Viu launches premium subscription in Singapore with Singtel

Telco alliance support aggressive regional expansion
Viu app downloads hit 1.6 million in Hong Kong and 500,000 in Singapore

PCCW (SEHK: 0008) – Hong Kong, July 11, 2016 – PCCW Media’s OTT video service, Viu, has launched premium subscription service in Singapore with telco partner, Singtel, the largest telecommunications company in Singapore, offering viewers unlimited downloads of their favourite content.

Hailed as Southeast Asia’s first unlimited downloads* OTT video service, Viu leverages on the quality network of Singtel to provide Viu premium subscribers with priority viewing of a vast library of content, such as the current Korean hit drama, Uncontrollably Fond, which premiered on July 6 and is aired with English subtitle right after Korean telecast for Viu premium subscribers. The fast turnaround with subtitles, first-ever in the region, is also available on Viu at the same time frame in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Viu premium subscribers also get to watch the latest Korean dramas and variety shows from the Big 4 Korean broadcasters and Japanese dramas as fast as 8 hours after telecast in Korea, enjoy 1080p HD quality and exclusive content window of the latest content with very limited ads. Meanwhile, Viu freemium users will continue to have access to Viu’s huge catalogue of Asian content for free. All users can also enjoy Viu’s user-friendly functions such as multi-screen access, download-to-stream capability and multi-device synchronization when streaming, providing users with a truly seamless viewing experience on-the-go.

Initially launched as a freemium OTT service last October, Viu has seen tremendous growth in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. In Hong Kong, Viu app downloads already surpassed 1.6 million while in Singapore, it has recorded over 500,000 downloads in the short span of four months following its January launch**. Meanwhile, Viu is well-supported by a host of advertisers in the region. More importantly, users are actively engaged, averaging 1.82 hours^ of viewing time daily on the mobile app.

“This strategic tie-up between Viu and Singtel is a win-win for consumers as they can enjoy the best Asian entertainment content at the most competitive offering across the best network in Singapore. With the rise of digital content, we are seeing a rapid shift in the way media content is being consumed, especially by millennials. By sharing the same vision to bring the most compelling content to viewers anytime, anywhere on any mobile device, Viu and Singtel are strategically aligned to focus on adapting to meet the needs of today’s viewers,” said Ms. Janice Lee, Managing Director of PCCW Media.

cont’d …

“86% of Singapore netizens regularly stream or download video content, of which 60% are watching dramas⁺. These numbers show the immense potential in the OTT video streaming market where we are spearheading change in the way consumers engage with and consume digital content,” added Ms. Lee.

Regional partnerships with telcos and top broadcasters

To assure viewers of a stable viewing experience, Viu has forged strategic telco partnerships with networks such as CSL in Hong Kong, Singtel in Singapore, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Maxis, Digi and U Mobile in Malaysia as well as Telkom Indonesia in Indonesia.

Ms. Lee said, “The strategic partnerships we have built with top broadcasters and leading telcos all over Asia to deliver the best Asian content at the fastest speeds on quality networks has enabled Viu’s growing success. The recent airing of Descendants of the Sun has shown us that what consumers want today is fast, convenient access to digital content, and Viu was able to cater to that mass demand by being the first platform with such a large library of authorized Korean content where fans could catch it in Singapore.”

Industry recognition

Viu has built a relevant and personalised experience with exclusive unique innovative content based on the a freemium model and its achievement is duly recognized in the industry, garnering the Gold Award for Best Mobile App at the HKICT Awards 2016, Telecom Asia’s 19^th Annual Award for Best OTT Video Service this year, and most recently named Asia Pacific Telco Digital Service Provider of the Year by industry research group Frost & Sullivan at its Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2016.

“We will continue to leverage our research to gain insights to our viewers’ preference so that our content and features are uniquely tailored to their needs thus enabling continued relevance to our viewers,” added Ms. Lee.

– # –

* Based on the research in Nov 2015 among the legal OTT video platforms with services in the countries included in ASEAN Economic Community, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Brunei Darussalam. Downloading contents via 3^rd party software from the OTT video platform is not included.

** Figures from Google Play Developer Console and iTunes Connect

^ Acorn study commissioned by PCCW Media Group

⁺ Based on Singapore user tracking data on Viu in May 2016

cont’d …

About PCCW Media

The media group of PCCW is a leading, fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong.

The media group operates the leading pay-TV service in Hong Kong under the Now TV brand delivering both self-produced and licensed content to its customers using advanced IPTV technology. Now TV offers more than 180 linear channels of local, Asian and international programming. Its premium content can also be accessed on-demand and on the go via now Player app. It is also a leading producer of Chinese language news, financial news and sports programming in addition to Asian infotainment content which complements its wide portfolio of licensed movie and international television content.

The media group is also engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region. In addition, MOOV is a hugely popular lossless music digital streaming service in Hong Kong.

