Copenhagen, Denmark, January 20th 2014, Xstream, the premium provider of OTT and TV Everywhere services, today announced that SES Platform Services, a leading service provider of play-out and content management services for broadcasters and media companies has selected Xstream’s award winning management system, Xstream MediaMaker™, to power their existing Video on Demand delivery platform.

The OTT video solution created by Xstream will enable SES Platform Services to offer their customers the market’s most flexible multi-tenant platform for the delivery of videos to Video on Demand platforms and to a wide range of devices, supporting all business models, worldwide. Additionally, the solution features several custom-made RESTful API’s for a number of innovative and powerful integrations and features.

“Xstream’s innovative and proven platform, their impressive track record, flexibility and ability to act as a solution partner, made them a natural partner and first choice for us” said Dr Frank Hoffmann, Chief Product Officer at SES Platform Services. “Importantly, thanks to the flexibility to customize and interface with our existing ingest-, transcoding- and metadata-engine, we are able to create precisely the kind of solution we need to offer a state of the art video management and delivery solution to our customers”

Using Xstream MediaMaker™, SES Platform Services will dramatically simplify their customers’ workflows, enabling them to take full control of the entire ingest, and delivery process.

“We are very excited to partner with SES Platform Services and to know that a leading global service provider has endorsed Xstream and our services this way.” said Frank Thorup, CEO at Xstream. ” Xstream MediaMaker™ is designed to work in parallel with legacy TV systems, leveraging existing infrastructure investments while, at the same time, be flexible to integrate with any other third party solution. The innovative multi-tenant OTT solution we’re developing for SES Platform Services is a clear proof of the systems flexibility to adapt to the customers needs.”

Next generation Content Ingest
The in-built Ingest module within Xstream MediaMaker™, greatly simplifies the ingest process of media assets and offers a completely transparent process to fit into any media rollout. Additionally, the Ingest module collects content from multiple sources with ease and with a minimum of human resources needed, enabling SES Platform Services to reduce time spent on setting up ingest workflows, decrease time to market and scale their offerings faster, better and wider than ever before.

About SES Platform Services (www.ses-ps.com)
SES Platform Services operates one of Europe’s most modern broadcasting centres. SES Platform Services provides technical support for broadcasters and production companies and offers a comprehensive range of services for the preparation and transmission of content. These include digital archiving and playout, as well as preparation and transmission of content via satellite, over the internet and to mobile devices. Clients of SES Platform Services include well-known broadasters from both the public and private sphere, as well as Pay-TV providers, rights owners, cable network operators and global companies.

About Xstream (www.xstream.net)
Xstream has been a pioneer in OTT and TV Everywhere since 1999. Drawing on their extensive experience, Xstream works with world-leading Telco’s, cable operators and MSOs. Xstream deliver simpler, smarter OTT TV solutions characterized by superior flexibility, usability, scalability and cost-efficiency. Xstream’s comprehensive and scalable online end-to-end video management solution, Xstream MediaMaker™, offers numerous key modules such as Shop and Payment, domain control, assets management and analytics. Xstream also offer a suite of outstanding individual services, including: Apps for Connected devices, Ingest, DRM, Transcoding and Encoding.

Xstream is trusted by leading companies like Disney, Canal Digital, Telenor, Fuhu, Altibox, SBS Belgium, Pathe, Schibsted, Jyllands-Posten and SES Platform Services,

For more information, contact Xstream:
Brynhild Vinskei, CMO & PR Officer
Tel: +45 29 66 64 20
bv@xstream.net
www.xstream.net

For more information, contact SES:
Joerg Hansen
Vice President Commercial Operations
Tel +49(0)89 1896 3134
joerg.hansen@ses-ps.com
www.ses-ps.com

(Monday, 20 January 2014, Mumbai) – BBC Worldwide India has appointed Akhauri Sinha as the COO of Content and Production. Based in Mumbai, Akhauri will report to Myleeta Aga, SVP and General Manager India and Content Head for Asia, and will oversee BBC Worldwide’s production business in the country.

Akhauri will head the production of BBC Worldwide formats and local originally developed concepts in both fiction and non-fiction genres, for the Indian market. He is also tasked to formulate and implement local development strategies to maximise commissioning opportunities within the territory.

