TV ASIAPAC ATF 2014

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TVASIAPAC

WWW.TVASIAPAC.WS

DECEMBER 2014

Kids’ TV Programming / Format Trends / Asian Drama NHK’s Katsuto Momii / MDA’s Angeline Poh

ASIA TV FORUM EDITION

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CONTENTS FEATURES

Billionaires’ Club There’s an awful lot of talk about Asian money in Hollywood these days, with several billionaires eyeing investment opportunities in Tinseltown.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Managing Editor Joanna Padovano Associate Editor Joel Marino Assistant Editor Simon Weaver Online Director Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Cesar Suero Sales & Marketing Director Faustyna Hariasz Sales & Marketing Coordinator Terry Acunzo Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP & Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV AsiaPac © 2014 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvasiapac.ws

It’s been several years since India’s Anil Ambani made headlines with his $825 million investment in Hollywood, including taking 50 percent of Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studios and shelling out cash for a slew of talent deals. It’s unclear how much the Indian tycoon, whose family empire has its roots in the textile business, has reaped from his American experiment. These days, it’s two Asian new-media giants that are the buzz of the U.S. media business: Japan’s SoftBank and China’s Alibaba. The former is an Internet and telecommunications giant that enlisted exGoogle exec Nikesh Arora to drive its media and entertainment strategy. In September it was rumored to be close to acquiring Jeffrey Katzenberg’s DreamWorks Animation, but after two days of intense speculation in the trades, the negotiations ended. A few weeks later, SoftBank—run by Masayoshi Son, said to be Japan’s richest man—made a smaller U.S. media investment, taking control of the streaming site DramaFever. By all accounts, Son is not done acquiring, especially on the heels of his big pay-off from his early investment in Alibaba. “SoftBank is a goose with more golden eggs in its belly, even if it’s too early to bring them to the market,” Son told investors in Tokyo. Alibaba is making headlines of its own. After its massive U.S. IPO, the e-commerce site’s executive chairman, Jack Ma, has been making the rounds in Hollywood. Following its deal with Lionsgate to collaborate on a Chinese streaming service, Alibaba was reportedly eyeing a 37-percent investment in the independent studio. At press time, Alibaba has yet to spend any money in Hollywood, but Ma is ambitious, flush with cash and eager to raise his profile in the U.S. media community, so expect more from him in 2015. There are, however, cautionary tales when it comes to Asian money in Hollywood; after Brunei adopted stringent Islamic law that punishes homosexuality and adultery with the death penalty, a slew of celebrities boycotted the Beverly Hills Hotel, which is owned by Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Nevertheless, the Asian billionaires’ club is likely to make even more waves in 2015. What else are we watching for next year? The rising prominence of Asian drama, the increased appetite for foreign formats in the region and the booming demand for kids’ content, all of which are discussed in this edition.

—Mansha Daswani

GET DAILY NEWS ON THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

24 ASIAN PLAYGROUND There’s a diverse mix of children’s series being sold into, and out of, the Asia Pacific.

32 FORMAT FEVER

Format distributors are feeling bullish as they head into the Asia TV Forum.

42 ASIA’S GOT DRAMA

Asian distributors are finding increased demand for their drama series across the region and around the world.

32 INTERVIEWS

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NHK’s Katsuto Momii

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MDA’s Angeline Poh

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9 Story Media Group Wild Kratts / Peg + Cat / Numb Chucks On the heels of its recent rebrand from 9 Story Entertainment, 9 Story Media Group is headed to its second ATF with Wild Kratts, an animated adventure series led by a pair of zoologists. “Wild Kratts is our longest-running brand in the region,” says Federico Vargas, the company’s director of distribution. 9 Story is also showcasing Peg + Cat, a preschool program about a young girl and her feline friend, and Numb Chucks, a comedy centered on two woodchuck vigilantes. “Peg + Cat appeals to both kids and parents; it’s a unique show within the marketplace, featuring a spirited girl lead and teaching early math concepts,” says Vargas. “Numb Chucks will appeal to AsiaPac buyers because the comedy is slapstick-based, and doesn’t get lost in translation.”

“One of our priorities this year is to target pan-Asian digital services as well as territory-specific SVOD services.”

—Federico Vargas Numb Chucks

A+E Networks UnREAL / Big Driver / Tiny House Nation From the newly launched A+E Studios International comes UnREAL, a scripted Lifetime series starring Shiri Appleby (Girls) and Constance Zimmer (House of Cards) that A+E Networks is showcasing. The company is also offering up Big Driver, a Lifetime thriller starring Maria Bello and Olympia Dukakis that is based on the story penned by Stephen King. “Our new drama slate is exceptional and unique,” says Glen Hansen, A+E Networks’ VP of content sales for the Asia Pacific. “Our remit at A+E Studios International is to focus on unique, high-quality and ‘event’ projects to cut through the clutter and rise above the din—projects which are both smart and hugely entertaining.” In the way of lifestyle content is Tiny House Nation, which has been a breakout hit for the FYI network in the U.S.

“We have been enjoying exceptional year-on-year growth in the AsiaPacific region for several years now, and are gearing up for a bigger and better 2015.”

—Glen Hansen UnREAL

ABC Commercial Great White Matrix / Prisoner Zero / Ready, Steady, Wiggle!

In Great White Matrix viewers join navy diver and shark-attack survivor Paul de Gelder along with legendary shark-mad cameraman Andy Casagrande on an underseas mission. “The program uses cutting-edge time-slice camera technology in a way that’s never been done successfully before,” says Robyn Campbell, sales manager for Asia, Australia and New Zealand at ABC Commercial. The company also has children’s highlights, including the live-action Ready, Steady, Wiggle! and the 2D animation Prisoner Zero. “An educational background combined with entertaining music makes Ready, Steady, Wiggle! a sure hit for young children across the Asia-Pacific region,” says Campbell. She says that Prisoner Zero is “not only unique, but engaging, exciting and cinematic.”

“Shark programming is ever popular; the market can’t seem to get enough.”

—Robyn Campbell Great White Matrix 34 World Screen 12/14

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ABS-CBN International Distribution Tomorrow Belongs to Me / Pure Love / Forevermore For ABS-CBN International Distribution, traditional family dramas that feature strong elements of romance continue to sell best.

For ATF, the company is showcasing Tomorrow Belongs to Me, about a woman seeking revenge against her true love after surviving a devastating accident. “We are also launching one of our format buys, Pure Love, which gives a unique Filipino twist to the Korean drama 49 Days,” says Evelyn “Leng” Raymundo, the company’s VP of integrated program acquisitions and international distribution. The drama Forevermore tells the story of a romance between the rebellious son of a hotel magnate and a hardworking strawberry-field worker. “We expect this to be another prime-time drama hit about the transformative power of love and the beauty of second chances,” says Raymundo.

“We are able to hit a chord among international buyers because beautiful love stories are always at the core of our dramas.”

