HBO Asia and now TV announce the launch of HBO GO

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Internet Streaming Service Offering Subscribers Around 1,000 Hours Of HBO Original Content 12 Hours After The U.S.
HBO GO Is Available In Asia First and Exclusively To now TV Customers

SINGAPORE, NOVEMBER 1, 2012 – HBO Asia, the leader in home entertainment, today announced that it will soon be launching a brand new Internet streaming service known as HBO GO in Asia. HBO GO allows subscribers to enjoy their favorite HBO Original programs 12 hours after the U.S. across multiple devices including laptops, tablets and smartphones, anytime, anywhere. Hong Kong’s now TV will be the first broadcaster in Asia to launch HBO GO in the first quarter of 2013.

HBO GO draws on a vast library of around 1,000 hours of HBO Original programs including series, films and other special programming such as documentaries, entertainment specials, family content and stand-up comedy. Exciting lineup of programs include the latest seasons of award-winning and critically acclaimed series, GAME OF THRONES, GIRLS, TRUE BLOOD and VEEP. Popular series such as BAND OF BROTHERS, THE PACIFIC and THE NEWSROOM will also be available. Subscribers will be able to select what they want to watch on the device of their choice, giving more control to the viewer.

“This announcement further demonstrates HBO Asia’s commitment to introducing value-added services that provide flexibility, compelling content, and increased customer satisfaction,” said Jonathan Spink, Chief Executive Officer, HBO Asia. “HBO GO will meet the demand of changing consumer viewing habits, offering subscribers quick access to a wide variety of award-winning and critically-acclaimed content 12 hours after the U.S., which will help with the ongoing fight against illegal copying, distribution and piracy.”

Available free to now TV’s HBO MAX PAK Premium subscribers, Spink added, “We are very pleased that now TV will be the first broadcaster in Asia to offer HBO GO, as Hong Kong is a highly sophisticated market with a prevalence of high speed broadband network and mobile and tablet users, providing the perfect environment for the introduction of HBO GO.”

Janice Lee, PCCW’s Managing Director of TV and New Media, said, “HBO has always been our partner of choice who strives to offer the best to Hong Kong viewers. With HBO GO, it further demonstrates its commitment to the Hong Kong audience.”

“Over the past months, we have launched a number of apps with great success, including the now Player and now news apps, with which we have accumulated over one million downloads via smartphones, tablets and other devices. We have every confidence that HBO GO, as a new addition to our content line-up, will further enrich our customer experience by offering great content anytime, anywhere.” Lee added.

The HBO GO service will complement HBO Asia’s bouquet of subscription movie channels in the region – HBO, HBO HD, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS, HBO HITS HD and CINEMAX – as well as HBO ON DEMAND, the subscription video-on-demand service, and RED, HBO Asia’s first premium Asian movie channel.

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About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first because of its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood studios – Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros., as well as a large number of major independent studios. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers. HBO Asia offers five subscription movie channels with uninterrupted programming – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and CINEMAX – as well as HBO GO, the brand new Internet streaming service, HBO ON DEMAND, a subscription video-on-demand service, HBO HD, the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition in Asia, HBO HITS HD, which delivers Hollywood blockbuster hits 24-hours a day in high definition, and RED, HBO Asia’s first premium Asian movie channel. HBO Asia is the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and WarnerTV in Asia and a joint venture of HBO (a Time Warner company) and Paramount. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

About now TV

now TV is one of the world’s largest commercial deployments of IPTV and Hong Kong’s largest pay-TV provider. It is delivered by PCCW Media, the multimedia and entertainment subsidiary of PCCW Limited. PCCW also holds interests in telecommunications, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.

now TV serves Hong Kong with more than 180 channels of local, Asian and international programming, including premium content such as Spanish La Liga , English FA Cup, NBA, French Open, US Open, ATP World Tour, BWF Super Series, World Snooker Tour, F1 and PGA Tour. In addition, now TV is both a leading producer of news, sports and infotainment programming and a provider of a wide range of interactive services. now TV can be enjoyed on the eye devices provided by HKT, the telecommunications business of PCCW. Select now TV content and interactive applications can also be accessed via HKT’s 3G mobile network and broadband service. To learn more about now TV, please visit www.now.com.

