4 March, 2016

Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending March 4th. 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:

John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	We got some press in interesting places, with our release this week of the study of OTT-TV and Pay-TV regulation “Same Same but Different”. Of course, there was coverage in Asian economic publications. But elsewhere, too: the Nasdaq over-the-counter market decided we were newsworthy. And some enterprising soul translated our press release into Spanish, for the benefit of the Latin American market. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, Communications and Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams gave a speech saying the results of her government’s convergence review will be published “over the next few months.” I should have gotten her to write the forward for the Same Same book – I couldn’t say it better myself: “as Government we’re thinking about what regulation means in a world that is increasingly borderless…where our domestic businesses face their biggest competition from offshore providers in a greater way than ever before and yet those competitors operate under different regulatory systems and cost structures.” Yes!! (Members can download the new book here, and anyone who wants a hard copy should email us.)
Christopher Slaughter CEO	More politicking around the BBC’s Royal Charter renewal, with the publication of an independent report commissioned by the UK government calling for the BBC Trust to be dismantled and the Corporation to be overseen by government regulator Ofcom. The oft-beleagured BBC Trust was only created in 2006, the last time the BBC’s Royal Charter was renewed, replacing a board of governors that was itself fraught with governance challenges. There is a lot more to the report (all 98 pages can be found here, if you’re into that kind of thing), and it is already being debated vigorously; expect more skirmishes to come as the Charter renewal clock keeps winding down toward its year-end deadline.
Mark Lay Vice President, Singapore	Newton’s third law of motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, is sort of playing out in the media world with regard to the budgets for program acquisition. Netflix’s $5 Billion Budget Sets Off an Arms Race in Cable. “Discovery Communications, Viacom and Starz have all said in recent weeks that they must spend more on programming.” “If you are a TV network executive, you aren’t wired to walk into your boss’ office and say, ‘Revenues are under pressure, here’s what I think we should do — cut back on programming.”’
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water… the Net Neutrality debate heats up again in the US, pitting FCC board members against each other during a hearing in the US Senate. After all, it’s only been a year… Of course, it’s Washington, so the whole thing is completely politicized, surprise surprise, with much resurfacing of old accusations that the Obama Administration leaned on the FCC to produce the outcome the politicians wanted. (Of course, there were also accusations that having an industry lawyer as the FCC Chair was like putting a dingo in charge of babysitting.) Anyway, since it’s an election year don’t expect the subject to go away. Depending on which candidate wins, the policy could be very different in 2017.
Christopher Slaughter CEO	Speaking of US election tomfoolery, if you missed John Oliver’s take-down of Donald Trump on HBO’s Last Week Tonight, you’re in for a treat. Almost as much of a treat as a lemur with a banana. I went ahead and installed “The Drumpfinator” Chrome extension, and not only does it work as advertised, but it has provided tremendous amusement ever since.
Anjan Mitra Executive Director, India	Recently CASBAA member GroupM predicted, as part of a global report, that digital advertising ad-spend is slated to grow the fastest in India. But could the Indian government’s move to tax from April 1, 2016 digital advertising — wags here have termed it “Google Tax’ — slow its faster adoption and spread? However, the government justifies it as a legitimate move. Is the operation of likes of Netflix next on government radar to tap for additional revenues?
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	In antipiracy news this week, the police in Japan launched an enforcement blitz and arrested 44 people for downloading pirated content (music, videos, manga, anime, or software). Swedish police seem to have apprehended the guy behind the largest streaming site in that country – the warrant for his arrest stated he’d made at least $1.7 million from sales of advertising around stolen copyrighted works. And in New York, Russian TV sued US internet companies that have been illegally distributing the Russian channels. (They were likely emboldened by the success of Chinese channels, including member company TVB, which won a suit against a black box syndicate a few months ago.) Maybe someday foreign channels will be able to go after Chinese and Russian web server operators hosting illegal channel streams, too. I’m not holding my breath.
Jane Buckthought Advertising Consultant	The head of the U.K.’s institute of practitioners in advertising, Lynne Robinson said tech firms operating in media markets must be more open about how they constructed their datasets. “They only give a partial view of the market, and it is not often clear how something has been calculated,” she warned. “If they are comparing their data to other media datasets, how have they calculated that impact? “We need far more transparency.”
Christopher Slaughter CEO	Okay, I’m dating myself (and potentially confusing people about my citizenship), but I got very excited when Eugene Levy was quoted as saying there could be a 40th anniversary reunion for the iconic Canadian sketch comedy SCTV. It was a hotbed of great talent, who generated some immortal characters, and some of my favorite scenes ever (“Tom Monroe” signing “Turning Japanese” and “What Fits Into Mother Russia” stand out, among many others.) Of course, won’t be the same without John Candy and Harold Ramis, but if it happens, it will still be great.
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	SCTV? OIC……but there’s another SCTV. (Saigontourist Cable Television – the largest cable operator in HCMC). And there are stakes up for sale in that company and the big Hanoi operator VTVCable. (If you buy into SCTV, you’ll have Saigontourist Holding Company as your partner, which could be good, as they are government-owned and well-connected, but may be bad, as they are government-owned…..)
Mark Lay Vice President, Singapore	Re/code just released the full interview with Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton. The first part of it deals with TV. Go straight to the transcript to save time. Lynton talks about Netflix being forced to create its own content because other companies won’t sell to them, the “happy accident” of the current TV boomlet and how the hack has got him using the fax machine again.
Anjan Mitra Executive Director, India	The Indian media industry initially bemoaned the government ignored key issues related to the industry in the Union Budget, but it seems all is not lost. Probably trying to give digitisation a leg-up, the government slashed duties on some electronic components from 12.5 to 4 % — and this will or should make STBs cheaper.
Jane Buckthought Advertising Consultant	Why do advertisers ignore the over 50s? Is it the darn youthfulness of agency staff or something else?
Anjan Mitra Executive Director, India	It can be, in a way, termed return of the prodigal. Having had to sell out control of TV18 Group/IBN Network to Mukesh Ambani, media entrepreneur Raghav Bahl, founder of Quintillion Media Pvt. Ltd, which operates news website thequint.com, has signed a joint venture agreement with New York-based Bloomberg LP to launch a co-branded television news channel and website, according to media reports.
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	And the censors keep rolling along…….In China, and India anyway. Meanwhile, there was some push-back against the censors in Indonesia this week. KPI was hit for bias against women, and not respecting the “essence of democracy.”

