Premium British drama brand, BBC First will premiere as a block on the territory’s leading English GEC channel.

(Wednesday, 26 April 2017, Indonesia) … On the first day of Asia Pay TV Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali, Indonesia, BBC Worldwide announced a deal that will make award-winning and highly rated BBC dramas available to Zee Café’s viewers throughout India during prime time.

“We are very excited to be working with Zee Café, a leading channel in the English entertainment genre,” said Myleeta Aga, SVP South & South East Asia. “Through this BBC First block, discerning Indian viewers will now have access to top-rated, premium dramas from the BBC.  We are confident that the block will be popular with Zee Café’s viewers.”

The block will launch on Monday, June 26 and will air every week night at 10pm. It will give audiences access to some of the best BBC dramas – unforgettable stories that challenge, immerse and entertain, from a distinctly British perspective.

The Emmy-nominated Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond will kick off the block. The four-part action-packed drama starring Dominic Cooper explores the life of Ian Fleming, who created the James Bond icon in his spy novels. Zee Café viewers will also be able to catch SS-GB – set in 1941, history is turned on its head in this gripping and intelligent series adapted from Len Deighton’s bestselling thriller in which the Second World War’s Battle of Britain has ended in victory for Hitler’s Germany and the population of 1940s Britain struggles under Nazi occupation; as well as Doctor Foster – an award winning mystery-drama about  a trusted GP who sees her charmed life explode when she suspects her husband of an affair. Doctor Foster was the most watched new drama in the UK when it aired.

“Availability of premium British content has been limited thus far in India .Who better to  partner with other than the BBC to make quality shows from the region available to our viewers?” said Aparna Bhosle, Business Cluster Head, Premium & FTA GEC Channels, Zee Entertainment Enterprises. “The addition of the BBC First block will strengthen the channel’s proposition of the best of English language television programmes to its fans.”

In Asia, BBC First is also available as a SVOD channel in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong and as a block in Japan. It can also be accessed via BBC Player online at bbcplayer.com and as an app in Singapore and Malaysia

 
For more information, please contact:

 

Jeanne Leong

BBC Worldwide

Tel: +65 6849 5292

Email: Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com

 

Jessie Lim

BBC Worldwide

Tel: +65 6849 5295

Email: Jessie.Lim@bbc.com

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

 

About BBC Worldwide

BBC Worldwide is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Its vision is to build the BBC’s brands, audiences, commercial returns and reputation across the world. This is achieved through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also champions British creativity globally.

 

In 2015/16 BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £133.8m and headline sales of £1,029.4m and returned £222.2m to the BBC.

 

For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review webpage: bbcworldwide.com/annual-review/.

 

bbcworldwide.com

twitter.com/bbcwpress

Viu hits 6 million active users, 50% growth in 4 months
Viu Originals provides exclusive and unique Asian premium content to viewers
PCCW (SEHK:0008) – HONG KONG, April 25, 2017 – Viu, a leading pan-regional OTT video service by PCCW Media, hit 6 million monthly active users (MAU) across its markets in March this year, representing a 50% growth from 4 million as of November 2016. Since launch in October 2015, Viu has been made available in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt and Bahrain.
Ms. Janice Lee, Managing Director, PCCW Media Group, said, “We are excited with the rapid expansion of Viu around the region both in terms of the number of markets we serve as well as the speed of market penetration. It is indeed very encouraging to see the high engagement with our users who spend almost 100 minutes a day viewing their favourite content on Viu. This stickiness helps propel the business of our telco partners, benefits content providers, drives subscriptions and boosts the consumption of online advertisements for advertisers who leverage Viu’s regional platform to reach the Millennials who are more receptive to digital advertisements.”
Viu operates on a dual model of an ad-supported tier and a premium subscription tier of service. Renowned industry research company, Statista, recently published a study on revenue estimates of video subscription and online video advertising which showed strong CAGR of subscription and online video advertising revenue, reaffirming the merits of Viu’s two pronged monetization strategy – see Table 1.

