Member Press Release

Production has begun for HBO Asia’s First Original Comedy Drama Series, SENT

 

HBOs

Left: HBO Asia CEO – Jonathan Spink
Right: HBO Asia Original SENT director and co-producer – Alaric Tay

Singaporean comedian Alaric Tay to direct and co-produce

SINGAPORE, December 08, 2016 – HBO Asia announced today that the network’s first original comedy drama series, SENT, is currently in production. Filmed in Singapore, the eight-part half-hour per episode series will be directed and co-produced by Singaporean comedian Alaric Tay. SENT is scheduled to air exclusively on HBO Asia’s on-air, online and on-demand platforms in 2017.

Developed and produced by HBO Asia, SENT will feature an ensemble cast of actors who are based in Singapore and Thailand. They include Haresh Tilani (Ministry of Funny), Alan Wong (Tanglin), Adrian Pang (The Blue Mansion), Carla Dunareanu (The Kitchen Musical), David Asavanond (HBO Asia’s Halfworlds Season 2) and Rosalind Pho (Light Years).

SENT chronicles the life of an unremarkable and meek financial compliance officer, Jay Bunani (played by Haresh Tilani), who has a habit of writing searing, and eye-wateringly honest emails to anyone who aggravates him. After he inadvertently sends out drafts of these emails that no one was ever supposed to see, his world turns upside down. He must now deal with the backlash of his actions after his carelessness cost him his job, friends, fiancée, and everyone close to him. Jay goes on a mission to salvage his reputation and relationships, and ends up finding out more about himself than he thought he knew.

“We are thrilled to be producing HBO Asia’s first comedy drama series, a genre that is one of the perennial favourites of viewers across Asia,” said CEO of HBO Asia, Jonathan Spink. “We are proud to again be collaborating with Asian talents to bring more Asian content to the global stage.”

SENT marks Alaric’s first time directing a TV series and he is best known by audiences for his funnyman antics on The Noose (eight seasons, 2007 to 2015) and HBO Asia’s 2013 drama series, Serangoon Road. Alaric also received an Asian Television Award commendation for Best Actor in a Comedy Series (The Noose) in 2011 and 2012; and an Asian Television Award commendation for Best Supporting Actor in A Drama Series (Serangoon Road) in 2014.

SENT is produced in partnership with the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) with the aim of developing the drama production capabilities of Singapore’s media industry and talent. Under this partnership, HBO Asia will work with local talent and companies, and train them to develop and produce compelling content for international audiences.

Angeline Poh, Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Content & Innovation Group), IMDA, said “The partnership between HBO Asia and IMDA created the opportunity for local talent to helm key positions on the production of SENT. They took on lead roles on screen and off screen, working closely with HBO Asia through the development and production process. IMDA will continue to forge such collaborations with industry partners like HBO Asia, to deepen the capabilities of Singapore’s media talent and raise the quality of our drama production.”

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). 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 the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA)

The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) will develop a vibrant, world-class infocomm media sector that drives the economy, connects people, bonds communities and powers Singapore’s Smart Nation vision. IMDA does this by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore’s ICT and media infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment. IMDA also enhances Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission. For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on Facebook IMDAsg and Twitter @IMDAsg.

#              #              #

HBO Asia Originals is a service mark of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

© 2016 HBO Asia. All rights reserved.

Media contacts:

Karen Lai

HBO Asia

Director, Communications

Tel: (65) 6381 1796

Email: karen.lai@hboasia.com

 

Joannah Zhong

Info-communications Media Development Authority

Assistant Manager, Industry & Marketing Communications

Tel: (65) 9728 9956

Email: joannah_zhong@imda.gov.s


BBC Worldwide and Lookout Point seal deal to bring The Collection to Greater China

Today, BBC Worldwide announced a deal with one of China’s largest providers of Internet value added services, Tencent Holdings Limited (“Tencent”, SEHK: 00700) for The Collection.   The announcement was made on the second day of the Asian Television Forum in Singapore.