Some additional links you might be interested in:

Member News

PCCW Media’s Viu OTT video service expands to India and Malaysia further to its launch in Hong Kong and Singapore

PCCW (SEHK:0008) – HONG KONG, March 4, 2016 — PCCW Media, a key global player in the entertainment industry, has launched Viu over-the-top (OTT) mobile video entertainment service in India and Malaysia.

Offered as a freemium service, Viu provides viewers in both markets with free access to thousands of hours of premium content for local users. For Viu India, consumers get free access to a vast archive of premium content from Bollywood and Hollywood top studios such as Media Prima, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, BBC, CBS, etc. Exciting fresh content includes over 17,000 hours of “First on Viu Bollywood” Indian movies and the latest music videos in India. In addition, at launch, a Viu Originals’ freewheeling chat show, “What the Duck”, co-created with Fluence, CA Media Digital’s celebrity network, will premiere on March 3. Hosted by standup comedian, cricket humorist and author Vikram Sathaye, each of the 10 episodes of the series will feature a cricket celebrity with interesting anecdotes and insightful stories.

Viu India viewers can choose to subscribe to premium service which is ad-free with access to additional quality content. Viu India service is well-supported with Samsung, eBay and FreeCharge. Samsung Android mobile phone users get an exclusive three-month trial while eBay and FreeCharge offers various promotional offers and flexible payment options.

As for Viu Malaysia, its rich content comprises the latest Korean drama and variety series from the top four South Korea broadcasters namely SBS, KBS, MBC and CJ E&M, as well as Chinese, Bollywood, Tamil, Indonesian and Malaysian programmes to bring together a locally relevant content offering that appeals to viewers in Malaysia. Selected Korean and Bollywood content are localized with Chinese and Bahasa Melayu subtitling. As in India, viewers in Malaysia can choose to subscribe to ad-free premium service with access to additional premium content through Viu’s telecoms partner, Telekom Malaysia Berhad.

Additional exciting content will be available from regional and international marquee studios for Viu in India and Malaysia as Vuclip already has long term partnerships with more than 250 top studios globally. Vuclip, a PCCW Media company, is a mobile video entertaining platform with over 9 million subscribers in 10 markets.