For further information, please contact:

Karen Lai
Director, Communications
HBO Asia
Tel: (65) 6381 1796
Email: karen.lai@hboasia.com

Relevant content, fresh opportunities at CASBAA 2012

Hong Kong, 31 October 2012 – A strong push towards investment in relevant local content and newly emerging markets took centre stage on the first day of the CASBAA Convention 2012 in Hong Kong. Featuring global and Asian industry leaders, regulators, media personalities and technologists the conference line-up pinpointed key trends facing the industry today.

“Creating relevant content is a huge focus,” said Gerhard Zeiler, President of Turner Broadcasting System International at the Talking TV session. Emmy and Golden Globe winner and Founder & Chairman of Electus, Ben Silverman, highlighted key innovations around local content production that are already occurring, while Ross Martin, EVP, Scratch/Viacom Media Networks noted that social media is being used to continue and further improve engagement. However, the first day speakers all agreed that content providers should not lose sight of the audience as “they are the bosses.”
A concentration on local content for millennials is also creating opportunities in emerging South East Asian markets such as Myanmar, where the median age of the population is under 30-years-old, said Ye Htut, Myanmar’s Deputy Minister of Information. He said the Myanmar broadcast industry is opening up and would welcome foreign investment in pay-TV when a new regulatory framework is completed.  He added that with over 100 ethnic minorities, his government is looking to the interests of diverse groups represented through local content.
Diego Reck of FOX International Channels in Latin America, highlighted the integration of a newly engaged audience commentary during live sports events, while Gautam Anand, Director, Content Partnerships, Asia-Pacific at Google pointed to massive increases in the use of social media. Meanwhile, Kenneth Lee, Director of Media Networks Technology, The Walt Disney Company, highlighted his company’s explorative efforts to insert advertising into the Watch Disney app.
Monetising social media efforts spurred debate. Jonathan Ellis, CEO of TMS in Hong Kong, argued that “you should not drive people from a broadcast media into a social platform without understanding why. You need to own the social data that is being created and use it. That’s where the value lies,” he said.
Participants also explored the opportunities surrounding OTT. Sam Blackman, CEO, Elemental observed that OTT is now being used to enter markets where there is no other presence. However, Dennis Rose, VP, Asia-Pacific, Brightcove cautioned that complexity is not going to go away. Even so, all panellists agreed that OTT is a tool that can unleash enormous market potential, and if it not seized, will be left to enterprising pirates.
Whether it is traditional media or social media, piracy was a key concern for all attendees. Andrew Wajs, CTO, Irdeto pointed out that tracking and monitoring is vital for combating hackers, who are becoming ever more creative. He added that for content in mobile devices, securing the device with secure software is crucial. “‘The idea is to make it as uncomfortable and inconvenient to view pirated content and drive viewers to legitimate sources.”
At the opening ceremony for CASBAA 2012, Eliza Lee, the Director-General of Communications of the Office of the Communications Authority, noted that “the global communications industry is fast evolving, pushed by innovative technologies and the changing demands of consumers.” She added, “to cope with the challenges of convergence of telecommunications and broadcasting, the Communications Authority was formed early this year as a single unified regulatory body for the entire electronic communications sector.”
The CASBAA Convention 2012 is supported by FOX International Channels, Turner, Eurosport, Dolby, A+E Networks, AMC/Sundance Channel Global, APT Satellite, ABS, AsiaSat, Bloomberg Television, Brightcove, Conax, Discovery Networks APAC, Disney Media Distribution, Elemental Technologies, Ericsson, euronews, Food Network Asia, France 24, HBO Asia, Intelsat, Invest Hong Kong, Irdeto, ITV, MEASAT, Movideo, NBA, NBCUniversal, now TV, Paul Weiss, Playboy Plus Entertainment, PwC, SES, Sony Pictures Television Networks, TBN Asia, ThinkAnalytics, Time Warner, True Visions, TV5MONDE, Verimatrix, Viacom International Media Networks, WarnerTV and YouTube.
For a third year leading sponsor Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) has also shown its support for the CASBAA Convention by sponsoring a Community Outreach Programme. Complimentary passes have been offered to local SMEs in the TV sector and tertiary students of relevant courses to attend the event for networking and knowledge exchange. CreateHK is the dedicated office set up by the Hong Kong SAR Government to promote local creative industries.
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About CASBAA – http://www.casbaa.com
Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across Asia. Spanning 18 geographic markets, CASBAA and its Members reach 446 million connections through a footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content through industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.
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For enquiries, please contact:
Desmond Chung
PR & Communications Manager
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com
Adela Chen
Director, Marketing & Communications
Tel: +852 3929-1711
Email: adela@casbaa.com

Twiston Davies honoured with Chairman’s Award

Hong Kong, October 31, 2012 – Out-going CASBAA CEO Simon Twiston Davies has been honoured with the Annual CASBAA Chairman’s Award during the final day of the CASBAA Convention 2012 in Hong Kong.