Table 1: Revenue estimation of video subscription and online video advertising (2015 -2020)

                      2015 rev   2016 rev   2017 rev   2018 rev   2019 rev   2020 rev  15-20
                     (USD mil)  (USD mil)  (USD mil)  (USD mil)  (USD mil)  (USD mil)   CAGR
                     ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----
Subscription (SVOD)        169        211        262        326        405        501  24.3%
                                 (↑24.8%)   (↑24.2%)   (↑24.4%)   (↑24.2%)   (↑23.7%)

Advertising (AVOD)         433        599        818      1,118      1,537      2,089  37.1% 
                                 (↑38.3%)   (↑36.6%)   (↑36.7%)   (↑37.5%)   (↑35.9%)

* Including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.
Source: Digital Marketing Outlook, Statista
Ms. Lee added, “Benefiting from the overall market growth of online video consumption and based on a strong product and content proposition, Viu’s subscription and advertising revenue growth has exceeded the industry’s estimate of market growth.”

Viu Originals’ first and exclusive content holds strong appeal
As part of its ongoing quest to be the preferred OTT video entertainment platform in Asia, Viu is introducing Viu Originals as a creative initiative to further enhance user engagement, adding value for both telcos and advertisers.
Riding on PCCW Media’s extensive production expertise and experience, Viu offers viewers high quality Asian content with Viu Originals comprising Korean, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian productions.
In addition to compelling Korean programs which are popular with Asian audience, Viu Originals will feature vibrant, exclusive content including among others, Chinese drama and variety shows from ViuTV, Indian content, with recent releases of thrillers, dramas and comedies produced in collaboration with renowned Indian directors and premium Southeast Asian content for markets such as Indonesia.
“This collection of exciting original content will widen Viu’s appeal to users, enhancing the loyalty of viewers to subscriptions and engaging consumers for advertisers,” Ms Lee said.
Viu has entered into an agreement with SYS Productions in relation to the parties’ collaboration in producing a program under the Viu Originals initiative entitled “Song Ji Hyo’s Beauty Views”, which is to be hosted by a celebrity from a popular Korea variety show, Running Man. The program is set to attract millions of viewers who are already big fans of Korean shows.
This show marks a rare occasion that a famous Korean celebrity with mass appeal across Asia works with a regional OTT video platform in a production to share the latest fashion and lifestyle tips in Korea. With “Hallyu” Korean wave sweeping over Asia, this Viu Originals production is primed to be a runaway success.
Song Ji Hyo’s Beauty Views will provide a refreshing approach, offering viewers an immersive experience and insights into Korean beauty and lifestyle trends. The show is expected to be popular with viewers and may feature episodes in which Song will travel overseas with Viu, interact with fans and share her experience of the products along with insightful advice on the latest fashion and style trends in Korea.

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 190 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.
Through HK Television Entertainment Company Limited, PCCW also operates a domestic free television service in Hong Kong.
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 other overseas investments. To learn more about PCCW, please visit www.pccw.com.
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.

Global media services provider adds 8 channels to 91.5°E video neighbourhood

Kuala Lumpur, 25 April 2017 – MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. (“MEASAT”) announced that Encompass Digital Media (“Encompass”) is expanding their presence on MEASAT’s leading 91.5°E video neighbourhood.
Eight (8) more channels are now available from 91.5°E: HITS HD, KIX360 SD, Zee Sine SD, beIN Asia Pacific’s Indonesia feeds – beIN SPORTS 1, beIN SPORTS 2, beIN SPORTS 3, WAKUWAKU JAPAN SEA HD and WAKUWAKU JAPAN Taiwan HD, all of which are distributed to TV platforms in more than 100 countries across the Asia Pacific.
“Encompass is delighted to increase our video line-up in MEASAT’s 91.5°E video hotslot. With satellite still the preferred means for linear TV distribution for emerging markets, MEASAT and Encompass are working together to expand in this segment,” said Deepakjit Singh, Chief Innovation Officer, Encompass. “We look forward to continue growing with MEASAT in the years to come.”
“By strengthening our partnership, MEASAT and Encompass continue to increase compelling content for Asia Pacific audiences,” said Yau Chyong Lim, Chief Operating Officer, MEASAT. “Video continues to be MEASAT’s core focus and we will continue to grow this segment in cooperation with partners, content providers and channel operators.”
The 91.5°E prime video hot slot is home to the MEASAT-3, MEASAT-3a and MEASAT-3b satellites, forming the region’s strongest video neighbourhood. From 91.5°E, MEASAT supports broadcasters and DTH operators to distribute UHD, HD and SD channels to audiences across Asia, Australia, East Africa and South Eastern Europe.