Commenting on the launch, Ms. Janice Lee, Managing Director of PCCW Media Group said, “Viu has been very well-received in Hong Kong and Singapore and it consistently tops the charts in free app downloads. The quick deployment and launch of Viu in Malaysia and India following hot on the heels of our Singapore launch in mid-January bears testament to our commitment to become the pre-eminent provider of mobile video entertainment service in Asia. We have every confidence in Viu’s success in these markets given our appealing content and the support of our strategic partners in these markets.”

Viu is deployed with its patented Dynamic Adaptive Transcoding^TM technology, and leverages Vuclip’s eight-year history of providing streaming video on demand entertainment experiences to emerging markets.

Viu will continue to be rolled out in Indonesia in the coming months. Viu is an expanded service capitalizing on PCCW’s investment into Vuclip in 2014. Viu is accessible via mobile phones and tablets as well as desktops by downloading the Viu app on Google Play in India and Malaysia or by typing in www.viu.com on your desktop browser. It will also be made available in the Apple App Store soon.

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About PCCW Media

The media group of PCCW is a leading, fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong.

The media group operates the leading pay-TV service in Hong Kong under the now TV brand delivering both self-produced and licensed content to its customers using advanced IPTV technology. now TV offers more than 190 linear channels of local, Asian and international programming. Its premium content can also be accessed on-demand and on the go via now Player app. It is also a leading producer of Chinese language news, financial news and sports programming in addition to Asian infotainment content which complements its wide portfolio of licensed movie and international television content.

The media group is also engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region. In addition, MOOV is a hugely popular lossless music digital streaming service in Hong Kong.

Moreover, the media group operates one of Asia’s leading directories businesses under the Yellow Pages brand.

About PCCW Limited

PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008) is a global company headquartered in Hong Kong which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.

The Company holds a majority interest in the HKT Trust and HKT Limited, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services. HKT meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centres.

PCCW also owns a fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong, PCCW Media. PCCW Media operates the largest local pay-TV operation, now TV, and is engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region.

For further enquiry, please contact:

Ivan Ho

PCCW

Tel: (852) 2883-8747

Email: ivan.wy.ho@pccw.com

Marina Leung

Magnus Muses Limited

Tel: (852) 2159-7429

Mobile : (852) 9203-6203

Email: marina.leung@magnusmuses.com

GOTAsiaWOW – Singapore to host HBO Asia’s 1st immersive Game of Thrones event featuring 4D Oculus Rift Game of Thrones experience

SINGAPORE TO HOST HBO ASIA’S FIRST IMMERSIVE

GAME OF THRONES EVENT

FEATURING 4D OCULUS RIFT GAME OF THRONES EXPERIENCE

“The Game of Thrones Experience: Worlds of Westeros” (#GOTAsiaWOW)

April 2 to 7 at ION Orchard

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Download other high res pictures here

Download production stills from the new season of Game of Thrones here

Watch the trailer

SINGAPORE, MARCH 1, 2016 – Calling all GAME OF THRONES fans in Singapore! Fancy ascending The Wall like Jon Snow or wielding Arya Stark’s sword from the series, Needle? Maybe claiming the Iron Throne for yourself and taking pictures with a Targaryen dragon?

For the very first time in Asia and for a limited time only, HBO Asia will bring to Singapore an interactive event anchored by the Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall virtual reality experience. An unprecedented 4D immersive entertainment experience powered by Oculus Rift, Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall takes the user into the show and on a journey to the top of the 700-foot ice Wall as featured in the hit HBO series.

The Game of Thrones Experience: Worlds of Westeros (#GOTAsiaWOW)

When: April 2 to 7, 2016

Time: 10am to 10pm

Where: ION Orchard, Basement 4 Atrium

A free interactive event open to all, HBO Asia’s “The Game of Thrones Experience: Worlds of Westeros” will also include:

A display of the actual weapons from the series, including swords Oathkeeper (given to Brienne of Tarth by Jaime Lannister), Arya Stark’s Needle, Ned Stark’s Ice and the White Walker sword.
A replica of the iconic Game of Thrones Iron Throne from the series, where fans and the uninitiated alike can sit and experience
Original storyboards and concept art from the series
Photo opportunities with Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon, Drogon, against a green screen set up

StarHub customers* will be given priority to experience the Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall – Oculus Rift virtual reality experience as well as photo opportunities with the Iron Throne and Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon.