—Evelyn “Leng” Raymundo Tomorrow Belongs to Me

Australian Children’s Television Foundation Hoopla Doopla! / Wacky World Beaters / The Flamin’ Thongs The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) has secured several sales in the last 12 months throughout the Asia Pacific and is looking to further this success at ATF. “From my experience, quality programming is always in demand worldwide and I think it is for this reason our series resonate well with Asian audiences,” says Roberta Di Vito, ACTF’s international sales manager. Lead titles for the market include the live-action preschool series Hoopla Doopla!, which was produced in collaboration with China’s CCTV. Also in the way of live action, Wacky World Beaters is a factual kids’ series featuring two highly competitive, slightly zany hosts who set off on a global discovery tour of wacky competitions. The Flamin’ Thongs, meanwhile, is an animated comedy about the disaster-prone Thong family.

“The really nice thing about our shows is that every series is a great entertainment experience, with interesting characters and strong stories that kids around the world can relate to.”

—Roberta Di Vito The Flamin’ Thongs

Calinos Entertainment The Sinner / A Love Story / Dangerous Beauty Calinos Entertainment specializes in selling Turkish TV series and films internationally, with a strong emphasis on drama.

Among its newest launches is The Sinner, which tells the story of Ali Yusuf, a handsome and smart boy planning to be a doctor, who falls in love with a girl from his neighborhood. He winds up taking the fall for a crime he did not commit in order to protect her, and this move changes his life forever. The romantic drama A Love Story, meanwhile, is about learning to let go of the past in order to move on and find love. Dangerous Beauty chronicles a family who gets more than they bargained for when they take in their orphaned niece, a young woman who brings storm clouds to their previously clear skies.

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CJ E&M Corporation Family Secrets / Misaeng / Valid Love Marking CJ E&M Corporation’s big comeback to daily drama production is Family Secrets, the first Chilean scripted series to be remade in Korea. The company is hoping to secure sales in the Asia-Pacific region for this title, along with Misaeng, which is based on a popular webtoon. “Misaeng portrays the rough lifestyles of typical office workers in the city,” says Jang Ho Seo, CJ E&M’s head of international sales and acquisition. “It deviates from the usual romantic attributes of typical Korean drama.” Also on the company’s ATF slate is Valid Love, a tvN drama staring Uhm Tae Woong, Lee Si Young, Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Yeo Jin. The 16-part production follows the scandalous romance between an indecisive married woman and a charming carpenter.

“We hope to serve our AsiaPac partners by providing new types of Korean dramas.”

—Jang Ho Seo Family Secrets

Escapade Media The Lovers / Artie! / The Ride East Coast It has been just about a year since Escapade Media made its debut in the international market. Natalie Lawley, the company’s managing director, says that business has been going well, especially within the AsiaPac region. At ATF, the company is presenting the feature The Lovers, which is led by Hollywood star Josh Hartnett and Indian actress Bipasha Basu. “Actionadventure features remain in strong demand across Asia,” says Lawley. “The Hollywood/Bollywood star-studded cast will appeal to mass audiences across the region.” Another top title is the animated series Artie!, aimed at kids 8 to 10 with a slight boy skew. There’s also the factual special The Ride East Coast, which “appeals to youth/family audiences and tackles the issue of mental health in a sensitive but powerful way,” Lawley says.

“Escapade Media has strong ties across all Asia-Pacific territories and business has been excellent since our launch.”

—Natalie Lawley The Lovers

Keshet International Help! I Can’t Cook / Not a Star Yet / BOOM! Following the recent launch of Help! I Can’t Cook in Israel, Keshet International believes this format has strong potential for attracting buyers at ATF. “It’s a cooking show with a brilliant recipe for entertainment,” says Kelly Wright, the company’s sales director. “Well-known stars enter the show’s ‘culinary academy’ to face their fears of the kitchen.” Keshet Inter national is also promoting the talent format Not a Star Yet. “Not a Star Yet is another great reality talent format where we get to see the sons and daughters of famous celebrities performing on stage for the first time,” says Wright. There is also the game show BOOM!, which “fuses the drama, intensity and thrill of a blockbuster action movie with the laughter and fun of a colorful prime-time trivia show,” according to Wright.

“2014 has been a nice taste of things to come for [Keshet International] in Asia.”

—Kelly Wright Not a Star Yet 38 World Screen 12/14

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Media Development Authority of Singapore Insectibles

/ Supermodelme / Hidden Cities Extreme

The Singapore Pavilion at ATF, led by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), will see more than 140 titles on offer. This covers 850-plus hours of factual, drama, infotainment, lifestyle, animation and film content. Highlights include the animated series Insectibles from One Animation, Refinery Media’s reality series Supermodelme and Beach House Pictures’ factual format Hidden Cities Extreme. The MDA is hosting the inaugural Singapore Media Festival (SMF), which includes ATF, ScreenSingapore, the Singapore International Film Festival and the Asian Television Awards. “With the strong focus on Asia’s media industry, content and talent, we believe that SMF will be the choice platform as Asia’s must-attend media event,” says Angeline Poh, the assistant chief executive (industry) at the MDA.

“By hosting the inaugural Singapore Media Festival, MDA aims to strengthen Singapore’s position as a gateway into Asia.”

—Angeline Poh Hidden Cities Extreme

Rive Gauche Television Fix It & Finish It / I Almost Accidentally Killed Myself / APB with Troy Dunn Heading into ATF, Rive Gauche Television has a lineup of new titles for the region’s broadcasters. Fix It & Finish It is a homeimprovement show where parts of homes are completely renovated in 24 hours. I Almost Accidentally Killed Myself highlights real-life stories of people who narrowly escaped death from horrible (and self-inflicted) accidents. APB with Troy Dunn is a prime-time program that follows host Troy Dunn and his team as they cover stories of people trying to find loved ones who have gone missing. “We bring an incredibly diverse range of content to the region that is made up of quality productions to fit the needs of all broadcasters,” says Bryan Gabourie, the VP of international distribution at Rive Gauche Television.

“The Asia/Pac-Rim region continues to be one of our most productive and impactful territories.”

—Bryan Gabourie Fix It & Finish It

RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network RTL CBS Entertainment HD / RTL CBS Extreme HD It’s been a little more than a year since RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network was formed by RTL Group and CBS Studios International, featuring the channels RTL CBS Entertainment HD and RTL CBS Extreme HD. There are a number of series airing first and exclusively on RTL CBS Entertainment HD, including Scorpion, House of Cards, The Millers, Elementary and The X Factor UK. The channel is also set to air a slew of major awards shows, among them the Golden Globe Awards and 2015 Billboard Music Awards. “We will continue to focus on further improving our channels and work closely with our partners to better serve our audiences,” says Jonas Engwall, the CEO of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network. “We will be supporting our partners with 360-degree multiscreen exploitation.”

“RTL CBS Asia channels are servicing over ten markets in Southeast Asia.”