Twiston Davies will step down from his current role on December 31st and will be succeeded by a new management team lead by in-coming CEO Christopher Slaughter.

“Under Twiston Davies’ management CASBAA has become a central industry voice for the multichannel TV industry across 18 Asia Pacific markets running from Japan to Pakistan; China to Australasia and beyond,” said CASBAA Chairman Marcel Fenez.

“Most importantly, CASBAA has become the ‘Go To’ industry body in Asia if you are a serious multichannel TV player, or want to be one. That is Twiston Davies’ most notable contribution,” said Fenez.

According to Fenez, since taking up his appointment in 2000, Twiston Davies worked tirelessly to emphasize the value of the multichannel TV industry while more than doubling the number of participating CASBAA companies to the 130 Members of the Association of today.

Twiston Davies said he was greatly honoured by the Award which was as much a tribute to the support of the CASBAA Membership since 2000 as it was to successive Executive Office teams.

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About CASBAA – casbaa.com

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across Asia. Spanning 18 geographic markets, CASBAA and its Members reach over 445 million connections through a footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content through industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

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For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung, PR & Communications Manager, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Adela Chen, Director, Marketing & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1711
Email: adela@casbaa.com

APAC now with 446m Multichannel TV homes

Hong Kong, October 30, 2012 – CASBAA has released its annual estimate of Asia Pacific Multichannel TV homes, reinforcing the overall healthy state of the market.

“Now with 446 million multichannel homes and a 57% penetration of all TV homes, the Asia Pacific remains a global engine room for the multichannel TV sector. Even as the rest of the world worries about overall economic indicators, the Asia pay-TV market remains in robust health,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO, CASBAA.

What the data also says:

  • Multichannel TV homes in the Asia Pacific grew by 39m in the last 12 months
  • Fifty-three per cent of global multichannel homes are found in Asia
  • Seventy per cent of viewers in the Asia Pacific watch multichannel TV, even as terrestrial TV viewership continues to shrink
  • Affluent Asian multichannel TV audiences are early adopters and comfortable with pay-TV advertising
  • TV in general remains the dominant advertising medium accounting for 61% of global adspend

The TV adspend in China, India, Indonesia and Hong Kong is positioned to fulfil aggressive growth predictions made for Y/E 2012 while new markets such as Myanmar, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Cambodia are becoming central to the positive growth story.

Meanwhile, technology is relentlessly changing the way we view HD, 3D, VoD and OTT platforms – and the third screen is “Everywhere” with global sales of tablets expected to pass 127 million in 2012, up from 82 million units in 2011.

“The opportunity to significantly enhance viewer interaction with TV programming through companion screens is re-energising viewer engagement,” added Twiston Davies.

For more information, visit casbaa.com/advertising.

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About CASBAA – casbaa.com

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across Asia. Spanning 18 geographic markets, CASBAA and its Members reach 446 million connections through a footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content through industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

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For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung, PR & Communications Manager, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Adela Chen, Director, Marketing & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1711
Email: adela@casbaa.com

CASBAA’12 Day 1 Summary

Convention 2012 Day 1 Photo

Convention 2012 Day 1 Press Release

Convention 2012 Day 1 Panel Summaries

Making a lively opening, Marcel Fenez, chairman of CASBAA and global leader, Entertainment & Media Practice, PwC gave an update on the new members to the CASBAA family.

Following that, guest of honor, Eliza Lee, Director-General of Communications, shared with the audience how Hong Kong is aggressively looking to fulfill the needs of an increasingly sophisticated content consumer base. Facilitating the healthy development of the communications industry here, the Government set up the Communications Authority, a merger of the Telecommunications Authority and the Broadcast Authority. The Authority will unify regulation across the entire sector whilst encouraging innovation, investment and the implementation of best practices.

This brought home the point that the industry is evolving like never before. The day’s events highlight a number of key developments throughout the entire content value chain. There was a wealth of insights and knowledge that will benefit markets at any stage of development.