The eight-episode drama, set in the world of French haute couture after the Second World War from writer, creator and award-winning showrunner Oliver Goldstick (Pretty Little Liars, Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives) features Tom Riley (Da Vinci’s Demons, Kill Your Friends), Mamie Gummer (The Good Wife, Ricki and the Flash), Richard Coyle (Crossbones, Life of Crime, Going Postal) and Alix Poisson (Disparue, 3xManon, Parents mode d’emploi).

In January 2017, it will air exclusively on Tencent’s qq platform, available to over 830 million active QQ accounts. Tencent also has the distribution rights for the series in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.

“We are very excited to partner with Tencent on The Collection.  We have a great relationship with them, most recently co-producing Planet Earth II which has been incredibly popular in China, with 28 million views for its first four episodes in just four weeks,” said Kelvin Yau, BBC Worldwide, GM, Greater China. “We are confident that The Collection, with its a story about the price of success, set during a pivotal moment in France’s history when fashion became a vehicle for transformation and reinvention, will resonate with viewers in Greater China.”

“We had previously worked together to bring Doctor Who and Orphan Black, successfully to Chinese audiences. We are now very excited that Chinese audiences will be part of  The Collection, which is fast becoming a global phenomenon, said Jeff Han, Vice President, Tencent Online Media Group and General Manager, Marketing & Video Content Co-operation. “Our partnership with BBC Worldwide has been a fruitful one so far, and I look forward to working with them to bring more great content to China.”

The Collection, also starring Frances de la Tour (The Lady in the Van, Vicious, Into the Woods, Hugo), Jenna Thiam (The Returned) and Irène Jacob  (The Affair, La Habitación, Three Colours Red), tells the story of an illustrious Paris fashion house emerging from the dark days of the Occupation. This gripping family saga, centred on two very different brothers, exposes the grit behind the glamour and the treachery beneath the trappings of this empire, and all who work there.

The Collection is a Lookout Point and Artis Pictures Production co-produced with Amazon Studios, Federation Entertainment, MFP and Masterpiece with the participation of France Télévisions and BBC Worldwide Ltd in association with Tencent Distribution.

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:

Jeanne Leong

BBC Worldwide

Tel: +65 68495292

Mob: +65 96791173

Email: Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

 

The Collection

The Collection (8×50’) is a gripping relationship drama set in France just after the Second World War. Spearheaded by two clashing brothers, it exposes the grit behind the glamour, and the treachery beneath the trappings of an illustrious fashion house.

Paris. 1947. An ambitious designer is tasked to restore the pre-eminence of the fashion capital. His fresh vision will usher in a new romantic era, offering the chance to lift the post-war gloom and dream of better days. But can the family business survive meteoric success? Dark shadows threaten to topple this empire at any moment: internal rivalries and betrayals, hateful bargains made to survive the Nazi occupation, and the twisted secret behind the master’s success. The atelier survived one devastating war, but another one is looming, where personal battles and passionate love stories pit brother against brother, husband against wife, mother against daughter and protégé against mentor.

Entertaining, sophisticated and contemporary in tone, full of air and wit, The Collection is a meticulously researched piece about this mysterious, morally ambiguous time. Often dark and deceptive, the drama pits dreamers against schemers, with storylines and characters as layered and complex as the stunning gowns seen within the Paul Sabine atelier.

A Lookout Point and Artis Pictures Production co-produced with Amazon Studios, Federation Entertainment, MFP and Masterpiece with the participation of France Télévisions and BBC Worldwide Ltd in association with Tencent Distribution.

 

About Lookout Point

Lookout Point is an independent drama production company working with the UK’s leading writing, directing and on screen talent to produce bold and innovative television drama.

The company was established in 2009 and has a proven reputation as the market leaders in global drama financing.  Faith Penhale, formerly Head of Drama at BBC Wales, recently joined as joint CEO alongside Chairman and joint CEO Simon Vaughan to take the company into its next phase as a leading producer of high quality scripted drama.