—Jonas Engwall Elementary on RTL CBS Entertainment HD 40 World Screen 12/14

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Russia Television and Radio/Sovtelexport Ekaterina / The Iron Ivan / Tank Biathlon Sovtelexport, which distributes content from Russia Television and Radio and other Russian producers, has been working with companies in the Asia-Pacific region for more than 15 years. “We believe the region is crucial in promoting Russian content abroad,” says Maria Dorokhina, Sovtelexport’s head of international sales. Offerings for ATF include the historical drama Ekaterina, telling the legacy of Catherine the Great, and the drama feature The Iron Ivan, about the invincible fighter Ivan Poddubny. Sovtelexport is presenting buyers with the first season of the series Tank Biathlon as well, featuring action from the mechanized military sport. Dorokhina calls the series a “thrilling spectacle, combining the power of a military parade and the excitement of a major sporting event.”

“There is an ever-growing demand for Russian content in Asia and we know how to meet it.”

—Maria Dorokhina Ekaterina

SBS International Poh & Co / Unplanned America / Hipsters SBS teamed up with former MasterChef Australia finalist Poh Ling Yeow to produce Poh & Co, a new food/lifestyle series for 2015 that SBS International is bringing to ATF. Another lead title for the market is Unplanned America, which follows three Australians who embark on a journey across the U.S. “With the hugely successful launch of season one on SBS2 earlier this year, we’ve greenlit seasons two and three, which sparked a nice buzz at MIPCOM and we forecast the same at ATF,” says Cecilia Twomey, sales manager at SBS International. Meanwhile, the 4x30-minute factual-entertainment series Hipsters investigates the meaning of what it is to be a “hipster.” Twomey says, “Unplanned America and Hipsters will appeal to a younger, more irreverent demographic.”

“The SBS stable of channels continues to produce distinctive content that appeals to a multicultural audience.”

—Cecilia Twomey Hipsters

Studio 100 Media Tashi / The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson / Trains From Australia’s Flying Bark Productions comes Tashi, an animated series for 6- to 11-year-olds that Studio 100 Media believes has strong potential for AsiaPac sales. “The stories have well-defined characters, comparable to Harry Potter, and include exotic scenery and adventures,” says Patrick Elmendorff, the CEO of Studio 100 Media. “Tashi is actionpacked and full of imaginative storytelling.” Also on offer from the company is The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson, a new CGI show that is being introduced to the Asian market for the first time. The book-based production is currently in development and is slated for delivery in early 2017. Then there is Trains, an educational preschool program following a group of characters living in Traintown.

“Asia is a solid market for us and business has been good in the region.”

—Patrick Elmendorff The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson 42 World Screen 12/14

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Televisa Internacional My Heart Is Yours / What Life Took from Me / Los Gonzalez The comedy Los Gonzalez, one of the titles that Televisa Internacional is presenting at this year’s ATF, features a father who designs a website showcasing hidden-camera pranks involving his family and unsuspecting victims. The real-world pranks are then integrated into the fictional plot. On the scripted-comedy front, the company is highlighting My Heart Is Yours, about a dancer who must find a second job in order to keep her home.

She becomes the nanny for a successful widower, looking after his seven children and eventually falling in love with him. Classic telenovelas are also represented, with What Life Took from Me as a particular standout. The drama follows a good-hearted young girl who meets the love of her life, but is forced by her scheming mother to marry the heir to a big fortune instead.

What Life Took from Me

TRT-Turkish Radio & Television Corporation Filinta / Resurrection / Little Lamb The new TRT drama Filinta is a detective story set in the Ottoman era. The series features the character of Filinta Mustafa, an Ottoman-era version of Sherlock Holmes, who embarks on adventures full of mystery and riddles to find truth and justice for all. TRT-Turkish Radio & Television Corporation is presenting the title at ATF, alongside Resurrection, a costume drama inspired by real events. Mehmet Demirhan, the deputy head of the TV department at TRT, says that the company has already received positive feedback from the international market on both series, with interest from several countries to start airing them at the same time as their Turkish broadcasts. Demirhan adds that animated productions from TRT have gained attention in the Asia Pacific, the series Little Lamb among them.

“We have successfully marketed our drama series and animation to the AsiaPacific region.”

—Mehmet Demirhan Resurrection

TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific TV5MONDE Asia SD / TV5MONDE Asia HD / TV5MONDE Pacifique HD TV5MONDE is available across the Asia-Pacific region in almost every market. Alexandre Muller, the managing director of TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific, says that the company is looking to shore up distribution in Malaysia and also further penetration in Australasia as well as in Japan and Korea. TV5MONDE currently offers English subtitles on its TV5MONDE Asia SD feed on Asiasat 7; English, French, Russian and Vietnamese on the Asian HD feed on Measat; and English, French, Japanese and Korean on the TV5MONDE Pacifique HD channel. “The next step for us is to add Bahasa Indonesia as well as traditional and simplified Chinese,” says Muller. Program highlights for the end of the year include the lifestyle series Qui sera le prochain grand pâtissier? and Les maîtres du rêve.

“We are working on several exciting projects for the coming years, one of which will be the launch of our TV Everywhere solution.”

—Alexandre Muller Qui sera le prochain grand pâtissier? on TV5MONDE 44 World Screen 12/14

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Asian PLAYGROUND Escapade Media’s Kitchen Whiz.

There’s a diverse mix of children’s series being sold into, and out of, the Asia Pacific.

By Kristin Brzoznowski hile the markets across the Asia Pacific are certainly diverse, their children’s programming needs are strikingly similar and differ little from what broadcasters all over the world are looking for. Known brands and shows that can make young ones laugh are as popular in AsiaPac as they are in the U.S., the U.K. or any other corner of the globe.

Patrick Elmendorff, the CEO of Studio 100 Media, says that the requests he’s getting from Asian buyers for kids’

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programming are in line with current global trends. “These are gender-neutral programs, [with] strong storytelling, comedy, action and high identification with the characters,” he observes.

Elmendorff reports a particularly strong demand for animation in the Asia Pacific, especially CGI content. “Buyers are also looking for characters that portray positive role models,” he says. “Programs have to be filled with humor and have a central character. It’s always good to offer elements such as enchantment, adventure and action, which

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ACTF represents the rights to Hoopla Doopla!, a co-production between ABC in Australia and CCTV in China.

appeal to both girls and boys. Also, the gripping stories have to contain positive values such as friendship, loyalty and honesty.”

Robby Amar, the director of international sales for MarVista Entertainment, says that branded content is what works best in this part of the world. “Buyers here want content that comes with merchandise and brand licensing,” he notes. “They also look for volume, so series with at least 26 episodes and up.”

He adds that animated features perform well in the region, citing strong sales for the Burbank Animation Studios collection, which houses an array of titles that center on well-known characters such as Ali Baba, Puss in Boots, Robin Hood and Cinderella.

LAUGH FACTORY

“Although we’ve had success with our live action, I find that Asian broadcasters primarily produce a lot of their own liveaction series,” says Blank. Nevertheless, Breakthrough has been able to place The Adventures of Napkin Man, which is a mix of animation and live action, in the region. And TVB in Hong Kong recently licensed Breakthrough’s live-action series Think Big. On the preschool front, Breakthrough has the advantage that a number of its shows are going into second seasons, among them Zerby Derby and My Big Big Friend. Blank says that this helps with AsiaPac sales because broadcasters look for volume. “They like to strip the programming,” says Blank. “It helps them build an audience, too.”