Akhauri joins BBC Worldwide from Moving Picture Company (MPC) in Bangalore where he headed the India studio for the global visual effects giant. Prior to that, Akhauri worked with Nimbus and UTV, managing the film entertainment division and business development, respectively.

“I am very pleased to have Akhauri join the BBC Worldwide family”, said Myleeta Aga. “Akhauri has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the media industry and has managed major production and other media businesses. With him working closely with our team on the ground, I am confident that BBC Worldwide in India will continue to produce quality formats and local productions that will appeal to our growing audience.”

Last month, BBC Worldwide India was recognised at the 2013 Asian Television Awards when Disney Q Family Mastermind (India) was awarded with the Best Game/Quiz Programme. The format was adapted from the classic BBC format, Mastermind, which was revised to include families as participants. It airs on Disney Channel India.

The sixth and latest season of the Hindi version of Dancing with the Stars, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, which aired on Colors, achieved its best audience figures to date – the grand finale, on 14th September 2013, pushed the show to the top of weekend programming nearly doubling the ratings from 2012. There is also a regional Bengali version of the show.

– Ends–

For more information, please contact:

Jeanne Leong
BBC Worldwide Asia
Tel: +65 6849 5292
Email: Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com

About BBC Worldwide
About BBC Worldwide Ltd. BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Worldwide exists to support the BBC public service mission and to maximise profits on its behalf. It does this through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also builds the reach and reputation of the BBC brand overseas and champions British creativity.

In 2012/13, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £156m and headline sales of £1,116m and returned £156m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview

bbcworldwide.com
twitter.com/bbcwpress

Cassandra Wong | Communications Executive
BBC Worldwide Asia
BBC Worldwide, 700 Beach Road, #08-08, Singapore 199598
T: +65 6849 5511 | DID: +65 6849 5295 | M: +65 9129 8490 | F: +65 6225 2060

Continued success for FIC during the 2014 awards season

Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, 20 January 2014 – Awards season continued over the weekend, with the winners of the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards being announced on January 18, 2014 at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. FOX International Channels Asia (FIC) enjoyed yet another triumphant evening with FOX’s Modern Family and two movies to which FOX Movies Premium has acquired the pay-TV rights, taking home a total of four awards.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards are unique among the top industry accolades presented to film and television performers as they are the only ones selected by actors’ peers, all of whom are members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).

12 Years a Slave continued its stellar run this awards season, leading the SAG Awards with four nominations. Actor Lupita Nyong’o eventually took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, for her pivotal role as Patsey in the critically-acclaimed drama.

American war film Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg and Eric Bana, won Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture.

Finally, perennial favourite Modern Family was honoured with the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the second year in a row, with cast member Ty Burrell also winning the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series.

Brian Lau, Senior Vice President of Content and Communications at FIC Asia said, “It is an honour that so many of the shows and movies broadcast on our channels have received Screen Actors Guild Awards. Unlike many of the other awards ceremonies, this one focuses on the performances given by those involved and credits those that are truly exceptional. This underscores exactly what we strive to do as Asia’s leading pay-TV network bringing unrivalled, outstanding television and feature films to our fans.”

Screen Actors Guild Awards for films for which FIC has acquired the pay-TV rights (2):

FOX Movies Premium (HK/SEA)
12 Years a Slave (1 award):
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Lupita Nyong’o

Lone Survivor (1 award):
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

Screen Actors Guild Awards for television programmes shown on FIC’s channels (2):

FOX (HK/SEA)
Modern Family (2 awards):
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series – Ty Burrell

-End-

About FOX International Channels (FIC)
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports, movie and lifestyle channels across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, in 45 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.6 billion cumulative households worldwide.

In Asia, FIC operates or distributes 30+ channel brands, including the FOX, STAR and National Geographic brands, with over 100 feeds across 14 markets. As the leading pay-TV network in the region, we reach more than 550 million cumulative subscribers across Asia Pacific and the Middle East with offices in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia and the UAE.

