TV AsiaPac October 2014

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TVASIAPAC

WWW.TVASIAPAC.WS

OCTOBER 2014

MIPCOM & CASBAA EDITION

Pay-TV Programming / NHK’s Katsuto Momii / GMA’s Felipe Gozon NBCUniversal’s Christine Fellowes / Rewind’s Avi Himatsinghani

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CONTENTS FEATURE

First and Exclusive

16 PAY DAY

In Asia’s ever-more-crowded pay-TV landscape, channels are on the hunt for new ways to innovate on screen.

The most intense competition in Asian pay TV is not really in securing carriage real estate anymore.

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

Granted, there are plenty of newer channel brands still making their way to platforms across the region, but for Asia’s well-established general-entertainment players, the fiercest battle is taking place on screen.

For those playing in the imported entertainment sandbox—and there are many, including AXN, FOX, STAR World, DIVA and RTL CBS Asia—the buzz words are “first and exclusive.” Well distributed across Asia, these channels are battling for audiences (and ad dollars) by promising exclusive access to the best dramas, comedies and entertainment series from the U.S., often within 24 hours to 48 hours of the original American broadcast.

This fierce competition validates the concept—which drove the first wave of entries to Asia’s emerging pay-TV landscape in the ’90s—that audiences, in need of an alternative to local fare on terrestrial TV, would want to see the best content the international market had to offer. That idea is also motivating the new crop of over-the-top (OTT) platforms in Asia, a development that could cause some headaches down the road for those linear brands specializing in English-language general entertainment.

“Packagers of overseas content will be challenged and this space will consolidate among leading brands and wellcurated channels,” Media Partners Asia said in a recent report. “The growth of nonlinear on-demand services will mean that packaged linear content, especially English general entertainment, will remain under pressure.”

Until the Asian on-demand market reaches a critical mass, Asia’s major entertainment channel brands are relying on their strong relationships with the Hollywood studios—in some cases, their parent companies—to keep providing a steady stream of imported hits to pay-TV subscribers. Many are also making bets on original programming and regional Asian content as part of their on-screen strategies, as I found out in my annual preCASBAA roundup in this edition.

Free TV, however, still reigns supreme, and in this edition we speak with the heads of two of the region’s biggest terrestrial broadcasters. Katsuto Momii tells TV AsiaPac about his plans for Japanese public broadcaster NHK. And we hear from Felipe L. Gozon about the latest developments at the Philippines’ GMA Network.

—Mansha Daswani

16 INTERVIEWS

26

NHK’s Katsuto Momii

30

GMA Network’s Felipe Gozon

32

NBCUniversal’s Christine Fellowes

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Rewind Networks’ Avi Himatsinghani

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ABS-CBN International Distribution The Legal Wife / No Greater Love / Tomorrow Belongs to Me The drama highlights from ABS-CBN International Distribution each contain themes of love. “Love and its pursuit are universally appealing, transcending the boundaries of culture,” says Evelyn Raymundo, the company’s VP of integrated program acquisitions and international distribution. “In this season’s highlighted programs, we try to show how far one would go for the sake of love, and this is something anybody can relate to.” Titles include The Legal Wife, which spotlights the issue of marital infidelity.

No Greater Love tells the story of the romance between a sugarplantation worker and the daughter of his landlord that took place in the late 1960s, but only comes to fruition with their children in present time. Tomorrow Belongs to Me features a woman who is driven to exact revenge on the man she loves.

“We remain strong in terms of scripted dramas and we intend to preserve and promote this stronghold within and outside of Asia.”

No Greater Love

—Evelyn Raymundo

Asia TV Forum & Market December 9-12, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Attendance for last year’s Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) was up 10 percent, with a record number of 16 delegations. “A total of 4,385 executives from 60 countries attended ATF last year,” says Hui Leng Yeow, the senior project director at ATF organizer Reed Exhibitions. “There was a significant increase in buyers from South Korea, Hong Kong and China, along with first-time buyer participation from Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon and Myanmar.” She adds, “We are tracking well ahead of last year in terms of numbers [for 2014]. We are confident that we will deliver a bigger and busier market this year.” The event will again be co-located with the film-focused ScreenSingapore.

Also returning as highlights of ATF are the MIPAcademy conference sessions and the ATF Animation Lab.

“You can definitely expect more big brands participating in ATF this year and a better variety of content from Asian countries such as Japan.”

Marina Bay Sands

—Hui Leng Yeow

Astro Productions Sdn. Bhd. HD OB vans / Portable OB units As Malaysia’s leading production-services provider, Astro Productions Sdn. Bhd. (APSB) facilitates all of Astro’s major productions, including entertainment, sports and reality programs. It has a slew of state-of-the-art HD Outside Broadcast (OB) units working throughout Asia. “APSB’s fleet of HD OB vans and portable OB units are capable of providing live telecasts with up to 20 cameras and are designed for sports events and all types of major entertainment projects,” says Chris McMillan, the head of APSB. “APSB’s studios are also equipped with the latest HD television production facilities. We use the world’s highest standard HD cameras, servers, lenses and communications systems that are standardized across our OB and studio productions to allow interchangeability and maximum utilization.”

“Anyone looking for a fully equipped and highly professional production-services company to facilitate their next production at outstanding rates should contact APSB.” OB units

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—Chris McMillan

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CJ E&M Corporation The Three Musketeers / The Secret Hotel / 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards Marking CJ E&M Corporation’s first costume drama in five years is The Three Musketeers, which the company is hoping will lure buyers from the Asia Pacific. “We’re excited to have already received overwhelming interest in this drama from all around the region,” says Alex Oe, CJ E&M’s director of acquisitions and sales. “Costume drama has a stable fan base in East Asia and Southeast Asia, and I think The Three Musketeers will appeal to an even wider audience because we take Alexandre Dumas’s famous novel and incorporate real historical events from 1600s Korea.” The company is also offering up The Secret Hotel, a romantic comedic drama that Oe says adds “a layer of murder mystery” in a “cute, quirky way,” and the 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards.

“Asia continues to be the most vibrant market for us, and we are especially excited to witness exponential growth in OTT sales.”

The Secret Hotel

—Alex Oe

FOX International Channels FOX Sports Asia

/ SCM

Since FOX International Channels (FIC) launched the FOX Sports network in Asia in 2013, it has implemented a number of initiatives to upgrade its sports channels and offer fans the best possible viewing experience. These efforts culminated in a massive rebrand in August this year, which saw the FOX Sports network in Asia relaunched as a trio of channels—FOX Sports, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports 3—each catering to different types of sports fans. Chinese entertainment continues to be a key component in FIC’s portfolio. Last year, SCM, FIC’s Chinese movie channel, launched the Go Local! initiative with Emperor Motion Pictures. The program is aimed at investing in Hong Kong films and productions as a way to nurture up-and-coming talent and the Hong Kong film industry as a whole.