Myanmar for instance, is making inroads in their PayTV development. The Government is actively looking to create a more encouraging environment for foreign investment. They want to make sure their over 100 ethnic minorities are represented with content that is relevant to them. At the same time bolstering their learning and education programming to cater to the needs of their younger population, thirsting for knowledge.

And this is where the conversation really starts. Content is more than ever, King. A revolving theme that permeates the day’s activities, it is vital to have compelling content that consumers will be drawn to. This was a sentiment that was driven home in the opening sessions. Content must be relevant to the consumer.

The next step is getting that content onto the screens of consumers. Multi-screen technology has seen tremendous advances over the last few years. OTT capabilities that were once seen as a threat to traditional linear content providers may now offer the means to reach a wider audience, or enhance the quality of engagement for existing subscribers.

And then there is social media. To be ignored at threat of peril. Social media is what will ultimately shape the future of content creation. It is the future. Get behind it or be left behind. Engage consumers, allow them to interact with the creation of new content, give them a voice in the dialogue. Four great case studies showcased how to draw consumers in a way that will sustain the engagement and keep them coming for more. The ability to monetize Social is still eluding most players, however as these case studies and the insights shared throughout the day show, this challenge is being addressed by the industry from multiple angles. This will eventually lead to a breakthrough. In the mean time create opportunities that allow the viewer experience to live beyond the content show time.

Speaking of experiences, elevating the quality of not just the content itself, but also the visual and audio quality is equally important. Advances in sound technology allow a single surround sound audio stream to be embedded into content following which playback is optimized by the device depending on the available hardware capabilities.

Finally, there’s the thorny issue of piracy. After all, there is no sense in creating compelling and authentic content, only to leave it out for the pirates. Thankfully, there have been developments in this area as well. It is possible to secure the playback devices as well as monitor and track where illegal content is being redistributed and consumed. This will be a going concern and an area of increasing development as the complexities will only increase with the proliferation of newer models of content delivery.

The world of broadcast is at a very exciting place and it is promising to become even more interesting as the whole ecosystem moves along.

Celestial Tiger Entertainment Announces Five New Carriage Agreements at CASBAA

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New deals include channel launches in Cambodia, the Philippines and carriage on new platform in Singapore

Hong Kong (October 30, 2012) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), the operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, announced today five new carriage agreements on the first day of the 2012 CASBAA Convention, the annual pay TV industry conference held in Hong Kong. The newly-inked deals will, for the first time, extend CTE’s channel distribution to Cambodia, extend CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES’ reach into the Philippines, and create a new on demand service called KIX Thrill Select for a new Over-The-Top (OTT) interactive service in Singapore.

The five new deals include carriage on PPCTV and One TV in Cambodia, on MeTV in Thailand, on SKYCable in the Philippines, and on MediaCorp’s Toggle in Singapore. All four of CTE’s primary channel brands are included in the deals: CELESTIAL MOVIES (CM), the biggest 24-hour Chinese movie service in Asia and beyond, offering viewers the biggest stars and the biggest blockbusters; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES (CCM), featuring some of the best movies in Chinese cinema history, all digitally remastered for optimal picture quality; KIX, the ultimate destination for action entertainment in Asia with a diverse mix of “All Action” content from the East and West; and Thrill, Asia’s first and only horror, thriller and suspense movie channel.

Todd Miller, President and Chief Operating Officer of Celestial Tiger Entertainment remarked, “The momentum continues to build on our bouquet of channels. Since the beginning of the year, we have signed 17 new carriage deals with 13 platforms. These new carriage agreements truly reflect the wide appeal of our daring, distinctive and uniquely Asian channels.”

The new deals signed are as follows:

Cambodia

  • PPCTV, the first and leading provider of cable TV service and broadband Internet in Cambodia, signed a deal to carry CCM. This marks the first time CTE is entering the Cambodian market.
  • One TV, the latest digital terrestrial television provider in Cambodia, will carry CCM. One TV was recently launched by Royal Media Entertainment Corporation Ltd (RMEC).

Singapore

  • MediaCorp signed a deal to offer CTE’s new on demand service KIX Thrill Select (KTS) as well as CELESTIAL MOVIES ON DEMAND (CMOD) on their new OTT interactive service called Toggle. KTS will offer action entertainment from KIX and horror, thriller and suspense movies and TV series from Thrill on demand, while CMOD will offer the latest Chinese blockbusters and all-time favorites on demand.
  • Also in Singapore, SingTel’s mio TV will be shifting KIX HD to their basic Family+ pack.

