with stories of friendship, family, passion and perseverance, the series follows this iconic duo as they work hard and have fun chasing their dreams. This exciting new series also features new characters, new settings and six all-new songs!

Thomas & Friends: Race For The Sodor Cup

Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go

Duration: 11x60’

Duration: 52x11’

Executive Producers: Colin Bohm, Christopher Keenan, Doug Murphy, Frederic Soulie, Pam Westman Synopsis: Super-fast Kana is convinced that her speed is all she needs to win the Race for the Sodor Cup, a competition that draws engines from all over the world. However, when a racing practice gone wrong causes her partner, Kenji, to get hurt, Kana ends up paired with Thomas.

Kana and Thomas will discover that it takes teamwork to become the best racers they can be, but is it enough to defeat the international champions and win the Sodor Cup?

Genre: Kids Animation

Executive Producers: Colin Bohm, Christopher Keenan, Doug Murphy, Frederic Soulie, Pam Westman Synopsis: In this new season, adventure and excitement abound for Thomas and his friends as they work together and form lasting bonds that help them overcome any obstacle on the island of Sodor! The season is comprised of 52 x 11’ episodes that take place in different locations across the Island of Sodor. Thomas is the hero of every episode, with his friends always by his side - including familiar faces and new additions to the railway.

Contact Details: Karen Leung - Karen.Leung@mattel.com Magdalene Cheung - Magdalene.Cheung@mattel.com

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STUDIO 76

You Have To Kill Me

DNA Says Love You

MuMuHug

Duration: 105’

Duration: 24 x 50’

Duration: 104x6’

Genre: Romance, Drama

Genre: Pre-school, Kids, Animation

Genre: Espionage/Spy Thriller Format: Digital Movie Genre: Crime, Thriller

Production Company: inJECT inspiration Producer: Studio76 Original Productions, Sammi Pan. Coproduced and co-distributed by X Media Asia Limited Director: CHAN Chun-Hao Synopsis: Police officer Chou is about to propose to his girlfriend Chen. He then receives a homicide case report and follows it to the mountain area.

Sadly, the deceased is his girlfriend Chen. Devastated as he is, he tries his best and arrests the murderer Li. However, from Li’s confession, Chou learns that Chen has voluntarily let Li kill her. Why do Li and Chen go on a murderous journey together?

Or is it Chen who kills herself?

Format: Series

Production Company: Daton Entertainment Producer: Studio76 Original Productions, Ben Hsin Director: HAO Hsin-Shiang

Synopsis: In a rapidly changing era, everyone is trying to explore themselves and find their true value.

And what is the only thing that remains the same?

Le Jian, a college senior, met Amber in the cafe he works in, found he might have known Amber before but just couldn’t recall... Until he reveals a secret in between them.

Format: 3D Animation

Production Company: SOFA Studio

Producer: SOFA Studio. New music produced by Studio76 Original Productions Synopsis: MuMuHug is a fun, exciting animated series that takes its global audience on a heartwarming journey through MuMu’s adventures. Popular, friendly MuMu sees the world at its best, which makes him a great and loyal friend. MuMu loves to explore and discover new things all across Muwa Island, with friends of many shapes, sizes and personalities.

Whenever there is a problem count on MuMu to find the bright side - which always makes solving things easier and fun!

MuMu is a loving creature with the biggest heart and smile. He lives on the beautiful Muwa Island, where lots of new faces and friends come to visit.

Genuine and thoughtful, MuMu is always the friend that can be counted on. Hug MuMu!

Studio76 Contact Details: Dennis Yang - dy@studio76.co www.studio76.co

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FEATURE STORY

Webinar recap: ‘South Asia: A Look At India’s Content Space’

Television Asia Plus mounted its first webinar of the year, South Asia: A Look At India’s Content Space on January 20. Attended by India’s most notable brands and platforms such as The Q, Reliance Entertainment and Toonz Media Group, the webinar discussed the trends in South Asia’s content market.

