HONG KONG (July 27, 2016) – Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, achieved record ratings performance in the first half of 2016 across the network and across key markets in southeast Asia. CTE’s flagship Chinese movie channel, Celestial Movies (CM), its classic Chinese movie channel, Celestial Classic Movies (CCM) and action entertainment channel, KIX HD, continued to lead in their respective categories in Malaysia while CM in Indonesia experienced significant viewership growth. In the Philippines, KIX and suspense and horror channel Thrill continued their dramatic upward climb in viewership while CM Pinoy emerged as a top ten pay TV channel (excluding kids channels) on the national DTH platform Cignal, based on the latest available ratings.
In Malaysia, CM, CCM and CM HD continued to dominate the Chinese demographic as the top three most-watched regional movie channels among Astro Chinese 4+ audiences in the first six months of 2016 [1]. Meanwhile, KIX HD remained strong as the top English general entertainment channel among Astro 4+ audiences [2]. The channel also grew its viewership over 30% in the first half of 2016 versus the same period last year [3].
In Indonesia, CM saw significant growth in its average viewership by 27% among pay TV 20+ viewers [4], becoming a top four regional movie channel including the Hollywood services. [5]
In the Philippines, KIX and Thrill continue to grow by leaps and bounds. KIX has climbed to the top three regional English general entertainment channels among cable & satellite 2+ viewers. It also became one of the top 20 channels among all 120+ pay TV channels in the first half of this year [6]. The channel delivered a 279% increase in viewership in the first half of 2016 versus the first half of 2015 [7].
Within the same data period, Thrill also experienced a huge growth with a 378% increase in viewership among cable & satellite 2+ viewers [8]. The channel became one of the top 5 regional English movie channels in the Philippines during the first half of 2016. [9]
CM Pinoy, CTE’s Chinese movie channel that is programmed, dubbed and promoted specifically to Filipino viewers, ranked in the top ten most-watched pay TV channels among all other TV channels (excluding kids channels) in the Philippines with Cignal 2+ viewers based on the latest available ratings from May 1 to June 30, 2016 [10]. The channel formally launched on Cignal this past January.
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Source: Kantar Media, DTAM Malaysia. Jan-Jun 2016; all time; live and consolidated viewing data (as of 19 July, 2016); ranked by average audience on an individual channel basis.
[1] Astro Chinese 4+; across regional movie channels (incl. Celestial, Celestial HD, Celestial Classic, Cinemax, Fox Action HD, Fox Family HD, Fox Movies, Fox Movies HD, HBO, HBO HD, Sundance HD, TVB Classic Movies) [2] Astro 4+; across English GE channels (incl. AXN, AXN HD, Diva, Diva HD, E!, Fox HD, FX HD, Hits HD, ITV Choice, KIX HD, Lifetime, MTV, Star World, Star World HD) [3] Jan-Jun 2016 vs Jan-Jun 2015; all time; based on average audienceSource: Nielsen, Indonesia Pay TV (Greater Jakarta)
[4] Pay TV 20+; Jan-Jun 2016 vs Jan-Jun 2015; all time; based on average audience [5] Pay TV 20+; Jan-Jun 2016, ranked by average audience, across regional movie channels (AMC, CM, Cinemax, Fox Family Movies, FMP, HBO, HBO Family, HBO Hits & HBO Signature)Source: Kantar Media, Philippines National
[6] C&S 2+; Jan-Jun 2016; ranked by average audience; across regional English GE channels (incl. AXN, Diva Universal, E!, Fox, Fox Crime, HITS, KIX, Lifetime, RTL-CBS, Sony Channel, Star World, SYFY, Tru TV, Universal Channel, Warner TV) [7 & 8] C&S 2+; Jan-Jun 2016 vs. Jan-Jun 2015; all time; based on average audience [9] C&S 2+; Jan-Jun 2016; ranked by average audience; across regional English movie channels (incl. AMC, Cinemax, Fox Family Movies, HBO, HBO Family, HBO Hits, HBO Signature, Star Movies, Thrill, TCM) [10] Cignal 2+; May-Jun 2016; ranked by average audience; across cable and satellite (excluding kids) channels. CM Pinoy’s data is available from May 4, 2016.
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; cHK, a general entertainment channel offering cool, chic, and contemporary celebrity-powered Hong Kong entertainment; KIX, the ultimate destination for action entertainment; MIAO MI, the Mandarin edutainment channel created for preschool kids across Asia; and THRILL, Asia’s only regional horror, thriller and suspense movie channel. 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.