Formula 1 on FOX Sports

FremantleMedia International The Returned / Threads / Jamie’s Comfort Food A small mountain town in Washington is the setting for The Returned, a drama series that FremantleMedia International (FMI) is looking to secure sales for in the Asia Pacific. “Because the original French version of The Returned has been such a global hit, people have been eagerly anticipating the U.S. version,” says Paul Ridley, the company’s senior executive VP of sales and distribution for the region. “We’re looking forward to presenting this supernatural thriller to our clients.” FMI is also showcasing Threads, a fashion competition from the producers of Project Runway, and Jamie’s Comfort Food, a cooking program led by famed chef Jamie Oliver. “Jamie Oliver is a globally recognized culinary superstar and his titles have traditionally performed well for us across the Asia Pacific,” says Ridley.

“With Jamie Oliver’s titles, buyers are assured of highquality [content] and often build their schedules around his new offerings.”

Jamie’s Comfort Food

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—Paul Ridley

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HBO Asia HBO GO / The Knick / Grace There have been several new initiatives this year from HBO Asia, including expanding the distribution of its online streaming service, HBO GO, in the Philippines. The company also shortened the window for scripted HBO and Cinemax originals to air less than one day after U.S. premieres. This started with the brand-new Cinemax original series The Knick, starring Clive Owen and directed by Steven Soderbergh. “We aim to narrow the window between our Asian and U.S. premieres even further to beat piracy, and work closely with our partners to continually add value for our subscribers,” says Magdalene Ew, the head of marketing, creative and content at HBO Asia. Another development this year was the production of the new four-part original horror miniseries Grace, which debuts October 17.

“We will continue to grow the distribution of HBO GO and pursue opportunities to produce and co-produce more HBO Asia original programs in the coming year.”

The Knick

—Magdalene Ew

Media Development Authority of Singapore Grace / Oddbods / Abbie Rose & the Magic Suitcase The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) will be leading a delegation of 23 companies to MIPCOM under the Singapore Pavilion. “Given our deep understanding of East-West sensibilities, Singapore media companies are well known for effectively infusing Asian flavor and perspectives into stories that will appeal to an international audience,” says Angeline Poh, the assistant CEO of industry at the MDA. Highlights at the Singapore Pavilion include Grace, a fourpart horror miniseries from HBO Asia and Infocus Asia. In the way of animated content, there’s One Animation’s original 3D series Oddbods, as well as Abbie Rose & the Magic Suitcase, which is based on the best-selling children’s book series by Singapore-based author Neil Humphreys.

“Buyers looking to acquire quality content from Asia will find a diverse range of content from Singapore that tells compelling stories and is also of world-class production quality.”

Grace

—Angeline Poh

Rewind Networks HITS Rewind Networks launched the HITS channel in Singapore at the end of 2013. Since then, the company has been hard at work in its efforts to bring the network to pay-TV operators all across Southeast Asia. “We have 13 territories that we’ve bought rights for in Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan,” says Avi Himatsinghani, the CEO of Rewind Networks.

“Our [aim] is to get onto every platform in all of these markets.”

Alongside the linear HITS channel, Rewind Networks offers catch-up on-demand and authenticated TV Everywhere services. HITS programs a mix of classic family entertainment, comedies and dramas, among them Seinfeld, The Cosby Show and Cheers. Also part of the HITS programming offer are M*A*S*H, The X-Files, Criminal Minds and Mad About You.

“I believe HITS [fills] a latent need for a great destination where people can watch their favorite shows of all time or see shows they’ve heard of but never seen.”

Criminal Minds on HITS

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—Avi Himatsinghani

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RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network RTL CBS Entertainment HD / RTL CBS Extreme HD RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network operates the channels RTL CBS Entertainment HD and RTL CBS Extreme HD in key markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. “We continue to receive enthusiastic feedback from operators in the region that have taken our channels and also from the operators we are in discussions with for future territories that want to take on our channels,” says Jonas Engwall, the company’s CEO. RTL CBS Entertainment HD is a general-entertainment channel with a mix of reality, drama, comedy and daily programs suitable for family viewing. Its schedule includes the U.S. series Scorpion. RTL CBS Extreme HD is a general-entertainment channel targeted at men, airing a range of action series, extreme sports and reality programs.

“We’re looking to create a strong, trusted name in entertainment with our programming and marketing efforts.”

Scorpion on RTL CBS Entertainment HD

—Jonas Engwall

Scripps Networks Asia Pacific Asian Food Channel / Food Network / Travel Channel Scripps Networks Asia Pacific currently operates three lifestyle brands: Asian Food Channel (AFC), Food Network and Travel Channel, which broadcast on more than 38 platforms in 19 countries. Beginning in December, Scripps Networks will add a fourth lifestyle brand to its portfolio in Asia: HGTV. The channel will make its debut in Singapore on StarHub and will be the first regional channel dedicated to the home and lifestyle category in Asia. “Scripps Networks is looking to create more localized content through commissioning, coproductions with affiliate partners and partnerships with key clients,” notes Derek Chang, the managing director of Scripps Networks Asia Pacific. The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines is an original for AFC.

“Scripps Networks Asia Pacific plans to continue efforts to acquire programs and produce original content with interesting story lines and engaging characters and personalities.”

The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines on AFC

—Derek Chang

Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia AXN / ONE / Sony Channel Part of the Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks, Asia, bouquet, AXN delivers first-run, exclusive drama series, blockbuster features, adventure and competition/reality programs from around the world as well as made-in-Asia originals. “Day-anddate scheduling continues to be important for AXN,” says Hui Keng Ang, the company’s senior VP and general manager. The channel has debuted such shows as The Blacklist season two and season seven of The Voice within the same day as the U.S. broadcasts. ONE showcases the latest South Korean dramas, with select titles premiering close to their debut broadcasts on an exclusive and first-run basis. Sony Channel is home to Hollywood entertainment, featuring movies, dramas, comedies and reality programming, all airing close to the U.S. broadcasts.

“Introducing a steady stream of fresh and relevant content for our viewers remains a key priority for SPT Networks, Asia.”