Opportunities in India’s FTA market Simran Hoon, Chief Executive Officer of youth-focused general entertainment channel, The Q, identified the gaps and opportunities in India’s free-to-air (FTA) market.

Presenting the latest numbers, Simran revealed that India has 70 million households who have yet to get their first TV set, with just 10% of the population having multiple TV sets at home. Meanwhile, free TV households are approximately at 43 million and huge growth is expected in the area.

Simran provided a snapshot of India’s market and half of India’s population who are under 35 years old have gone off the television to other digital platforms and OTT to explore new content. Noting that the pandemic pushed a lot of people into poverty and digitization happening at a fast pace, Simran posed the question of how they can access cheap entertainment?

With content costs going up in recent years thanks to OTT’s boom, Simran said, “I think what’s going to happen in television is content costs will have to be more rational. And that’s been a big revolution–they are seeking meaningful content which is relevant to them.”

The FTA category also provides several opportunities, especially for new players: Reaching the right audiences in a cost-efficient manner, family viewing platforms with the growth of localized and microgenre content, and the opportunity for advertisers to reach unattended viewers at a comparatively low price through FTA channels in tier 2 and 3 towns in rural India.

Summing it up, Simran said that there is room for content innovation on FTA. She indicated that viewers are currently unserved but ready to experiment.

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Opportunities in India’s co-production space Speaking about the opportunities in India’s coproduction space, Dhruv Sinha, Senior Vice President for International Business, Marketing and Syndication at Reliance Entertainment, lent his expertise on coproductions. Under his wing, Dhruv oversaw the distribution of over 60 Hollywood films in the Indian subcontinent such as Million Dollar Baby and 3 Idiots.

Sharing his expertise in co-productions, Dhruv talked about the various types of co-productions, namely domestic or in-house, international, which also includes official treaties between countries, unofficial, and a

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combination of both. He also cited examples of various coproductions between Indian and international productions.

He said, “There are several factors that determine production partners where we look out for partners. In Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, one thread that ties them together is that there are cultural-historical ties between them.”

Citing the benefits of co-production treaties and the factors that determine co-production partners, Dhruv said, “The key is to write or find a story that is very local, and at the same time, has a universal appeal.”

Dhruv also discussed the opportunities for investment for co-productions, structures for film co-production, and pitching to co-producers. He also presented several case studies of box office successes.

India’s animation space is a driving force in Indian content Talking about the evolution of kids’ content in India, Murtuza Kutianawalla, Country Head of Distribution and Syndication at Toonz Media Group, said that India’s animation space has been one of the driving forces in Indian content–as animation is well-loved by kids and kids at heart. Animation also allows viewers to go to places where live-action can’t reach.

Giving a brief introduction on the history of animation in India, Murtuza shared that Russian shows were the

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only source of animated content in the country. Then came Disney, which dominated the space with the kind of productions and storytelling that connected with kids and families around the world. Murtuza shared that Indian public service broadcaster Doordarshan was the only channel back then that allowed them this viewing experience.

The arrival and dominance of Cartoon Network in 1995 made way for significant growth with the arrival of other channels like Animax, Nickelodeon, Hungama, and Toonz. Murtuza said, “The great thing about these networks was that they already had a lot of shows and cartoons that were popular in other parts of the world, and one thing that resonates with India is family culture.”

Indian content is complex, innovative, and good The panellists shared one word that described content in India. Murtuza said that Indian content is complex due to the country’s many languages. He shared, “I think there’s always content for someone in India. To be honest, you may have a comedy or drama or completely rural-based content, everything is going to work in India. I think there’s something for someone, always.”

Dhruv added that Indian content is good, stating, “It keeps changing. It has no set format. If it’s good, it will work.”

Simran described Indian content as innovative. She said, “I think there is a lot of innovation that is going to happen this year. And I hope to see that going forward.”

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