For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

This press release was issued on behalf of FOX International Channels Asia by Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic). For further information, please contact:

FOX International Channels Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic)
Kelly Jang
Director, Pan Regional Trade Marketing & PR
DID: +852 2621 8875
kelly.jang@fox.com

Kristen Gallagher
Tactic – Hong Kong
DID: +852 2114 4345
FAX: +852 2114 0880
kristen.gallagher@tacticpr.com.hk

Diana Low
Tactic – Singapore
DID: +65 6325 8264
FAX: +65 6325 8262
diana.low@tacticpr.com.sg

(18-01-2014) Leading satellite operator SES closed a long-term agreement with SIS LIVE to provide Ka-band capacity on the ASTRA 1L satellite located at 19.2 degrees East.

SIS LIVE, which owns and operates what are said to be the largest uplink facilities in Europe, has become the first major SNG organisation operating DVB and IP services on Ka-band capacity. Under the terms of the deal with SES, SIS LIVE will be able to deliver satellite newsgathering (SNG) services to premier news and content providers in the UK such as ITN and ITV.

Read more at Rapid TV News 

Performance Reinforces FIC’s Position as Asia’s Leading Pay-TV Network

Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, 17 January, 2014 – Nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced yesterday at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverley Hills, California. FOX International Channels Asia (FIC) received an incredible 23 nominations for 10 films that it has acquired the pay-TV rights to across Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, reinforcing its position as Asia’s leading pay-TV network.

The 86th Academy Awards will be held on 2 March 2014 and will mark both the culmination of the awards season, and also the most hotly-anticipated ceremony of the year. Internationally recognised as the most prestigious awards in the film industry, triumphs at the Academy Awards will ensure enduring success for the winners on a global scale.

The number of nominations earned by feature films that FIC has acquired the pay-TV rights for substantiates FIC’s efforts to deliver exceptional content to its fans and viewers.

Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, established itself as a front runner after receiving an incredible nine nominations, including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Director’, ‘Lead Actor’ for Chiwetel Ejiofor, ‘Supporting Actor’ for Michael Fassbender and ‘Supporting Actress’ for Lupita Nyong’o. This has proven a remarkable awards season for the historical-epic, which is certain to become one of the top films of the year. Other notable achievers include The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, which picked up three nominations, and Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece broadcast on FIC’s leading Chinese movie channel STAR Chinese Movies (SCM), The Grandmaster, which picked up two nominations, demonstrating the ever increasing popularity of Chinese content globally.

“The Academy Awards are the highlight of the awards season and we are enormously proud that both FOX Movies Premium and STAR Chinese Movies are both well represented this year. 2014 will see the strongest line up yet on FMP with 9 out of the top 15 movies of 2013, which we expect will once again place FMP as the #1 Hollywood movies channel in Malaysia and Singapore, as it was in 2013,” said Brian Lau, Senior Vice President of Content and Communications at FIC Asia. “Our strong Chinese portfolio which includes SCM, SCM Legend and STAR Chinese Channel coupled with our premier Hollywood channel line-up of FMP, FOX Action Movies, FOX Family Movies and online catch-up service FOX Movies Play puts FIC at the top of the industry in terms of delivering the very best premium content on offer.”

The Academy Awards nominations for films to which FIC has acquired the pay-TV rights for in HK/SEA (23):

STAR Chinese Movies (SCM)
The Grandmaster (2 nominations):
Cinematography – Philippe Le Sourd
Costume Design – William Chang Suk Ping

FOX Movies Premium (FMP)
12 Years a Slave (9 nominations):
Best Picture
Director – Steve McQueen
Lead Actor – Chiwetel Ejiofor
Supporting Actor – Michael Fassbender
Supporting Actress – Lupita Nyong’o
Costume Design – Patricia Norris
Film Editing – Joe Walker
Production Design – Adam Stockhausen (Production Design), Alice Baker (Set Decoration)
Adapted Screenplay – John Ridley

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (3 nominations):
Sound Editing – Brent Burge
Sound Mixing – Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick and Tony Johnson
Visual Effects – Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Eric Reynolds

Frozen (2 nominations):
Animated Feature Film
Original Song – “Let It Go”

The Lone Ranger (2 nominations):
Makeup and Hairstyling – Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny
Visual Effects – Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams and John Frazier

The Croods (1 nomination):
Animated Feature Film

Prisoners (1 nomination):
Cinematography – Roger A. Deakins

The Book Thief (1 nomination):
Original Score – John Williams

Saving Mr. Banks (1 nomination):
Original Score – Thomas Newman

Iron Man 3 (1 nomination):
Visual Effects – Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick

-End-

About FOX International Channels (FIC)
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21stCentury FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports, movie and lifestyle channels across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, in 45 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.6 billion cumulative households worldwide.

