ITV

Tag: Sony Pictures Television

  • Sony Pictures Television acquires two Hungarian networks

    Sony Pictures Television acquires two Hungarian networks

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks has agreed to acquire Modern Times Group’s (MTG) Hungarian free-TV operations comprising the channels Viasat3 and Viasat6 and the catch-up service Viasat Play.

     

    The two channels focus on viewers aged 18-49.

     

    The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The main channel Viasat3 was launched in 2000, when MTG acquired a majority stake in the Budapest based TV-channel Alfa TV. Viasat6 was launched in 2008 and is skewed towards a younger and male oriented audience. Viasat Play was launched in 2010.

     

    Both Viasat3 and Viasat6 are available on third party cable, DTH satellite and IPTV networks in Hungary. MTG’s pay-TV channels Viasat Explore, Viasat History and Viasat Nature, are not part of the agreement, and will continue to be available to viewers in Hungary through a variety of distributors.

     

    “Our Hungarian channels were our first free-TV operations to be launched outside Scandinavia and the Baltics. We are proud of what has been achieved by the Hungarian team and are confident that the new owner will achieve further success with the business. We are focusing our European Free-TV Emerging Markets business on our scale and leading media houses in the Baltics, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic,” said MTG President and CEO Jorgen Madsen Lindemann.

     

    The transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Hungarian competition authority, and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2015.

  • Turner appoints Marianne Lee as general entertainment head for Asia Pacific

    Turner appoints Marianne Lee as general entertainment head for Asia Pacific

    MUMBAI: Turner International Asia Pacific has announced the appointment of Marianne Lee as its vice president-content, general entertainment. Lee will take over his new role, effective 2 May and will report directly to Turner International Asia Pacific president Ricky Ow.

     

    In this role, she will define and execute content and channel strategy for Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific general entertainment brands. Her focus will include WarnerTV, and two special interest brands, TCM Turner Classic Movies and truTV.

     

    WarnerTV is a recent addition to Turner’s Asia Pacific stable of brands that makes a bold statement and demonstrates Turner’s commitment to general entertainment and to audiences that are passionate about great television. With WarnerTV, the Turner portfolio now includes Asia Pacific’s best-loved brands in the news, kids and general entertainment genres.

     

    Commenting on Lee’s appointment Ow said, “We’re delighted to welcome Marianne to the team. With WarnerTV now a Turner brand, she arrives at a critical time to build on its existing number one ranking and to develop our entertainment brand bouquet even further. Under her leadership, we can look forward to Turner’s entertainment channels scaling greater heights of audience appeal and excitement, as well as more new offerings.”

     

    Lee will relocate to Hong Kong from Singapore, where she was most recently director of programming and acquisitions for Universal Networks International. There she was responsible for the overall program strategy in Asia, including program acquisitions, scheduling, format acquisitions and original productions.

     

    Prior to Universal, Lee was senior director of programming at Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, a company she was with for almost five years. This followed more than 10 years at Television Broadcasts Ltd in Hong Kong, where she garnered experience in ad sales, marketing and led the program acquisition team.

  • N P Singh elevated to MSM CEO, Man Jit Singh to be MSM India chairman

    N P Singh elevated to MSM CEO, Man Jit Singh to be MSM India chairman

    MUMBAI: In a major development, Multi Screen Media India (Sony Entertainment Television) has promoted its COO N P Singh as CEO effective 3 January 2014. In his new role, NP will report to Sony Pictures Television President Worldwide Networks Andy Kaplan. Singh confirmed the development to indiantelevision.com, adding that he was looking forward to taking the company into its next growth phase.

     

    He replaces Man Jit Singh who has been designated as non-executive chairman. Singh will reportedly be spending more time in Los Angeles (LA). 