Moreover, the media group operates one of Asia’s leading directories businesses under the Yellow Pages brand.

About PCCW Limited

PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008) is a global company headquartered in Hong Kong which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.

The Company holds a majority interest in the HKT Trust and HKT Limited, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services. HKT meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centers.

PCCW also owns a fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong, PCCW Media. PCCW Media operates the largest local pay-TV operation, Now TV, and is engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region.

Also wholly-owned by the Group, PCCW Solutions is a leading information technology outsourcing and business process outsourcing provider in Hong Kong and mainland China.

In addition, PCCW holds a majority interest in Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, and overseas investments including the wholly-owned UK Broadband Limited. To learn more about PCCW, please visit www.pccw.com.

cont’d …

For further information, please contact:

Ivan Ho

PCCW

Tel: +852 2883-8747

Email: ivan.wy.ho@pccw.com

Marina Leung

Magnus Muses Limited

Tel: +852 3951 0222 / +852 9203 6203

Email: Marina.leung@magnusmuses.com

Issued by PCCW Limited.

8 July, 2016

Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending July 8th. Curated by CASBAA, News Views keeps you in the loop. We always value your feedback, so tell us what you think!

Brought to you by:

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

As everybody knows, the last few months have seen feverish building of alliances between telcos/ISPs and OTT content players. And the mobile sector is affected, too: a new survey reports that half of Asia’s mobile operators have partnerships with OTT players already, and the other half is very interested in doing a deal. Interestingly, even as big international players (like Netflix) roll out more content deals in the region, it is local players who are doing well at snapping up indigenous content at reasonable prices and making a push to lock in local consumers.

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has objected to the proposed merger between SK Telecom and the media company CJ HelloVision and have asked for an evaluation on the impact on market competition. An official with the antitrust authority told the Korea Times that the FTC agrees with the concerns raised by SK Telecom’s rivals over the potential impact on the deal, claiming the merger could restrain competition by handing SK Telecom market dominance, and give SK Telecom the ability to distort the market by offering bundle pricing that rivals may not be able to match. This is a big blow to SK’s ambitions; the company complained that the FTC was being “excessively stringent” and wasn’t heeding the needs of the market economy, as the cable industry needs “healthy restructuring”. SK now has to decide whether to drop the merger case totally, or try to press on despite the FTC’s objections, which are considered by many to be “an effective block” of the merge.

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Lots happening in VR this week. Following the money, HTC Vive announce a $10 billion VR VC fund “to put the investment weight of much of the industry on the back of itself and its partners”. On programming, NBC will offer 85 hours of VR Olympics courtesy of Samsung. None of it live though. And this Christmas one can expect to see a full-length, 90-minute “Jesus VR — The Story of Christ”. BTW, if you are into seeing how VR may evolve to take over the world, I highly recommend an excellent sci-fi book, Ready Player One. An even more fun read if you are a geek-pop-culture buff.

Andrew Lin

Regulatory Assistant

Recently, Comcast and Netflix have reached an agreement to incorporate Netflix into Comcast’s X1 set-top-box platform. People with the X1 cable box will now be able to access Netflix content which will not only make binge watching TV shows easier, but also introduce Netflix to the elderly US residents who are less aware of it and watch more TV than the average. Despite issues in the past, Comcast teams up with Netflix as a way to keep their customers connected to their cable subscription.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

This week’s trawl for the dirt on censorship produces an interesting question, from Chennai: “Does Television Content Need Censorship?” There’s no single answer in that article, but a couple of other articles show the perils of creating a nanny-state censor board, as India has for the film industry: every Tom, Dick and Hari has an heartfelt need to have content of one kind or another blocked. Maybe it’s because regional films are a threat to national unity. Or because content shown isn’t appropriate to someone’s religious holiday season. Or even because it shows your city in a bad light. And remember that over in China, stories about space aliens get censored too! The point is that there are a never-ending series of reasons why somebody might object to some sort of TV content, and in a fully wired/wireless world, it is self-regulation and co-regulation that make sense.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

On the subject of censorship, the latest round of Chinese blocks on foreign content have the Koreans worried – Korean series have been fabulously successful in China. (Of course, Korea has long had in place a whole array of quotas and other constraints designed to keep out keep foreign content…….People who spent long years trying to negotiate access for foreign channels to the Korean market can be forgiven a bit of shadenfreude.)

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

REDEF has another fantastic “Original”, The Death and Resurrection of Live & Communal Entertainment. “Live isn’t just something you put in your queue – you prioritize it and go out of your way to watch it. This is of huge strategic value. Not only does live sustain greater ad loads and improve ad efficacy, it also does so with integrated, pre and post-roll advertising. To this same end, live defies binge-based consumption, thereby driving both sustained subscriptions and/or engagement. In addition, live affords fan engagement opportunities that can’t be replicated on-demand (e.g. audience interactivity) and can significantly increase a fan’s brand affinity. This will make live programming particularly important for video services that can’t compete based on the sizes of their libraries.”