 

About Encompass Digital Media
Encompass is a global technology services company focused on supporting TV networks, broadcasters, sports leagues and digital leaders with the delivery of their linear/nonlinear video content across television and digital platforms. Services include: global transmission and connectivity, channel playout, OTT/TV streaming and VOD, live events and disaster recovery. For more information, please visit www.encompass.tv, and follow us on social media – LinkedIn and Twitter.
Contact: Rajiv Sansanwal / +65 6548 0464 / rajiv.sansanwal@encompass.tv
About MEASAT
MEASAT is a premium supplier of communication and video services to leading broadcasters, Direct-To-Home (DTH) platforms and telecom operators. With capacity across six (6) communication satellites, MEASAT provides services to over 150 countries representing 80% of the world’s population across Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Australia.
The MEASAT satellite fleet includes the state-of-the-art MEASAT-3, MEASAT-3a and MEASAT-3b satellites co-located at 91.5°E, supporting Asia’s premium DTH and video distribution neighbourhood; MEASAT-2 at 148.0°E; and, MEASAT-5 at 119.5°E. In Africa, the AFRICASAT-1a satellite at 46.0°E provides satellite capacity across the African continent with connectivity to Europe, the Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore.
Working with a select group of world-class partners, MEASAT also provides a complete range of broadcast and telecommunications solutions. Services include UHD/HD and SD video play-out, video turnaround, co-location, uplinking, broadband and IP termination services. For more information, please visit www.measat.comAltho.
Contact: Ilham Bakti Adnan / +60 (3) 8213 2154 / ilham@measat.com

Paris, Las Vegas, 25 April 2017 – Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) is carrying out a far-reaching antenna seeding programme to allow broadcasters across the Americas to enhance their reach and cable operators to enrich their offer via Eutelsat’s premium video neighbourhoods at65° West and 113/117° West.

The programme is boosting opportunities for broadcasters to distribute their content and will further anchor the EUTELSAT 113 West A and EUTELSAT 117 West A satellites in Latin America’s cable market with 100% penetration of tier 1 and 2 operators, representing over 32 million homes. Through the same initiative, EUTELSAT 65 West A is poised to achieve 100% penetration of Brazilian cable operators, allowing Eutelsat’s key satellite for Brazil to reach over 18 million homes. Both programmes will be completed by the end of 2017.

These programmes will allow Eutelsat to further position itself in the Americas broadcasting market, where it already has significant reach. Key customers across these neighbourhoods include Televisa, Thema, and SPI.

Meet us at NAB to learn more about Eutelsat, booth SU3421.

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

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

The highly anticipated series will be headlined by ‘Prince of Ratings’ Joo Won and Oh Yeon Seo

Singapore, 25^th April 2017 — Viewers in Asia are in for a treat this May with the premiere of new drama series My Sassy Girl at the same time as Korea on top-rated Korean entertainment channel ONE. Headlined by A-listers Joo Won (The Gang Doctor) and Oh Yeon Seo (Please Come Back Mister), the television adaptation of the hit movie of the same name will premiere on 29 May and air every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm, with localized subtitles in English, Chinese and Bahasa Malay.

“The incredible success of Scarlet Heart in the region proves the existence of strong viewer demand for same-time-as-Korea offerings.  As part of our commitment to provide a premium viewing experience for our audiences, we are thrilled to announce the simulcast of the next big drama series My Sassy Girl on ONE,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia. “The 2001 movie was a box office hit and is loved by audiences around the world.  Backed by its strong cast and experienced production team, we believe that viewers will be thoroughly entertained by this remake.”

Though the original movie has seen various adaptations over the years, including a Japanese drama series and an American film remake, the new blockbuster television remake introduces a twist – it will be set in the Joseon era instead of the modern-day.  The 16-episode drama is helmed by director Oh Jin Seok (The Gang Doctor) and will be fully pre-produced.   Anticipation for the drama is heightened as it is set to be lead actor Joo Won’s last drama series before his mandatory military enlistment.  He will be reuniting with Director Oh in their second on-screen collaboration since the hit series The Gang Doctor, which aired on ONE in 2015 and propelled the channel to become the top international channel during its premiere timeslot.[1]

My Sassy Girl will feature Joo Won as a handsome and intelligent scholar who is ‘full of himself’, while leading lady Oh Yeon Seo plays the beautiful but eccentric Princess Hyemyung.  The series will present a light-hearted romance between the two leads set against the backdrop of political intrigue in the Joseon era.

My Sassy Girl premieres on ONE on 29 May and airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm, at the same times as its Korean telecast.