Sharon Ramsay-Luck, the head of sales and business development at ABC Commercial, also notes the importance of presenting buyers with volume. “There is lots of interest in our long-running animated children’s series in the Asia-Pacific region,” she says.

A strong seller has been Bananas in Pyjamas, a CGI series with more than 150 12-minute episodes available. “Our

At 9 Story Media Group, animated comedy has been a sweet spot, notably for the 6-to-11 demographic. There are, however, some challenges with how certain types of comedy translate in Asia. “One of the reasons that Camp Lakebottom and Numb Chucks have been able to succeed there is that the comedy is more slapstick,” says Federico Vargas, 9 Story’s director of distribution. “With other 6-to-11 properties that we’re developing internally, one comment [I give to the development team] in terms of the Asia Pacific is that if the comedy is too verbal, if the joke needs a written payoff, then it won’t work.”

Kate Blank, the director of international distribution at Breakthrough Enter tainment, has also noticed that animated comedies for the 6-to-11 set are performing well in AsiaPac; she points to the success of Rocket Monkeys in particular.

She agrees that slapstick comedy is a good proposition and also cites action MediaCorp is among the platforms to have acquired Breakthrough’s The Adventures of Napkin Man. comedy as a genre that works.

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already come out of the gate with some successful propositions. This includes the kids’ cooking show Kitchen Whiz, a high-volume series with six 65-episode seasons.

Discovery Kids recently picked up the sixth season of the show for broadcast on the channel across Asia.

Natalie Lawley, the managing director of Escapade, says of the current market trends, “Animation holds preference over live action, and we are still getting requests for the 8to-10 demographic, slightly boy-skewed, around comedy, action and adventure. This specific micro-demographic seems to have been under-served for some time now, and Escapade is developing a unique and premium concept for this gap in the market.”

Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) has been active in the country’s kids’ TV sector for more than 30 years.

Roberta Di Vito, ACTF’s international sales manager, says that it’s the quality of the content coming out of Australia that has helped put the country on the map in terms of children’s programming. “From my experience, quality programming is always in demand worldwide, and I think it is for this reason our series resonate well with audiences,” says Di Vito. “Kids’ series that are story-driven, with likable talent and quality productions, will always be a hit with kids. Asia is a huge region, and while animation remains very popular with some broadcasters, really good live-action comedies and adventure factual series have also been hugely successful in the area.”

FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIPS

One of Studio 100’s newest properties is Tashi, from its Australian studio, Flying Bark.

much-loved animated Bananas in Pyjamas series is a standout,” says Ramsay-Luck. “With high-quality stories and fun and lively music, it’s a favorite among our clients in AsiaPac.” “Also, we recently launched our new children’s animated series Prisoner Zero,” she continues. “This fills the programming gap in the 8- to 12-year-old age range for AsiaPacific buyers and also comes with broad family appeal.

Science fiction is always in demand, and with crisp, vectorized lines and dynamic colors, Prisoner Zero is visually stunning programming that we are particularly excited to offer our buyers.”

DEALS DOWN UNDER ABC Commercial is home to programming from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia’s national public broadcaster that produces a slew of kids’ fare. “We are renowned for our children’s content,” says Ramsay-Luck. “It has high production values, well-developed scripts and strong story lines, and most programs are designed to have broad appeal and bring a smile to the faces of children and adults alike. Good music is also a strength in our children’s programs. Not only does the music provide an entertainment component to the content, it also uplifts and adds to the pace and excitement for young audiences.”

A newer entrant in the Australian content-distribution landscape, Escapade Media launched a year ago and has

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In live action, ACTF has a new hit with the preschool show Hoopla Doopla! The series was produced for Australia’s ABC and China’s CCTV, which came on board as a co-production partner after a pilot was made in Australia. Doing it as an Australian/Chinese co-pro provided an opportunity to create a show that combines the cultures of both countries, enhancing its potential for selling across a range of AsiaPac territories.

Historically, ACTF has done good business with Asian panregional channels, and, says Di Vito, “our programs have also been successful in individual territories such as Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam and, recently, China.”

MarVista’s Amar also mentions China as a solid market for doing business, as well as Malaysia. “The big emerging territories that are now really buying are Mongolia, Myanmar and Vietnam,” he adds, noting that the majority of his AsiaPac kids’ content deals have been with free-TV broadcasters.

For 9 Story, meanwhile, the pan-regional pay-TV broadcasters have been the biggest buyers. “Those are our anchors,” says Vargas. “Last year was the first time that we attended ATF. Since then, the approach has been to go territory by territory. We’re happy to say that Korea is one of the places where we’re working across all platforms, whether that’s pay TV, IPTV, public broadcasting or home video. Thailand is another country where we’re working with multiple kids’ players, and India as well, across the various platforms and various languages—we’re working in the north with Zee Learn and in the south with Sun TV Network. In Singapore, MediaCorp has acquired a lot of our programming.”

Vargas also mentions a burgeoning business with digital players in the region. He says that 9 Story has the contacts, relationships and volume to be able to deliver in this segment and is taking a country-by-country approach to get there.

“Apart from a variety of online catch-up TV rights that broadcasters have picked up for the Asian region, we are

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ABC Commercial arrives at ATF with its new sci-fi animated kids’ series Prisoner Zero.

still pursuing digital media opportunities,” says ACTF’s Di Vito.

“I can see potential, and there are certainly new SVOD, VOD and digital platforms being established across the region. It’s just about finding the right partner for our programs.”

PLAYING CATCH-UP

9 Story’s Get Ace hails from Australia’s Galaxy Pop.

Breakthrough’s Blank says that with more linear broadcasters opening up digital feeds, these rights are becoming an important part of negotiations with buyers. “If they do want those rights, we will negotiate a royalty on top of the license fee. Across the world, including in AsiaPac, we’re slowly but surely working with AVOD and VOD buyers who buy specifically for those rights.”

Blank says that it’s also becoming increasingly common for broadcasters in the region to want the digital ancillaries that come along with productions. Nickelodeon in Asia went for the Rocket Monkeys online game, while Discovery Kids across the Asia Pacific licensed the website for Dino Dan and the Think Big online game. “It’s definitely something that broadcasters are starting to invest in more,” she says.

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9 Story’s Vargas agrees that apps, e-books and other digital extensions are becoming more in demand across the Asia Pacific. “That’s something that really resonates with the buyers, if you tell them that there are brand extensions for mobile, gaming, downloads,” he says. “More and more, the experience is a mobile experience. They want children to be able to take the content with them on their tablets or mobile phones. All of those add-ons are very valuable.”

Studio 100 Media’s Elmendorff says that digital add-ons are an important part of the total offering when presenting a property. “We will launch the free-to-play browserbased game Vic Online in December this year,” he notes of the Vic the Viking brand extension. “Vic Online is special, as it follows the co-viewing concept of our brands. The game provides content for kids and their parents at the same time.” There are also two app-based games for Maya the Bee, a series that has been a big hit for the company in the Asia Pacific.