Lookout Point’s credits to date include Andrew Davies’ critically acclaimed adaptation of War & Peace for BBC One, Ripper Street (shortly in its fifth and final season on Amazon Prime), Tom Stoppard’s adaptation of Ford Madox Ford’s Parade’s End starring Benedict Cumberbatch and recently collaborated with BBC Cymru Wales on period mystery drama

The Living and the Dead and with Sid Gentle Films on Len Deighton’s alternate history thriller adaptation SS-GB both for BBC.

Lookout Point is currently co-producing Mike Bartlett’s bold and provocative newspaper drama, Press, with Nigel Stafford-Clark/Deep Indigo and BBC Studios for BBC One; Sally Wainwright’s landmark single film for BBC One about the extraordinary lives of the Bronte sisters, To Walk Invisible, with BBC Studios/Wales; Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 19th century classic, Les Misérables, with BBC Studios and The Weinstein Company for BBC One.  They also recently produced Oliver Goldstick’s sumptuous drama set in a post war Paris fashion house, The Collection, for Amazon Prime.

 

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

Celestial Tiger Entertainment Launches Mandarin Edutainment Channel Miao Mi in the United States

CTE-Miao_Mi_ClassroomThe Subscription On Demand Service will be Available for Amazon Prime Members with Amazon Channels

HONG KONG (December 7, 2016) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, announced today the launch of its preschool kids channel Miao Mi in the United States on Amazon Channels, a premium on-demand video subscription service. Miao Mi, the Mandarin edutainment channel created for preschool kids, will be available as a video subscription with Amazon Channels for Amazon Prime members. The launch on Amazon Channels marks CTE’s first presence in the United States beyond the company’s existing markets in Asia and Australia.

Designed for children ages three to six, Miao Mi aims to help kids learn Mandarin in a fun and engaging way. The channel is carefully curated with programs that entertain, educate and empower kids with a unique Asian perspective. These programs come from leading children’s content producers from China and across Asia.

Programs on Miao Mi will be available in two languages, English and Mandarin Chinese, to cater to all families. Parents have the option to choose between the English and Mandarin versions to help facilitate Chinese language-learning. Meanwhile, kids will love the cute, fun and educational animated series regardless of the language. The channel also features Miao Mi Classroom, a Celestial Tiger Entertainment original production which uses animated flash cards and catchy songs to teach Mandarin to viewers.

“We are very excited for the American debut of Miao Mi on Amazon Channels, and Celestial Tiger Entertainment’s first channel launch in the United States,” said Todd Miller, CEO, Celestial Tiger Entertainment. “There is a clear and growing desire among forward-looking parents around the world to introduce their children to Mandarin. Miao Mi addresses an important gap in the preschool educational market and we see global demand for this high-quality, educational and entertaining children’s programming, on demand and across all devices, in Mandarin and local languages. The launch of Miao Mi in the United States is an important step as we expand Miao Mi around the world.”

Amazon Prime members can enjoy watching an array of exclusive programs from Miao Mi for US$5.99 per month. Programmes include Star Babies, the award-winning animated series inspired by Chinese icons such as Bruce Lee and the Monkey King; Eori, a high-quality animated series featuring stories based on Asian folk tales; and Pleasant Goat Fun Class, an educational series, featuring animated characters from the world-famous Pleasant Goat franchise.

Media Contact:

Pauline Poon

Celestial Tiger Entertainment

T: 852 2239 6131

E: pauline.poon@celestialtiger.com

About Celestial Tiger Entertainment

CELESTIAL TIGER ENTERTAINMENT (CTE) is a leading independent media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company creates and distributes branded pay television channels and services targeted at Asian consumers.