[1] Source: Kantar Media Singapore/Malaysia DTAM Consolidated Activities
Period: 6th August to 2nd October 2015 Thursdays and Fridays 8.50pm to 10.10pm

Jennifer Doig
Executive Director, Marketing & Communications, English Content
Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia

10 Changi Business Park Central 2, #03-01

Hansapoint@CBP, Singapore 486030

T: 65 6622 4278  M: 65 9852 1459

a Sony Company

 

www.SonyPicturesTelevision.com

Make-A-Wish Singapore is the beneficiary of PCCW Global’s 4th annual charity run

HKT (SEHK: 6823) – HONG KONG / SINGAPORE, 24 April, 2017 – PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, announces that Make-A-Wish Singapore is the beneficiary of its annual charity run to be held on May 24 at Gardens by the Bay (Silver Leaf). Funds raised will be used to assist Make-A-Wish Singapore in fulfilling the wishes and dreams of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

PCCW Global has a strong commitment to the communities in which it operates and its Singapore Charity Run is a highlight of the company’s corporate social responsibility program. The Charity Run is open to the public and to teams registered by corporations and partners in the telecommunications industry. It offers a meaningful opportunity to come together to support a worthy cause, and in doing so to give back to society.

This year’s Charity Run will once again see the well-known Yellow Fellows, a group of regular charity runners dressed in bright fluorescent yellow, taking part. Included in this group of fitness enthusiasts are celebrities such as local media personality Randall Tan, sports TV presenter Paul Sng, and many others. They are also ambassadors of Make-A-Wish Singapore and a perennial sight at many local running and sports events, where they help to raise awareness, promote and raise funds for children in need.

Mr. Marc Halbfinger, Chief Executive Officer of PCCW Global, said, “We are delighted to hold the PCCW Global Charity Run 2017 in Singapore again this year. This fourth edition is a continuation of our vision to continue giving back to society and we hope that through Make-A-Wish Singapore, we will bring a smile to the faces of these beautiful, strong children.”

Ms. Judy Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish Singapore, said, “Make-A-Wish Singapore is heartened to be selected as the beneficiary for this year’s PCCW Global Charity Run, which will go a long way in helping us grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. We hope PCCW Global’s support will inspire commitment from other corporates to our cause of bringing hope, strength and joy to every medically eligible child when they need it most.”

The first PCCW Global Charity Run took place in Singapore in 2014 and the annual event has seen enthusiastic attendance grow year-on-year. Registration for this year’s Charity Run has begun and will be closed on May 10 or once all running slots are sold out.

For more information about the race, registration and race pack collection, please visit http://charity.pccwglobal.com/ or email to pccwgrun@pinkapple.com.sg.

About PCCW Global

PCCW Global is the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, which is majority-owned by PCCW Limited. Covering more than 3,000 cities and 150 countries, the PCCW Global network supports a portfolio of integrated global communications solutions which include Ethernet, IP, fiber and satellite transmission solutions, international voice and VoIPX services, managed network & security services and our expanding “as-a-service” solutions including OTT video and Unified Communications.
PCCW Global is headquartered in Hong Kong, and maintains regional centres in Belgium, China, France, Greece, Japan, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. To learn more about PCCW Global, please visit www.pccwglobal.com.

About HKT
HKT (SEHK: 6823) is Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services. It 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 sales, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centers.
HKT offers a unique quadruple-play experience in Hong Kong delivering media content on its fixed-line, broadband Internet access and mobile platforms jointly with its parent company, PCCW Limited.
HKT also provides a range of innovative and smart living services beyond connectivity to make the daily lives of customers more convenient, whether they are at home, in the workplace, or on the go. For more information, please visit www.hkt.com.
About Make-A-Wish Singapore
Established since 2002, Make-A-Wish Singapore was founded with the mission to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experiences with hope, strength and joy.
It is our goal to grant a wish to every medically eligible child in Singapore. To date, we have granted over 1,290 magical wishes. Whether it’s flying a plane, being a dancer or meeting a Formula One racing driver, the benefits of a wish are tangible. Research has indicated that a child whose magical wish had come true showed significant improvements in hope, positive emotions and health-related quality of life.
As we target to grant another 132 wishes this year, we need the unwavering support of our donors, volunteer wish granters, corporate benefactors, ambassadors, wish families, medical partners and our other stakeholders. Be it donating, volunteering or referring a child, your support for Make-A-Wish will make an impactful difference in the lives of children and families in need. Share the Power of A Wish today!

