HBO Asia Original martial arts movies to premiere in Mandarin with English and local language subtitles on HBO

First Time Chinese Language Films Premiere On HBO

SINGAPORE, DECEMBER 13, 2016 – The action-packed HBO Asia Original anthology of martial arts TV movies co-produced with China Movie Channel (CMC) will premiere on HBO in Mandarin, the original language it was filmed in. Subtitled in both English and local language*, “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So” and “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying” will premiere at 9pm on HBO on December 25 and December 26 respectively. Both movies will also be available in original language on HBO GO and HBO ON DEMAND. This is the first time Mandarin films are airing on HBO.

Set in ancient China at the end of the Qing dynasty, both movies were executive produced by Hong Kong action director, Corey Yuen (The Transporter, X-Men) and directed by Guo Jian-yong (国建勇) who specialises in martial arts movies and has choreographed the action sequences for Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), The Twins Effect II (2004), Red Cliff (2007) and Transporter I, II and III (2001; 2005; 2008). The two movies were written by a team of writers from China, while award-winning Singaporean screenwriter, Koh Teng Liang, contributed to the screenplay of “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”.

Cao Jun (曹骏) [Lotus Lantern (宝莲灯); Magic Mobile Phone (魔幻手机)] stars as Beggar So Chan (苏乞儿) in “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So”, while Sun Hao-ran (孙浩然) [God of War, Zhao Yun (武神赵子龙)] stars in the titular role of Wong Kei-ying (黄麒英) in “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”.

About “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So”

Born to a wealthy merchant in Canton, So Chan is pampered, but smart and ambitious; and about to become the Emperor’s top Martial Arts Champion. But when he finds himself dragged into a conspiracy between two political powers in the imperial court, he loses everything – including his family and almost his life. Saved by the Beggars’ Sect, So Chan is determined to improve his martial arts and defeat the person who framed him.

With the help of the Sect’s chief and his daughter, and Chinese liquor, So Chan grasps the full essence of the long lost martial art – the Drunken Fist. From a lost gilded youth to a proud and driven Beggar So, he will get his revenge and find the love of his life.

About “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”

A quiet and honest physician, Wong Kei-ying, spends his life upholding medical ethics and saving lives. While he stays away from conflicts, politics and power, he soon finds himself tricked into assisting Wei, the ruthless and treacherous new governor of Canton, who pretends to fight against the local gang that runs the opium business as part of a ploy to take over the business himself.

When Wong finds out, his mentor has already been captured and forced by Wei to become an opium addict. Desperate to save his mentor, Wong pretends to help Wei while finding the antidote to rid the addiction.

Before Wong could find a cure, his mentor passes away, leaving him with the illustrations of the legendary martial art – Shadowless Kick. Wong will master the skill and use it in the final attempt to take down Wei.

These two anthology TV movies are one of four HBO Asia Original productions this year. The others include HBO Asia’s first returnable series HALFWORLDS Season 2 and HBO Asia’s first Taiwanese co-production, THE TEENAGE PSYCHIC.

*In selected territories.

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 and Cinemax, as well as 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.

# # #

HBO, Home Box Office and HBO Asia Originals are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc.

Media contract:

Karen Lai | Communications Director | HBO Asia

DID +65 6381 1796 | Mobile +65 9111 2655 | Fax +65 6287 2210 | www.hboasia.com

9 December, 2016

Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending Dec 9th. Curated by CASBAA, News Views keeps you in the loop. We always value your feedback, so tell us what you think!

