ITV

Tag: Malaysian

  • Malaysian media baron Ananda Krishnan passes on

    Malaysian media baron Ananda Krishnan passes on

    MUMBAI: Another media baron passes into the great beyond. Malayasian billionaire Ananda Krishnan who set up the successful pay TV platform Astro in Malaysia  and established satellite operator Measat passed away on 28 November at  the age of 86.  

    Ananda was known to be close to Mahathir Mohamad who was Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and 2018 to 2020. He persuaded him to build the famed Petronas twin towers in Kuala Lumpur.

    Ananda was the founder and chairman of Usaha Tegas, as well as the founder of Yu Cai Foundation. He also helped transform telecom firm Maxis into one of the largest operators in the country. He helped finance Bob Geldof’s  Live Aid concert in the eighties. He  was ranked Malaysia’s sixth-richest person and 671 wealthiest person globally in 2024, with an estimated net worth of $5.1 billion, according to  Forbes.  

    In India, Ananda unsuccessfully  invested an estimated $7 billion to set up telco Aircel which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018.

    Ananda had three children, including his only son, Ven Ajahn Siripanyo who is a Buddhist monk.

    May he Rest in Peace!

    Astro Malaysia made the following post on its website:

    Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (Astro) mourns the loss of our shareholder, Ananda Krishnan Tatparanandam, on 28 November 2024, whose unparalleled contributions shaped the landscape of Malaysia’s media, telecommunications, and entertainment industries.

    Group Chief Executive Officer Euan Daryl Smith expressed profound sorrow on behalf of Astro, stating: “Mr Ananda Krishnan’s vision went beyond creating a company; he created a purpose. Through Astro, he touched lives—by providing jobs, nurturing talent, and fostering a shared sense of joy through the power of entertainment. His enduring commitment to excellence and humanity will continue to inspire us as we carry forward his legacy. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this time of loss.”

    We join the nation in honoring a remarkable individual whose contributions will forever be etched in Malaysia’s history. Our deepest condolences go out to the family during this difficult time.

    We humbly request that the family’s privacy be respected as they mourn their loss.”

     

    (Pix courtesy Scott Jordan)

  • OTT streaming platform aha enters Malaysia

    OTT streaming platform aha enters Malaysia

    Mumbai: aha, one of India’s leading regional language OTT platforms, launches in Malaysia with a robust content offering for the local Tamil diaspora.

    The platform entered the Malaysian market on 19 September 2022 as part of their effort to expand their presence in Southeast Asia. The launch was inaugurated by minister of human resources YB Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, aha brand ambassador Anirudh Ravichander and aha CEO Ajit Thakur at Park Royal Collections Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

    Since its debut, aha has engaged its audience by telling stories about their home land, featuring some of the most loved celebrities in India. The 100 per cent Tamil regional OTT platform, aha Tamil, features a number of blockbuster films and exclusive originals.

    Actor Simbu and incredibly gifted musician Anirudh Ravichandran are the brand ambassadors for aha. To mark its arrival in Malaysia, the OTT streaming service came onboard as a co presenting sponsor of the Anirudh Live in Malaysia 2022 concert, which was held on 17 September at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.

    On the occasion of the Malaysia launch, Saravanan said that he is excited about aha’s unique efforts in content collaboration and investment in original content with local talents and production houses, which will undoubtedly give global exposure to the Tamil content industry here in Malaysia.

    aha is proud to be the first Indian OTT entity that is committed to investing in local content and to uplifting the Tamil entertainment industry in Malaysia by leveraging local talents and production houses. Through this integration, aha hopes to stay relevant in Southeast Asia and is looking at aligning the OTT landscape and providing a seamless experience for consumers in Malaysia and India.