    While much work has been done there is clearly a long road to go before we can fully achieve our vision, says NP Singh

    “NP and I have worked closely together as equal partners these last five years and the success of the company is largely due to his efforts. The time has come for him to lead the company to the next level and I fully expect the innovations he brings as CEO will ensure we have years of success ahead. As the Non-executive Chairman of MSM, I look forward to supporting NP and will continue to remain involved with the Indian television industry,” said Man Jit Singh.

     

    Kaplan also expressed strong support for the move. “We have full confidence in NP being able to lead MSM and continue the success of the last five years. NP has been involved in all the decisions that lead to the success of our business and this is a well-deserved recognition of his untiring efforts and of the faith we have in his decision making. I wish him all success in his new role as CEO of MSM. I would also like to thank Man Jit for the huge contribution he has made in growing our business in India and setting it on the path of sustainable future growth.”

     

    “I am delighted by the confidence Man Jit, Andy and the board have expressed in my abilities to lead MSM. It’s been a wonderful experience and a pleasure working with Man Jit last five years. While much work has been done there is clearly a long road to go before we can fully achieve our vision. I am certain that with our top quality management team and our dedicated employees we will achieve new heights of success in near future. I am excited in taking up the new role and look forward to making MSM the most profitable network in the business,” commented NP on his appointment.

    In the new role, I look forward to supporting NP and will continue to remain involved with the Indian television industry, says Man Jit Singh

    NP, a Delhi University alumnus, has been associated with MSM since the past 15 years, that is since 1999. Prior to that, he was the Chief Financial Officer at Spice Telecom. He has also worked as Chief Financial Officer – Telecom and other positions at Modicorp, Controller Business Operations and others for Modi Xerox, and as Senior Accounts Officer and others at Hindustan Copper Limited. His aptitude in business comes from the education he has got. After completing his B.Com (Hons) from DU, NP studied at Delhi School of Economics and further on completed his Management Accounting from Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India.

     

    Man Jit on the other hand, prior to joining the MSM group, was with Diogenes Capital, a private equity fund in Los Angeles, California, where he was a principal. He had also served as chairman and CEO of Compete, Inc, in Boston, Massachusetts, a predictive analytics service. He has also been the CEO of several companies specialising in management recruitment and temporary staffing, including Futurestep Inc, Korn/Ferry International’s online subsidiary and Talent Tree Staffing Services, a subsidiary of the service conglomerate BET Plc. He also held senior positions at various management consulting firms including Sibson & Co, LLP in Los Angeles, The Cast Group AG in Zurich, Switzerland and Los Angeles, and Cresap in Los Angeles. He began his career at Nestle India. Man Jit is a graduate of the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, India.

  • Hui Keng Ang becomes the senior VP and GM for SPT Asia

    Hui Keng Ang becomes the senior VP and GM for SPT Asia

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has promoted Hui Keng Ang to the position of senior vice president and general manager, networks, Asia. He would continue to report to SPT executive vice president, networks, Asia-Pacific George Chien.

     

    Ang will oversee the networks’ robust portfolio of channels across Southeast Asia, including AXN, Sony Entertainment Television, beTV, ONE, Animax and the recently-announced GEM. Ang would be based in Singapore and would also continue to manage the company’s interest in joint-venture networks AXN and Animax in Korea, as well as Televiva in Indonesia.

     

    Prior to this, Ang was the senior vice president, business operations, where he managed SPT Networks Asia’s channel operations, finance, technology and human resources. However, he had joined SPT Networks, Asia as the financial controller in 1997.

     

    He has also served as the networks’ growing Asian content portfolio, including Animax, which is currently available in 46 million homes across 17 markets; as well as ONE, which launched in 2010 and under his guidance has grown to be one of the top-rated pay-TV channels in Malaysia and Singapore.

  • Videocond2h’s Amit Dhanuka joins IndiaCast as SVP for intl biz

    Videocond2h’s Amit Dhanuka joins IndiaCast as SVP for intl biz

    MUMBAI: IndiaCast Media Distribution, a joint venture between TV18 and Viacom18, has appointed Amit Dhanuka as senior vice president for their international business division.