In Asia, FIC operates or distributes 30+ channel brands, including the FOX, STAR and National Geographic brands, with over 100 feeds across 14 markets. As the leading pay-TV network in the region, we reach more than 550 million cumulative subscribers across Asia Pacific and the Middle East with offices in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia and the UAE.

For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

This press release was issued on behalf of FOX International Channels Asia by Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic). For further information, please contact:

FOX International Channels
Kelly Jang
Director
Pan Regional Trade Marketing & PR
DID: +852 2621 8875
Email: kelly.jang@fox.com

Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic)
Kristen Gallagher
Tactic – Hong Kong
DID: +852 2114 4345
Email: kristen.gallagher@tacticpr.com.hk

Diana Low
Tactic – Singapore
DID: +65 6325 8264
Email: diana.low@tacticpr.com.sg

(15 Jan, 2014) Perrette takes over for 23-year Discovery veteran Mark Hollinger, who announced his resignation in September.

“JB is one of the smartest and most versatile executives I have worked with in the media business. Since his time at NBC as a leader in business development, distribution and digital to all the success and value he has built at Discovery, JB has it all — strong strategic vision, operational expertise and exceptional team-building skills. This is a demanding role like no other, which I believe requires a corporate executive with a broad background to oversee all aspects of the business across 220 countries. Having spent half his career internationally, and with a unique mix of distribution, digital, strategy and business development experience, JB is the perfect fit to lead Discovery’s international operations,” said David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications.

Read more at Broadband TV News

The ‘HOME of GRAND SLAM TENNIS’ renews its 16+ years partnership with Tennis Australia; fans to see the Australian Open broadcast in local languages for the very first time from 2015 onwards.

January 14, 2014, Asia – FOX International Channels (FIC) Asia, 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business and Asia’s leading pay-TV network, announced today that they have successfully renewed the multi-year contract for the exclusive rights to broadcast the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific, the Australian Open, across 20* territories in Asia.

The signature tournament, the first of the annual Grand Slam events, has been a part of FOX Sports’ stellar line-up for over 16 years and will continue to be showcased on FOX Sports’ network of channels across multiple platforms including television, broadband, mobile and IPTV. With this multi-year renewal of the Australian Open, FOX Sports will now showcase 3 out of 4 tennis Grand Slams including The Championship, Wimbledon and the French Open, rights of which it acquired earlier this year.

Under this comprehensive new renewal agreement with Tennis Australia, fans will get to see more than 100 hours of LIVE tennis action from the Rod Laver Arena along with special programming, which includes enhanced coverage across multiple platforms and devices. In addition, to help fans enjoy the Australian Open broadcast even more, FOX Sports will continue to showcase the tournament in Mandarin and Cantonese, in addition to English. From 2015 onwards, this multi-language coverage across territories will be expanded to include Thai, Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia, underscoring the sports network’s commitment to making sports more accessible to more sports fans in every market across Asia.

Rohit D’Silva, Senior Vice President, Content & Communications for Sports at FOX International Channels Asia said, “The Australian Open is one of the most celebrated events in the annual sports calendar and we are very pleased to further strengthen our relationship with Tennis Australia with this renewal. We are committed to further expand the audience base for the property by making it more locally relevant, engaging and entertaining for fans across Asia”.

Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said, “I’m delighted to be continuing our strong partnership with FOX International Channels in Asia for the Australian Open. FOX International Channels have demonstrated a commitment to promoting the event and the sport of tennis across the region, and through their enhanced coverage will continue to cement our position as the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific”.

FOX SPORTS’ stellar tennis coverage is complemented by its top quality presentation featuring tennis legend, Vijay Amritraj, who continues to bring the most insightful and engaging presentation to fans in Asia. As with past editions of the Australian Open, Vijay will be presenting from the Rod Laver Arena this year, together with fellow FOX Sports presenter, Alan Wilkins.