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

Another reshuffle, another round of period of `understanding issues’ (read slow decision-making process). At a time when industry thought MIB had an important role to play in giving those extra `nudges’ to India’s burgeoning, but regulation-intensive, media and entertainment sector, a recent Cabinet reshuffle saw senior ministers at MIB and Telecoms Ministry replaced. Critics went to town: one said the reshuffle was PM Modi’s way of admitting government was off track, while another blamed the PM for another squandered the opportunity for a “course correction that his government” needed.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

The Indian government is looking at three technologies that can help extend “Digital India” to cover the country’s many rural areas. And Eureka! Satellite is one of the three.

Some additional links you might be interested in:

Member News

HBO Asia announces first Chinese martial arts production with China movie channel

Hong Kong action director Corey Yuen executive produces the first two movies of the anthology to premiere across CMC’s network of channels and HBO Asia’s 23 territories at the end of 2016

SINGAPORE, JULY 11, 2016 – HBO Asia today announced a collaboration with China Movie Channel (CMC) to develop an anthology of Chinese language martial arts action movies. Set to premiere at the end of 2016, the first two movies of the anthology will be played on CMC’s channels, and concurrently across 23 Asian territories on HBO and RED by HBO, with subtitles where relevant.

Hong Kong action director, Corey Yuen (The Transporter, X-Men), executive produces the first and second movies, set in ancient China at the end of the Qing dynasty, which boast of gritty combat sequences executed by a cast of Chinese actors professionally trained in mixed martial arts, kung fu and muay thai.

Titled “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So” and “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”, principal photography for both movies has commenced in Heng Dian, China, helmed by Chinese action choreographer and director Guo Jian Yong (So Close, Chinese Hero Zhao Zi Long). Singapore’s award-winning screenwriter, Koh Teng Liang, is among a team of writers from China responsible for the screenplay of the latter movie, “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”.

Said Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia, “In expanding our production capabilities in North Asia to match audience appetite, HBO Asia is privileged to draw on CMC’s strong domestic production expertise while entertaining and inspiring viewers across the region with China’s vivid culture and stories. Apart from being HBO Asia’s very first Chinese language production and approach to the genre, this also marks the network’s first collaboration with talents from China, Hong Kong and Singapore.”

Cao Yin, President and Managing Director of CMC, said, “As the most influential movie channel in China, CMC has always been developing quality Chinese films over the years, and we are very happy and excited to work with prestigious international media companies such as HBO Asia. This is the first time CMC is doing a co-production of original TV movies. Through this partnership, we hope to exchange knowledge and know-how in the production of original content, and together with HBO Asia, introduce the essence of our culture through martial arts – one of the most iconic representations of the Chinese heritage.”

CMC is China’s top investor in local film production, having produced and co-produced more than 1,700 movies and TV movies, including Slave Mother (International Emmy^® award winner for Best Performance by an Actress), and the winner of multiple Asian film awards, The Taking of Tiger Mountain (directed by Tsui Hark and starring Tony Leung Ka Fai).

HBO Asia previously collaborated with filmmakers in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia on various English language productions, including the fantasy series, Halfworlds, recently renewed for a second season, which is concurrently being shot in Thailand.

About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia with six 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Cinemax, as well as Red by HBO, internet streaming platform, HBO GO, subscription video on demand service, HBO On Demand, and in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang). HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

About China Movie Channel (CMC)

China Movie Channel (CMC) is a media organisation directly subordinate to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of P. R. China (SAPPRFT). Established in 1995, its services cover a wide range of areas, including broadcasting, content production, print media and new media. CMC’s flagship channel CCTV-6 is the only national movie network in China reaching over 1.09 billion people through basic subscription. CMC also offers 3 premium subscription channels, CHC Family, CHC Action and CHC HD, and has more than 2.8 million subscribers. CMC Channels have exclusive deals with all major Hollywood studios and over 95% of all Chinese movies and exclusive licensing deals with other European and Asian distributors. CMC is also the exclusive Chinese broadcaster for major international awards such as the Oscars^®, Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globes. CMC’s streaming site 1905.com is one of the top film streaming websites in China.

Turner strikes content deal with nine and launches ‘Adult Swim’ branded block on 9GO!

Adult Swim-Rick and Morty

Hit animation series Rick and Morty to make FTA prime-time debut in Australia

SYDNEY (July 8, 2016) – Adult Swim, Turner’s irreverent brand of young-adult comedy, has found a new home in Australia under a syndication agreement with Nine.