    Based in Mumbai, Dhanuka will oversee Asia Pacific business, international syndication, outbound ad sales as well as content and commercial affairs.

    Prior to joining IndiaCast, Dhanuka was with Videocon D2H where he drove the content strategy, packaging and VAS. He comes with over 12 years of experience in media and entertainment. He has also worked with Sony Pictures Television International, E- City and the Zee Group.

    IndiaCast COO Gaurav Gandhi said, “We are delighted to have Amit on board with us. Given his diverse experience both on the content and commercial side in media and broadcast, we are confident that he will play a very key role as we take our international business to the next level.”

    Dhanuka said, “IndiaCast has made a tremendous mark since its launch and I hope to build on that. I look forward to working with the team and bring in a new perspective for the growth of this fast growing organisation.”

  • Sky strengthens movie offering with SPT deal

    Sky strengthens movie offering with SPT deal

    MUMBAI: UK pay TV service provider Sky has further strengthened its movie offering through a new deal with Sony Pictures Television (SPT) that will provide customers with access to movies like ‘Men in Black 3‘, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ and ‘Django Unchained‘ before any other TV channel or subscription service.

    Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Sky Movies will be the first subscription service in the UK and Ireland to screen new movies from Sony Pictures, including upcoming titles such as Smurfs 2, This is the End and After Earth. Sky Movies customers will be able to enjoy exclusive subscription access to Sony Pictures‘ new releases around six months after they have ended their run in cinemas. Once on Sky Movies, the titles will be exclusively available for at least a year.

    Alongside the new releases, Sky Movies customers will also get access to an extensive collection of classic films from the Sony Pictures library, including the first three Spiderman movies, The Da Vinci Code and Bad Santa, available on an exclusive basis while they are on the service.

    Continuing Sky‘s commitment to offer customers new ways of accessing Sky content, the full range of new and classic titles included in the agreement will be available to Now TV customers with a Sky Movies monthly pass. NOW TV, Sky‘s internet TV service, offers easy and flexible access to Sky Movies across many connected platforms and devices.

    All movies will be available on demand, on Sky Go, HD, and, where available, 3D, further enhancing the viewing experience and adding more value for Sky customers. For customers who want to take movies with them on the move, the films will also be available on Sky‘s new subscription service Sky Go Extra. For Â?5 a month, Sky Go Extra customers can download movies and entertainment shows to their smartphone, mobile tablet, laptop or MacBook.

    Alongside access to the first pay TV window titles, the two parties have also agreed a non-exclusive deal for pay-per-view movies, which will be available to Sky customers through Sky Movies Box Office and on demand through Sky Store. Through these services, all Sky customers can rent Sony Pictures titles, from the latest movies – many at the same time as they are available on DVD – through to an extensive library of classic films.

    Customers who subscribe to Sky Movies via Virgin Media, UPC and TalkTalk will also be able to enjoy the full range of subscription films from Sony Pictures.

    Sky Movies director Ian Lewis said, “We‘re delighted to have secured Sony Pictures content for our customers, further extending our leadership in movies. We are committed to providing our customers with the biggest and best movies, available to watch when and how they want. That‘s why Sky Movies customers enjoy access to the biggest movies first, in HD, on demand, on the go and in 3D. And with the launch of Sky Go Extra, they can now even download movies to their smartphones and tablets to watch offline.”

  • Jenny Setnicker joins Casbaa as head of advertising development

    MUMBAI: Casbaa has appointed Jenny Setnicker as head of advertising development.

    Setnicker has more than 15 years of media industry experience with eight years at CNBC Asia in advertising sales and client content solutions. Before that she worked at Omnicom Group developing client sponsorships for Millsport LLC in New York. Prior to that, she was in Hong Kong as part of Star TV‘s programming and acquisitions team.

    Setnicker will be based out of Singapore and will be responsible for marketing the benefits of multichannel advertising. She will also handle new investment in the development of data and actionable insights relevant to the multi-channel TV sector in all its forms along with promoting value proposition for pay TV to media agencies, clients and network owners.

