Bringing classic Shaw Brothers movies to networked electronics devices for the first time

Hong Kong, 18 March 2013 Celestial Pictures Limited (CPL) announced today that it has signed a multiyear distribution deal with Taiwan Mobile Co. Ltd. to make transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) available to the mobile operator’s vast customer base, allowing a new generation of movie lovers to enjoy classic Shaw Brothers hits on their networked devices at their convenience.

Under the agreement, CPL will be licensing the rights to Taiwan Mobile to distribute Shaw Brothers’ titles, such as all-time favorites “Come Drink With Me”, “The New One-Armed Swordsman”, and “Have Sword Will Travel,” via Taiwan Mobile’s myVideo over-the-top video service. The selection will be refreshed and expanded regularly with titles from CPL’s extensive Shaw Brothers Film Library.

MyVideo subscribers will be able to stream each movie for USD1.98 (NTD59) via TVOD. Standard features include unlimited viewings of a movie within a 48-hour window on subscribers’ smartphone, iPad, tablet PC or desktop after their purchase.

“We are delighted to join forces with Taiwan Mobile, the leading mobile entertainment provider, and to introduce Celestial’s Shaw Brothers Film Library to its subscribers. Taiwan is a mature market with a high penetration of smartphones, and a rapidly increasing number of 3G users. We are thrilled to enter a market with such tremendous growth potential for data intensive applications, and I am sure this move of making classic movies available on demand will be well received here.” said Ms. Kristen Tong, Head of Business and Legal Affairs of CPL.

Taiwan Mobile serves over 6.8million mobile subscribers, which represents a 35% market share and is ranked as the second largest mobile company in Taiwan. The company also enjoys the highest growth rate in portable device sales by volume. MyVideo over-the-top video service was launched in December 2012 and boasts a collection of over 1,000 films from Taiwan, Hollywood, Europe, USA, Korea and Japan. A dedicated section of Celestial’s Shaw Brothers library is available for subscribers to browse their favorite movies with ease.

This landmark deal marks the first ever CPL movie distribution over a mobile platform in Taiwan. The move highlights CPL’s continued growing presence in Asia. Celestial Pictures has also signed similar mobile VOD deals in Malaysia and Indonesia earlier.

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Media contacts
Josephine Ng
Celestial Pictures
(852) 2212-6985
josephine.ng@celestialpictures.com

About Celestial Pictures Limited

Celestial Pictures is a diversified entertainment company, with a mission of bringing the best of Asian entertainment to the world. The company focuses on the origination, aggregation and worldwide distribution of Asian-language film and television content.

Celestial Pictures owns the Shaw Brothers Film Library, which houses the world’s largest Chinese film collection of over 760 feature titles, originally released over a period of half a century. These award-winning Shaw Brothers films have been digitally restored frame-by-frame, and distributed in cinemas, on televisions and home videos, and new media markets worldwide. The company is also active in producing original filmed content and new productions based on the Shaw Brothers Film Collection.

Three Celestial branded movie channels: CELESTIAL MOVIES, CELESTIAL MOVIES ON DEMAND and CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES are operated in conjunction with three other channels KIX, KIX HD and THRILL through Celestial Tiger Entertainment – a joint venture with Saban Capital Group and Lionsgate.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Celestial Pictures is a wholly owned subsidiary of Astro Holdings.

(March 14, 2013) ALi Corporation, a STB solution provider, has announced the launch of its new high definition network media player, M3912, featuring multi-screen video sharing technology.

Applications of ALi’s M3912 include multi-screen bridges, which enable sharing of local or cloud media content from smartphones/tablets to TV screens; DVB to IP thick clients, which allow reception and free selection of DVB broadcast programs for simultaneous enjoyment in any room; network multimedia players, which provide multimedia decoding and Internet browsing capabilities.

Read more at Advanced Television

March 14, 2103, SINGAPORE: StarHub TV on Fibre is a brand-new IPTV service launching into the market on March 18, initially available only to commercial customers such as offices, restaurants and pubs.

StarHub TV on Fibre will be delivered over the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN). It will reach current DTTV customers and beyond. Commercial customers will have access to viewing options that are currently not available to DTTV customers, including Cartoon Network, DIVA Universal, HISTORY, National Geographic Channel HD and Travel Channel HD.