Studio 100 Media has a wealth of Australia-originated content in its catalogue, with output from Flying Bark Productions, its wholly owned animation studio in Sydney.

Flying Bark is producing the new CGI series Tashi, which is based on Australian children’s books that have sold more than a million copies in 20-plus countries worldwide. The studio is also developing an all-new Blinky Bill TV series, following on from the classic property that has aired in more than 80 markets.

Australia has become a prolific producer of children’s programming, both animated and live action. A number of hits have come out of the country in recent years, and the international market has taken notice. 9 Story, for example, is working with Australia’s Galaxy Pop on the series Get Ace, which is one of its top pushes for ATF. Also part of the 9 Story catalogue is Guess How Much I Love You, a renowned brand from the Sydney-based SLR Productions.

Australia is but one example of a country within the Asia Pacific whose production sector is booming with opportunities for international distributors. “We get approached by production houses and animation studios out of India and China with hours and hours of content, who are looking for a distributor,” says MarVista’s Amar.

While Breakthrough doesn’t currently represent much content from AsiaPac producers, Blank says that the company is very open to it. “We’re always looking at new products, especially boys’ animated comedy. We’ve done one or two co-pros in the Philippines, and we’re definitely open to exploring more co-productions in the Asia Pacific.”

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FORMAT FEVER

Keshet International’s Not a Star Yet.

Format distributors are upbeat about their AsiaPac businesses as they head into Asia TV Forum.

By Mansha Daswani

y all accounts, 2014 has been a transformative year for format distributors doing business in Asia. Even with the confusion over new regulations in China (more on that later), format sellers had a very lucrative past 12 months in the region, breaking into new markets, scoring renewals and finding eager interest from broadcasters to try out new concepts.

“It is an exciting time for selling and producing formats in Asia,” observes Hyeonza Hong, the senior VP of sales for Asia at ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE).

“It’s been a busy year for us,” says Haryaty Rahman, VP of international distribution and home entertainment for Asia at FremantleMedia International. “We’ve sold 25 different formats to seven markets across Asia. Recent deals include The Noise, sold to Malaysia and Cambodia, and The X Factor, which was sold to Cambodia and Myanmar. My most recent sale is of our Got Talent format to Laos, which marks the first time a major international format has been sold to that market.”

At Shine International, about 60 percent of its revenues in Northern and Southeast Asia now come from format sales, reports Matthew Ashcroft, senior VP and head of the Asia Pacific.

Keshet International has also had a landmark year in Asia, according to Kelly Wright, sales director. “We sold our flagship interactive talent format Rising Star to China and Indonesia, our children’s talent show Master Class also to China and the evergreen scripted format Prisoners of War to South Korea. 2014 has been a nice taste of things to come for Keshet International in Asia.”

Contributing to distributors’ improved fortunes has been the appetite from broadcasters to try out new genres, with everything from quiz shows and factual entertainment to talent shows, reality and even scripted formats in demand. Most distributors agree, however, that family entertainment, across a range of genres, is the most sought-out category at present.

B

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Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are pending,” Duguet notes.

Talent shows are reigning supreme for Global Agency in Asia, according to Işil Türkşen, sales director, particularly its singing competition Keep Your Light Shining, which has been doing well in its debut season in Thailand.

TALENT SEEKERS

Astro in Malaysia is set to launch A Love to Remember, based on an Azteca telenovela represented by Comarex.

“Talent shows are what most people want to see when they come home,” Türkşen notes. “They want to see entertainment, they want to see the big shiny floor. They don’t want to be challenged too much; they want to be entertained and have fun.”

While continuing to push Keep Your Light Shining, which was also adapted in China this year, Türkşen will also be introducing clients to Stand by Me, as well as other talent competitions in the Global Agency library. “We have the big, expensive, shiny floor ones, as well as cheaper, lighter, more feel-good outdoor singing shows. We have products appealing to all kinds of demands and budgets in the [talent-show] genre.”

Türkşen is also seeing continued demand for game shows and an increased appetite for lifestyle series. As such, at ATF she will be showcasing My Style Rocks, which she describes as “a combination of reality, entertainment and fashion.”

Fashion and lifestyle are also faring well for Electus International, whose Fashion Star format launched on Dragon TV in China this summer and has been adapted by VTV3 in Vietnam. Bet on Your Baby, meanwhile, remains Electus’s biggest success in Asia. ABS-CBN in the Philippines recently renewed the show, and deals have been made in Vietnam, China, South Korea and Cambodia.

“There continues to be a big appetite for shiny floor entertainment series—singing and dancing—but we are also beginning to see more interest in the outdoor adventure space too,” Cyrus Farrokh, VP of Electus International, observes.

“The rise of new channels and platforms has led to a real willingness to try new things and an openness to adapting formats from international providers,” says Keshet’s Wright.

“Talent shows are still big, but a handful of broadcasters dominate this market, which encourages smaller commercial

ITVS GE’s Hong notes the local success of the Chinese format Sing My Song and the recent sale of Baby Ballroom into Vietnam as examples of this trend. At ATF she’ll be looking to drum up interest in the new family entertainment game shows Keep It in the Family and The Line. She also mentions a demand for “big entertainment titles” like Dancing on Ice, Hell’s Kitchen—recently licensed into Indonesia—and Come Dine with Me. FremantleMedia’s Rahman says that the big talent formats the company is synonymous with—Got Talent and The X Factor—are still very much in demand. “They adapt so well to a local production and continue to attract huge audiences. They are particularly sought after in those emerging markets—like Cambodia and Myanmar—which have recently opened up to Western formats.

In fact, we’ve just heard from MRTV-4 that Myanmar’s Got Talent has achieved the highest rating ever for the time slot on the channel, knocking a Korean drama series off the top spot.”

For Sabrina Duguet, senior VP of international format sales at all3media international, “Studio game shows, entertainment formats, are still in high demand.”

Are You Normal?, for example, recently launched in China on Tencent, “and versions in ITVS GE has taken on the international representation rights to the Chinese format Sing My Song.

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Sensing a demand for lifestyle formats, Global Agency is bringing the new series My Style Rocks to ATF.

channels to think outside the box to score ratings. In order to differentiate their brands, they’re considering other genres and ways to go bigger, shinier and better. We’ve had some very positive interest in Help! I Can’t Cook, which is completely different from Asia’s lower-budget lifestyle cooking shows, and clients have voiced very clearly their desire for formats that have a strong element of family values and education.

Celebrity shows are always winners, but they must have a special twist or it’s a case of ‘been-there-done-that.’ ”

MARKET WATCH

Format distributors are also finding an increased appetite from previously more insular markets like Thailand and Vietnam. “Thailand has now opened so many new slots for formats due to the new channels, which means that they are looking for a variety of formats,” all3media’s Duguet says.

Electus’s Farrokh backs up Duguet’s view, noting, “Thailand has been a great market, not only because it’s one of the most creative countries in the region, but because the transition to digital is creating lots of opportunities.”