Thailand

  • MeTV, Thailand’s new IPTV service, will carry KIX, Thrill and CCM. MeTV is the exclusive video programming provider for the customers of Thailand’s state-owned telecommunications company TOT Public Company Limited.

Philippines

  • SKYCable is adding CCM to their channel line-up in the Chinese Pack. SKYCable is the largest cable company in the Philippines under the Lopez Group of Companies and a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corporation, the nation’s largest TV network.

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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 ON DEMAND, Celestial’s subscription Video On Demand service; 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; Celestial Pictures, a major Asian entertainment company wholly-owned by Astro, the owner and operator of the leading DTH platform in Malaysia; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.

The Walking Dead generates monster ratings for FIC

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THE WALKING DEAD’S THIRD SEASON PREMIERE GENERATES MONSTER RATINGS ACROSS ASIA ON FOX INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS

Asia, October 30, 2012 – FOX International Channels (FIC) has announced that The Walking Dead Season 3 premiere received impressive ratings performance across Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. The show easily defeated all cable competition in its time period with regards to Total Viewers, and in some cases beat broadcast competition to reign as the night’s most watched program.

Other regional highlights include:

In Malaysia

  • The debut made FOX Movies Premium (FMP) the #1 Western movie channel in the timeslot among all pay-TV viewers
  • The premiere ratings outperformed FMP’s year-to-date prime time average by +54%

In Singapore

  • The debut made FMP the #1 movie channel in the timeslot among all pay-TV viewers
  • The premiere ratings outperformed FMP’s year-to-date prime time average by +194%

In Taiwan

  • The third season debuted as the #1 international drama in the market and propelled STAR Movies to the #1 position across all movie channels in its timeslot

In the Philippines

  • The premiere of the new season broke all previously held performance records for Western general entertainment programming on FOX, as the highest rated drama series since the launch of the national meter panel in 2009
  • It made FOX the #1 cable channel in the timeslot among all pay-TV viewers
  • It recorded 77% increase in rating from the Season 2 Opener, and 160% increase in rating from its full Season 2 first-run average

“The Walking Dead is, without a doubt, the biggest global TV hit of the moment. Our viewers can’t get enough of ‘Dead’, said Hernan Lopez, President and Chief Executive Officer of FOX International Channels.

“This incredible global success is the result of a unique partnership and collaboration between FIC, AMC and The Walking Dead’s talented team,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, Executive Vice President of Scripted Programming and Original Development, FOX International Channels. “For a third consecutive season we are bringing this highly anticipated show to viewers in more than 120 countries shortly after it airs in the US and it is continuing to break record internationally. We’ve made a strong commitment to the show’s hungry and loyal fans across the globe, and it paid off big time.”

For the past two years, The Walking Dead has received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup (2012/2011). In 2010, The Walking Dead secured a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series – Drama.

FIC owns all international rights for The Walking Dead outside of North America. Entertainment One handles third party Broadcast TV, Digital and Home Video sales for the show outside of FIC’s channels.

The Walking Dead Season 3 premiered in markets across Asia after first broadcasting in the US on October 14, 2012, with all new episodes scheduled to air every Sunday.

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About THE WALKING DEAD

Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics, The Walking Dead tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse, and follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who travel in search of a safe and secure home. Additional cast includes: Sarah Wayne Callies as Lori Grimes; Laurie Holden as Andrea; Steven Yeun as Glenn; Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon; Chandler Riggs as Carl; Lauren Cohan as Maggie; Scott Wilson as Hershel; Iron E. Singleton as T-Dog and Melissa McBride as Carol. The series is executive produced by Glen Mazzara, Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, and David Alpert with Greg Nicotero as co-executive producer.

About FOX International Channels

FOX International Channels (FIC) is News Corporation’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 350 wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports and movie channels across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, in 37 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions reach over 1.1 billion households worldwide. We also operate a global online advertising unit .FOX (“dot-fox”) specialized in online video and display, and four TV production houses.

In Asia, FIC operates or distributes 33 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, FIC reaches 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, New Zealand and the UAE. For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

About AMC

AMC reigns as the only cable network in history to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, as well as the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series – Drama for three consecutive years. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original programming, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC’s original stories include Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, The Killing and Hell on Wheels. AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with its slate of unscripted original series, as well as curated movie franchises like AMC’s Can’t Get Enough and AMC’s Crazy About. Available in more than 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters HereSM.