Nine’s 9GO! channel will host a weekly one-hour, Adult Swim-branded, block of programs every Sunday evening, starting July 10. The Adult Swim block will feature hit shows such as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Harvey Birdman, Robot Chicken, Squidbillies and The Venture Bros.

Nine has also picked up the local format rights to Adult Swim’s FishCentre, which will introduce the block each week The deal marks a free-to-air debut for many of these shows, including Rick and Morty, Adult Swim’s hit animation from Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, which will debut on the channel later in the year.

Robi Stanton, Turner Australia’s General Manager, said: “Adult Swim has a great new home in Australia. This partnership announcement with Nine will no doubt excite comedy-craving late teens and young adults across the country. Adult Swim produces some of the wackiest, craziest and cheekiest shows out there, and there’ll be only one destination on Sunday late nights – and that’s 9GO!.”

Adult Swim has been described as a life-changing pseudo-network – it’s not just television, it’s a way of life. Virtually nothing is sacred and nothing is safe, and viewers can certainly expect the unexpected.

Hamish Turner, Nine’s Director of Acquisitions, said: “Adult Swim is an iconic brand that continues to challenge its audience with a subversive and irreverent brand of comedy. We are proud to be bringing it to our audience in an Adult Swim late-night block on 9GO!, as well as making it available for catch-up and live streaming on 9Now. In partnering with Adult Swim, we have uncovered the network’s next big stars, making their debut on the Aussie version of FishCentre on Sunday July 10 at 11:30pm.”

Audiences can download the app or go to 9now.com.au to find the best of Adult Swim content in one place.

Adult Swim can also be seen on The Comedy Channel on Foxtel, as well as Netflix, which carries Rick and Morty.

-Ends-

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Web address where the Adult Swim content will be housed:

https://www.9now.com.au/shows/adult-swim

Watch a sneak-peek of Australia’s premiere episode of FishCentre here:

https://www.9now.com.au/adult-swim-fish-centre (in Australia)

or here: https://vimeo.com/173123770 (outside Australia)

For further information, contact:

James Moore, Director of Communications, Turner Asia Pacific

+852 3128-3720 / James.Moore@turner.com

Sean Salter, Network Publicist for 9GO! and 9Gem, Nine Network

+61-8-7326-1116 / ssalter@nine.com.au

About Adult Swim

Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. In the US, Adult Swim is basic cable’s #1 network with persons 18-34 and 18-49, and is seen in 94 million US homes and beyond. Adult Swim is part of Turner, a Time Warner company that creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult multi-platform content for consumers around the world.

About Turner Asia Pacific

Turner Asia Pacific creates and distributes award-winning brands throughout the region, running 63 channels in 14 languages in 37 countries. These include CNN International, CNNj, CNN, HLN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, POGO, Toonami, World Heritage Channel, Warner TV, Oh!K, TCM Turner Classic Movies, truTV, MondoTV, TABI Channel, and HBO and WB in South Asia. Turner manages the business of Pay- and Free-TV-channels, as well as Internet-based services, and oversees commercial partnerships with various third-party media ventures; it teams with Warner Bros. and HBO to leverage Time Warner’s global reach. Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. (“Turner Asia Pacific”) is a Time Warner company.

About 9GO!

9GO! is a youth orientated channel targeting all audiences under the age of 40 with a mix of Comedy, Reality, General Entertainment, Movies, Animation and Drama. 9GO! is the No.1 multichannel for People 25-54, 18-49, 16-39, GBCH and Kids 0-17 since launch and is currently leading Survey Year to Date 2016 for the same demos.

StarTimes steps up capacity with Eutelsat for DTT broadcasting in Africa

Paris, 7 July 2016 – StarTimes, one of the fastest-growing operators of digital TV networks in Africa, and Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) have concluded new multi-year agreements that set the stage for accelerated roll-out of digital broadcasting services across Africa.

StarTimes uses satellites to deliver its multi-channel TV platform to over seven million homes in 13 Sub-Saharan African countries and is gearing up to expand into DRC Congo and Zambia in August. The platform transmits over 200 channels, including international channels, regional and country-focused channels as well as StarTimes’ own branded content. Content is offered both on a Free-to-View and pay-TV basis, with exclusive programming including frontline events such as the Bundesliga and the 2016 Copa America.

StarTimes has renewed capacity contracts on two Eutelsat satellites as well as agreements for uplinking services provided by a partner teleport operated by STN, in Slovenia. In anticipation of continued expansion of Africa’s TV market, StarTimes has also secured extra capacity and plans to scale up further by the end of the year. This expanded portfolio equips StarTimes to host more services, uplink channels from Europe and Africa and provide the highest levels of service continuity.

“StarTimes and Eutelsat are long-term strategic partners,” said StarTimes Group Chairman and President Pang Xinxing. “We rely on Eutelsat’s advanced satellite communication technology to make our signals available throughout the African continent. Going forward, we will continue to work with Eutelsat to provide the best digital TV service to our African customers.”