Brought to you by:

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

It’s become a “trending topic” lately, the rise of “fake news,” particularly in the most recent US Presidential campaign; not only has Hillary Clinton blasted the trend, but Donald Trump fired one of his staff for re-posting a fake news story. And how are the websites that produce this garbage funded? You guessed it, often by big brands who have run sloppy programmatic ad campaigns. Sound familiar? In response, one group called “Sleeping Giants” has set up a Twitter feed where people can post screenshots of legitmate brands’ ads appearing on racist websites, to name and shame them. Likewise, Fake News Watch maintains pretty comprehensive lists of dubious news sources; and when in doubt, there’s always snopes.com.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

People who make their living from creative works protected by copyright (and that includes our whole industry) are worried about proposals to adopt a broad and undefined “fair use” exception in Australia. Now, a coalition of the print and audio industries have launched a new initiative, urging people to reflect on how a book or song had changed their lives. The book industry is terribly worried, of course, that fair use could result in Aussie court decisions like the one in the USA, that gave Google the right to industry-wide digitization of complete books, without the consent of, or remuneration for, the writers/copyright owners. Google wouldn’t be the only beneficiary of fair use, of course……the head of the Copyright Agency (collective rights organization) called fair use “a lawyer’s picnic.” Got that right.

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

This week the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference took place in New York. The heavy hitters of the industry were there sharing their wisdom and future plans. James Murdoch, CEO, 21st Century Fox says that Fox “feels pretty good about our mix of assets…we don’t feel the urge to go acquire some other large piece.” Fox also isn’t putting together their own OTT option for consumers but is focusing more on Hulu and third-party options. Whereas David Zaslav, CEO of Discovery says, “we’re well-positioned to take our product direct to consumer in 2017…we’re going to try to disrupt ourselves.” Lastly, in 2017 Netflix’s original programming lineup will grow to up to 1,000 hours, more than doubling from 2016, and “that’s a conservative measure right now,” said Sarandos.

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

It’s getting to be that time of year again; holiday decorations are going up, kids are writing letter to magical elves, and everywhere you look, “Best Of” lists are cropping up like, well, mistletoe. There’s a lot of overlap on various of these lists, but because this is the age of “Peak TV”, there are also a lot of great shows to choose from. The really sophisticated critics choose the single best episodes, the really commercially-minded simply list the best-sellers. And since there’s still another three weeks to go in 2016, you can expect many more Best Of lists before we get to the New Year.

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

In the run-up to Christmas I had every intention of sharing some of the best Xmas TVCs every week until I read that these special ads have little or no effect on consumers and shopping habits. A survey of over 11,000 consumers for the website MoneySavingExpert.com concluded that just 1 per cent of respondents said the adverts had a “big impact” on where they did their Christmas shopping, while 2 per cent said it had “an impact”. Even if true, Christmas TV adverts undoubtedly help brands and afterall it’s all about the marketing funnel and touch points that lead to eventual sales. Me? I’m in the 1%.

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

The biggest star in the YouTube firmament is PewDiePie, who earned US$15 million last year from his videos. But lately, the Swede (real name Felix Avrid Ulf Kjellberg) has been biting the hand that feeds him, accusing YouTube of “sabotaging” his channel — wait for it — because he’s white. There’s actually a bigger story here, about whether YouTube has changed its algorithms resulting in drop-offs in viewers, which the company denies; but Kjellberg’s injudicious comment (sarcastic or not) has sort of eclipsed all that, and prompted questions about whether it’s just “evolved clickbait.” Regardless, I share the views of one commentator: “…I have yet to get more than 76 seconds into a PewDiePie rant without thrashing listlessly like a hostage handcuffed to a radiator.”

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

…And while we’re on the subject, the latest Forbes ranking of YouTube stars says the top 12 video performers saw an increase in revenue by 23% year on year to a collective £55m in the past 12 months. Not bad for what mostly started out as solo presenters who probably began their careers in the spare bedroom – and serves as an incentive for other wannabe rich n famous online celebs . The substantial rise in income is a testament to the growing influence of YouTube celebrities, who have moved beyond the YouTube platform to monetise their digital success, by authoring bestselling books, integrated sponsorship deals, securing film deals and, in one case, becoming a face for L’Oréal.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

As we’ve noted before, the Trump Administration is not going to be friendly ground for “net neutrality” advocates. That doesn’t keep interested parties (like Ted Sarandos of Netflix) from continuing the debate, however. And of course the stock analysts are busy figuring out who might win and who might lose from a policy shift; here’s one who thinks a mega-merger between Verizon and Comcast is a possibility. Meanwhile, in India there are reports that some OTT content providers are getting privileged access to consumers through “peering” agreements. Regulation to try to enforce neutrality is clearly going to be a long-running rice bowl for bureaucrats and lawyers.