Read more at World Screen

(Thursday, 14 March 2013, Singapore)… Paul Dempsey, incoming President, Global Markets today named Joyce Yeung as Executive Vice-President, Asia. Joyce becomes responsible for running all of BBC Worldwide’s businesses in the region. She is responsible for the P&L; business development and delivering revenue and profit growth across all businesses in Asia which will include channels; TV sales; consumer products and production.

The appointment, which officially starts on the 2nd April 2013, follows the reorganisation of BBC Worldwide to further increase its focus on international markets, enabling it to capture future growth opportunities around the world.

The reorganisation will see the business reconfigured from divisional to geographic lines of management. As a result, BBC Worldwide’s existing structure, primarily based around five global divisions, will cease to exist. Instead, P&L ownership and primary commercial accountability will move closer to its customers (further information here: http://bbc.in/LnCZ3S ).

Commenting on the appointment, Paul said: “We’ve got big plans to build the fan base for BBC brands all around the world. Joyce’s appointment is a sign of our ambition. With Joyce leading the charge, I’m sure we’ll enjoy much success in taking the ‘Worldwide’ in our company name to new heights.”

Joyce added: “Asia is one of the fastest growing media markets in the world. I am confident that the new regional structure is ideal in bringing the focus needed to our ambitions in Asia as we target the next level of growth. The market-focused approach allows us to respond quicker to market opportunities and to create services and offerings that are more relevant to our audiences, consumers and fans.”

Joyce joined BBC Worldwide in March 2006 as Senior Vice President & General Manager for BBC Worldwide Sales and Distribution business in Asia. She leads BBC Worldwide’s content distribution activity across television and digital platforms, as well as format licensing, DVD and consumer products, with sales offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore and Mumbai.

Prior to joining BBC Worldwide, Joyce was VP sales and business development for Sparrowhawk Media (now merged under NBC Universal). She managed the distribution of a bouquet of channels as well as developing entry strategies and joint venture opportunities with third party channels. Before that, Joyce worked for Disney International Television Asia Pacific for 11 years and her last role was Executive Sales Director.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Jeanne Leong
Senior Manager, Communications
Tel: +65 6849 5292
Mob: +65 8388 1832

NOTES TO EDITORS

About BBC Worldwide Ltd

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to exploit the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. In 2011/12, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £155 million on headline sales of £1085 million and returned £216 million to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview

From April 2013, BBC Worldwide is restructuring its business to be based around geographic locations, supported by key global business areas.

bbcworldwide.com

twitter.com/bbcwpress

(SINGAPORE, 12 MARCH 2013) – As it prepares to add two new channels, Lifetime and H2, to its bouquet of HISTORY™, Crime & Investigation Network and Bio., this year, AETN ALL ASIA NETWORKS announced promotions within its Programming, Production and On-Air Creative departments today.

Ms. Joyce Lim is now Director, Program Scheduling. Lim has been a key member of the Programming team, handling the program scheduling of History, Bio and CI since she joined in 2007. Lim’s role and responsibilities will expand to oversee the scheduling of H2 and Lifetime.

Mr. Chris Humphrey has been promoted to Director, Production. Since joining the network in May 2008, Humphrey has overseen numerous original series and specials, such Special Forces and Hidden Cities Extreme on History, My Ghost Story Asia and Marina Bay Sands 24/7 on Bio, and Partners in Crime, Asia’s Underworld and Crime Investigation Asia on Crime & Investigation Network, solidifying the network’s local content offering and contributing to its ratings success.

Lastly, Mr. Lachlan Madsen, who joined the network in 2007, is now head of the On-Air Creative Department. Madsen will manage the network’s On-Air resources and budget, provide overall creative direction for channel branding and individual campaigns, as well as marketing and ad sales support across the growing bouquet of channels and an expanding team.

“These individuals have contributed vastly to our network’s success in the years since they joined. With their wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm, I am confident that the network will continue to grow on its success with History, Bio and Crime & Investigation Network, as we reach even more audiences across Asia, with the launch of two new channels, Lifetime and H2,” shared Michele Schofield, Senior Vice President of Programming & Marketing.

The appointments are effective immediately.

*****

For Press Enquiries:

Strategic Public Relations Group (SPRG) 

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

Regina Yeo
+65 6325 8232
regina.yeo@sprg.com.sg

AETN All Asia Networks

Hazel Yap
+65 6837 8921 
hazel.yap@aetnallasia.com 

About HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™

HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™ are the leading destinations for entertaining hit series and revealing, award-winning event specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and fascinating manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of genres ranging from real-life characters who bring history to life every day, to natural history, contemporary history, technology and science, as well as archaeology and pop culture. Hit series include Kings of Restoration, Pawn Stars, The Pickers, and Swamp People, Hidden Cities Extreme, and Top Shot, complemented by acclaimed and insightful specials includingTitanic: Mystery Solved, Countdown to Armageddon, America: The Story of the US, The History of the World in 2 hours and 102 Minutes That Changed America.