Press Contacts:

Fleishman-Hillard
James Hacking 
Tel: +852 2967 8982 
Email: James.Hacking@bluecurrentgroup.com 

Shirley Lam
Tel: +852 2111 3171 
Email: shirley.lam@fleishman.com 

FOX International Channels
Kelly Jang
Tel: +852 2621 8875 
Email: kelly.jang@fox.com 

Erin Yeh
Tel: +852 2621 9166 
Email: erin.yeh@fox.com 

Encompass signs double HD channel deal with MEASAT

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Kuala Lumpur, 30 October 2012 – MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. (“MEASAT”) announced today an agreement with Encompass Digital Media (“Encompass”) for the addition of the Sundance SEA HD and WE tv SEA HD channels to the MEASAT-3/3a video neighbourhood for distribution across South East Asia (“SEA”).

The Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different and bold. It offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries and original programs. WE tv is the premier source for women looking to satisfy their curiosity with fascinating, original stories that is relevant to key stages of their lives. The channel offers viewers compelling perspectives on women’s lives ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary, presented in a non-judgmental voice.

“MEASAT is delighted to work together with Encompass for the addition of two (2) new HD channels to Asia,” said Jarod Lopez, Senior Director, Sales and Marketing, MEASAT. “The expansion of MEASAT’s video neighbourhood is a sustained concerted effort by MEASAT and key strategic partners to build a strong HD channel bouquet for Asia.”

MEASAT’s HD video neighbourhood from the MEASAT-3/3a satellites at 91.5°E now features an assortment of 36 HD channels that includes news, general entertainment, sports and factual programming.

Contact:
Tan Shyue Wern
MEASAT
+60 (3) 8213 2152
tswtan@measat.com

About MEASAT

MEASAT is a premium supplier of satellite communication services to leading international broadcasters, DTH platforms and telecom operators. With capacity across a fleet of five communications satellites, MEASAT is able to provide satellite services to over 145 countries representing 80% of the world’s population across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia.

The MEASAT fleet includes the state of art MEASAT-3/3a satellites at 91.5°E which support Asia’s premium DTH and video distribution neighbourhood, MEASAT-2 at 148.0°E, MEASAT-5 at 119.5°E and AFRICASAT-1 at 46.0°E. The MEASAT fleet will be further strengthened with the addition of AFRICASAT-1a at 46°E in Q1 2013 and MEASAT-3b at 91.5°E in Q4 2013.

Leveraging facilities at the MEASAT Teleport and Broadcast Centre, and working with a select group of world-class partners, MEASAT also provides a complete range of broadcast and telecommunications solutions. Services include 3D, high definition and standard definition video playout, video turnaround, co-location, uplinking, broadband and IP termination services.

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

Al Jazeera sign-up Redi Tlhabi for new talkshow

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October 27, 2012 – Al Jazeera English has announced that they have snapped up one of South Africa’s hottest talents to front a new weekly talkshow on the channel.

Redi Tlhabi is already well-known for her television and radio conversations in her native country, where her charm and character have won her legions of fans. Her Al Jazeera programme will be a mix of politics, culture, music, health and science.

A studio is being specially constructed for the show in Johannesburg. Guests will appear there, while Redi will also travel worldwide for interviews.

Al Jazeera said that the show being anchored in South Africa further demonstrated their commitment to truly global programming. Paul Eedle, Al Jazeera English’s director of programmes said:

“The show is based in South Africa, but is global in reach. Redi and the entire production team are from the region. We’re deliberately hosting the show outside of the “traditional centres”, further strengthening our global offering. Forty percent of Al Jazeera’s output is programming, and with our dedication to exposing viewers to cultures worldwide, this is an important addition to our lineup.

“Viewers will love Redi’s approach and style. It’s always great to attract talent and to put them on the global stage.”

Redi Thlabi said:

“I’m passionate about conversation and hearing peoples’ stories. The show will be about people and for people all around the world. It is there to highlight extraordinary people, not only those who are famous, but those who live their lives out of the spotlight and have still achieved the impossible and have done the admirable.

“I’m on the record in the past as having said that if I went back to television that I’d want to do something trusted, and give a voice to the voiceless. I want this show to build understanding between people across the world, and there’s no better platform for this than Al Jazeera.”