Distributors have also had a very good year in China, despite the new regulations initiated at the beginning of the year limiting broadcasters’ format acquisitions.

“The regulations can present challenges, but they also identify trends by establishing the types of programs and themes that [regulatory body] SARFT will look upon favorably in a given year,” says Keshet’s Wright.

Shine has built a thriving format-sales business to China, with deals that include Celebrity MasterChef to Jiangsu, Anything Goes and The School to Hunan TV, Clash of the Choirs to CCTV and 24 Hours in A&E to iQIYI.

The needs of broadcasters also differ considerably by market.

“Pan-regionally, we are noticing a demand for character-led reality competition programming,” says Shine’s Ashcroft, referencing as an example a deal for MasterChef with A+E Networks. India, meanwhile, “is continuing to move away from reality formats and is embracing more scripted programming,” Ashcroft says.

Scripted formats has emerged as a key area of expansion for Comarex, which represents the portfolio of novelas from Mexican broadcaster Azteca. Adding to an Asian format business that already includes the hit talent competition La Academia, Azteca and Comarex this year unveiled a deal for Malaysian pay-TV platform Astro and production company Global Station to adapt the novela Siempre Tuya…

Acapulco. The local version, A Love to Remember, is currently in production. The coproduction agreement between Azteca, Astro and Global Station will see other novelas being adapted for Malaysian audiences.

“Malaysia has been one of our major telenovela consumers,” says Martha Contreras, who heads up sales in Asia at Comarex. “They are very familiar with the content and the inspirational story lines in our telenovelas, which are totally suitable for this territory—audiences love the drama, the mystery, the romance and the deception that are legendary in these novelas. The adaptation for A Love to Remember has gone very smoothly, without the need to make many changes to the script. The fact that we are producing it with an experienced and well-known all3media’s format deals in China include licensing Are You Normal? to Tencent. production house helps a lot.”

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Shine’s MasterChef franchise has expanded across Asia, with versions that include Celebrity MasterChef on Jiangsu Broadcasting in China.

“While the new restrictions in theory don’t impact renewals, they are impacting the decision to renew versus fill the same slot with something new and shiny,” says Ashcroft. “On one hand we are seeing a much more riskaverse approach to commissions, but on the other the market has embraced progressive genres.”

ITVS GE’s Hong is also looking to Korea, with the company’s acquisition team eyeing potential scripted formats from the territory. Hong is also keen to expand ITVS GE’s format-sales business in Korea, noting, “Once a title gets picked up by Korea, it is easy to sell to other parts of Asia.” She is also aiming to drum up business on some of the ITVS GE catalogue format titles, among them Coach Trip, Brainiac and 60 Minute Makeover.

THE CHINESE PUZZLE China has also been one of all3media’s top territories in Asia, with deals spanning the game show, factual entertainment and constructed reality genres. “As all3media is composed of 18 production companies, we are able to offer a different type of collaboration in China,” Duguet says, “going from a straightforward format deal to a co-development deal. The various models have helped us since the new restrictions [were implemented] to grow our business in the region.”

Global Agency’s Türkşen notes that there was definitely confusion once the new limitations were announced by SARFT last year. “However, what I’ve noticed is that the broadcasters find a way to prioritize quality content. Lots of copycat content has been eliminated due to this process.”

China has also become a lucrative market for acquiring format ideas to take to the global market. ITVS GE is representing the talent search Sing My Song from Star China and Keshet has taken on Not a Star Yet from Zhejiang TV. “We have just begun representing Not a Star Yet, which reaches an amazing 200 million viewers, and it has been very well received by our buyers,” Wright notes. “We have several plans underway which will increase the number of Asian formats we distribute internationally in 2015.”

Indeed, a number of distributors are looking to add to their slates with Asian-originated ideas. “The time where only formats from the West were going to the rest of the world is long gone,” says all3media’s Duguet. “Good ideas and concepts can come from all around the world and export everywhere.”

“We would love to find a local partner with whom we have a two-way conversation,” says Electus’s Farrokh. “They adapt our formats from the U.S., [and we can look to] bring their formats to the U.S., like we have with Crazy Market from [Korea’s] CJ E&M.”

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EMERGING MARKETS Keshet’s Wright also points to Korea as a key emerging market, particularly for scripted-format deals following the agreement for Prisoners of War. She adds, “Southeast Asia is booming and we’re also selling for the first time to buyers in Japan and Korea.

Penetrating these markets, which are so famous for their content exports, has paid off for us, especially in terms of the quality of our adaptations. We want to build on our current progress in establishing our tent-pole brands in the region’s major territories, and confirm sales in new territories for Keshet, like Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.”

“We are focusing on countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and India,” says Comarex’s Contreras. “We would also of course like to to do more business in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.... Our goal is to develop new partnerships with broadcasters and production houses where we not only supply formats but also work together with them on their international distribution.”

Asked about his goals for Shine’s format business in Asia, Ashcroft quips, “Bigger, better and more!” He’s looking to do further renewals on flagship brands like MasterChef and Minute to Win It, adding, “We would like to see MasterChef produced in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan (the few territories left to produce the show in North and Southeast Asia).”

India is one of Electus’s priorities for 2015, Farrokh says, noting, “It’s an exciting market with a very smart creative community [and] a young and vibrant audience to service—but the deals need to make sense, too.”

With the format business expanding across Asia, Duguet expects to see broadcasters experimenting even more with new genres “in order to offer something fresh to the viewers.”

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GMA Worldwide’s The Secret of Annasandra.

ASIA’S GOT

DRAMA Asian distributors are seeing increased interest in their drama series across the region and around the world.

By Mansha Daswani he Korean wave has seemingly finally made its way to the U.S. media business. Two broadcast networks, CBS and ABC, are in development on their own versions of Korean drama series; cable network SundanceTV is on the lookout for a show from a Korean storyteller; and DramaFever, a U.S.-based streaming site specializing in Korean content, raised some $12 million in funding and was being eyed for purchase by Barry Diller’s IAC before it was snapped up by Japanese telco SoftBank.

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Asian audiences, however, have been enthralled by Korean serials for years, and the demand does not appear to be slowing. Indeed, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific sees so much potential in the genre that it is launching Oh!K—its first new general-entertainment channel in years—solely focused on Korean fare. The continued interest in Korean content comes as Asian drama in general is seeing improved fortunes, with some high-profile backers. HBO Asia recently premiered its second Asian scripted production, the horror miniseries Grace, and FOX

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CJ E&M has a diverse array of Korean drama on offer, including the period piece The Three Musketeers.

International Channels’ STAR Chinese Channel this year nabbed the global rights to the Chinese drama Tiger Mom. For distributors of Asian drama, interest from international players, digital platforms and the pan-regional behemoths is translating into a wave of new opportunities.

DRAMATIC FLAIR The Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ E&M, a prolific producer of drama series for its portfolio of pay-TV channels, has seen the strongest interest from platforms in Hong Kong and Thailand, according to Jang Ho Seo, head of international sales and acquisitions. China, meanwhile, with its wave of streaming platforms like Youku Tudou and Sohu seeking out niche content for their subscribers, has become an increasingly lucrative market. “Our titles are introduced to Chinese viewers immediately after broadcast in Korea,” Seo notes.