    Commenting on Malaysia launch, Thakur said, “At aha, we are proud of our unique proposition of providing 100 per cent local entertainment to the audience and we are delighted to bring 100 per cent local entertainment now to Malaysia.  With the launch of aha in Malaysia, we will not only offer the best of Tamil movies and originals to the audience but also source and create content with local film-makers and artists.”

    aha Tamil business head Chidambaram Natesan said, “‘Yaadhum Oorey Yaavarum Kaeleer,’ Malaysian Tamils best represent this line by the famous Tamil philosopher Kaniyan Pugundranar. Malaysian Tamils have always welcomed everyone with great warmth to their land. We are confident that aha Tamil’s launch in Malaysia will be supported with the same love and affection.

    He added, “aha Tamil OTT started with the core idea of ‘Tamizhal Tamizhil Tamizharuku’ (in Tamil, by Tamil, for Tamil people) and now we are in Malaysia to carry forward the same proposition.”

  • TRAI & Malaysian counterpart announce collaboration

    TRAI & Malaysian counterpart announce collaboration

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have agreed to exchange information and regulatory best practices in the fields of broadcasting and telecommunications, including new and emerging areas.

    A Letter of Intent (Lol) was signed by the TRAI chairman R S Sharma and MCMC chairman Halim Shafie in the presence of the Malaysian high commissioner to India Hidayat Abdul Hamid. This historic agreement would help both the regulators to work closely in enhancing mutual cooperation and bilateral relations.

    The signing of this agreement assumes significance for both India and Malaysia as both countries can learn from each other.

    The other activities planned under the agreement to promote international and technical cooperation between the two organizations are:

    Exchange, deployment and attachment of experts, including but not limited to during bilateral consultations;

    Jointly conducting capacity building exercises in the fields of broadcasting and telecommunications regulation;

    Collaboration in various international forums including but not limited to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU); and

    Any other forms of cooperation that are mutually agreed upon by the Parties in the fields of broadcasting and telecommunications regulation.

  • Winners announced of the first Formats Asia Awards

    Winners announced of the first Formats Asia Awards

    MUMBAI: Formats Asia has concluded another successful event. This year Formats Asia was held during the CASBAA Convention, and saw intense and insightful discussions that dug deep into the issues and matters that are affecting the industry most. The event also celebrated the announcement of the winners of the first Formats Asia Awards.

     

    The Apprentice Asia (Sony SPE) took the top spot for the ‘Best Use of a Global Format in Asia’ award. It is an engaging show that pits aspiring young Asian entrepreneurs against each other in “the world’s toughest job interview” for a chance to work for Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes.

     

    In the ‘Best Original Asian Format’ category, the award went to The Challenger Muay Thai (Imagine Group). The series pits 16 world-class fighters against each other to win the ultimate title of Muaythai World Champion and $ 100,000 in prize money.

     

    Rounding off the awards in the ‘Best Non-Entertainment Format in Asia’ category was Jobs Around The World (MediaCorp TV). In this the entertaining duo, Bryan Wong and Kym Ng take viewers out of their comfort zone in an educational and cultural exploration of interesting, unusual and often surprising jobs across Asia.

     

    Formats Asia 2013 ended on a high with a plethora of issues discussed. The programme examined recent developments in China, explored relationships with sponsors and advertisers, investigated types of programming that work well in Asia, and focused on the emergence of drama and factual formats.

     

    Formats Asia founder and Lightning International CEO James Ross said, “I’m absolutely thrilled at this year’s event. We had some great discussions and debates, we saw a lot of examples of how formats are being localised within Asia, and we celebrated with our first Formats Asia Awards winners. The industry in Asia is really picking up, and judging by the sentiments coming from the sessions, we’ve got a lot of opportunities to capture for our partners, and the entire industry has plenty of business to capitalise on.”

     

    He added, “Overall, this year’s event focused on the need for creating great content, since ultimately, good material will always capture the imagination and attention of viewers. Broadcasters in Asia are also increasingly realising how formats can make their job easier. Formats are not just great ideas from popular brands. They are a complete “how-to-do-it” package, a proven blueprint that encapsulates the intelligence, insights and experience learned and gained by previous producers.”