For more information, please contact:
Ivan Ho PCCW Group Tel: +852 2883 8747 Email: ivan.wy.ho@pccw.com
Li Xian Seow / Imran Khan
SPRG Tel: +65 6325 8232 / +65 6325 8260 Email: lixian.seow@sprg.com.sg / Imran.khan@sprg.com.sg
Issued by HKT Limited.

Elemental Technologies becomes AWS Elemental, brings video processing leadership and cloud expertise to NAB conference and exhibition

Portland, Ore. – April 18, 2017 – AWS Elemental, an Amazon Web Services company, today announced that it will spotlight innovations in video production, distribution and asset management as it debuts its new brand at NAB Show 2017, April 24 to 27 in booth SU2202 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The company will share insights into the future of the video ecosystem across a series of conference sessions, technology demonstrations and other educational events as well as unveil several new solutions to help content providers take full advantage of next generation video processing workflows.

“The NAB Show gathers the industry’s brightest minds to inspire new ideas at the convergence of technology and entertainment,” said Keith Wymbs, chief marketing officer, AWS Elemental. “It’s the perfect venue to share forward-thinking developments that will help media and entertainment companies better conceive, deliver and monetize their creative brilliance, not to mention an ideal backdrop to launch our new brand to the world.”

Exploring the Future of Video

AWS Elemental will join fellow industry leaders as part of panel sessions throughout the conference. One such session, Reaching for the Stars: Connecting to the Future with NASA and Hollywood, will take place Wednesday, April 26, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Room N249-N251 and will feature Sam Blackman and Khawaja Shams of AWS Elemental joining astronauts, filmmakers and technologists to explore the advanced video and cloud workflows that power deep space research and ignite imaginations around the world.

Co-produced by Amazon Web Services, NAB, and NASA, the Super Session will feature the first-ever live 4K video stream from space in an interactive discussion between Blackman and NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson. The entire event will be available to the public for multiscreen viewing in live 4K and down-converted high definition (HD) video at https://live.awsevents.com/nasa4k.

Demonstrating Next Generation Cloud-Based Video Solutions

The company will demonstrate a variety of innovative workflows and technologies in booth SU2202, all of which run in the cloud:

• High Dynamic Range – Broadcast of HDR 10 and HLG channels using any combination of HLG, HDR 10 and SDR source content with AWS Elemental Live, enabling broadcasters to launch HDR channels with a mix of existing SDR and HDR content, including promotions, advertisements, motion graphic overlay and program content;
• Live Channel Playout – A software-based approach to linear 24/7 broadcast channel creation that reduces video workflow complexity, improves resiliency and lowers operational costs;
• Managing massive VOD libraries – Spotlighting the simplified management of massive VOD content libraries as a single AWS Elemental Delta node manages one million VOD assets, stored in Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) and each associated with a thumbnail and metadata;
• Frame accurate live-to-VOD functionality – Frame accurate live-to-VOD clipping will show how content providers can create broadcast quality assets from a live stream, achieve immediate availability of catch-up and clipped assets, and save time and cost by only transcoding assets as needed;
• Cloud-based ingest services – AWS Elemental will showcase a range of integrations with cloud-based solutions for ingest, including AVC and HEVC codecs using RTMP and RTP with forward error correction as well as integrations designed to promote J2K TR-01 contribution, allowing standard contribution sources to be ingested into cloud services.

Partner Expertise at the Ready

AWS Elemental will host several partners, including members of the AWS Elemental Technology Partner Program, who will share their AWS Elemental-enabled solutions for file storage, digital asset management, cloud video distribution, video editing, digital supply chain management and more; in addition, AWS service teams will join the booth to discuss the media and entertainment capabilities of Amazon S3 and Amazon Glacier storage solutions, the Amazon CloudFront content delivery network and Amazon Rekognition image analysis.

4K 4Charity Fun Run

An NAB Show tradition in its fourth year, the 4K 4Charity Fun Run brings the industry together to celebrate its achievements and raise awareness and funding for charitable causes. This year, the 4K 4Charity series will dedicate its proceeds to the vital cause of diversity and inclusion, with proceeds going to Women Who Code and Mercy Corps. The NAB Show Fun Run begins at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25 at beautiful Sunset Park in Las Vegas; to register, visit 4K4Charity.com.