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

During the Business Insider IGNITION conference this week, business leaders explored what the future of tech and media will look like. In Henry Blodget’s “The Next Big Thing” presentation we hear things such as “The Bell Tolls for Legacy TV.” “For the last 20 years, digital has disrupted print. For the next 20, it will disrupt TV.” Not all is lost though as “TV won’t die…it will just get niche-ified.” There are a number of good slides in here that are definitely worth going through.

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant

Advertising spend is predicted to hit US$547 billion in 2017, representing 4.4 percent growth, of which half will come from the US and China. GroupM’s latest forecast ‘This Year, Next Year’ media and marketing report says the knock-on effects of paradigm-shifting events such as Donald Trump’s presidential victory and Brexit have led to a “new normal, more modest level of growth” in the global advertising industry. Zenith also predicts that global ad expenditure will grow 4.4 percent in both 2016 and 2017, reaching $566 billion by the end of next year.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

A Taiwan political party suddenly made an issue (this week) of cable rate regulation restructuring that was launched by the previous NCC last June! I have no idea what political machinations are behind this, but it’s never good news when political parties start talking about rate regulation.

Member News

Additional News

November 2016

Jonathan Spink elected Chairman of the 2017 CASBAA Board of Directors

Following its first meeting on December 6th, the CASBAA Board of Directors announced that Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia, had been elected Chairman of the Board for the next 12 months. Spink succeeds Sompan
Charumilinda, Vice Chairman of TrueVisions, as Chairman of the Board. “Khun Sompan has been a Board member for more than a decade, and most recently, served diligently in his term as our Chairman,” said Spink. “On behalf of my fellow Directors and the broader
membership, we thank him for his guidance and insights over the years and we look forward to his continued contributions on the CASBAA Board.” Board Members elected for a two-year term during the Annual General Meeting 2016 on Nov 9th in Macau were: Rohit
D’Silva (FOX Networks Group Asia); Jonas Engwall (RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network); Marcel Fenez (Fenez Media); Todd Miller (Celestial Tiger Entertainment); Alexandre Muller (TV5 MONDE) and Andrew Stott (Olswang Asia). They join returning directors Sompan
Charumilinda (TrueVisions), Andrew Jordan (AsiaSat), Amit Malhotra (The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia), Ricky Ow (Turner International Asia Pacific), Mark Patterson (GroupM), Joe Welch (21st Century Fox), and Christopher Slaughter (CASBAA) on the Board
2017. Click
here to read the full press release.

Asia Pay-TV Advertising Rules

A Member-exclusive resource is now available at CASBAA online! The Asia Pay-TV Advertising Rules mini-site provides CASBAA members with a handy, quick reference summary of advertising regulations and restrictions
across 17 Asian countries and Regions. The new site enables both country-by-country navigation and a comparison between selected countries. View the
Asia Pay-TV Advertising Rules
here and tell us what you think!

“Clean Entertainment” with CASBAA and the Vietnam Content Alliance

CASBAA has been working with local and international partners in the Vietnam Content Alliance, and on November 16 we joined to organize a “Workshop on Clean Entertainment” in Ho Chi Minh City. During the workshop,
we discussed problems of online piracy, described the Alliance’s work with Vietnamese ad industry players to reduce placement of mainstream advertising on the most egregious pirate websites, and stressed the dangers to consumers (from malware, etc.) resulting
from frequenting pirate websites. Speakers from local and international players underlined the problems and described solutions (such as PIPCU’s Infringing Website List in the UK, and the IAB’s Trustworthy Accountability Group in the USA) that could be adapted
for use in Vietnam. The workshop was a big success. Attended by about 150 media industry and working media reps, it resulted in very thorough coverage in the vernacular press.