For Seo, CJ’s success outside of Korea stems from its positioning in the domestic market, where, as a pay-TV channel operator, it has been working hard to deliver titles that are different from what viewers would find on the big terrestrial broadcasters. “The audience appreciates our trendy, innovative and high-quality content,” Seo states. “Take our most recent title Misaeng as an example—it depicts the everyday lives of average office workers in the city. The planning phase itself took three years and it would not have been possible in any other place but at CJ E&M. Misaeng deviated from the usual romantic attributes of typical Korean drama and does not have top star casting.” Nevertheless, Seo says, the series has been very popular with viewers, topping viewership for the hit web comic on which the drama was based.

However, romance is still CJ’s top-selling scripted export, Seo notes. “The close chemistry and sweet exchanges between male and female characters exemplify the essence of Korean drama and appeal to a wide range of audiences.”

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CJ has a diverse slate on offer at ATF, including the historical drama The Three Musketeers and the telenovela Family Secrets, based on the Chilean series Missing.

“Propelled by the past success of CJ’s telenovela lineup, such as Ice Adonis, it is already seeing increased attention,” Seo says of Family Secrets.

In neighboring Japan, Nippon TV has found that contemporary dramas are resonating best with both local and international audiences. Shigeko Chino, senior director of international business development, notes that one of the best-selling Nippon TV dramas currently is Woman: My Life for My Children, about the struggles of a single mom.

Another top seller has been Hanasaki Mai Speaks Out, which Chino describes as “a story about female empowerment that [gives] the viewers an inside look at bank bureaucracy, fraud and scandal.”

Chino says that Taiwan and Hong Kong have traditionally been Nippon TV’s best markets for drama sales, but she has seen a pickup in interest from Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea over the past year. “We would like to be doing more business with our dramas in markets like France and Latin America,” Chino adds.

For ATF, Chino has high hopes for a new series from Kazuhiko Yukawa (who penned the 2011 hit I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper) about a seemingly perfect wife and popular TV anchor who is hiding a dark secret.

FAMILY AFFAIR Family dramas and romance have proven to be the best-selling genres for the Philippines’ two dominant content creators, ABS-CBN Corporation and GMA Network.

For ABS-CBN International Distribution, popular dramas recently have included Got to Believe, which featured local stars Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, “whose unique

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Best-sellers have included Carmela, My Paradise, The Borrowed Wife, Wealth and Passion and Rhodora X. “Our dramas highlight compelling story lines, center on original themes and feature our country’s most talented artists,” Barcelona notes. “We are backed by production teams that incessantly strive to improve the quality of our content. GMA’s assortment of titles portray ideas, characters and settings that reflect real life, which is why our diverse clientele is able to enjoy and identify with our shows.”

ATF will see GMA Worldwide focusing on The Secret of Annasandra, Memories of Love, Another Chance and the historical drama Ilustrado.

MADE IN SINGAPORE

One of ABS-CBN’s key Filipino drama launches for ATF is Forevermore.

and quirky characters viewers rooted for and identified with,” says Evelyn “Leng” Raymundo, VP of integrated program acquisitions and international distribution at ABS-CBN. Raymundo also mentions the success of The Legal Wife, about infidelity and betrayal, and Be Careful with My Heart. “Our traditional family dramas with strong romance arcs continue to do well,” Raymundo notes. “The biggest buyers of dramas from the Philippines are still Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. Other territories such as Myanmar and Brunei also have increased appreciation for our dramas.

Africa has steady demand for Filipino content for [broadcasters’] prime-time programming.”

Raymundo is targeting Indochina as a key area of expansion, as well as other Asian territories and the Middle East.

“We are able to hit a chord among our international buyers because always at the core of our dramas are beautiful love stories,” Raymundo notes. “We are able to use this universal theme as a vehicle for tackling social issues, like we did in The Legal Wife, or combine it with intense themes like revenge in Tomorrow Belongs to Me. The audience continues to be thrilled by how love defies the boundaries of class or social standing.”

At ATF, Raymundo will be introducing her clients to Tomorrow Belongs to Me; Pure Love, an adaptation of the Korean drama 49 Days; and the brand-new Forevermore.

At GMA Worldwide, the distribution-and-acquisitions arm of GMA Network, “dramas with romantic themes and family subject matters” have always done especially well, particularly in Southeast Asia, according to VP Roxanne Barcelona.

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Best known for its documentary and animation exports, Singapore is looking to become an increasingly prominent player in the Asian drama game. Local broadcasting behemoth MediaCorp is leading those efforts with its English- and Chinese-language output. “Singaporean drama has generated a lot of interest in Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam,” says Tang Yun Leung, VP of content distribution. “In addition, Malaysia is one of the biggest consumers of our content.”

Pointing to the success of shows like The Dream Makers, The Journey: A Voyage and C.L.I.F. 3, Tang says that “action and melodramas do well in these Southeast Asian markets. And, because their culture and consumption patterns are similar to those in Singapore, Malaysian viewers also enjoy family and investigative dramas.”

Tang has set his sights on China and Taiwan as key markets for expanding MediaCorp’s drama business, “although it is getting increasingly competitive.”

He is also keen to expand MediaCorp’s format-sales business. “We have been seeing increasing interest in our drama formats, mostly from developing countries such as Vietnam, where their local productions are picking up, but the industry is still lacking in scriptwriting talent.”

FOLLOW THE SCRIPT Drama distributors across Asia are starting to see an uptick in interest in scripted formats as broadcasters look to tailor stories to the needs of different local audiences.

“We have keen interest in expanding [our] format business,” says CJ’s Seo, particularly as local adaptations remove the language barrier that has made it difficult to crack many markets with Korean dramas. “In the past, the majority of meetings at international content markets such as MIPCOM were primarily about finished programs. At present, close to half of the meetings relate to formats.

American and European markets especially are showing increased interest in formats.”

Nippon TV’s Chino says she has seen particularly strong demand from Korean and Chinese broadcasters for Japanese drama formats. “In 2013, three of our drama series were remade in South Korea: I’m Mita, Your Housekeeper, The Pride of the Temp and Queen of the Classroom,” she says.

For ABS-CBN’s Raymundo, as the original versions of Asian dramas gain in popularity, so too will demand for the remake rights. “News travels fast among industry buyers. The success of our canned programs translates into the interest from format buyers in the rest of Asia, in parts of Latin America and with some U.S.-based independent producers.”

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Japan has long been a trendsetter in Asia, especially when it comes to new technology. Pioneering broadcasting innovation has been at the heart of pubcaster NHK’s mission since its inception, and it is continuing those efforts today with ultra-HD 8K trials as it gears up for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Innovation is one of a number of priorities for Katsuto Momii, NHK’s president. He tells TV AsiaPac about staying ahead of the digital curve, investing in high-quality content and highlighting Japan’s achievements to viewers across the globe.