The Debut of AWS Elemental

AWS Elemental today unveiled its new name and brand to reflect the combined resources and cloud computing capabilities of Amazon Web Services with the video processing leadership for which Elemental Technologies has been known since it pioneered the market for software-defined video processing and distribution. The new brand can be seen today on a fully redesigned website at elemental.com and will be unveiled to the industry in person at the NAB Show.

“The name ‘AWS Elemental’ is the best summation of who we are and what we bring to our customers,” said Keith Wymbs, chief marketing officer, AWS Elemental. “Simply put, AWS Elemental combines deep video processing expertise with the virtually limitless resources of the cloud to power our customers’ video processing workflows and give them the tools to perfect the media experience. We look forward to sharing our new brand and the vision it represents at the NAB Show.”

About AWS Elemental

AWS Elemental, an Amazon Web Services company, combines deep video expertise with the power of the AWS cloud. Solutions from AWS Elemental allow broadcast TV and multiscreen video to be customized, originated and monetized at global scale. Flexible, software-based video processing and delivery gives global media franchises, pay TV operators, content programmers, broadcasters, government agencies and enterprise customers the ability to deliver highly differentiated viewing experiences and the freedom to focus on what matters: transforming ideas into compelling content that captivates viewers. Learn more at elemental.com.

Press Contact                                         

Leila Hrycyszyn
AWS Elemental
hrycyszy@elemental.com
+44 7469 707 355

 

Emerging Chinese filmmakers awarded at MPA-BFM Film Workshop pitch competition

BEIJING/SINGAPORE – On April 20, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) and its Academy, and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) Asia Pacific officially renewed their successful partnership at an event held during the MPA-BFM Film Workshop at the 7th Beijing International Film Festival, announcing the eighth round of the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund open for submissions.

Chairman of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and its Academy, Michael Hawkins said, “As we celebrated APSA’s 10th edition in November, the APSA Academy passed 1,000 members, comprised of the exceptional filmmaking talent from this diverse region. With the support and partnership of the MPA, we now enter our 8th year of supporting those Academy members with script development grants, to tell the stories of Asia Pacific. I know the members of the APSA Academy are very grateful, as am I, to the MPA for the opportunities that these grants provide.”

Mike Ellis, President and Managing Director Asia Pacific MPA, said, “It is a pleasure to launch the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund for 2017 in what is now its eighth year. As the body of work produced by the fund grows in size, as does the APSA Academy, the anticipation of what new projects will be submitted is also greatly increased. The MPA is enormously proud of the Asia Pacific stories it has helped realise with this fund and is greatly looking forward to again working with APSA to provide the opportunity for another round of projects to be developed for the screen.”

The MPA APSA Academy Film Fund was created to support, at script stage, new feature film projects originated by APSA Academy members and their colleagues across Asia Pacific. The fund awards four development grants of US$25,000 annually. The 8th round of the Fund will bring the total number of projects funded to 32. The recipients of the grants will be announced during the 11th Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ceremony on Thursday 23 November 2017 in Brisbane, Australia.

A snapshot of MPA APSA Academy Film Fund success stories:

• Kazakh filmmaker and 2010 recipient, Sergey Dvortsevoy (Tulpan), is currently in production on his film AYKA (My Little One).
• The first completed film, from the inaugural round of the Fund in 2010 was Asghar Farhadi’s A SEPARATION which went on to win over 100 awards internationally including an Oscar®, Golden Globe®, Golden Bear and APSA for Best Film.
• 2011 Fund recipient Maryam Ebrahimi’s NO BURQAS BEHIND BARS was recognised worldwide, winning awards at major festivals around the globe, including the biggest TV award in Europe – the Prix Europa Award for Best TV Documentary and an International Emmy Award.
• Shawkat Amin Korki’s MEMORIES ON STONE began its development as a 2011 Fund recipient and since completion, has garnered more than a dozen international awards including the 2014 APSA UNESCO Award. The film had an official screening at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and at the MPAA headquarters in Washington and was Iraq’s official submission for the 88th Academy Awards® for Best Foreign Language Film.
• Completed MPA APSA Academy Film Fund projects A SEPARATION, NO BURQAS BEHIND BARS and MEMORIES ON STONE have received special screenings at the MPAA headquarters in Washington DC.