From left: Phan Cam Tu, Motion Picture Association; Neil Gane, CASBAA; Jacques-Aymar de Roquefeuil, K+; and Vu Thi Thanh Tam of broadcaster VTV

From left:

Phan Cam Tu, Motion Picture Association; Neil Gane, CASBAA; Jacques-Aymar de Roquefeuil, K+; and Vu Thi Thanh Tam of broadcaster VTV

From left:

John Medeiros, CASBAA; Phan Cam Tu, Motion Picture Association; Matt Kurlanzik, 21st Century Fox; Ngo Bich Hanh, BHD

CASBAA Convention 2016:

The Year of the Operator!

Staged for the first time in Macau, Nov 7th-10th, the CASBAA Convention 2016 attracted delegates and speakers from around the world (including some 50+ Operator Companies). As well as thought-provoking keynotes
and informative presentations from the likes of Irwin Gotlieb, President of GroupM, Bennett Pozil of US-China content finance specialist East West Bank, James Schwab, co-President of Vice Media and Chad Gutstein CEO of global MCN, Machinima, the Convention
2016 showcased a series of Asia Pacific Operator Interviews exploring how leading players in Asia Pacific markets are dealing with the accelerating pace of change in the new digital environment.Re-live the Convention ’16 in pictures

here!

CASBAA Emerging Southeast Asian Markets

With the Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Vietnamese pay-TV markets at various stages of development for pay-TV consumption and monetization, on Dec 5th CASBAA in Association with Singapore Media Festival convened a one-day event in
Singapore on Emerging Southeast Asian Markets. Through detailed presentations and wide-ranging panels, market experts and government officials provided roadmaps for each market including political and industry developments as pay-TV players break new ground
to capitalize on continuing economic growth. Over 100 television professionals attended the forum to engage with industry players and share insights on viewing habits, pay-TV business models, audience measurement, advertising and more. Please click

here to view photos of the event.

OTT Group Webinar – Recommendation Engines

On November 22nd, the OTT & Connected Media Group participated in a webinar with Esti Widder, Product Manager for Viaccess-Orca. Esti went over the challenge of content discovery for a personal TV experience.
OTT Group members learned about recommendation engines, optimization for multiscreen TV, Contextualization, Recommendation Reasoning and much more. A video of the presentation and soft copy can be found on the CASBAA OTT
Group Resources members page.

Extending the CASBAA reach: new Members and upgrades for Y/E 2016

With the Asia Pacific multi-channel TV industry on an upward growth curve across multiple sectors it is CASBAA’s pleasure to welcome the companies highlighted below as Members of the Association and to extend
our appreciation to those organizations that have upgraded to Patron status. “When we attract new Members to the Association we not only create better connections between CASBAA companies we also extend our influence with governments, the media and multichannel
advertisers,” said Christopher Slaughter at the close of the CASBAA AGM on November 10th. “New and upgraded CASBAA memberships not only strengthen CASBAA’s role as an industry spokesman, they also add credibility to the Association as a whole.”

Switch on with CASBAA and our Members’ video:

www.youtube.com/user/CASBAA

Upcoming Event

PTC’17

15 – 18 January, 2017

25th Convergence India

8 – 10 February, 2017

CASBAA OTT Summit

February, 2017

CASBAA India Forum

March, 2017

For PR enquiries, contact pr@casbaa.com For membership enquiries, contact membership@casbaa.com CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel television, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across Asia. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of pay-TV and video content through industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members, please visit here. You have received this email from CASBAA as you are currently part of the Association’s database. If you do not wish the Association to use your personal data for direct marketing, you may make a request below.

Global English News Network, WION announces its Official Launch

Promises to bring news, as it happens, when it happens. No falsities, no spins, just pure news
To push the boundaries of innovation on digital, mobile and television platforms

Mumbai, December 08, 2016: After its soft launch in August this year, Global English News Network, ‘WION – World is One News’ today announced its formal launch with the massive roll-out of a 360-degree marketing campaign aptly titled ‘WION – Be One With the World’. The multi-city campaign will take off across various platforms including Television, Print, Radio, OOH, DTH and Digital. Leveraging the network strength, WION will further amplify its launch through a roadblock on more than 40 channels of ZEEL and ZMCL on December 9^th. Phase I of the marketing campaign will focus on the India market, and it will gradually extend to other markets across the world in Phase II.