CTE operates a powerful bouquet of distinct pay television services including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the premier 24-hour first-run Chinese movie channel in Asia and beyond; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the world’s most-widely distributed Chinese movie channel with an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; CELESTIAL MOVIES PINOY, the Chinese movie channel that is programmed, dubbed and promoted specifically to Filipino viewers; cHK, the Chinese entertainment channel offering the latest Hong Kong and other Asian blockbuster movies, alongside highly-anticipated Chinese dramas and series; KIX, the ultimate destination for action entertainment; KIX 360, the dedicated Over-The-Top (OTT) linear feed for KIX; MIAO MI, the Mandarin “Edutainment” channel created for preschool kids across Asia; THRILL, Asia’s only regional horror, thriller and suspense movie channel; and THRILL 360, the dedicated Over-The-Top (OTT) linear feed for THRILL.  All of CTE’s channel brands are available as linear, on-demand and over-the-top services.  CTE also produces original production for its bouquet of channels.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE’s majority shareholders are Saban Capital Group, a leading private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries; Celestial Pictures, a diversified Asian entertainment company owned by Astro Overseas Limited; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.

For more information, please visit www.celestialtiger.com

GEM launches Asia-wide search for singing talent for I Can Sing in Japanese!

I Can Sing in Japanese!SINGAPORE (December 7, 2016) – Asian entertainment channel GEM is holding an online call to search for talented individuals in Asia who can sing in Japanese.  The winner of the search will represent GEM in Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV)’s singing competition show I Can Sing in Japanese! in Tokyo next year.

Broadcast since 2011 in Japan, the prestigious program has attracted applicants from all over the world, including Denmark, Spain and Jamaica amongst other countries.  The show is a platform for aspiring non-Japanese singers to showcase their talent on a national stage, with some of its past participants even going on to make professional debuts.  Incredible singing talent aside, viewers can also expect to be astounded by the impressive sight of non-natives belting out pitch-perfect Japanese tunes.  Some past winners from Asia include Singapore’s Jeremy Teng, Indonesia’s Fatimah Zahratunnisa and Michael David Bodin from the Philippines.

“Continuing our tradition of offering the best of Japan’s entertainment to audiences in Asia, we are elated to give viewers in the region the opportunity to be more involved, be it as a participant or as a supporter of their country’s representative.  We are looking forward to seeing the talent that Asia has to offer.” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production & Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

The Road to Stardom in Japan Awaits. Apply Now!

The online call for entries begins from 9 December via GEM’s website: www.GEMtvasia.com/ICanSing.

The solicitation is open to all aspiring singers living in Asia, regardless of nationality and age.  Applicants must submit their personal details and a link to their video submission of up to five (5) minutes’ duration.  Applicants can join as individuals or as a group.  Submissions will close on 15 January 2017.

Shortlisted participants will attend an on-ground audition in February 2017, from which one winner will be selected by a panel of professional judges to participate in the upcoming season of I Can Sing in Japanese! in Tokyo.  Viewers can look forward to the unique singing program on GEM in 2017.

For more information on the program and the online call for entries, visit:

WEBSITE: http://www.GEMtvasia.com/ICanSing

 

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

More Top Gear Revs into China

(Shanghai, China)… BBC Worldwide today announced a partnership with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group Co, a division of the Shanghai Media Group (SMG) that will see almost 360 hours of Top Gear series launch exclusively on BesTV platforms in China.

By early next year, Top Gear fans in China will have access to the soon-to-be-launched all-new series 24, the entire series of Top Gear UK and all the UK specials, as well as five series of Top Gear USA, six series of Top Gear Korea and both series of Top Gear China.  Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group’s IPTV platform, BesTV will be home to all the Top Gear series.

BesTV under Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group Co. is China’s largest IPTV provider with over 26 million subscribers.

The deal was sealed at a ceremony in Shanghai, signed by Zhang Wei, President and Director of Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group Co., Ltd and David Weiland, EVP Asia, and witnessed by Madam Wang Jianjun, Director-General and President of Shanghai Media Group, Chairperson of Oriental Pearl Group Co., Ltd and Paul Dempsey, President of Global Markets for BBC Worldwide.