    Setnicker will also be in charge of promoting the best interests of the Casbaa advertising members – AETN All Asia Networks, BBC Worldwide, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, FOX One Stop Media, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Television, TrueVisions and Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific.

    Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston said, “With her extensive knowledge and experience in this industry, the appointment of Jenny is another significant step in Casbaa‘s efforts to increase awareness of the power of advertising on multichannel TV.”

  • “We will be looking into more original productions that are local and relevant to Indian audiences” : Sony Pictures Television SVP, GM, Networks Asia Ricky Ow

    “We will be looking into more original productions that are local and relevant to Indian audiences” : Sony Pictures Television SVP, GM, Networks Asia Ricky Ow

    Sony Pictures Television is on a major expansion course in Asia. It has widened its portfolio with the launch of a new channel, ONE. AXN HD has also launched in several markets.

     

    The key strategy is to up localisation in language, on-air presentation and local original production so as to make the channels more relevant.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Sony Pictures Television SVP, GM, Networks Asia Ricky Ow elaborates on the company‘s brand positioning, growth, challenges and expansion plans.

     

    Excerpts:

    How would you describe the performance of SPE Networks Asia over the past couple of years?
    The past few years have been rather busy ones for us at SPT Networks Asia. Not only have we maintained AXN as the No. 1 English general entertainment channel (GEC) in our key markets in the face of increased competition, we have also launched AXN HD services in several markets.

     

    In addition, we have expanded our portfolio by entering the Asian GE content space with the launch of our new channel, One. In a nutshell it has been a good couple of years with strong growth and expansion.

    What are the priorities and key strategies for it going forward?
    The key priorities for us moving forward are expanding our Asian content offerings and gaining a wider share of the audience by increasing localisation in language, on-air presentation and/or local original production to increase relevance of our channels.

    To what extent was the company affected by the economic downturn?
    The impact was not as great as we initially feared because pay-TV in general is relatively resistant to economic downturns. This is because during such periods, consumers actually spend more time at home and watch more pay TV.

     

    While there was some loss in ad sales momentum, it was nothing too drastic. We have always had a strong culture of prudence and the downturn actually provided us a great opportunity to further build our brand and engage our audiences by revisiting some of the basics in how we connect with them.

    Are things back to normal now or are some Asian markets still feeling the impact?
    Things went back to normal very quickly in Asia. Many economies are experiencing good growth and there is a strong momentum at this point in time.

    How has SPE Networks Asia grown the number of feeds over the past couple of years?
    We now operate five linear pay TV channel brands (AXN Asia, Animax Asia, SET, AXN Beyond and One) and a total of 17 feeds.
    “There is the opportunity to grow our business in India, but we are unable to comment on whether we are launching new channels in this marketplace right now”

    Could you talk about the growing importance of HD for SPE?
    HD is obviously the new standard for broadcast TV. We have seen huge penetration of HD TV sets in many markets, some more than others. This will be the de facto standard in a few years time.

     

    AXN is a channel brand that is very relevant to early technology adopters and we have already launched AXN HD in Korea and several Southeast Asian markets. We have plans to bring it to India as well.

    When he was in India, Sir Howard Stringer mentioned the importance of 3D for Sony. What role will this technology play in your broadcast business in the coming two to three years?
    3D is key to the SPT business globally and there is already an HD content channel launched in the US named 3net. We will explore how we can bring that channel to Asia.

    The last time we spoke you had mentioned revenue leakage from piracy being a concern. Is the growing digitisation in India addressing this problem?
    Leakage has been and continues to be a concern in many Asian markets. Digitisation and the efforts of industry bodies will help to address the problem. But it will take time and there seems to be no simple solution.

    There are synergies that exist between the broadcast business and other business verticals of Sony in India and across Asia. Could you talk about how this area is being exploited?
    One great example of this is Sony Style. It is a lifestyle and gadget magazine programme that is not only highly entertaining, but also showcases the great breadth and depth of Sony offerings to consumers ranging from movies, TV, games, music and electronic gadgets.