Rodolphe Belmer, Eutelsat CEO added: “Eutelsat is fully engaged in the transformation of Africa’s broadcasting landscape and is proud to work with the players who are bringing the benefits of digital TV to viewers across the continent. In leveraging diversified satellite resources we can help StarTimes achieve its ambition to reach 30 million homes in 30 African countries by 2018.”

For more information about STN: www.stn.eu

About Eutelsat Communications

Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world’s leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 39 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies.

Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location.

Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.

For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com

Press
Vanessa O’Connor Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 voconnor@eutelsat.com
Marie-Sophie Ecuer Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com
Violaine du Boucher Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 vduboucher@eutelsat.com

Investors and analysts
Joanna Darlington Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30 jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Cédric Pugni Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30 cpugni@eutelsat.com

Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia Names Nirav Haji as Vice President, Affiliate Sales

SINGAPORE (July 7, 2016) Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks, Asia announced today the appointment of Nirav Haji as Vice President, Affiliate Sales.

Based in Singapore and reporting to Ang Hui Keng, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mr. Haji will lead the sales, distribution and expansion of the networks’ five entertainment channels across the region: AXN, Sony Channel, Animax, ONE and GEM.

“As a leader in providing premium Asian and English entertainment, SPT Networks, Asia is set to strengthen its portfolio across the region in new markets and via new platforms. Nirav’s depth of experience together with his strong industry relationships will ensure Sony’s continued growth, while making our channels available to meet the changing demands of our viewers,” said Mr. Ang.

Mr. Haji has over 25 years’ of experience within the broadcast industry having worked in leadership roles at Discovery Asia, Fox International and Turner where his primary focus was on networks and content distribution.

“I’m thrilled to be joining SPT Networks, Asia at a time of exciting growth for both the company and the industry as a whole. My focus will be to further enhance and grow our existing partnerships in Asia while identifying key opportunities that bring Sony’s vivid world of entertainment to viewers in new and exciting ways,” said Mr. Haji.

-Ends-
Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks, Asia is a leading operator of ad-supported channels including English general entertainment powerhouses AXN and Sony Channel; and Asian content giants Animax, GEM and ONE. SPT Networks’ portfolio collectively features the biggest and best titles from Korea, Japan and the U.S that are first run, exclusive and aired close to the original telecast. Taking the content beyond the screen, SPT Networks immerses viewers in its premium entertainment via large-scale festivals, celebrity fan meets and social platform conversations. In Asia, SPT Networks’ portfolio is available across 19 territories and in over 42 million homes.
www.SonyPicturesTelevision.com

Media Contact
Jennifer Doig / Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia
Jennifer_doig@spe.sony.com / +65 6622 4278

Videocon d2h enters into a unique association with SULTAN

6^th July Mumbai: Videocon d2h, the fastest growing DTH service in India, has announced an association with Yash Raj Productions upcoming release Sultan starring Bollywood superstars Salman Khan & Anushka Sharma to be released during EID 2016.

In the movie, Salman Khan is playing a Videocon d2h sales & service franchisee, who later on represents India in the Olympics. This is an innovative and unique way in which brand Videocon d2h has tied up to take the brand to the rural hinterland of India. This tie up creates an emotional connect with the audience and reinforces the brand’s objective of transforming the life of people across geographies and spreading happiness.This in film placement also acts as an extension to the brand’s latest campaign of Khushiyon ki Chatri.

On the collaboration, Mr. Anil Khera, CEO Videocon d2h, said, “We are happy to have such a natural & seamless association with this fantastic film. The association of our brand with the film will appeal to all audiences across the nation. This association further strengthens our mission of bringing smiles to every one through our services.Wishing Yashraj Films & Salman Khan the very best.”

To amplify the association, Videocon d2h is doing a 360 degree campaign through on ground activation at PVR cinemas across HSM markets, Radio promotions, co-branded TVC campaign, digital campaign and in store branding. This entire campaign is designed to create a positive connect with the consumers and create an impact for the upcoming DAS – IV digitisation towns as these areas are highly influenced by Hindi cinema.

Mr Ashish Patil, Vice President, Yash Raj Films said, “We are very excited to have Videocon d2h on board with us. We are confident, this in-film integration will be a case study on how to do it right and weave in the brand seamlessly into the storyline of a film.”

Videocon d2h has prided itself in presenting its subscribers with a robust line-up of 570+ channels and services, including a host of regional channels. It offers a wide range of active services like smart services including Smart English, Smart Games. The other active services include d2h Hollywood HD, d2h music, d2h spice, d2h cinema in both Standard Definition and HD, etc.