“We are extremely pleased to extend our relationship with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group.  We first worked with them in 2008 when we provided factual progammes to their BesTV platform.  They are also our partners for CBeebies, where we have a programme block on the channel.  This new Top Gear partnership allows us to reach more our fans in China with distinctive, quality programmes that Chinese audiences demand and appreciate.” commented Paul Dempsey, President Global Markets, BBC Worldwide.

BBC Worldwide had, earlier this year, signed a deal with SMG Pictures to co-produce Earth: One Amazing Day (working title) to be launched in 2017.  In January, it has also worked with SMG to bring Sherloock: The Abomidable Bride to theatres all over China.

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:

Jeanne Leong

BBC Worldwide

Tel: +65 6849 5292

Email:Jeanne.Leong@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

Double win for PCCW Global at World Communications Awards

HKT (SEHK:6823) – HONG KONG, December 6, 2016 – PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, won the Users’ Choice Award and the Innovation Award : Operator for its excellence in customer service and innovation at the World Communications Awards held on November 29 in London.

The Users’ Choice Award, which recognizes excellence in customer care in business services, is particularly rewarding and is different to the other award categories as entries are not judged by a panel. Instead the winner is decided based on extensive end user research carried out among companies in over 30 countries and more than 1,000 respondents participated.

The winner is the service provider that received the highest customer satisfaction index (CSI) score, which is generated based on an assessment of the survey responses to questions regarding levels of satisfaction with the product, value for money, and the level of customer support they received from their service provider over a 12-month period.

Ms. Janet Watkin, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean82 who conducted the research, commented, “PCCW Global won the hearts and minds of users due to the high level of positive customer experience reported compared to rivals. It appears that the consistency of performance across continents, including Africa, gave it the competitive edge. PCCW Global goes the extra mile in managing and supporting relationships.”

‘GlobalView’, PCCW Global’s multi-award winning real-time, cloud-based, reporting tool for international roaming services, won the accolade of the Innovation Award: Operator for applying big data technology that allows mobile operators to better manage their understanding of roaming customers. The tools available in GlobalView allow operators to see different levels of data and can even assist in the design of targeted marketing plans, in addition to providing proactive support and improving the use of international services.

The judging panel were also impressed at how GlobalView demonstrated excellent, real-world examples of how mobile network operators can, and should, use big data to underpin innovative new services to provide a wealth of useful performance data associated with roaming subscribers.

A judge commented, “With GlobalView, PCCW Global goes beyond transporting traffic to delivering significant added value, ensuring roaming partnerships are optimised and subscribers benefit from a committed level of quality while travelling.”

Mr. Marc Halbfinger, Chief Executive Officer of PCCW Global, said of the two awards, “These awards recognize the breadth and depth of our offerings and highlight an outstanding year for growth and innovation in the ICT industry. Together with our customers and partners, we strive to create a global telecoms market that is more dynamic, diverse and ready to serve high-performance applications by delivering new services and technologies that help meet the needs of constantly new end user demand. The team is very proud to be recognized for their work.”

PCCW Global is particularly proud of the recognition that these latest innovations have received, as they form part of an ongoing programme of strategic development aimed at continuously enhancing its ability to deliver digital solutions globally whilst retaining all-out passion for service excellence. The integration of real time communication services is helping businesses of all sizes adapt quickly to the many changes taking place in what has become a very fast-paced and mobile-centric world.

Ms. Ronnie Klingner, PCCW Global’s President of Mobility, Security and Digital Solutions, said, “We are delighted that our efforts and innovation have been recognized. To receive such high profile recognition for GlobalView is testimony to excellent teamwork at PCCW Global. We are now able to offer MNOs the opportunity to look at international roaming transactions from a business awareness perspective, which delivers added value as operators are now able to ensure that service connectivity with their roaming counterparts is maintained with quality wherever a subscriber may be.”

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 contact:

Ivan Ho

PCCW Group Tel: +852 2883 8747 Email: ivan.wy.ho@pccw.com

Issued by HKT Limited.