    We are seeing more players enter the English GEC space in India after a long time when there have been just three players. What impact will this have?
    We believe that competition can lead to two outcomes. The first is the rising cost of English GE programming, which is something that everyone has to watch out for. In addition, there will be improvement and increased excitement for English GE content. Increased competition is not necessarily a zero-sum game.

     

    With greater competition and more choices, the overall English GE viewership can expand and everyone wins.

    From a programming perspective is AXN‘s template going to stay the same or are you looking to innovate?
    The AXN formula is a winning one and we do not see the need to change it. However, it is necessary to continuously innovate within the channel brand parameters to bring AXN closer to viewers in India.

     

    An example comes in the form of AXN‘s Minute to Win It for India, which serves to localise the entertainment experience on the channel and make the content more relevant for Indian audiences.

    Other English channels have introduced subtitling. Is AXN also doing this?
    AXN currently airs programmes with English subtitles for the benefit of viewers who might face difficulty deciphering words spoken with different accents in shows.

    With CBS having launched channels in India, how will this affect deals you do with them? Will new seasons still be available?
    We are unable to disclose or discuss any contractual terms agreed with CBS. But viewers can rest assured that top shows such as the CSI franchise will continue to broadcast first and exclusively on AXN in Asia.

    On the localisation front, how has the response been to Minute To Win It India‘?
    In India, AXN‘s Minute to Win It is in its debut season and has had a relatively slow start. The show is gaining audiences and is doing well on the whole. There is definitely room for improvement and we have high expectations of the show.

     

    We are glad that Indian viewers have readily come forward to offer their honest feedback on Minute to Win It, without our having to ask. This points to real excitement and following for the show and format. We will be taking some of the suggestions to make Minute to Win It even better next season.

    What is next on the local front?
    We will be looking into more original productions that are local and relevant to Indian audiences and ones that can differentiate our channels from the competition..

    You devised a social media strategy to push this show. How effective is social media in communicating AXN‘s brand message?
    Social media is especially useful not just in ‘pushing‘ AXN‘s brand messaging but more so in engaging viewers and receiving their feedback. It has been an excellent experience getting a feel of the passion of viewers who have offered their opinions of the show. Going forward, we will definitely leverage social media more.

    Social media means that brands lose control to an extent in terms of how information filters down and is disseminated to the consumer. That makes some companies insecure. How does SPE Networks Asia view this medium?
    I believe the reactions of consumers cannot be controlled no matter which medium of information is shared through. We believe in facing up to audiences‘ tastes, preferences and reactions, as we are serving them after all.

     

    If responses received are negative, then we know we have to improve. Vice versa, if feedback is positive and we can continue in the direction which we know is right. We are never afraid of negative reactions and welcome all feedback.

     

    Only when viewers engage with our channel brand do we understand them better and social media has enabled us to do this like never before and we will continue using it.

    How is AXN perceived as a brand by viewers and advertisers? Has the perception changed over the past few years?
    The perception of AXN as Asia‘s home of Action and Adventure has remained strong and the channel continues to be a premium brand in the marketplace with an extensive reach across the region.

     

    However, the definitions of ‘Action‘ and ‘Adventure‘ have probably evolved over the years. As audiences have grown increasingly sophisticated and mature in their choice of content, ‘Action‘ and ‘Adventure‘ may no longer be the same hard-boiled, head-on action in AXN programmes of yesteryear.

     

    Instead, we find viewers embracing values such as courage, determination and irreverence embodied by key characters of popular AXN shows such as the CSI franchise, NCIS: LA, Leverage and Justified. This is also true when you consider the great support and following for local heroes from across the region who embark on the race of their lives in AXN‘s original production, The Amazing Race Asia.