WION is a global news network that brings news from around the world but with a South Asian view. The goal of the channel is to engage and empower viewers through balanced and extraordinary storytelling. The channel aims to explore and understand the stake of South Asian region in world affairs by pushing the boundaries of innovation on digital, mobile and television platforms.

Rajiv Singh, Executive Director & COO, Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) said: “A revolutionary product from the Zee Media stable, WION represents a sophisticated transition from the usual ‘Breaking News’ phenomenon. WION brings exclusive and insightful content that often escapes popular media. Targeting upscale viewers in India as well as the Indian diaspora, our endeavour is to showcase content that truly represents the spirit of South Asia with focus on India. Embracing our philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – The World is My Family’, through WION we believe that news will be the common thread that binds us all together.”

The editorial team consists of experienced journalists, researchers and analysts with global exposure. With bureaus in 37 global locations, WION has international reach and multi-cultural staff adding local perspective to every global news story. WION is the first India based network to have its presence in regions like UK, USA, China, Russia and Africa making it South Asia’s first truly convergent, multi-media English News Network.

Sharing more details on the channel, Rohit Gandhi, Editor-in-Chief of WION (@rohitgandhi_) said: “In an increasingly divided and violent world, the content at WION is carefully curated keeping in mind the sensitivities of all regional identities. While the news genre already has different filters – American, British and Middle-East, there is no South Asian lens that helps the world understand the South Asian perspective on world affairs; WION aims to bridge this gap. WION targets a generation that is global, social, value-oriented, visual and technologically savvy. We tell stories relevant to a wider global audience and to the millennial generation that consumes news on the go. The news at WION is easy to consume without sacrificing in-depth analysis of issues.”

Gandhi further added: “While neutrality is journalism’s prime directive, and nothing comes between that, our TV and web platforms do have separate places set aside to foster positivity and inspiration culled from real life. WION Edge and Konversation are online series for sharing positive stories of people from India and around the world. On TV, whether it’s the on-location reporter, our anchors or guests, the conversation is always calm and orderly, with everyone given a chance to speak.”

WION offers an experience that is beyond news. It has a variety of content appealing to both younger and mature audience. WION will not only offer news, but also general entertainment content covering genres like lifestyle, human stories, animals, food, environment and fashion among others.

The presentation of content is innovative with use of visuals, timelines, graphics, on-ground live coverages, 360-degree interactive videos, flying drones and story app. The channel has interactive content to encourage participation from the viewer’s end. A big focus of the platform is on user generated content through its ‘Citizen-Journalism App.’

WION’s programming consists of a diverse line-up of shows from all genres. The marquee shows on the channel comprise:

Name of the Show	Description	Anchors	Timeslot
Democracy & Dictatorship	Strategy and political show	Rohit Gandhi, Editor-in-Chief	Every Saturday at 9 PM
Tech it Out	Technology & Lifestyle show	Sahil Maniktala and Sejal Pandey	Every Friday at 10 PM
Unscripted	Entertainment show	Francesca Mascarenhas and Aaron Ian Lyngdoh	Every Friday at 9 PM
Gravitas	Prime time News Bulletin	News bulletins with invited guests	Weekdays at 9 PM
WION Wallet	Business show	Chaiti Narula	Weekdays at 9.30 AM & 5.30 PM
WION Breakfast	Morning Bulletin show	Charu Sharma and Satyashree Gandham	Weekdays at 8 AM
WION Sports	Sports show	Ayesha Sindhu	Weekdays at 7.30 PM

The channel is available across all DTH providers like Dish TV (#605), Tata Sky (#628), Airtel (#386), Videocon d2h (#367), Reliance BIG TV (#459) and all other leading cable networks.