HBO’s most successful series of all time, GAME OF THRONES (#GameofThrones) begins its ten-episode sixth season (#GoTSeason6) in Singapore the same time as the US – exclusively on HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601) this April 25 at 9am, with a same day primetime encore at 9pm. The series will also be available on HBO GO on StarHub Go and HBO On Demand.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire”, HBO’s Emmy^®-winning fantasy series chronicles an epic struggle for power in a vast and violent kingdom. The HBO series has won 26 Emmys^®, among many other awards.

The ensemble cast for the fifth season included Emmy^® and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Diana Rigg, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner. Executive producers, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger, Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, George R.R. Martin.

About the Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall – Oculus Rift virtual reality experience

Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall was developed by HBO in cooperation with its experiential agency, Relevent. Powered by Oculus Rift, this experience combines the latest in interactive technology and computer graphics generated by Framestore, the Academy Award^®winning imaging company for Best Visual Effects for its work on the blockbuster, Gravity.

An unprecedented immersive entertainment experience that takes fans into the show and on a journey to the top of the Wall, visitors step into a physical recreation of the Castle Black winch elevator where they don the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and a pair of headphones. From that moment on, they are transported into Westeros and find themselves inside a virtual version of the same elevator – everything looks, sounds and feels extremely real.

The elevator starts to go up, taking our rider on a journey 700 feet up to the top of the Wall. Along the way, 4D elements create the sensation of wind whipping their hair and the elevator rattling underfoot, adding to the realism. At the top, they can look out across all of the Seven Kingdoms and walk across to the other side for a breath-taking view of the land beyond the Wall.

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*Priority will be given to StarHub customers and one guest, with the provision of one of the following:

StarHub network indication on their mobile phones
Digital or hardcopy StarHub bill from February, March or April 2016
Successful log in with Hub-ID via the My StarHub App or StarHub Go App.

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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 that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia and offers a bouquet of channels and services including 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels in standard-definition and high-definition – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS, CINEMAX and RED by HBO – as well as HBO GO and HBO ON DEMAND. HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in Asia. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

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GAME OF THRONES, HBO and Home Box Office are trademarks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission

For more information or images, please contact HBO Asia:

Karen Lai

Director, Communications

Tel: (65) 6381 1796 / 9111 2655

Email: karen.lai@hboasia.com

Angela Poh

Manager, Communications

Tel: (65) 6381 1838 / 9187 0886

Email: angela.poh@hboasia.com

Viu sets aggressive growth target

12 Feb 2016 – Viu has over 500,000 downloads in HK and has already climbed to Number 1 in Google Play and…

We had the privilege of speaking with Janice Lee, the Managing Director of PCCW Media Group about the plans of Viu, an OTT which builds on PCCW Media’s earlier investment into Vuclip, a leading mobile video platform. Viu was launched in Hong Kong in October last year and in Singapore this January.

Pay-TV and OTT in Asia: CASBAA’s latest publication takes a definitive look at policies and practices governing today’s marketplace

SINGAPORE, 2 March 2016 – Today, at its third annual OTT Summit, CASBAA, the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery in Asia released a groundbreaking study on Asian OTT regulation. The new publication, Same Same but Different? Video Policies for Asian Pay-TV and OTT, details an “unsustainable” situation, which sees governments maintain legacy regulatory policies that disadvantage their local operators, while television supply is moving online and undergoing a “comprehensive transformation.”

Same Same but Different is the result of a collaboration between highly regarded experts in Asian capitals. It takes an in-depth look at the regulation of pay-TV and OTT video in countries and regions across Asia and Australasia, drawing comparisons with current legislation in the UK and United States.

“Regulators have an incredibly difficult task ahead of them,” said CASBAA Chief Policy Officer John Medeiros. “Root-and-branch reform is needed.” Medeiros pointed out that “the pay-television industry environment today is radically different from what it was only 5 years ago, and the hard work of adapting policy instruments and practices has only gotten underway in a small number of markets.”