The Blacklist on AXN

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—Hui Keng Ang

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TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific Movies / Drama / Sports Following the launch of the communication satellite Asiasat 2 on November 28, 1995, and its startup several months later, TV5MONDE arrived in Asia in early 1996. The channel officially launched in Taiwan on June 30 of the same year.

Now, TV5MONDE reaches 45 million homes in the region. To further increase the penetration in this market, TV5MONDE has launched an aggressive subtitling policy for its programs.

The channel is now available with English, French and Vietnamese subtitles in Asia, and English, French, Japanese and Korean subtitles for the Pacific countries. The channel intends to add Bahasa Indonesia and Mandarin as new subtitling languages in the near future, according to Alexandre Muller, the managing director of TV5MONDE Asia-Pacific.

“Most of the content offered on TV5MONDE is exclusive and unique to the region.”

Les plus beaux gâteaux du monde on TV5MONDE

—Alexandre Muller

Universal Networks International Syfy / DIVA / Universal Channel Universal Networks International has been refreshing the programming offered across its bouquet of channels in the Asia Pacific. Syfy recently added to its lineup The Paranormal Zone, a reality-based documentary series that provides insight into unexplained phenomena lurking within Asia. DIVA now features a branded Telemundo block, which is home to two hours of telenovelas, including Cruel Love and Aurora. Universal Channel boasts signature series such as Chicago Fire, Grimm and Tricked. The drama The Librarians is set to air on the network within 24 hours of its U.S. debut in December. E! is home to celebrity news and entertainment programs, including the Kardashians franchise and #RichKids of Beverly Hills, as well as the locally produced It Takes GUTZ to be a Gutierrez.

Chicago Fire on Universal Channel

Viacom International Media Networks Asia Nickelodeon / Nick Jr. Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia has a roster of fresh highlights coming to Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. This includes new shows on Nickelodeon such as Breadwinners, as well as fresh premieres for SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Viewers can catch shows such as Dora and Friends: Into the City! and new premieres of Bubble Guppies on Nick Jr. VIMN Asia is also looking for Asian originals to complement this programming. “We maintain local programming franchises like Hapon Hangout, where we feature local kids and local jingles on air, and hold local activities such as the Takotown event, where we celebrate Halloween in the local context to connect with our audience in the Philippines,” says Elaine Tan, the VP for the Nickelodeon brand at VIMN Asia.

“We have a strong programming lineup for both Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels for the year.”

Dora and Friends: Into the City! on Nick Jr.

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—Elaine Tan

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DIVA’s Supermodelme.

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PAY DAY In Asia’s ever-more-crowded pay-TV landscape, channels are on the hunt for new ways to innovate on screen.

By Mansha Daswani

our years ago, pay TV in Asia finally crossed the 50-percent penetration rate. It was heralded as a new milestone for the business, a sign that Asian consumers were finally willing, in significant numbers, to pay a premium for entertainment they wouldn’t be able to find on the terrestrial dial. Today, the subscriber numbers are still massive—about 514 million pay-TV customers across the region, according to a Dataxis intelligence report from earlier this year—but growth of the overall pie is no longer on the rapid trajectory seen in the past.

“The general trend is one of deceleration,” observed Vivek Couto, executive director of Media Partners Asia, in the recent Asia Pacific Pay-TV & Broadband Markets 2014 report, which projects a 60-percent pay-TV penetration rate for the region in 2018. “Channels that do not have compelling consumer propositions across linear and nonlinear conversations will not have a long-term future on the payTV dial in any of the key markets,” Couto stated. “Television Darwinism will be coming to Asia Pac in force.”

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST So what does a pay-TV channel have to do to survive intense competition, slower industry growth and a small (albeit fairly healthy) ad market? First and foremost, get the programming mix right. And on that front, there are no easy answers as pan-regional channels figure out how much to take from the big U.S. content houses backing them, how much to spend on the top-flight American imports that everyone wants, and how much to localize.

“Do we need to make a Korean or Chinese or Filipino version of 24 or NCIS?” is a question that Joon Lee, executive VP of content and communications at FOX International Channels (FIC) Asia Pacific and Middle East and managing director for Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, says he and his team debate regularly. “It’s still something we need to think about more. It’s not just a business conversation—as in, can we make enough money doing it?—but rather it’s about, Does FOX need to do this? Do we need to go into local production? We are the home of U.S. dramas and U.S. entertainment shows.”

The flagship FOX brand in Asia has indeed defined itself as the home of the best of the U.S.—as have a number of other general-entertainment channels.

AXN was the first pay-TV network in Asia to bet big on American drama imports. Today, its schedule includes CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Blacklist. Hui Keng Ang, senior VP and general manager at Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, concedes that the battle to secure hot U.S. shows is certainly tougher today than it was in AXN’s early days, but the company has its longstanding relationships with the Hollywood studios working in its favor.

“We see an explosion of new channels coming to the market,” Ang says. “We continue to be the leader because of our brand and the marketing efforts we put behind promoting our content. Many distributors continue to want to work with us.

We’ve become their first stop because when they know that they have limited product coming out of their networks in the U.S., they want to ensure they have the best partner in the region to promote their shows. Everybody can pay the same price, but who can make that show the most popular?”

Ang says AXN and its female-skewing sister network Sony Channel also benefit from being part of Sony Pictures Television. “We have priority access as long as we pay the market rate,” Ang says. “Last year, everybody wanted The Blacklist. We got it. It doesn’t mean we got it for cheap, but we did get it.”

Christine Fellowes, the managing director for the Asia Pacific at Universal Networks International (UNI), also points to being affiliated with NBCUniversal’s contentdistribution arm as a key benefit. “We are in the tremendous position of being part of one of the largest content producers in the world. We have access to great dramas and great theatrical product and great branded product. Those relationships are very important—they are, quite honestly, the foundation of our business.”

FAMILY RICHES As an example of how UNI is tapping into the resources of its parent company, Fellowes cites the recently launched DIVA Presents Telemundo weekday block of telenovelas. “We know that in many, many markets in Asia, women love telenovelas,” Fellowes says. “Working with Telemundo [also owned by NBCUniversal] is a way for us to bring our audience contemporary, fresh, new novelas.”

RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network is drawing heavily from the two content powerhouses that own it—RTL Group and CBS Studios International—as it builds two channels in Asia, RTL CBS Entertainment and RTL CBS Extreme.

“Having two of the world’s strongest content producers as shareholders obviously makes our lives much easier, and we naturally find a lot of content from them,” says Jonas Engwall, the CEO of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network, which has only been in operation in the region for the last year. The company is, however, also acquiring content from outside sources.