BBC Worldwide Giant Screen Movies to Debut in Museums Across China and Hong Kong

(Monday, 5 Dec 2016, Beijing, China)… BBC Worldwide today announced a series of deals that will see four BBC Earth Giant Screen films – Tiny Giants, Wild Africa, Earthflight and Incredible Predators debut in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2017.

New deals with clients including Orient International Holding Shanghai Foreign Trade Co. Ltd, and Wuhan DDMC Culture Co. Ltd, will see the four films debut in more than 20 science and technology museums, beginning in January.

Tiny Giants, is the story of a day in the life of two little heroes – a scorpion mouse and a chipmunk, both trying to survive in a sometimes hostile world; Earthflight takes a breathtaking flight on the wings of birds across six continents and experiences some of the world’s greatest natural spectacles from a bird’s-eye view; Wild Africa, narrated by Helena Bonham Carter, transports audiences on a thrilling journey through Africa to discover how water shapes all life; and Incredible Predators delves into the interactions between predators and their prey, revealing some of the most dramatic events in nature.

“BBC Earth exists to inspire people with the natural world; we constantly push boundaries to excite our audiences with amazing stories, characters and discoveries that we go to the ends of the earth to find,” said Kelvin Yau, GM, Greater China. “We are very pleased that visitors to science and technology museums all over China will have access to the four BBC Earth films that will allow viewers to envelope themselves in the larger than life, immersive experience of the 2D Dome and 3D giant screen formats.”

Each BBC Earth film is 40 minutes long and will run between six months and a year in cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenyang and Hefei, as well as Hong Kong

-Ends-

For more information, please contact: Jeanne Leong +65 6849 5292/+65 9679 1173

Jeanne.leong@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

Second edition of Dance Singapore Dance ends with a Bang!

Hunt for Singapore’s best dancing star comes to an end

The second season of Dance Singapore Dance comes to an end with a spectacular grand finale. Sheriden Newman, 29, danced her way to victory after emerging as the winner of Season 2. Sheriden, 29, a dance graduate from Queensland University of Technology outperformed over 200 contestants in the auditions and 11 others during the grueling 10 episode journey to take home the prize money of S$15000. Mohamad Sufri Juwahir and Mumtaz Angullia were the first and the second runner’s up and took home cash prizes of S$3000 and S$2000 respectively.

The runaway success of the first season set the stage for an even bigger canvas for the second season of Dance Singapore Dance. There were many breath-taking moments as the level of performances soared episode after episode. Each contestant left no stone unturned to keep the audiences and judges captivated with their exceptional performances. The season started with a new panel of judges with Bollywood ace Choreographer Master Mudassar Khan all the way from Mumbai and popular local classical and contemporary dancer Sreedevy Sivarajasingam. Guest judges on different episodes included Najip Ali (Host & Entertainer), Kavitha Krishnan (Artistic Director, Maya Dance Theatre), Daisy Irani (Creative Director & Actor, Hum Theatre), Shantha M Misra (Indian Classical Dancer and Choreographer) and Zaini Tahir, (Artistic Director and Dance Singapore Dance S1 judge) also provided their expert opinion as part of the judging panel.

Ms Tripta Singh, Senior Vice President, International Business, Zee TV APAC, said, “In the second season of Dance Singapore Dance the expectations were very high from all the stakeholders including the contestants, our partners and viewers and the show surpassed all of them. We believe that Dance Singapore Dance provides a great platform for both budding and seasoned dancers across nationalities and races. We wish Sheriden good luck and hope to be back with Season 3 soon.”

Leslie Thng, Chief Commercial Officer of Scoot and Tigerair, powered by sponsor on Season 2 said: “Dance Singapore Dance has proven successful in grooming new, young talent in Singapore. Beyond providing a stage for the participants to present their creativity, it has also encouraged them to follow their artistic dreams and enabled them to experience fun and joy along the way. This strongly resonates with Scoot and Tigerair’s mission to enable the young and young-at-heart to pursue their dreams through enriching travel experiences, and we are delighted to support this meaningful endeavor.”