    What work has been done in the new media area by SPE Networks Asia in other Asian markets like Taiwan and Korea and what have the learnings been?
    Online content from AXN‘s The Amazing Race Asia has been available to consumers across Asia and we have even launched the first episode of the most recent season online prior to its premiere broadcast. We are very encouraged that it has not cannibalized viewership but has instead grown the base of fans in the region.

     

    For SPT Networks Asia, we operate the Animax Mobile 3G streaming service as well as online catch-up TV for selected channels and programmes in various markets. We have found that these work for the youth who tend to be more active online and on mobile.

    Is SPE Networks Asia going to launch more channels in India like AXN Beyond with digitisation growing?
    There is the opportunity to grow our business in India, but we are unable to comment on that right now.
  • ‘Around 20-25 per cent of our revenues in the Asian region come from India’ : Ricky Ow – SPE Networks Asia GM

    ‘Around 20-25 per cent of our revenues in the Asian region come from India’ : Ricky Ow – SPE Networks Asia GM

    This has been a busy year for Sony’s international channels AXN and Animax. The task has been to pace up to the market competitiveness while staying sensitive to content that the government views as being “indecent.”

     

    Realising a vacuum in the youth market segment, Animax has repositioned itself by adding live action into its programming mix.

     

    AXN, on the other hand, had to be taken off the airwaves by the government at the start of the year for its potrayal of indecent content. Since then, it has focussed on differentiating itself through original content and raising the bar on acquired shows.

     

    Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto caught up with SPE Networks Asia GM Ricky for a lowdown on the content, revenue and digital plans for the two channels in India.

     

    Excerpts:

    India is transitioning to digitisation. What opportunities does this present for Sony Pictures Television?
    In the long run, the cost of technology will go down. It will help the overall penetration of pay television. For content providers this means that more viewers will have access to their offerings which will allow them to invest more.

     

    Digitisation gives us opportunities to launch more channels across the region. We recently launched three channels including one for women in Singapore on Singtel’s IPTV platform. English entertainment makes sense due to the great economies of scale.

    In terms of revenues, how important is India vis-?-vis the rest of Asia?
    India is a key market driver for us in the region. Around 20-25 per cent of our revenues come from here. India offers room for a lot of growth as it is not yet a mature market.

    Are you seeing growth on the advertising front?
    I would say that this year is better compared to last year. For our key partners, we will look at more branded content which will come through our original productions. On the mobile front, we are talking with a couple of firms for getting on board. We are looking to conceptualise content so that clients can be active participants and not just passive ones.

    The government has been acting against adult content. Was AXN’s late night content modified in any manner in India after the government took action earlier this year?
    We had a block called Hot N Wild which we had taken out long before the ban. We, however, still had shows on that which reflected the edginess of that time block. We air shows that offer the brand promise of action and adventure, but we are not pushing ourselves as being a sexy channel.
    Do you feel that the India should have a watershed hour like what the UK has?
    We follow the law of the land. We only ask for clearer guidelines and for more leeway. A watershed hour means that the regulator believes in the maturity of the people. The regulator believes that people can decide for themselves what is appropriate. Whether or not this happens in India is for the people to decide.

    The English entertainment space in India is getting more competitive. How is AXN improving its programming mix to maintain share?
    Our current template has been working fine for us. From abroad you have driver shows like the CSI franchise. Then we do two to three local productions. We will be doing The Amazing Race 2.

     

    This is a point of differentiation for us. We don’t just produce content for a single market. We produce it so that it can travel across the region. As Indians become more sophisticated in taste, our formula will grow in appeal over the years.

    Have you noticed any changes in viewership patterns in India and Asia over the past year?
    Earlier we used to rely more on movies to drive the channel. Then when movie channels launched, this kind of content started to play a lesser role for us. It was a blessing in disguise for us as it let us concentrate on high quality TV shows.

     

    We are seeing a trend in India where TV serials are getting more viewership than in the past where it was mostly English movies. There will an upward curve for them in the coming two to three years. While most of our viewership is male, the number of women tuning in has also gone up.