For more information, please visit

Homepage www.historyasia.com

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/HistoryAsiaTV

About AETN All Asia Networks

AETN All Asia Networks is a joint venture between A+E Networks and ASTRO All Asia Entertainment Networks that owns and operates the channels HISTORY and HISTORY HD, Bio. and Crime & Investigation Network across South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Celestial Tiger Entertainment appoints Rupi Sagoo as Director, Content Sales and Distribution to oversee its content distribution business in Japan and Korea

Hong Kong (March 14, 2013) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), one of Asia’s largest vertically integrated independent entertainment companies, announced today the appointment of Rupi Sagoo as Director, Content Sales and Distribution for Japan and Korea. Sagoo, based out of CTE’s Hong Kong office, will report to Wendy Reeds, Executive Vice President, Content Sales and Distribution.

“We are really glad to have Rupi join the team. With her wide-ranging industry experience, great instincts and proven past successes, she’s the ideal candidate to grow our ever-expanding content distribution business,” said Reeds.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time to be joining Celestial Tiger Entertainment and to represent Lionsgate’s award-winning TV series and fantastic library. Lionsgate has become one of the most commercially exciting studios in Hollywood and I look forward to extending the studio’s television and digital distribution into Japan and Korea,” said Sagoo.

Sagoo will be responsible for driving the distribution of Lionsgate’s television content as well as sales of Lionsgate’s vast library of feature films (which includes Summit Entertainment’s film portfolio) and the Miramax Films library to Japan and Korea. Meanwhile, Jenny Suen, Director, Content Sales and Distribution, will continue to oversee CTE’s content distribution in Greater China and Southeast Asia.

Prior to CTE, Sagoo served as Vice President, Sales Practice Management at HSBC and was responsible for setting up the new Client Communications department in Hong Kong. This involved creation of sales tools, launch and maintenance of an internal database and on-going support for 260 Sales Managers in the Asia region.

Before joining HSBC, Sagoo served as Director of Programming & Acquisitions for FX and Fox Crime at Fox International Channels (FIC) and worked on the launch of Fox Movies Middle East. During her tenure she brought numerous Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated shows such as Mad Men, Nurse Jackie, Glee, Modern Family and Californication to the entertainment channels. Post-merger, she assumed the position of Channel Manager for Star World. Her success led to her being voted Asia’s Most Influential Buyer for TV Series in 2009.

Prior to FIC, Sagoo was Senior Programming Planning Manager in the Central Programming department at Viasat Broadcasting. She worked on all aspects of channel strategy and implementation for Viasat 3 Hungary, DTV Russia, TV Prima Czech Republic, TV3 and TV3+ Denmark, including ad hoc projects on the Baltic States and other Scandinavian territories.

###

Media Contact:

Pauline Poon
Celestial Tiger Entertainment
T: 852 2239 6131
E: pauline.poon@celestialtiger.com

About Celestial Tiger Entertainment

CELESTIAL TIGER ENTERTAINMENT (CTE) is a diversified media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company focuses on the operation of branded pay television channels, content creation and content distribution targeted at Asian consumers.

CTE operates a powerful bouquet of distinct pay television channels including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the most broadly distributed 24-hour Chinese and Asian movies channel in the world; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the gateway to an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; CELESTIAL MOVIES HD, the latest Chinese movies in high definition; KIX, the ultimate in action entertainment; Thrill, Asia’s only horror and suspense movie channel; and KIX HD, featuring the best of action with a late-night dose of thrillers in high definition.

As one of Asia’s largest vertically integrated independent entertainment companies, CTE produces original content which complements its channels business. CTE is also the exclusive sales agent for Hollywood studio Lionsgate in Greater China and Southeast Asia, and represents Lionsgate’s television content and vast feature film library in Japan and Korea as well.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE is a joint venture among Saban Capital Group, a leading private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries; Astro, the owner and operator of the leading DTH platform in Malaysia; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.

(Mar 13,2013) Cisco says more than 20 million homes and 100 million viewers in India are currently enjoying an enhanced TV-viewing experience through its customers’ platforms, including: Tata Sky, Airtel, Hathway and DEN.