Sheriden Newman, 29, winner of Dance Singapore Dance Season 2, said “I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout this journey, especially Sahil, my mentor for constantly pushing my boundaries and helping me excel. With the prize money, I plan to establish my new dance company Soul Signature with my dancing partner, Sufri Juwahir.”

The finale night saw all the five finalists put their best foot forward but Sheriden managed to edge out other contestants with an enthralling contemporary performance.

Best of Dance Singapore Dance

The season finale of Dance Singapore Dance, airing on Sunday, 11th December 2016 will showcase the best of Season 2, all the way from the audition rounds to the finals. Tune in to Zee TV APAC (StarHub TV Ch 125 and SingTel TV Ch 646).

For the latest news on Dance Singapore Dance, please visit

http://facebook.com/dancesingaporedance

About Dance Singapore Dance

Dance Singapore Dance is a localised version of the popular Dance India Dance series. Returning for its second season, the show will bring together aspiring dancers from different backgrounds and cultures from across Singapore. The open category dance competition aims to provide a platform for amateur and experienced dancers to showcase their talent. The winner of Dance Singapore Dance S2 will take home SG $15000 and the first and second runners-up will also be awarded prizes. StarHub is the presenting sponsor for Dance Singapore Dance S2 and the show is powered by Tiger Air and Scoot.

Murder and Honour: BBC Urdu puts a spotlight on women’s killings

2 December 2016.  BBC Urdu brings the so-called honour killing of women in the spotlight as the new series, Qatal o Ghairat (Murder and Honour), rolls out on TV, radio, online at bbcurdu.com and social media.  For three weeks, from Tuesday 6 December, BBC Urdu will deliver a comprehensive look at these killings – through special reports, animation, infographics and other digital tools as well as discussions at universities and colleges across Pakistan.

BBC Urdu Editor, Mehvish Hussain, says:  “BBC Urdu has reported on so-called honour killings extensively – just as we do other issues that matter to our audience.  With Qatal o Ghairat, we decided to bring together our journalistic and reporting strength to ask why these murders continue to be a widely accepted fact of life in the region.  We hope very much that as many of our audience as possible will engage with us to answer this question.”

BBC Urdu reports, with insights from Pakistan’s leading legal and media experts, legislators and activists, from various locations in Pakistan:

  • Khairpur, Sindh, where violence against women is endemic, to see if these murders are rooted in the rural culture
  • Landi Kotal, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where the local Jirga system of government is believed to be protecting and justifying such killings
  • Nasirabad, Baluchistan, where a murder over a property dispute is being presented as a so-called honour killing so it can go unreported to the police
  • Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where these murders are labelled as suicides
  • Lahore, Punjab, where a man, who was involved in the murder of his daughter for an alleged affair with her cousin, was set free by the local High Court as he pardoned himself invoking the forgiveness clause of the law on ‘honour killing’ – an old clause which was left unchanged in Pakistan’s reformed law on these killings
  • Shikarpur, Sindh, where the BBC gets exclusive access to a man who killed his wife who he ‘thought’ had a relationship with another man
  • Mazar Jo, Sindh, where the local Jirga is demanding that a girl be married into a family as ‘compensation’ following false accusations against them.

At universities in Karachi, Khairpur, Peshawar, Lahore and other cities, BBC Urdu will discuss with students all these issues – as well as how Pakistani media portray women.  BBC Urdu will also report from the village of Haryana, India, on the legislative and social aspects of the issue in India.  The BBC Urdu social-media platforms – Facebook and YouTube – will feature the films shot by the students involved in the debates while, across BBC Urdu platforms, audiences will be able to share their stories, in text or video.

BBC Urdu is part of BBC World Service.