“We’re committed to delivering new and unique entertainment options to our audiences,” says Jennifer Batty, executive VP of programming at RTL CBS. “We became the first channel in the region to bring in content from Netflix. We launched House of Cards in late May.” Also new to the channel this year is The X Factor UK from RTL-owned FremantleMedia. The acquisition of The X Factor UK reflects the broader “first and exclusive” mandate among Asia’s biggest general-entertainment channels.

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FIC’s STAR Chinese Channel produces thousands of hours of local content a year in Taiwan, including the variety series Lady Commander Plus.

RTL CBS is airing the show live from the U.K., with a repeat broadcast in prime time.

“We live in a connected world,” Engwall says. “News travels faster than ever, and entertainment options abound. It is with this understanding that we bring the latest and best programs to viewers with our channel so that they do not have to maneuver through the dizzying maze of illegal options to find content. We have numerous programs that air within 24 to 48 hours after the original broadcast from the U.S. or the U.K. We have people working in the U.S., Europe and in Asia to make sure that content can be delivered ASAP to our viewers.”

WATCHING WINDOWS Shorter windows have indeed become commonplace among the region’s biggest pay-TV brands. FOX International Channels has been pioneering this approach across its portfolio, from Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey on National Geographic Channel to Sleepy Hollow on FOX to MasterChef Junior on STAR World.

All will air within days, or hours, of the American premiere.

HBO Asia has also made it a priority to shorten the time subscribers have to wait to access buzz-generating shows like Game of Thrones. CEO Jonathan Spink admits it has been a challenging process. “We do have to censor, we do have to subtitle, we do dub. Our programming team has worked particularly hard to get over some of these issues. In the past, sometimes we might not get a show till the day or two days before [we wanted to air it], so it would be difficult to get these things in motion. Now, we’re more in alignment with the U.S.— we’re wholly owned by HBO in the U.S., so I think we’ll be working closer in some areas. It’s a natural progression. The issue of piracy has speeded it up, and the fact that people do want to see things very quickly after the U.S.” This “express programming” approach has been a major priority at UNI, Fellowes says. E!, for example, simulcasts Keeping Up with the Kardashians in Australia, while viewers in the rest of the region see it within 48 hours of the American debut.

The intense battle for the best new shows out of the U.S. has created a whole new set of opportunities for channel operators. Singapore-based Rewind Networks, for example, has also based its business model on the idea that consumers want to

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see top-quality American fare—but it is offering them enduring classics instead of new series.

“In Asia over the last four or five years, we saw a lot of general-entertainment brands coming in, all doing the same thing: focusing on first-run content, mostly from the U.S. studios,” says Rewind Networks’ CEO, Avi Himatsinghani. “We couldn’t play that game. Pay TV is growing aggressively in the developing markets. International entertainment is not really a mainstay for these local audiences. So we had to think about what would work. I had seen that great shows, even when repeated on the mainstay networks, rated well.”

That’s where HITS, a channel devoted to classic series, was born. “I believe HITS [fills] a latent need for a great destination where people can watch their favorite shows of all time, or see shows they’ve heard of but never seen.”

On HITS, which has secured carriage in Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia, series like The Cosby Show, Seinfeld and The Golden Girls are striking a chord with audiences.

“Addressing different demographics through decades of great television is our strategy,” says Himatsinghani.

GLOBAL SCALE For the more established players that have sister channels in other regions, global co-productions have become an effective strategy for getting access to prominent imports—without having to engage in a regional bidding war.

FIC is the biggest proponent of this approach, with a portfolio that includes The Walking Dead, The Bridge and the upcoming Wayward Pines. All are exclusive to FIC in the first window across the globe. AXN has also started participating in global co-pros, first with Entertainment One’s The Firm and now with Hannibal, from Gaumont International Television, and Crossing Lines, from Tandem. Ang refers to these global events as a “key pillar” in AXN’s overall programming remit.

UNI has similarly begun embarking on joint initiatives with its sister channels in Europe and Latin America, with the TNT series The Librarians set for a global debut this year.

There are other ways that channels are working with sister outlets internationally. Cartoon Network Asia, for example, collaborates with its counterparts across the globe through an international shorts program. “This kind of initiative helps our

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HBO Asia this year premiered its second regional production, the horror series Grace.

content stay fresh and relevant to all our viewers wherever they are,” says Mark Eyers, chief content officer for kids at Turner International Asia Pacific. “The program links us with the very best animation talent, wherever they are.”

Food Network, meanwhile, has created a localized version of The Best Thing I Ever Ate, which was originated by its American counterpart. “The Asian edition features local talent from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand,” says Cheah Chee Kong (CheeK), the head of creative, content and marketing for the Asia Pacific at Scripps Networks International (SNI).

“There are also plans to create an Asian version of the Food Network competition series Chopped.”

side its acquired movies. “We have a project called ‘Go Local!’ where we set aside a fund in each of those three countries to sponsor young, talented [filmmakers] to make locally relevant independent films,” FIC’s Lee says. It is also co-producing films with major Chinese studios, and has commissioned its first miniseries. Sister network STAR Chinese Channel (SCC) used to make some 2,000 hours of variety and talk shows a year. It will continue doing those kinds of shows, “but we will probably do less in quantity, more in quality,” Lee says. “And we have to get into original Mandarin-language scripted dramas.” As part of that effort, SCC recently scored the global rights outside of China to the book-based drama Tiger Mom.

LET’S GET LOCAL Localization is a mandate for most of Asia’s top channel brands across the genre spectrum. Beyond the requisite subtitling, dubbing and interstitials, channels are increasingly developing long-form content within the region.

HBO Asia is now on its second regional commission, Grace.

The Singapore-set horror miniseries features an American lead in Russell Wong, an Australian director (Tony Tilse) and a cast of actors from across the Asia Pacific. It comes a year after HBO Asia premiered Serangoon Road, a Singapore-Australian coproduction set in the 1960s. Spink said he and his team were certainly mindful of “the heritage of HBO’s productions,” when devising an original programming strategy for Asia. Serangoon Road, he notes, ticked a lot of boxes. “It was a good story, we had good partners, and it was a very Asia-focused series from an interesting time in history.” The effort paid off—the show was HBO’s highest-rated title in Singapore and Malaysia in 2013.

Going forward, the aim is to do one Asian original per year, possibly two. “It’s really about what can be produced for the kind of money you have available,” Spink says.

“We’re talking to several companies around Asia about coproductions and other opportunities.”