Smaller cable operators are selecting Cisco as a cost effective and open, end-to-end digital TV solutions to provide all of the features they need to deliver a leading edge within a short timespan.

Read more at Telecom Lead

Tops Ratings in Astro’s Variety Pack

Kuala Lumpur, 13 March 2013 – Animax has delivered record gains in viewership in Malaysia from the second half of 2012 through February 2013, culminating in the channel topping ratings of Astro’s popular ‘Variety Pack’ pay-TV channels for the last seven months.

In 2013, Animax’s full day ratings average is five times that of the next best rated channel in the pack.

The months of January and February 2013 also saw Animax deliver four times the average full day ratings recorded in the first six months of 2012.

Prior to that, Animax’s average full day ratings in the second half of 2012 grew to 2.5 times that of the first half of the year.

Animax’s ratings growth has been driven by a steady increase in average viewing duration of each viewer from 21 minutes to almost two hours per day.

The viewership success is a result of the channel’s continued investment into acquiring some of the freshest and most exciting anime titles including K, which was simulcast at the same time as Japan; HunterXHunter and Sket Dance in 2012; as well as Chihayafuru, Hayate the Combat Butler: Heaven is a Place on Earth, and Shakugan no Shana III Final this year. The channel is also home to evergreen franchises with wide fan bases such as Naruto, City Hunter and Azumanga Daioh that keep viewers returning.

In scheduling, Animax introduced ‘marathon reruns’ on weekends to recap all episodes of selected programs aired daily over the week, in a single stretch. These ‘marathon reruns’ have contributed to keeping viewers watching the channel for longer durations.

Another factor has been Animax’s switch to broadcasting all of its anime programs in the original Japanese audio track with English subtitling. In the past year, the channel acted on audience’s feedback to provide the desired content in the most preferred language configuration to reap the viewership rewards.

“Animax’s sustained viewership gains reaffirm our audiences’ appetite for anime is healthier than ever. With Animax’s success and ONE among the top two rated HD channels on Astro, I am proud that SPT Networks, Asia’s Asian Content channels are the two must-have entertainment destinations for Malaysian viewers,” said Ricky Ow, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Networks, Asia, Sony Pictures Television.

To continue driving viewership, Animax is set to roll out a line-up of popular new and returning anime titles for the rest of 2013 including Sket Dance 2, Blue Dragon, Naruto Shippuden, Little Busters and HunterXHunter Season 2.

In February 2013, Animax unveiled a new look inspired by the classic channel logo to reflect its focus on anime programming. The new identity package, which extends on-air, online and across marketing collateral, realigns with Animax Japan, which kept the original channel logo.

16 – 17 March will see ‘Animax Carnival’, the channel’s annual event return to Kuala Lumpur to offer subscribers and the general public a weekend of fun and games. This year, Animax has invited Japanese pop singer and ‘Ani-song’ (anime theme songs) diva May’n as the guest star of the event. Information of Animax Carnival Malaysia 2013 is available at www.animax-asia.com/carnival2013my.

– Ends –

About Animax Asia

Launched on 1 January 2004, Animax is Asia’s first channel brand specializing in Japanese animation – anime. Animax offers a wide variety of anime programs from across the most popular genres including action, romance, horror, supernatural, comedy to slice-of-life.

The channel created TV history in April 2009 as the world’s first regional broadcaster to offer a same-time-as-Japan simulcast anime series with Tears to Tiara. In 2010, Animax brought blockbuster shows such as Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and InuYasha – The Final Act to Asia.

In addition, Animax Asia’s first multimedia, multiplatform original animation production LaMB won Taiwan’s Golden Bell Award in the ‘Best Animation Program’ category, and was a finalist in the ‘Best Animation’ category at the regional Asian Television Awards in 2009.

Currently reaching 44 million homes in 17 markets across the region, Animax Asia aims to offer anime for everyone. Wholly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Animax Asia is managed by Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia which also operates AXN, beTV, Sony Entertainment Television and ONE. See www.animaxtv.com for more.

Media Contacts

Madison Communications for SPT Networks Asia
David Chau
+852 2881 1787
david@madison.asia

Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia
Calvin Wong
+65 6622 4203
calvin_wong@spe.sony.com

(March 12, 2013) Intelsat, a global provider of satellite services, has announced a number of executive appointments.

The Board of Directors has elected Dave McGlade, currently Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, to the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1st 2013. McGlade has served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer for eight years.

Read more at Advanced Television