The Film Fund was launched during the MPA-BFM Film Workshop, which involved: A Warner Bros panel discussion on “Best Practices in Filmmaking” featuring WB’s Richard Fox in conversation with Cary Cheng, Assistant to the President of Wanda Culture Group, Vice General Manager of Wanda Media, Andrew Lazar, Producer American Sniper, Chantal Nong, VP Feature Development and Production, Warner Bros. Pictures, Tao Kun, Producer CFK Pictures, Shan Tam, Producer Finding Mr. Right, and Lionel Wigram, Producer Harry Potter series and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them; a panel discussion on “Revenue Sources and Business Models for Web Movies”; and a third panel discussion on “The Characteristics of Web Movie Content Production”. The MPA-BFM feature film pitching competition was won by Zhang Chi and Zhu Jie for their film Cosplay. The two will attend a five-day film immersion course in Los Angeles in November, thanks to the MPA. Zhang Hansheng was awarded the President’s Special Recognition Prize for his film Forest of Tumor, winning a trip to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, Australia, in November.

The 4^th US-China Film and Television Expo also announced their events for 2017. The organization will hold the UCFTI Expo in Los Angeles from October 19-20 and the 2^nd Golden Screen Awards, in partnership with the MPA, China Film Coproduction Co. and the Hollywood Reporter on October 29. The U.S. China Film Summit will be held Oct 30-31.

Images of the events are available here.
For more information on the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund, please click here.

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MPA APSA Academy Film Fund recipients 2010 – 2016

2016 Haifaa Al Mansour, (Saudi Arabia)

Joo Young Park, (South Korea)

Rolf de Heer, (Australia)

Emir Baigazin, (Kazakhstan)

 

2015 Ami Drozd, (Israel)

Annemarie Jacir, (Palestine)
Cliff Curtis, (New Zealand)

Surabhi Sharma (India)

 

2014 Signe Byrge Sørensen, (Denmark)

Dror Moreh, (Israel)
Panah Panahi, (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, (Bangladesh)

 

2013 Ainsley Gardiner, (New Zealand)
Jeannette Hereniko, (Marshall Islands)

Reis Çelik, (Turkey, Iraq)

Garin Nugroho, (Indonesia)

 

2012 Kath Shelper, (Australia)
Mohammed Rasoulof, (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Suha Arraf, (Israel)

Zeynep Özbatur Atakan, (Turkey)

 

2011 No Burqas Behind Bars, Maryam Ebrahimi, (Afghanistan)

Payman Maadi, (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Pryas Gupta, (India)
Memories on Stone, Shawkat Amin Korki, (Iraqi Kurdistan)

 

2010 A Separation, Asghar Farhadi, (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Lee Chang Dong, (Republic of Korea)
The Cremator, Peng Tao, (People’s Republic of China)
Ayka/My Little One, Sergey Dvortsevoy, (Russian Federation)

 

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ABOUT THE ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS & ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN ACADEMY

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, based in Brisbane, are presented by Treasury Casino & Hotel, supported by Brisbane City Council and managed by economic development board Brisbane Marketing. APSA has the privilege of a unique collaboration with Paris-based UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations, and recognises and promotes cinematic excellence and cultural diversity of the world’s fastest growing film region: comprising 70 countries and areas, 4.5 billion people, and is responsible for half of the world’s film output.

 

APSA and its Academy is committed to its ongoing partnerships with UNESCO, FIAPF, the European Film Academy (EFA), the Motion Picture Association (MPA), NETPAC (the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema), the Asia Pacific Screen Lab (APSL) and Griffith Film School.

 

All nominees, International Nominations Council, Nominee Selection Panels and APSA International Jury members are inducted into the APSA Academy presided over by President, Australian screen legend Jack Thompson AM PhD. The Academy boasts over 1000 of the region’s leading filmmakers and provides exclusive networking, development and funding opportunities available to Academy members through the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund, and Academy mentoring opportunities for the next generation of Asia Pacific filmmakers through the Asia Pacific Screen Lab. The APSA’s Academy partner, the European Film Academy shares the common interest of presenting pan-International Awards that promote and award excellence in cinema.

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About the MPA:

Promoting & Protecting Screen Communities in Asia Pacific

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the Motion Picture Association International (MPA-I) represent the interests of the six international producers and distributors of filmed entertainment. To do so, they promote and protect the intellectual property rights of these companies and conduct public awareness programs to highlight to movie fans around the world the importance of content protection. These activities have helped to transform entire markets benefiting film and television industries in each country including foreign and local filmmakers alike.
The organizations act on behalf of the members of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc (MPAA) which include; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLC; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The MPA and the MPA-I have worldwide operations which are directed from their head offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. and overseen in the Asia Pacific by a team based in Singapore. For more information about the MPA and the MPA-I, please visit www.mpa-i.org.