TV ASIAPAC: As NHK nears the end of its 2012-to-2014 corporate strategy plan, what have been its greatest achievements in the last few years, and which areas have you identified as still needing improvement?

MOMII: NHK’s current corporate plan sets out the core mission, which is that NHK, as a trusted public broadcaster, will

NHK’S

KATSUTO MOMII continue to deliver distinctive programs and services, as well as strengthen our broadcasting capabilities, in order to build a prosperous and secure society and promote the development of culture in the new era.

NHK [saw a reduction in its license fees] by 7 percent since January 2012. We [have done] our best to overcome a number of financial difficulties, such as more households [being granted] 100-percent waivers for the receiving fees [paid by all homes with a TV set] on account of the economic downturn.

We were able to keep a surplus in fiscal year 2013 by making efforts through the organization as a whole to restrain expenditure and have more viewers pay their receiving fees.

As for our broadcasting service, the efforts to strengthen all NHK stations in times of disaster, in the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake of March 2011, have been the biggest achievement. NHK has produced numerous programs that have followed the people in the devastated parts of the Tohoku region, examined the earthquake and supported the reconstruction efforts.

Another major achievement has been the airing, to considerable public acclaim, of lengthy specials and dramas depicting various issues faced by Japanese society, including the prolonged economic downturn, a low birth rate, and a graying population. A special program—co-produced with Discovery Communications, NHK Enterprises, ZDF and ARTE—on the giant squid that inhabit the vast depths of the ocean also generated considerable acclaim in Japan and abroad. It was the first time ever that these creatures were captured on film in the wild.

TV ASIAPAC: How are you positioning your international broadcasting business?

MOMII: International broadcasting operations are very important. The global [profile] of Japan should expand when the

Japanese economic performance and our unique culture are taken into account. We hope many viewers and listeners around the globe will get to know more about Japan, and be interested in our country. So improving NHK’s ability to communicate internationally is an urgent issue. We are enhancing international broadcasts so that people around the world will be able to find out more about Japan and the rest of Asia.

NHK World TV commenced as a 24-hour English-language channel five years ago. Its goal is to be the world’s most trustworthy source of information about Japan and the rest of Asia. This channel airs NEWSLINE, a flagship news program, and many other programs about Japan’s economy, industry, science and technology, cooking, music, pop culture and so on. And there are also programs providing the latest [information] about Asia. Programming changes have been made in fiscal year 2014 to provide more program slots. New programs were created to respond to the diverse needs of audiences. NHK World TV and NHK World Radio Japan can be accessed around the globe on smartphones and electronic tablets by downloading a free app.

TV ASIAPAC: What are your overall goals for NHK in the next 12 to 18 months?

MOMII: We will aim to enhance our international broadcasts to respond to rapid and constant change in the media environment. Improvement and development of technology such as 8K will be an important issue too, along with thinking about the best way to accommodate convergence of broadcasting and communication.

“A future NHK that responds to the new era” is not just [the theme] for the new corporate plan. We are giving consideration to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and arrangements for public broadcasting in the future.

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By Mansha Daswani

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By Mansha Daswani

MDA’S

ANGELINE POH The Singaporean contingent was out in full force at MIPCOM, with 20plus companies representing a slate of some 530 hours of content. The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), which led the delegation, is not only helping Singaporean companies to expand globally; it’s also enticing international media firms to come to the island nation through a variety of initiatives. The Singapore Media Festival this December is among the activities intended to spotlight the country as one of Asia’s leading media capitals, Angeline Poh, assistant chief executive (industry) at the MDA, tells TV AsiaPac. TV ASIAPAC: Documentary has traditionally been one of Singapore’s strongest genres. Are you seeing gains in other areas?

POH: You’re right, Singapore has, over the last 15 to 20 years, really built itself up in terms of being the location in Asia that produces high-quality factual programming. National Geographic, A+E Networks and Discovery have all done shows with Singaporean production companies. They’ve built up relationships with independent producers in Singapore such that they work with them to help manage productions they do elsewhere in Asia. From that base, [which we have] in animation as well, we’ve actually seen a diversification of the skill sets of the independent producers in Singapore. We have companies like Refinery Media and activeTV that are in Singapore doing established formats like The Amazing Race and also coming up with original formats like Supermodelme. Now we’re seeing the new frontier being broached in terms of drama. HBO Asia was the first with Serangoon Road, a 10-part series.

Now they’re doing Grace, a horror miniseries. For Grace, HBO Asia decided to work with Infocus Asia, which is better known for factual. For Infocus Asia to get into drama was an eyeopener. The end product is a good mix of that East-West sensibility that Singapore brings to the table— understanding what the international broadcasters and programmers are looking for that’s consistent with their brand, and at the same time injecting a sense of Asianness into the content.

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TV ASIAPAC: What are you hearing from your delegates about the opportunities they’re seeing in the global market?

POH: If you look at the linear free-to-air or pay-TV [business], the opportunities would grow now that the market is heating up [as channels commission more content from Asia]. There is a lot more content out there, a lot more different kinds of formats that are starting to gain traction.

Also, everyone has their eye on what’s happening in the nonlinear, digital world—everything from streaming to ondemand to OTT and mobile. The primary platform for a program could still be a linear free-to-air play, but then you have a nonlinear element in terms of either a secondscreen application or just engagement via social media.

How do you use Twitter, Facebook…[to build] a fan base for your content, for your brand? Those are exciting new trends that we’re starting to see in the marketplace. In Asia, mobile is a big phenomenon. In some markets, people are more likely to have a cell phone than maybe a TV or a computer. What does that mean from a content perspective?

How do you get content to otherwise previously inaccessible segments of the audience? Those are interesting opportunities for content companies.

TV ASIAPAC: What are some of the highlights of the Singapore Media Festival (SMF) this year?

POH: SMF has four key events: Asia TV Forum, ScreenSingapore, the Asian Television Awards and, added this year, the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF).

This is [SGIFF’s] 25th year [after returning from] a two-year hiatus. We’re coming back with almost 100 film [screenings]. The opening movie is a Singaporean film from a firsttime feature director, Ken Kwek, [called Unlucky Plaza].

There’s going to be a spotlight on an Egyptian director [Ahmad Abdalla] and his film Decor. What’s really exciting for us is to see this combination of film and TV, and to bring together all the buyers and sellers with Asian filmmakers.

TV ASIAPAC: What are some of your other priorities for the MDA heading into 2015?

POH: We’ve always been very strong advocates of supporting our companies and content, to [help them] get into the international market and strike strategic relationships with like-minded partners. A lot of [international companies] do look at Singapore as a partner for producing content for Asia, but also increasingly for content that can travel. This year we had the privilege of hosting two very high-end Hollywood shoots, for Hitman: Agent 47 and Equals. That’s bringing yet another dimension of international partnerships to the mix as we strike new relationships with the film majors. I don’t think Singapore is just a filming location, just a pretty backdrop for a film that needs an Asian setting. [We’re] really looking at opportunities to work with studios with interesting scripts where being in Singapore, being in Asia, is integral to the story.

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