*Territories include: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

-ENDS-

This press release was issued on behalf of FOX International Channels Asia by Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic). For further information, please contact:

FOX International Channels

Paul Tan
Assistant Director, Marketing (Sports)
+65 6216 6010
paul.tan@fox.com

Kelly Jang
Director, Regional Trade Marketing & PR
+852 2621 8875
kelly.jang@fox.com

Strategic Public Relations Group (SPRG)

Deborah Dayani Nanayakara
+65 6325 8275 / +65 9758 4071
deborah.dayani@sprg.com.sg

Nicole Su
+65 6325 8267 / +65 9297 4611
nicole.su@sprg.com.sg

About FOX International Channels (FIC)
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports, movie and lifestyle channels across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, in 48 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.6 billion cumulative households worldwide.

In Asia, FIC operates or distributes 30+ channel brands, including the FOX, STAR and National Geographic brands, with over 100 feeds across 14 markets. As the leading pay-TV network in the region, we reach more than 550 million cumulative subscribers across Asia Pacific and the Middle East with offices in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia, New Zealand and the UAE. For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

About FOX Sports
FIC Sports networks includes FOX Sports, the channel that delivers some of the most compelling LIVE sport events from around the world, including the flagship sports news show FOX Sports Central; STAR Sports, which features a wide variety of premium sports content; FOX Sports Plus (HD), the high-definition 24-hour sports channel; FOX Sports News the first 24/7 sports news channel; STAR Cricket, the comprehensive cricket channel; STAR Cricket HD, the High Definition comprehensive cricket channel; FOX Sports Play, the broadband network providing LIVE and on-demand sports properties and additional exclusive content; FOX Sports Mobile, the mobile application that allows fans to access on-demand, premium world-class mobile sports content and www.foxsportsasia.com, the online destination for comprehensive sports content, also in local languages in Bahasa Malaysia (www.foxsports.my), Bahasa Indonesia (www.foxsports.co.id) and Mandarin (www.foxsports.com.tw)

(15 January 2014, Vietnam) … BBC Worldwide kicked off the year with the launch of BBC Knowledge on the cable platform branded “HTVC” operated by HTV- TMS, a payTV entity owned by Ho Chi Minh Television, the second biggest state television station in Vietnam.

The channel was officially launched today at a press event in Ho Chi Minh City.

“We are extremely pleased to launch BBC Knowledge in Vietnam. This deal reflects our ongoing commitment to the region – delivering to our audiences a wide range of high-quality, award-winning programming – BBC Knowledge showcases high-quality factual entertainment from the world’s foremost producers of non-fiction and documentary programming; and viewers in Vietnam recognise and appreciate quality content. We are confident that BBC Knowledge will appeal to Vietnamese viewers and are very pleased to be working with our distribution agent, Q.net and HTV- TMS to deliver this proposition.” said Mark Whitehead, Senior Vice President and General Manager of South East Asia for BBC Worldwide.

“To affirm our commitment to delivering the quality content to our viewers, we have chosen BBC Knowledge to introduce to our viewers,” said Mr Nguyen Duc Hoa, Chairman of HTV-TMS. “The channel consistently rates highly in the factual entertainment charts in Asia, and we are confident that it will do the same with HTVC viewers.”

BBC Knowledge showcases the very best of British factual and natural history programming. It is also the home of Top Gear, the biggest car show in the world, watched by over 150 million households in more than 100 countries. Other programmes premiering on BBC Knowledge in January include – Supersized Earth – which explores humans’ most ambitious and audacious engineering projects on Earth, Top Gear Top Fails – where Top Gear host, Richard Hammond takes a journey back in time as he reviews all the riotous antics that the Top Gear team has, or tried, to pull off; and Man Eating Tigers of Sumatra in which man-eating Sumatran tigers are let back out in the wild in an attempt to save the species.

BBC Knowledge will be available on HTVC’s basic tier, to the platform’s subscribers, mostly in the Ho Chi Minh area.

The channel is localized in Vietnamese.

-ends-

For more information, please contact:

Jeanne Leong
BBC Worldwide Asia
Tel: +65 6849 5292
Email: Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com

Notes to Editors:

About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Worldwide exists to support the BBC public service mission and to maximise profits on its behalf. It does this through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also builds the reach and reputation of the BBC brand overseas and champions British creativity.
In 2012/13, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £156m and headline sales of £1,116m and returned £156m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview

bbcworldwide.com

twitter.com/bbcwpress