For more information, follow WION on:

Website: www.wionews.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WIONews/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WIOnews

Google +: https://plus.google.com/+WIONews

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-is-one-news

——————————————ENDS——————————————

Notes to Editors:

About Zee Media Corporation Ltd:

Zee Media Corporation Limited, erstwhile Zee News Limited, is one of the leading news networks of India. It has a unique cluster of news, current affairs and regional news channels, which includes Zee News, Zee Business, India 24×7, WION, Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal, Zee Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh, Zee 24 Taas, 24 Ghanta, Zee Kalinga News, Zee Purvaiya and Zee Rajasthan News. It also includes newspaper DNA. More information about Zee Media Corporation Limited and its businesses are available on www.zeenews.com.

================================

Media Contact:

Jayshree Kumar / Abhishek Shrivastav / Arantxa Gonsalves

Mobile: +91 9769286661 / +91 9999362623 / +91 9820336890

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

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.

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

The 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!

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

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Jonathan Spink heads CASBAA Board 2017 as Regulatory, Content Development, Tech & Influence top CASBAA agenda

HBO Asia - Jonathan Spink Hong Kong, 06 Dec 2016 — Following its first meeting on 06 December, the CASBAA Board of Directors announced that Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for the next 12 months.

With almost three decades of experience in the pay television industry, Jonathan Spink is responsible for the overall management of HBO in South East and South Asia. Under Spink’s leadership, HBO Asia has built a growing network of standard-definition and high-definition channels and services, as well as developing several groundbreaking original local productions.

Spink succeeds Sompan Charumilinda, Vice Chairman of TrueVisions, as Chairman of the CASBAA Board. “Khun Sompan has been a Board member for more than a decade, and most recently, served diligently in his term as Chairman of the Board,” said Spink. “On behalf of my fellow Directors and the broader membership, we thank him for his guidance and insights over the years and we look forward to his continued contribution on the Association’s Board.”

Spink also welcomed new Directors elected during the Association’s 2016 AGM held 10 Nov in Macau; namely, Rohit D’Silva (FOX Networks Group Asia), Jonas Engwall (RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network), Marcel Fenez (Fenez Media), Todd Miller (Celestial Tiger Entertainment), Alexandre Muller (TV5MONDE), and Andrew Stott (Olswang Asia). They join returning Directors Sompan Charumilinda (TrueVisions), Andrew Jordan (AsiaSat), Amit Malhotra (The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia), Ricky Ow (Turner International Asia Pacific), Mark Patterson (GroupM), Joe Welch (21st Century Fox), and Christopher Slaughter (CASBAA) to make up CASBAA’s Board.

“With the multichannel TV industry in all its forms facing unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities in 2017,” Spink added, “the coming year promises to be busier than ever for CASBAA. I look forward to working with my fellow Directors and the CASBAA Executive Office to ensure that the work of the Association is relevant to all its Member companies, as they adapt to a rapidly developing operating environment.”

Following the announcement of the Chairman and Board of Directors 2017, CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter highlighted the increasingly broad Membership of the Association. He noted that during 2016 several new members joined, including the Premier League, Rewind Networks, Nielsen, Strategic IP Information, Metrasat, Trilegal, and Kantar Media. Also during the year, TV5MONDE, Intelsat, RTL/CBS and INVIDI all upgraded to Patron status. “It is a delight to welcome these new additions across all our membership categories,” Slaughter said. “We are confident they will prove to be valuable additions to the CASBAA community, and we look forward to their participation in our activities and on our Committees.”

# # #

About CASBAA

CASBAA is the Asia Pacific region’s largest non-profit media association, serving the multi-channel audio-visual content creation and distribution industry. Established in 1991, CASBAA has grown with the industry to include digital multichannel television, content, platforms, advertising, and video delivery. Encompassing some 500 million connections within a footprint across the region, CASBAA works to be the authoritative voice for multichannel TV; promoting even-handed and market-friendly regulation, IP protection and revenue growth for subscription and advertising, while promoting global best practices. For more information, visit www.casbaa.com

For enquiries, please contact:

Cynthia Wong
Member Relations & Marketing Director, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929 1711
Email: cynthia@casbaa.com

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