 

For more information, please contact

Stephen Jenner

MPA Asia-Pacific
(65) 6253 1033

 

June Tan

MPA Asia-Pacific
(65) 6253 1033

• To specially customise its dedicated Bollywood film and entertainment channel, Zee.One for the Polish market
• Appoints Pawel Kolasa as Country Manager – Poland

Mumbai, India, / Warsaw, Poland, April 21, 2017: With an aim to grow operations by expanding into new markets, leading Indian content company, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) today announced its foray into Poland. The company has appointed Pawel Kolasa as Country Manager – Poland and he will report to Neeraj Dhingra, CEO – ZEE Network Europe. The channel will also shortly launch a specially customised version of Zee.One, its dedicated Bollywood film and entertainment channel for Polish audiences.

Amit Goenka, CEO – International Broadcast Business, ZEEL said, “In the past few years, we have focused our efforts on expanding and strengthening our position internationally. With a wide range of television channels, on-line platforms and film productions, we now reach more than one billion viewers across five continents. After the successful launch of Zee.One in Germany last year, we want to further strengthen our presence in Central Europe and Poland is the market with the highest potential in this region.”

Neeraj Dhingra, CEO – ZEE Network Europe said, “We are the first Indian media and entertainment conglomerate to enter Poland. We are confident that our entry into this market will play a key role in the development of our business in this part of Europe, giving a new dimension to our company’s expansion keeping in line with our motto of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – The World is My Family’.”

“With over 22 years of experience in the television industry, we are confident that Paweł Kolasa would add significant value to our organization through his extensive experience in developing strategic partnerships with key operators of digital platforms and cable networks as well as in B2B marketing. For the past seven years he has managed, created and implemented a distribution strategy for NBCUniversal, achieving success in a highly competitive market. We are pleased to welcome Pawel to the ZEE family and we wish him many successes,” Neeraj further added.

Paweł Kolasa, Country Manager – Poland, said, “I am extremely excited to be a part of ZEE and lead the organization’s growth in this region. We plan to bring the best of Bollywood to viewers in Poland. Going forward, we will also be looking at creating local Polish productions.”

Zee.One, a film and entertainment channel, promises to bring top-quality Bollywood content, specially customized for Polish audiences. The channel will feature high-budget movies and series: action films, thrillers, comedies and musicals. The programming line-up will also include lifestyle programs inspired by the rich Indian culture, dedicated to popular topics such as culinary, travel or yoga.

The channel’s schedule, adapted to the local market, will be created by the Polish team. The channel will launch in Poland later this year.

==============================ENDS=================================

 

Note to Editors

 

About Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL):

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited is one of the leading global content companies. With an extensive content library housing over 222,000+ hours of television content and rights to more than 3,818 movie titles from foremost studios and of iconic film stars, ZEE entertains over One Billion viewers across 171+ countries. ZEE has a strong presence across the media and entertainment value chain including Broadcasting, Films, Digital, Theatre, LIVE Events & Talent. ZEE also operates multiple digital offerings like Ditto TV, OZEE and India.com.

More information about ZEE and its businesses is available on www.zeetelevision.com.

 

Official Social Media Platforms:

Twitter                 :               ZEECorporate/Twitter.com

Facebook            :               ZEECorporate/Facebook.com

LinkedIn               :               Linkedin.com/Company/ZEECorporate

 

About Zee Network Europe:

ZEE Network Europe, launched in 1995, was the first South Asian Entertainment Network of its kind.  Since then, it has grown in popularity and has become synonymous with South Asian entertainment at the highest level. ZEE Network Europe is constantly evolving, providing viewers with a unique combination of high quality, locally tailored and innovative programs. As a pioneer in all genres of entertainment, the company has been the source of some of the most beloved television shows for its viewers. In Europe, ZEE’s channels are present in the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, France, Portugal, Russia, Germany as well as several other countries. In 2007, ZEE Network Europe expanded its presence in Russia, reaching more than 20 million households. In July 2016, Zee.One channel was launched in Germany, with a great host at the opening – the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

 

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Media Contact:

Jayshree Kumar / Arantxa Gonsalves

Corporate Communications – Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL)

Mobile: +91 9769286661 /9820336890

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