Note to Editors: About Videocon d2h

Videocon d2h is India’s fastest growing DTH service provider which offers over 570 channels and services. Videocon d2h is launching HD Smart Connect Set top Box (Connected Set top box) which converts your existing normal TV into a Smart TV. The Connected set top box allows one to browse content from Facebook, Twitter, Daily Motion, video on demand sites, news sites, weather sites, etc through applications residing on STB. Powered by the MPEG-4 and DVB-S2 technology, Videocon d2h transforms your TV into a hub of entertainment and knowledge. It offers a wide range of active services including Smart English, Smart Games. The other active services include d2h Hollywood HD, d2h music, d2h spice, d2h cinema in both Standard Definition and HD, etc. It launched India’s first 4K Ultra HD DTH channel service. Videocon d2h offers India’s first Radio Frequency Remote Control. Videocon d2h also offers 45 “HD” channels and services. Videocon d2h has a pan India sales & distribution channel, superior service orientation & a track record of introducing technologically innovative product and service offerings. Videocon d2h has over 300 own service centres spread across 7500 top towns in India to attend and resolve the service issues within 4-6 hrs.

SMART Services, a value-added bouquet of learning activities and games includes Smart Cooking, Smart English and Smart Games, all available on subscription basis. Smart services of Videocon d2h has something good to offer for every member of family right from an infant to a housewife.

Videocon d2h was the first Indian media company to be listed on NASDAQ, USA. Videocon d2h has been awarded as India’s Most Trusted Brand 2016, Pay TV Operator of the Year at MIPCOM Cannes 2015, Asia’s most promising DTH brand 2013 & 2014, India’s Best brand by Economic Times 2014, India’s Most Promising Brand by Economic Times 2015 & recognised as top 50 dream companies to work for by World HRD Congress.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) Secures B2B workflow with NexGuard Forensic Watermarking

Mr. Sunil Buch, Chief Business Officer, ZEEL & Mr. Harrie Tholen, Managing Director, NexGuard

Mumbai, India / New York, NY – July 05, 2016: NexGuard, the leading provider of forensic watermarking technology and solutions, today announced that Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) is deploying its NexGuard forensic watermarking system at its Mumbai facilities. ZEEL is a global content company with a presence across 171 countries. With a rich bouquet of 33 domestic and 38 international channels, ZEEL reaches over 1 Billion viewers across the world.

“Online piracy in India and worldwide is indeed a major threat for the overall media and entertainment industry. With Peer-2-Peer platforms and illegal re-streaming services flourishing in the subcontinent, we sensed a strong need to deploy solutions to protect our most important asset – our content,” said Mr. Sunil Buch, Chief Business Officer, ZEEL. “Using NexGuard forensic watermarking, we can now trace the source of illegal copies of each video asset at any point of the content lifecycle. This enhances our content security by many folds, and above all, it acts as a powerful deterrent against piracy.”

“ZEEL’s content and channels are among the most popular in India and worldwide,” said Harrie Tholen, Managing Director of NexGuard. “With a global audience and very valuable assets at play, it was crucial for ZEEL to deter piracy and act quickly if it does take place. We are proud to be involved in helping ZEEL safeguard revenues through deterring piracy.”

With over 1,000 original productions every year, India is the world’s most prolific movie producer. However, the South Asian power also ranks fourth among English-speaking countries for piracy according to the Motion Picture Distributors Associations (India), leading to significant potential revenue loss for content producers and distributors.

In an effort to deter piracy, ZEEL has deployed NexGuard watermarking technology, which enables the forensic watermarking of its valuable video content with a unique identifier in post-production, making its worldwide distribution traceable and secure. This level of protection is particularly important for content owners looking at preserving the value of their content before it is aired.

NexGuard provides watermarking plug-ins for most commercially available transcoders as well as solutions for other file, tape and disc workflows. NexGuard solutions for 4K/UHD are commercially available and HDR support is under testing by the Hollywood studios. ZEEL has chosen to deploy the NexGuard system in the form of software plug-ins for their transcoder farms, thereby ensuring a seamless fit in its existing content post-production and distribution workflow.

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About NexGuard, Inc.:

NexGuard (www.nexguard.com), a Civolution company, provides the most widely deployed forensic watermarking solutions in the movie and entertainment industry across the globe. Civolution is the leading provider of technology and solutions to identify, manage and monetize media content. The company offers an extensive portfolio of cutting edge digital watermarking and fingerprinting technologies and applications. Follow us on Twitter: @NexGuard and LinkedIn.

About Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL):

ZEEL is one of India’s leading television media and entertainment companies. It is amongst the largest producers and aggregators of Hindi programming in the world, with an extensive library housing over 220,703 hours of television content. With rights to more than 3,818 movie titles from foremost studios and of iconic film stars, ZEE houses the world’s largest Hindi film library. Through its strong presence worldwide, ZEE entertains over 1 billion viewers across 171 countries.