SCM, meanwhile, has been investing heavily in original feature films from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore to sit along-

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GAME DAY FIC’s biggest localization effort this year, though, is in sports.

Lee is leading the charge to shore up the rights to regional and local-market sporting events for the FOX Sports portfolio.

These will complement global acquisitions like Bundesliga.

“We now have four sports hubs,” Lee says, in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines, with more to come for Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. “When we just had one feed that covered every country in Asia, we didn’t have the luxury of selecting customized content for each market. Now [that] we have local feeds, we can afford to go for that content that is relevant to the local market. We recently acquired Badminton World Federation events in Indonesia. Badminton may not be a relevant sport for other parts of Asia, but it’s huge in Indonesia.

In Taiwan we acquired the rights to some Chinese Professional Baseball League games. In the Philippines we’ll go after local basketball. We’ll provide local commentary, local sports experts, to maximize the relevancy factor of our products.”

On the entertainment front, meanwhile, FIC has been doing the occasional original series at STAR World, which has historically been an imported-content channel. Regional fare on the female-skewing network includes the competition series Asia’s Next Top Model and The Apartment.

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RTL CBS Entertainment is airing The X Factor live from the U.K. across Asia.

AXN, too, has been finding room on its grid for the occasional Asian original. Following the success of The Amazing Race Asia, AXN made its own version of The Apprentice and now is gearing up for Asia’s Got Talent, set to air in early 2015.

UNI’s DIVA, meanwhile, has a regional version of the Supermodelme format.

GET REAL The fact that general-entertainment channels largely built on U.S. dramas and comedies are making unscripted originals in Asia speaks to the many localization opportunities presented by the lifestyle and reality genres. Indeed, the region’s factual channels, including Discovery, National Geographic and HISTORY, have been commissioning original series in Asia for years.

“We have been working on local productions in this region since our second year in operation—we launched in 2007,” says Michele Schofield, the senior VP of programming and marketing at A+E Networks Asia.

HISTORY began its original programming strategy with specials in Asia, but that has since evolved to include more series, Schofield says. “We have produced country-specific stories for our key markets—one-offs like 10 Things You Don’t Know About Malaysia or series like Ride N’ Seek: Borneo—and we have made bigger commissions on panregional series.” These include Hidden Cities, Hidden Cities Extreme and Special Forces, where individual episodes focus on specific Asian markets.

Referencing the character-driven reality series that have been huge for HISTORY in the U.S. and successfully exported to the Asian feed, Schofield notes, “We would love to have made Pawn Stars Asia or an Asian Pickers, but the challenge is casting fluent English-speaking characters who have easily understood accents and who make

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great characters on TV and who do something authentic in their lives that lends itself to the HISTORY brand. The English-speaking qualification already narrows the pool of potential cast significantly.

We’re still hopeful that we will find some great characters from within Asia, but until then, we’re focused on the stories and places of Asia that have the widest appeal and offer potential attractiveness to advertisers.”

Discovery Channel and TLC have also been investing heavily in local stories to tell across Asia.

“Localization has led to our channels being increasingly relevant and appealing to audiences, particularly among affluent viewers,” says Kevin Dickie, senior VP of the content group at Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific.

“We have been involved in local and original productions since we were first established in Asia 20 years ago.”

In 2000, to boost its access to local talent, Discovery launched the First Time Filmmakers (FTFM) initiative. “It’s designed to help develop the documentary storytelling skills of local filmmakers while providing them an international platform for their talent,” Dickie explains.

A TASTE OF ASIA Between Food Network and Asian Food Channel (AFC), SNI is a significant commissioner of local content across the region.

The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines has been among AFC’s successes, with a second season in the works, alongside How to Make It, which focused on Malaysian restaurateur Awal Ashaari.

“For AFC, we aim to create a balanced mix of Asian content with a touch of global flavor,” says SNI’s CheeK. “In the next year, we are also looking at creating more localized content through commissioning, co-productions with affiliate partners and partnerships with key clients.”

In its efforts to find new talent, SNI this year launched Food Hero, an initiative aimed at securing local hosts for AFC and Food Network. Plus, CheeK says, “We are working with various production companies in our key markets, building capabilities and introducing them to the AFC and Food Network program style.”

E! is also recruiting some local faces to complement its slate of U.S. programming. “I don’t see E! ever becoming a Chinese entertainment channel or a Thai entertainment channel, but it does need to dive into what matters in pop culture in local markets,” Fellowes says.

That is particularly important when spinning off local feeds, as UNI did with E! in the Philippines. The move prompted the launch of the local reality series It Takes GUTZ to be a Gutierrez, focused on a famous Filipino family. It did so well, a second season was ordered for launch

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AXN partnered with FremantleMedia on a regional version of The Apprentice (above), and is now working with the company on Asia’s Got Talent for 2015.

this October. E! is also making episodes of E! True Hollywood Story about Asian celebrities.

The prospect of cultivating loyalty and brand recognition among viewers with culturally relevant content is not the only driver behind the trend towards more local productions.

Advertisers love them too. “There is only so much you can do to promote your advertisers’ brands with acquired shows,” Sony’s Ang says. “Local productions really allow you to integrate [the marketer’s] ideas in a seamless and natural manner.”

Adds A+E’s Schofield: “Branded content and advertiser integration is a key part of the ad-sales business for pan-regional pay-TV channels in Asia.”

MAKING CONNECTIONS “The exciting thing when you start to do the localization is you’ve got lots of new ways to bring brands into a production,” agrees UNI’s Fellowes. “When you have a Supermodelme, you can tie [a sponsor] in to a glamorous, fashion-forward event, and there’s a product-placement opportunity and a bigger onair opportunity. Those broader touch points and experiential campaigns have become important to marketers.”

Local productions can also be hugely valuable for newer brands in the region. A+E has already unveiled its first original for Lifetime Asia, called Mom’s Time Out, in which stressedout moms from the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore are sent off to a luxury resort—without hubby and kids.

“I’ve been very pleased watching this program during postproduction because it’s really satisfying to see everyday people from Asia make for good TV viewing!” Schofield says. “We worry about whether Asians will be too shy or too worried about ‘losing face’ on camera, but we’ve caught some funny and heartwarming moments, and I think our audience should like seeing such a relatable show. We’re bullish on our plans to grow our original production output on Lifetime in 2015, so we are starting that internal development process now.”

RTL CBS, which has made quick progress in the last year, landing on platforms in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the

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Philippines and Indonesia, is also eyeing opportunities in Asian content. “We are the new kids on the block in a very competitive market,” Engwall says. “We need to continue to offer two very strong channels to our affiliates.”