Ends/

For more information please contact:

BBC World Service Group Communications – Lala Najafova lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk

Notes to editors:

BBC Urdu TV programme, Sairbeen, is broadcast live from London by Aaj News TV channel in Pakistan and streamed on bbcurdu.com at 19.30 PST (14.30 GMT) Monday to Friday.  Each edition of Sairbeen is repeated on Aaj News at 11.00 PST on the following day and is available on bbcurdu.com on demand. The programme is also available via the BBC Urdu channel on YouTube.  The radio programme, Sairbeen, is broadcast on shortwave at 20.00 PST (15.00 GMT) every day and is available via bbcurdu.com. BBC Urdu engages with its audience on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

BBC World Service delivers news content around the world, on radio, TV and digital, reaching a weekly audience of 246 million. As part of BBC World Service, BBC Learning English teaches English to global audiences.  The BBC World Service Group operates around the world in 30 languages, on radio, TV and digital. The BBC attracts a weekly global news audience of 320 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.

Guizhou unveils the hidden beauty of China through content partnership with great big story

GBS_Guizhou_Single BambooEveryone has an image of China – about its people, landscapes and cuisine. To bring those images to life, Great Big Story has traversed the Yelang Valley, attempted single bamboo drifting in northern Guizhou, and even sampled the delights of national liquor of Maotai.

Great Big Story – the distributed video storytelling network launched by CNN and Turner in 2015 – parachutes viewers through its digital channel Take Me There to extraordinary places, subcultures and events in some of the most breath-taking places on Earth. Since November, Great Big Story has been telling extraordinary, untold and incredible stories about the Chinese province Guizhou to over 10 million multi-platform followers through its mobile apps and website, streaming media devices (Apple TV and Roku) and across social media, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Take Me There Guizhou is accompanied by a three-month branded content partnership established by CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) and Guizhou. This is part of an exclusive integrated campaign on CNN TV and digital as Guizhou aims to reach international travellers by unveiling the surprising parts and the hidden beauty of China.

The Take Me There Guizhou four-part editorial video series is produced by the Great Big Story team, accompanied by one branded video from Guizhou about national liquor of Maotai produced by CNNIC’s branded content studio Create. Together, Great Big Story, CNNIC and Create worked side by side with Guizhou to deliver an authentic storytelling campaign that aligns with the destination’s perception of the rich Chinese culture.

“This is a truly unique partnership – the first time a Chinese province is partnering with Great Big Story,” said Sunita Rajan, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales, Asia Pacific, CNN International Commercial. “We are honoured that Guizhou partnered with CNN and Great Big Story for such a bold and modern campaign, which aims to attract both the younger, curious audiences on Great Big Story and the established affluent business travellers via CNN.”

Videos:
Guizhou Sport of Single-Bamboo Drifting: http://greatbig.is/2fJk1qW
Miao Embroidery: http://greatbig.is/2fIcXy4

– Ends-

About CNN International Commercial
CNNI Commercial (CNNIC) is responsible for CNN’s intercontinental commercial operations, spanning a diverse linear and digital news and information portfolio across five continents. This includes platforms such as CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Arabic, Great Big Story, CNN Style and CNNMoney, and a number of other verticals and local properties. CNNI Commercial delivers best-in-class, award-winning cross-platform ad sales, brand and marketing solutions combined with advanced digital trading and data capabilities. It operates a Content Sales and Licensing business, which offers a suite of consultancy, content and CNN-branded initiatives around the globe. It also has a business development unit that establishes strategic partnerships to serve new audiences. The organisation’s branded content studio, Create, has been producing award winning content for clients for over ten years. CNNI Commercial is part of Turner, a TimeWarner company. For more information, visit http://commercial.cnn.com

About Great Big Story
Founded in 2015, Great Big Story is a distributed video network dedicated to telling awesome, untold and inspiring stories. Its goal: to reach the “intellectually curious” with non-fiction stories spanning four main categories: human condition, planet earth, frontiers and flavors. In just one year, Great Big Story has developed a multiplatform audience following of more than 10 million people by beaming its stories across Facebook, YouTube, an iOS and Android app, Apple TV and Roku. Get the latest social media updates from Great Big Story on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Vimeo.

Join our newsletter