Pioneer of private satellite television entertainment industry in India, ZEEL’s well-known brands include Zee TV, &tv, Zee Cinema, Zee Action, Zee Classic, &pictures, Zee Anmol, Ten 1, Ten 2, Ten 3, Zee Cafe, Zee Studio, Zee Salaam, Zing, ETC Bollywood, Zee Q and Zindagi. The company also has a strong offering in the regional language domain with channels such as Zee Marathi, Zee Talkies, Zee Bangla, Zee Bangla Cinema, Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada, Zee Tamil and Sarthak TV. The company’s HD offerings include Zee TV HD, Zee Cinema HD, &tv HD, Zee Studio HD, Zee Café HD, &pictures HD, Ten 1 HD and Ten Golf HD.

ZEE and its affiliate companies have leading presence across the media value chain including television broadcasting, cable distribution, direct-to-home satellite services, digital media and print media amongst others. More information about ZEEL and its businesses is available on www.zeetelevision.com.

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Media Contact:

Jayshree Kumar / Arantxa Gonsalves

Corporate Brand – Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL)

Mobile: +91 9769286661 / +91 9820336890

Landline: +91-22-7106 1367 / 7108 5464

Email: jayshree.kumar@zee.esselgroup.com / arantxa.gonsalves@zee.esselgroup.com

AsiaSat and JIB expand partnership to broadcast NHK WORLD TV HD and SD on AsiaSat 7

Hong Kong, 29 June 2016 – Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) and Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB) today announced a major expansion of their partnership. From 1 July, JIB will use AsiaSat 7 to broadcast NHK WORLD TV HD, an English language news and lifestyle TV network, and for the continued distribution of its SD channel in the Asia-Pacific.

“Since our SD service launch on AsiaSat in 2009, AsiaSat has proved to be our insightful and dependable partner in Asia and has done an excellent job in helping us to expand our penetration. Our new HD service will bring a brand new viewing experience of high quality news and entertainment content to home viewers and travellers in Asia,” said Yoshihiko Shimizu, President and CEO of Japan International Broadcasting Inc.

“Introducing an HD service is a strategic and competitive move of all leading broadcasters to attract new audience and satisfy existing viewers’ changing appetite for enhanced picture and sound quality. We are proud of JIB’s decision to choose AsiaSat once again to support this exciting expansion of their HD service in Asia. We look forward to continuing to contribute to NHK WORLD TV’s success in the region with our industry leading audience penetration and market knowledge,” said Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Marketing and Global Accounts of AsiaSat.

NHK WORLD TV’s 24-hour programming cycle includes its signature news show, “NHK NEWSLINE”, and a wide selection of technology, lifestyle and entertainment programs, including “great gear”, “TOKYO FASHION EXPRESS”, “Dining with the Chef”, “SPORTS JAPAN” and “Journeys in Japan”. In addition, the channel offers an assortment of groundbreaking documentaries and specials, including “Asia Insight”, “Inside Lens” and “NHK Documentary”.

NHK WORLD TV HD/SD channels are available free-to-air on AsiaSat 7 (105.5°E) with the following reception parameters:

Reception Parameters	NHK WORLD TV HD	NHK WORLD TV SD
Transponder	C12V	C7H
Downlink Frequency	4100 MHz	3880 MHz
Downlink Polarisation	Vertical	Horizontal
Transmission Standard	DVB-S2	DVB-S
Compression Standard	MPEG-4	MPEG-2
Modulation	8PSK	QPSK
Symbol Rate	29.72 Msym/sec	27.5 Msym/sec
FEC	5/6	3/4

About JIB
Japan International Broadcasting Inc. (JIB), a subsidiary of NHK, is responsible for the worldwide distribution of NHK WORLD TV as well as the Japanese language channel NHK WORLD PREMIUM. Currently, the two channels are broadcast around the world on three international plus domestic satellites in their respective markets and reach households, hotels and others via DTH, cable, IPTV and terrestrial broadcast. For more information, please visit www.jibtv.com

About AsiaSat
Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), the leading satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world’s population with its six satellites, AsiaSat 3S, AsiaSat 4, AsiaSat 5, AsiaSat 6, AsiaSat 7 and AsiaSat 8. The AsiaSat satellite fleet serves both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 700 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company’s satellites offering access to more than 830 million TV households across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat’s next satellite, AsiaSat 9 on order from the manufacturer is planned to be launched in early 2017. AsiaSat is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com

Media Contacts:

Japan International Broadcasting Inc.

Tel: (81) 3 3464 0802

Email: info@jibtv.com

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited

Sabrina Cubbon, VP, Marketing & Global Accounts

Tel: (852) 2500 0899

Mobile: (852) 9097 1210

Email: scubbon@asiasat.com

Winnie Pang, Manager, Marketing Communications

Tel: (852) 2500 0880

Email: wpang@asiasat.com

New HBO Comedy Series: Vice Principals debuts same time as the U.S. Exclusively on HBO

SINGAPORE, JULY 4, 2016 – Created by Danny R. McBride and Jody Hill, who also created HBO’s “Eastbound & Down,” along with Ben Best, VICE PRINCIPALS tells the story of North Jackson High School and the two people who almost run it, the vice principals.