    How did the idea of doing a pan Asian version of The Amazing Race come about?
    We have been airing the US version for a number of years. Fans kept writing in, asking how they could participate. Obviously to participate in the American version you need a Green card. So we decided to do an Asian version of the show. We were the first broadcaster to do the show after CBS.

     

    The show is inspirational and we wanted to do a show that would reflect what our viewers aspire to be. This show celebrates the human spirit which is why it connects so well with our viewers. It is not just about a race per se. Luck plays a part as well. The budget for the show will keep growing as we do more editions of it.

     

    What is most interesting is that the most number of entries have come from India. Entry is not just about sending in an SMS or filling up a form. It is about shooting a video of yourself and the partner.
    ‘There is a vacuum that exists in the youth market which Animax is looking to fill. Our aim is to make it grow in popularity by having more diversity in our line up‘

    What were the key challenges and learnings from the first season?
    Getting visas for the contestants is the biggest problem. This is exacerbated by the fact that they do not know which countries they will be visiting. The Indian team needs a visa for every place they visit and this is an uphill task. For the US version, you don’t need a visa for most of the places you visit.

     

    The other learning was that some viewers preferred the Asian version over the US one. The Asian version is competitive but not ruthless. It offers good drama and touching moments. In my view the Asian contestants are more sincere. One team will not try to destroy the other. If one team is down and struggling, then you could find them being given a helping hand by other participants.

    How did you cope with logistics?
    Everyday you have to move from one city to the next. The core production team comprises 70-80 people. They travel with the contestants. When they reach the next destination, there will be another 70-80 people waiting. Sometimes you plan for the race to end at say 3 pm in the afternoon, but some teams take so long they arrive at 3 am. This means that we have to organise lighting. Some of the production members have worked on the US version as well. So they have the experience.

     

    We also work with the local players in each place we visit. The partnership really helps. We also build relationships with the airline. This way we can move equipment a lot quicker.

    What are the key attributes that AXN is looking for in participants?
    Personality is important. They must be outgoing. I remember an Indonesian couple last time around. There was talk about when they would get eliminated but they lasted till almost the last round. For each edition we look for a different relationship between the contestants. For our second edition there will be surprises.

    When does the second season kick off?
    We are looking to do it towards the end of the year. Last time around, it was more Asia focussed. The time contestants will travel outside the region as well. In fact, more than half the show will be outside Asia.

    What are the other pan Asian reality concepts that AXN has in mind this year?
    Our aim is to look at a winning formula and produce a show for a multiple number of markets. Local channels find it difficult to do this due to the comfort level and costs involved. We are doing a local version of the boxing-based reality show The Contender.

     

    The Contender is being done out of Singapore. India, though, does not have a representative in this show. This show is not as big in India as it is in some of the other Asian countries. But we are hopeful that it will grow. In Asia boxing is seen as a form of exercise like Yoga.

     

    Another show we are looking at is called Ultimate Xtreme that we are casting for. This where friends recommend that a person take part in a show without his/her knowledge. It could be that the person has been working hard without a rest and so the boss feels that this might be a good way for the employee to take a break. It will be positioned as the ultimate experience for that person.

    In terms of foreign shows, what is coming up?
    We have a major show called Damages coming up. It was done by SPTI for the US and stars Glenn Close. It is a legal thriller set in the world of New York City high-stakes litigation. The series which provides a view into the true nature of power and success, follows the turbulent lives of Patty Hewes, the US’ most revered and reviled high-stakes litigator, and her bright, ambitious, protégé Ellen Parsons as they become embroiled in a class action lawsuit targeting the allegedly corrupt Arthur Frobisher, one of the country’s wealthiest CEOs. As Patty battles with Frobisher and his attorney Ray Fiske, Ellen Parsons will be front and center witnessing just what it takes to win at all costs, as it quickly becomes clear that lives, as well as fortunes, may be at stake.