Redi already has a strong talkshow pedigree, having interviewed figures like Nelson Mandela, Colin Powell and Bono.

She is already well known in South Africa for her morning show on Radio 702, and to television viewers from having been a regular on SABC3, then on the eNews Channel where she was the co-anchor of the news channel’s flagship weekday news show News Night with Jeremy Maggs.

The show will commence before the end of 2012.

[END]

Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia’s ONE Turns Two

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Stellar Ratings Pushes ONE to the Top

Singapore 29 October 2012 – Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks, Asia today announced its Korean general entertainment (GE) channel ONE has maintained stellar ratings across the region, achieving various milestones in just two years since its launch.

From 1 January to 10 October 2012, among pay-TV 4+ audiences, ONE was the top rated high definition (HD) channel in Malaysia, winning 43 per cent of the viewing share among all 19 HD channels. The channel also drew the second-longest average viewing duration of 125 minutes per viewer each day, among all pay-TV networks on Astro.

In Singapore, ONE rates among the top five pay-TV channels on StarHub TV as reported by Kantar Media, among pay-TV 4+ audiences, and is a top four-rated channel for female audiences. In addition to Singapore and Malaysia, the channel is also seen in Cambodia, Brunei, Australia and Indonesia with customized language localization including subtitling and dubbing for programs. ONE is currently available on nine pay-TV platforms in the six markets, with ONE HD, the high definition feed of ONE also broadcasting in selected territories.

“It has been a breathtaking and fruitful two years for ONE. As the only true Korean general entertainment channel in the region offering some of the very latest content direct from Korea, ONE is a winning formula that is a must-have, exciting entertainment package that viewers, advertisers and partners to keep returning to. We thank our partner SBS for the wonderful support, and look forward to furthering our working relationship towards increasing the incredible potential of ONE,” said Ricky Ow, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Networks, Asia, Sony Pictures Television.

On the marketing front, ONE has distinguished itself by being the only regional channel to regularly bring well-loved Korean drama stars on promotional tours to Southeast Asia. This has given viewers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to meet their idols up-close and personal, and offers advertisers and pay-TV partners a unique promotional opportunity.

Most recently, ONE welcomed Korean idol and actor Lee Hyun Woo (Queen Seon Deok, Lobbyist) to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore this month, in promotion of its hit Korean romantic comedy series To the Beautiful You. In the last two years, top drama actors Jang Hyuk (Deep Rooted Tree) as well as Lee Dong Wook (My Girl) and Kim Sun-A (My Lovely Samsoon) also visited both cities in promotion of the drama series Midas and Scent of a Woman, while up-and-coming male K-pop group BTOB performed for ONE subscribers in Jakarta.

As Asia’s first and only channel offering 100 percent, dedicated Korean entertainment programming including popular dramas with selected new titles airing 3 – 5 weeks of Korean premieres, as well as stellar and current variety and music shows, ONE has set itself apart from the competition to define the Korean GE genre in the Asian content space.

-Ends-

About ONE

ONE is the latest Asian general entertainment channel from Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, the broadcaster of Asia’s leading cable channels AXN, Animax, Sony Entertainment Television and beTV.

Wholly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, ONE is dedicated to bringing the best of Asian general entertainment, with an emphasis on prime Korean content, first and exclusively to all pan-Asia viewers.

ONE showcases the latest Korean dramas, with selected titles premiering within weeks of their debut broadcasts in Korea on an exclusive and first-run basis. Viewers can catch the biggest stars and hottest names in Korean entertainment, from young and trendy idol dramas to highly popular soap operas. The programming line-up also includes the most current K-pop variety and music programs.

See www.onetvasia.com for more.

About Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia

Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, based in Singapore, was established in 1997 as the Asia headquarters for Sony Pictures Television Networks. It operates five ad-supported 24/7 channel brands in the region which are wholly-owned by Sony Pictures.

AXN is the home of thrilling entertainment; beTV is the place to be for the best of light, engaging and easy-viewing entertainment; Sony Entertainment Television is a female-skewing channel offering ‘wickedly juicy’ shows; Animax offers anime programming for all; and ONE, the gem of Asian general entertainment, is powered by prime and current Korean content.

Media Enquiry

Madison Communications for Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia

Peter Ip
(852) 2881 8790/ 6275 7043
peter@madison.asia

David Chau
(852) 2881 1787/ 9338 4997
david@madison.asia

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