This brand-new HBO Original comedy series kicks off its nine-episode first season in Asia on MONDAY, JULY 18 at 10.30am, with same day primetime encore at 10.30pm, exclusively on HBO. New episodes debut every Monday on HBO at the same time after Ballers. The series will also be available on HBO GO (where available).

When the long-time principal of a suburban high school steps down, ambitious vice principals Neal Gamby and Lee Russell both set their sights on the vacated top spot – only to see new rival Dr. Belinda Brown enter the picture. Putting their mutual disdain aside, these bitter antagonists form an unholy alliance to bring down the outsider by any means necessary.

Winner of the 2016 Audience Award at South by Southwest, McBride (“Eastbound & Down,” “This Is the End”) and Walton Goggins (Emmy^® nominee for “Justified”; “The Hateful Eight”) star as the school administrators, who are in an epic power struggle, vying for the top spot: to be school principal. Joining McBride and Hill as executive producer and director is long-time collaborator, David Gordon Green.

Told over the course of a single school year, the first season takes place during the fall, with the second season to cover the spring term. “Finally, a tale of the unsung hero in every child’s education,” says McBride. “No one will look at high school administrators the same again.”

“Knowing that Danny and Jody were going to be bringing Neal Gamby and Lee Russell into the world made retiring Kenny Powers a little bit easier,” observes Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming. “Nobody else creates characters like these two. We are so proud that HBO is their home and we can’t wait for everyone to see their take on high school.”

In addition to McBride (Neal Gamby) and Goggins (Lee Russell), VICE PRINCIPALS also stars Kimberly Hébert Gregory (“Devious Maids”) as Dr. Belinda Brown; Georgia King (“The New Normal”) as English teacher Amanda Snodgrass; Busy Phillips (“Cougar Town”) as Gale, Gamby’s hot, trashy ex-wife; Shea Whigham (HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”) as Ray, Gale’s nice-guy new husband; and Sheaun McKinney (“Know Thy Enemy”) as cafeteria worker, Dayshawn.

Guest stars on the first season include Bill Murray (Oscar^® nominee for “Lost in Translation”) as outgoing Principal Welles; Susan Park (“Fargo”) as Christine, Russell’s wife; and Maya Love as Janelle, Gamby’s daughter.

VICE PRINCIPALS S101: “The Principal”

Premieres Monday, July 18 at 10.30am on HBO

Other HBO playdates: July 18 (10.30pm), July 21 (11.50pm)

When the principal of a high school retires, his two vice principals go to extremes to land the vacant job.

Written by Danny R. McBride & Jody Hill; directed by Jody Hill.

VICE PRINCIPALS S102: “A Trusty Steed”

Premieres Monday, July 25 at 10.30am on HBO

Other HBO playdates: July 25 (10.30pm), July 28 (midnight)

Gamby (Danny McBride) and Russell (Walton Goggins) invade Dr. Brown’s (Kimberly Hébert Gregory) private space; a school evaluator spooks the vice principals.

Written by Danny R. McBride & John Carcieri; directed by Jody Hill.

VICE PRINCIPALS S103: “The Field Trip”

Premieres Monday, August 1 at 10.30am on HBO

Other HBO playdates: Aug. 1 (10.30pm), Aug. 4 (11.25pm)

Gamby (Danny McBride) looks to impress Amanda (Georgia King) on a field trip organized by Mr. Hayden (Mike O’Gorman), a good-guy history teacher.

Written by Danny R. McBride, John Carcieri & Adam Countee; directed by Danny McBride.

Shot in and around Charleston, SC, the first season of VICE PRINCIPALS will be followed by a second season of nine episodes. Rolling Stone has already declared it “the summer’s best new comedy,” and Entertainment Weekly says that “watching this comedy is homework you’ll actually look forward to!”

The executive producers of VICE PRINCIPALS are Danny McBride, Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, Jonathan Watson and Stephanie Laing.

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About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia with six 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits, Cinemax and Red by HBO, internet streaming platform, HBO GO, subscription video on demand service, HBO On Demand, and in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang), destination for HBO’s hit series and Hollywood movies. HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

VICE PRINCIPALS, HBO and Home Box Office are trademarks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission

For more information, please contact HBO Asia:

Karen Lai

Director, Communications

Tel: (65) 6381 1796

Email: karen.lai@hboasia.com

Angela Poh

Manager, Communications

Tel: (65) 6381 1838

Email: angela.poh@hboasia.com

Chan Zi Ning

Executive, Communications