     

    Last year Sony did a magic show abroad. We are looking to bring it to Asia and India. Acquisition costs have gone up and so we have to be more clever in terms of what we buy.

    Animax recently introduced live action. Is it fair to say that Animax was forced to go this route as Indian viewers feel that animation is for kids?
    That seems to be the perception in the market. That is not true actually. This move was done for Asia as well. Last year we changed our positioning from an anime channel to a youth oriented one.

     

    We needed to add components to make it more rounded. So we have gaming, movies. In some markets there are music shows. At the same time, we are not compromising on the anime content. 70-80 per cent of the content is anime. The response to the repositioning has so far been good.

    A lot of Indian broadcasters are launching youth targetted channels. How confident are you that Animax will be able to stand out from the crowd?
    Some youth targetted genres are struggling like the music ones. We are seeing that MTV has scaled down their operations in Asia. A channel must have content that viewers really want to watch. If you are a music channel it might not be a good idea to have reality shows as that can be had anywhere else.

     

    There is a vacuum that exists in the youth market which Animax is looking to fill. Our aim is to make it grow in popularity by having more diversity in our line up. The net savvy youth are more exposed to anime content than any other TG.

    How has Animax used interactivity and on-ground events to get closer to viewers in India and Asia?
    The Animax Awards have been successful for us. This is a scriptwriting competition. Each country has a winner. The competition then reaches the next stage and competes also with Japan. An Asian panel chooses the wining entry.

     

    I am impressed with the Indian entries as one always feels that Indians are relatively less exposed to animation compared with other Asian countries. We also connect on-air and on the ground through gaming. We were one of the first channels to use gaming as a platform in India. I think that gaming will become big especially in the metros.

    As far as new media is concerned, both Animax and AXN launched mobile offerings recently. How has the response been and how many telecom partners do you have?
    It is a question of finding the right partners to work with who understand and share our vision. It is not just a question of money. Right now the money in this sector is small but with our strategy the future is bright.

     

    AXN offers customised short form versions of shows like The Amazing Race. This you will not find on the channel. Animax will have long form programming. This means that you can catch up on episodes that you have missed on the mobile. It is still a learning phase for us.

     

    What we have learnt so far is that users will use our mobile content more if it is reasonably priced. This means that the content cost and airtime cost package have to be affordable. There is no point in having low priced content if the airtime cost to download the content is high. We have to be smarter in terms of how these two costs are packaged.
  • Sony Pictures Television International promotes Kim Hatamiya to executive VP Marketin

    Sony Pictures Television International promotes Kim Hatamiya to executive VP Marketin

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has promoted Kim Hatamiya to executive vice president marketing. 

    Based at SPTI’s headquarters in Culver City, California, Hatamiya heads marketing for the division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) that oversees all television and on-demand businesses outside the United States. 

    The announcement was made today by SPTI president Michael Grindon, to whom she reports, according to an official release.

    “Since joining SPTI, Kim has overseen the marketing team brilliantly and become an integral part of my senior group of direct reports, whose counsel and management expertise have helped lead SPTI to continued record revenues, profitability and new business ventures,” said Grindon.

    As head of marketing for SPTI Hatamiya will oversee all marketing activities outside of the US for all SPTI business lines, including the distribution of feature film and television product to broadcasters, digital content providers and mobile carriers; international networks; and local language production.

    Hatamiya’s oversight includes all strategic marketing, advertising, publicity, talent relations, promotions, on-air and off-air creative services, interactive and Internet marketing, and research. Hatamiya joined SPTI in April 2003 as senior vice president, marketing.

    Prior to joining SPTI, she served as senior VP and general manager of television and film for Los Angeles-based Mindrocket Media/JP Kids, Inc., an independent multi-platform children’s and family media company, informs an official release. 

    Previously, Hatamiya was working at Passport New Media, Inc. in Los Angeles, Fox Kids Worldwide, where she was responsible for launching Fox Kids U.K. and Fox Kids Latin America.