“Our existing content is extremely strong, but local productions add an Asian flavor to the mix, and it is certainly an area we are looking at,” Batty adds.

Given the popularity of Chinese and Korean dramas in many territories, the landscape of channels focused exclusively on Asian content is also seen as a growth area. Sony has found platforms to be highly receptive to its Korean entertainment channel ONE, and it is rolling out the Chineselanguage channel GEM. Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE) is betting on both Asian and international content on its services KIX, Thrill and Celestial Movies. Todd Miller, the CEO of CTE, refers to the offering as “the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment. We have output deals with the top Hong Kong movie studios as well as the top Asian content distributors,” relationships that are central to the group’s plans to begin commissioning original programming. “We are currently in development mode and look to go into production with our first original production next year,” Miller says.

The value of local content on pay-TV channels is expected to rise as OTT providers begin to take a bigger and bigger share of American imports. “OTT poses a significant threat and yet a great opportunity,” says Sony’s Ang. “The Asian content in our portfolio will put us in a better position. We are [also] working with various affiliates to ensure that we extend the existing rights beyond the linear window.”

Finding that right mix of local and international, linear and OTT, is crucial given the size of the potential revenue pie. Media Partners Asia projects that Asian pay-TV channels will rake in $23.5 billion in revenues by 2023, up from $18.7 billion last year.

Says the MPA’s Couto: “Evolving strategies and improved execution are important if the pay-TV industry wants to build a business that thrives in the long term.”

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and programs so that NHK WORLD may fulfill its role of informing the world about Japan and the rest of Asia.

We are also aiming to launch our cutting-edge technology of full-scale 8K Super Hi-Vision broadcasts in time for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020. We are confident that we will be able to take a significant lead in broadcasting technology.

NHK’S

TV ASIAPAC: The nature of public broadcasting is in question around the world. What do you see as NHK’s role as Japan’s public broadcasting group?

MOMII: Broadcasting in Japan consists of the public broadcaster NHK—which relies on receiving fees for its funding—and the commercial broadcasters, which mostly rely on advertising for their revenue. NHK and the commercial broadcasters should continue to have a positive effect on each other in the existing dual structure. At NHK we will continue to contribute to the development of broadcasting culture and play a leading role in international broadcasting and in the area of technical development.

NHK is not swayed by any special interests or viewer ratings because it is a public broadcaster whose funding comes from the receiving fees that are paid directly by a wide range of viewers. Its role is to provide accurate information that is fundamental to community life, and to provide diverse programming that will enrich culture. They are provided without favoritism or discrimination, irrespective of time, place or person. I believe that NHK must

KATSUTO MOMII

By Mansha Daswani

It’s not easy running a public broadcaster today. Revenues, often heavily dependent on viewer license fees, are under pressure, and the competitive environment has intensified as new players have emerged on the scene. Japan’s NHK takes its role as the country’s public broadcaster very seriously, particularly when it comes to informing audiences during a time of national crisis—as it did amid the devastating 2011 tsunami and earthquake. NHK is also taking the lead in driving innovation, investing heavily in Ultra HD technology in the run up to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan. Katsuto Momii recently began a three-year term as NHK’s new president. As Momii tells TV AsiaPac, the pubcaster’s new corporate plan will position it to better take advantage of shifting media consumption habits and ramp up its profile across the globe.

TV ASIAPAC: What are your overall priorities coming into the position of president?

MOMII: My top priority now is to draw up a new three-year corporate plan to commence in fiscal year 2015 [which begins in April]. I recognize this plan will be a very important step towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the ideal future presence for public broadcasting [in Japan].

Improving and enhancing our international broadcasts through NHK WORLD is a major component [of our strategy]. We are keen to improve the quality of our news

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be a medium that provides the foundation for an information society. It does this by continuing to provide audiences with relevant, reliable and accurate information and a diverse range of high-quality programs and content.

TV ASIAPAC: There has been much debate in the U.K. about the license fee as a source of financing for the BBC, and the system in Germany has undergone an overhaul. What do you see as the future of the license fee in Japan?

MOMII: The system of receiving fees in Japan is provided for in the Broadcast Act and is based on the idea that the necessary costs for NHK to operate as a public broadcaster should be borne fairly by all those who install a TV set. It financially ensures the autonomy and independence of NHK. I believe that receiving fees provided by a wide range of viewers are the most suitable source of funding.

A survey at the end of fiscal year 2013 found that viewers on average feel they get 1.82 times the value of what they pay in receiving fees in relation to what NHK provides. It can be said that the system of receiving fees in Japan is supported by the public who pay them.

All kinds of new services are appearing with the convergence of broadcasting and communication—for example, Internet protocol TV, video on demand, streaming and social-networking sites. The system of receiving fees in Japan finds itself in a changing environment. We must bear

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NHK frequently partners with international broadcasters on high-end wildlife productions like Life Force II.

this situation in mind and seek out arrangements for receiving fees that are in tune with the new times. But, we believe that receiving fees will surely remain the most suitable basis of funding for NHK in the future.

TV ASIAPAC: How is your program sales and co-production business doing?

MOMII: That’s a good question. I acknowledge that we should put more effort into this field.

Our great strength is the long history with our own large internal body of solid production staff. We strive to use our production capabilities to make new, globally relevant programs, sell them on the market and learn from the market’s response [when preparing] our next production projects.

We believe in the growing importance of generating still more attractive and challenging content through coproductions with top quality producers and broadcasting stations around the world, and sharing the insights and future visions they present with global viewers.

We recently co-produced the Life Force II series, about biodiversity hot spots of the world, with partners in New Zealand and China. This series not only records images of natural beauty but also looks deeply into the underlying structures and the situations of the creatures that live there now to seek out hints [about] the future of our planet.

The rapidly evolving media environment is bringing viewers into increasing contact with video on demand, mobile devices and other new media. Many questions still remain about how best to deliver content to viewers, and we shall carry on working closely with our co-production partners to determine the best ways to deliver content.

TV ASIAPAC: What are your plans for broadcasting in Ultra HD? How is NHK supporting innovation in broadcast technology?

MOMII: 8K Super Hi-Vision is one of the most important areas that we have to focus on. 8K, which has ultra-high resolution of 7,680x4,320 pixels and 22.2 multichannel audio, is a high-fidelity system that really makes viewers

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feel that they are where the action is taking place. We have been researching and developing 8K as the next highdefinition broadcasting medium since 1995.

Japan aims as a matter of government policy to commence test broadcasts of 8K in 2016, with full-scale broadcast [planned for] 2020 when Tokyo hosts the Olympics and Paralympics. NHK is developing facilities for sending out 8K in accordance with this road map, as well as producing 8K content. We wish to impress as many viewers as possible with a palpable sense of being where the action is taking place. 8K will not only affect broadcasting; it should also have a considerable ripple effect on a wide range of other sectors, such as medical technology and education.

The NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories have played a vital role in NHK’s innovations in broadcasting technology. The laboratories were established in 1930, only five years after the commencement of radio broadcasts in Japan, in order to pursue research and development of television broadcasts. The laboratories have pursued the development of various media, constantly keeping in mind the type of media that audiences will want in the future. The current research and development of Hi-Vision began in 1960 when color broadcasts started in Japan. NHK, meanwhile, has been a global pioneer in the realization of large plasma display panels. Moreover, in recent times NHK has also developed Hybridcast, a new system that brings together broadcasting and communication by [combining] the [mass] reach of broadcast and the interactive nature of the Internet.

NHK is also pursuing research into 3D television as a nextgeneration ultra-high-fidelity broadcasting system. The idea is to re-create natural 3D images that do not need to be viewed through special glasses.

Research is also being pursued in other areas, such as people-friendly broadcasts and services, so that they might be accessible to all. Examples include computer graphics-based animated sign-language generation, speech-recognition captioning, simple Japanese to make news clearer and systems that can convey information by touch and [vibration].

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GMA’S FELIPE GOZON

By Mansha Daswani

Like most markets across Asia, the Philippines is dominated by incumbent terrestrial broadcasters. One of the country’s two dominant players is GMA Network, which delivers local-language entertainment on its two flagship channels as well as on nonlinear platforms. A prolific producer domestically, GMA is eagerly exploring opportunties for its content worldwide. Its international channels target communities of Filipinos living abroad, while its content-sales arm has been placing drama series with broadcasters across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Heading up GMA Network as chairman and CEO is Felipe L. Gozon, who tells TV AsiaPac about boosting ratings, ad revenues and the company’s international profile.

TV ASIAPAC: In the competitive free-TV business, how has GMA Network’s performance been this year?

GOZON: Our strong programming lineup, particularly in the afternoon and evening blocks, has pushed our ratings up such that we are closing in on our main rival in nationwide TV ratings. We are confident of soon regaining that lead, which we held on to for two consecutive years (2011 to 2012).

We relaunched QTV as a news public-affairs channel called GMA News TV. It is currently the leading news channel in the country.

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TV ASIAPAC: GMA makes much of its own content. How are you attracting and cultivating talent, both in front of and behind the screen?

GOZON: We are stepping up our efforts in developing and discovering our own on-camera talent through our talent development and management department, among other things. Needless to say, we have never encountered any problem in attracting and cultivating talent, because we believe that we are the employer of choice in our industry.

TV ASIAPAC: Tell me about your nonlinear strategy to offer Filipino audiences your content on multiple screens.

GOZON: To achieve this, GMA Network has employed a Create Once, Distribute Everywhere (CODE) workflow. This allows the company to make its content available and accessible through multiple screens and devices currently in the market.

This includes, but is not limited to, PCs, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, gaming consoles and set-top boxes. The workflow also has an R&D component that gives GMA the nimbleness to anticipate and exploit future technologies relevant to its business. This is meant not only to serve its current audience, whose media consumption is significantly influenced by this digital evolution, but also to create new audiences.

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TV ASIAPAC: How has the ad market been in the Philippines, and how has GMA been maintaining its share of the ad pie?

GOZON: The ad market has been shrinking recently, with the multinationals cutting back on their ad spending. But GMA has been able to generate decent numbers, despite these cutbacks.

TV ASIAPAC: What are the latest developments in terms of the digital TV conversion? Will the analog switch-off take place at the end of 2015, as previously mandated?

GOZON: The regulatory body, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), has yet to release the rules and regulations for the implementation of digital TV service in the country. It was said that the rollout will start in the megaManila [area]. But definitely the original draft of [the NTC regulations that] specified 2015 as the date of analog TV service switch-off no longer applies and cannot be achieved.

TV ASIAPAC: What new opportunities does the digital transition present for GMA? GOZON: The transition from analog to digital TV service always points to the ability of the latter technology to carry more than one program, which adds to its efficiency, bringing with it the opportunity for GMA to provide more content options to the viewing public.

TV ASIAPAC: How is your international business performing?

GOZON: GMA’s international channels (GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International) continue to grow their subscriber bases as they are launched in more areas.

Consequently, their contribution to GMA Network’s revenue pie continues to increase.

By the end of first half of 2014, GMA’s flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV, grew its subscriber base by 8 percent. GMA Life TV also increased its reach by 20 percent, while GMA News TV International remains the top performer in terms of subscriber growth, posting an increase of 894 percent over the same period in 2013.

GMA Worldwide, our programming syndication and acquisition arm, meanwhile, has sold PHP37.5 million ($860,000) worth of locally made programs amounting to 1,930 hours to various countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea, Vietnam, the U.S., Nigeria, and Uganda in the first half of 2014.

TV ASIAPAC: What are some of the major issues impacting the Filipino TV business at present?

GOZON: I think the most pressing issue facing us in the broadcast industry today is how best to position ourselves vis-à-vis the constantly changing technology. Internet and the like have been steadily changing TV viewing habits, and we should be prepared to cope and change, together with our viewers.

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

GOZON: Our goal for the remainder of the year is to surpass our performance in 2013, both in TV ratings and revenues. Each year, our goal has been to perform better than the previous year, which drives us to innovate and be more creative.

Original drama is central to GMA’s programming strategy, with recent hits like My Destiny (top) and Niño.

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the pillar programming on our channels is express within a week.

The last thing has been about localization—local content and starting to build out local feeds.

Our goal is not to have a portfolio of the most channels.

Our goal is to have a portfolio of channels that really are best in class. To get to that you need to have a really defined programming strategy and the ability to be very considered and targeted in your acquisitions. It’s been very important to have a foundation—a pipeline that comes from NBCUniversal—but also to be able to go to other independents as well as the studios to acquire content that is right for our channels. The local content that we’re producing has a look and feel that is in line with the U.S. brand. As we start to develop local feeds and local adsales businesses, we’re also producing interstitials and idents and short-form vignettes in Indonesia and Malaysia and Philippines and Hong Kong. That’s key for us in creating a television experience that local audiences relate to.

TV ASIAPAC: In terms of acquisitions, how important is it to offer shows soon after their U.S. launch?

NBCUniversal’s CHRISTINE FELLOWES

By Mansha Daswani

It’s been almost four years since the Comcast and NBCUniversal pay-TV channels came together under the banner of Universal Networks International. In the Asia Pacific, the company’s regional managing director, Christine Fellowes, has spent the time since then restructuring and refining the portfolio to best take advantage of the opportunities in Asia’s pay-TV landscape. Those efforts have paid off, with DIVA, E!, Universal Channel and Syfy all seeing ratings gains across the region. Fellowes shares with TV AsiaPac her views on the importance of original Asian content, shorter windows and innovative solutions for the channels’ ad partners.

TV ASIAPAC: How has your programming strategy evolved across the portfolio?

FELLOWES: There are a couple of key initiatives from a programming perspective that we’ve been building over the last couple of years.

First, we’ve been investing in the brands. We repositioned E! as the “Pop of Culture” channel. We did a massive refresh of Universal Channel, positioning it as “100 Percent Characters.”

Our High Heeled Warriors [study] gave us a depth of knowledge about women’s viewing behaviors across the region. That really informed the refresh of DIVA in June of this year, firmly positioning it as the leading female channel in the region.

The second prong has been around express programming: 100 percent of E! key programming comes to Asia and Australia within a week of the U.S.; 90 percent is within 48 hours. This express programming commitment has been massive across all of the channels—90 percent of

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FELLOWES: We come from a larger company that is [a pay-TV] operator, so we have a unique understanding of what’s required to be successful in the future as the pay-TV ecosystem is changing. We set our minds on being a portfolio of channels that would thrive and be great partners to operators in the region. Platforms are looking for new ways to grow through TV Everywhere and through having content that is exclusive—that will help them win against online piracy, which is one of the most significant competitive threats to pay TV. If you’re really being partner-centric, you have to have content that comes to air within a couple of days [of the premiere].

TV ASIAPAC: How are you working with advertisers on campaigns across the region?

FELLOWES: Our portfolio represents the most efficient way to market to women in the region through subscription television.

We invested in the High Heeled Warriors research, and that enabled us to put together some compelling packages for marketers. We’ve brought on great regional sponsors like Subaru and TRESemmé. We’ve worked with Procter & Gamble across many of their brands and done tremendous creative work with them around some of their local initiatives. With Hugo Boss, on the back of the High Heeled Warriors research, we developed the High Heeled Warrior Awards. Hugo Boss also sponsored the DIVA and CNBC series Running the Show.

Everything now is more than on-air, so we put packages together that cross online and on-air, with some experiential elements and some creative sponsorship elements.

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By Mansha Daswani

REWIND NETWORKS’

AVI HIMATSINGHANI When Avi Himatsinghani set out to start his own venture after spending a number of years at FOX International Channels, he knew he didn’t want to get into the frenetic business of battling it out for exclusive access to the latest big hit out of the U.S. With Rewind Networks he has taken the road less traveled in Asia’s competitive Englishlanguage pay-TV entertainment business, rolling out HITS, which is focused on enduring library titles. He tells TV AsiaPac about the opportunities he’s finding with platforms across the region.

TV ASIAPAC: What gap did you see in the market that led you to launch HITS last year?

HIMATSINGHANI: I’m a really big believer in branded entertainment destinations. They have become more important in a multichannel environment that is constantly getting more fragmented. I love brands that deliver a certain promise to the audience. In Asia over the last four or five years, we saw a whole lot of general-entertainment brands coming in, all doing the same thing: focusing on first-run content, mostly from the U.S. studios. We couldn’t play that game. I had seen that great shows, even when repeated on the mainstay networks, rated well. HITS originated there. I believe HITS [fills] a latent need for a great destination where people can watch their favorite shows of all time, or see shows they’ve heard of but never seen.

TV ASIAPAC: You have carriage in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. What are your plans for expanding to other markets?

HIMATSINGHANI: We have 13 territories that we’ve bought rights for in Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Our game is to get into every platform in all of these markets. One

of the great things we have going for us is the complete offering—the linear channel along with the catch-up on-demand and authenticated TV Everywhere services.

TV ASIAPAC: What’s resonating with your audience?

HIMATSINGHANI: Great wholesome family entertainment with fantastic comedy, like The Cosby Show, has struck a real chord with the audience. Even shows like The A-Team, The Golden Girls and early seasons of Criminal Minds and Grey’s Anatomy are performing very well. Our weekend binge strategy is working phenomenally well. We’ve stayed committed to our daily strips and weekend stacks. On weekends we do back-to-back [airings] of the five shows stripped during the week. That’s working really well.

TV ASIAPAC: You mentioned Criminal Minds and Grey’s Anatomy, which are both still on the air. When it comes to current products, how deep into the lifecycle of these series can you go before you start entering the first-run acquisitions circuit?

HIMATSINGHANI: It’s a challenge. We’ve had conversations with our platform partners and they’ve said, you need to stay true to your commitment. Yes Criminal Minds is still on air, but season one is almost ten years old, so is Grey’s Anatomy. We don’t want to get into the space where the chances of [a show] being seen on other networks are very high. If there’s a sizable gap between the [seasons we have and] the current season, then it’s worth doing. A lot of people haven’t seen seasons one and two of Criminal Minds. We won’t take a lot of [current product], but we will focus on some of the big shows that still resonate.

TV ASIAPAC: How have your dealings with the studios been in terms of catch-up rights?

HIMATSINGHANI: What we’re talking to the studios about is enhancing value. We’ve made investments into buying rights to older shows, but we want to make sure the shows come with the necessary rights for us to be able to provide a complete offering to audiences. For all of our shows, we have negotiated catch-up on-demand rights. If the shows don’t have those rights, we don’t buy them. The studios that we’ve worked with have done a fantastic job at supporting us in our mission to be relevant to all audiences, including the time-starved people who require catch-up.

TV ASIAPAC: What kind of critical mass do you need before you can start selling ad time?

HIMATSINGHANI: We are extremely focused on getting our channel distributed to all of our 13 markets. That being said, our recent ratings in Singapore show that we are hitting critical mass. We want to work with the pay-TV platforms very closely. We are clearly positioned as a basic service, so naturally as we enter affiliate deals with [platforms], we are hitting critical mass in each of these markets. We believe that the best people to represent our ad time are our affiliate partners, because they know their markets best. So we’ve given up to 6 minutes of airtime per hour to be sold locally by the affiliate partners. But we haven’t really focused on that area yet—we are focused on getting distribution.

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