In the publication, CASBAA described licensed local pay-TV companies facing sharp competition from legal and illegal offshore media ventures, even while their hands are tied behind their backs, as a result of heavy burdens from taxes and government mandates on content, advertising, competition and social policy. CASBAA noted that a large portion of OTT content delivered to many Asian markets in fact comes from pirate syndicates which operate outside of all legal constraints.

“This in-depth study provides a detailed view of the state of pay-TV and OTT throughout the region, providing vital insights for anyone looking to enter the local marketplace, or indeed anyone who simply wishes to be more informed,” reported Christopher Slaughter, CEO of CASBAA.

The report provides specific descriptions of each government’s policies affecting OTT television on subjects as diverse as content censorship, advertising limits, copyright protection, and consumer protection. It observes that many governments are levying burdens on “onshore” OTT operations while leaving “offshore” services virtually unregulated. One result of this discrepancy is a big boost for offshore operations providing pirated content. It’s of note that these offshore outfits are unburdened by any ethical, legal, or social constraints, and they continue to grow in importance.

In launching the report, CASBAA warned that if the “tilted playing field” persists, media investments will move offshore. “Why would any media company locate a new OTT business in a heavily-regulated jurisdiction,” asked Medeiros, “if they can serve the market more cheaply and without compliance burdens from offshore?” CASBAA urged that governments review their pay-TV rules “and determine whether existing burdens are still required given the evolution … of the television market in recent years.” And it went on to say that governments should seek to “stem the growth and proliferation of illegitimate OTT services.”

For more information about CASBAA and Same Same but Different? Video Policies for Asian Pay-TV and OTT, which is available for download by members, please visit http://casbaa.hk/1Lpz1sz

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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

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

FOX Movies premium is pay-tv home to 8 Oscar-winning films

FOX MOVIES PREMIUM IS PAY-TV HOME
TO 8 OSCAR-WINNING FILMS

Films carried by Asia’s leading premium movies channel have won 10 Academy Awards
for excellence in their respective categories

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Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, 29 February, 2016 – FOX Networks Group (FNG), Asia’s leading pay-TV network, is celebrating today as the 88^th Academy Awards have bestowed the highest honours on several films that are exclusively carried by its channel FOX Movies Premium (FMP) in the pay-TV category. Eight films featured by FNG’s flagship blockbuster movie channel won a total of ten awards—proof of FMP’s dedication to delivering international films of the highest quality to the region. Held this year at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, the Academy Awards are widely considered as the highest accolades that can be granted in the international movie industry. The Oscar-winning films that are part of FMP’s lineup show how the channel is committed to bringing viewers Hollywood excellence.

Leading the list of Oscar winners in the FMP lineup is The Revenant with three awards, including those for Best Actor (Leonardo Dicaprio, the first Academy Award for his career), Best Director (Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu) and Best Cinematography. This was followed closely by Spotlight, which took home the night’s biggest award, the Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Top-tier Academy Awards also went to other movies featured on the channel, such as Room, for which Brie Larson won Best Actress, and Bridge of Spies, which garnered Mark Rylance the award for Best Supporting Actor.

Two films that are to be featured soon on FMP also won the Oscar in their respective categories. Disney and Pixar’s box-office smash Inside Out won Best Animated Feature Film and will be premiering on the channel in May this year, while Amy, the documentary on singer Amy Winehouse’s life, won Best Documentary Feature and will be seen on FMP in June. Meanwhile, two more films to be featured by the channel also won for their music, with Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight getting Best Original Score (Ennio Morricone) and James Bond film Spectre bagging Best Original Song.

Along with the winners at the Academy Awards, FMP also takes pride in the films in its lineup that have been nominated in various categories. These include The Martian (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, among others), Brooklyn (Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay), Sicario (Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Score), Joy (Best Actress) and Creed (Best Supporting Actor). All these fantastic films that have been recognized in different categories by the Academy Awards will soon be enjoyed at home by viewers in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia through FMP.

Andy Baek, Vice President of Programming for FOX Movies Premium at FNG, said, “FOX Movies Premium is thrilled that it is featuring films that have won or been nominated for Academy Awards in several categories. Ranging from winners of top-tier awards to those awarded for technical excellence, these films are exactly the type of content we want to continue giving our viewers: carefully crafted movies telling amazing stories that inspire and change our world.”

Academy Awards wins for films to which FMP has acquired the pay-TV rights in HK/SEA for broadcast on FOX Movies Premium (10):

The Revenant (3 wins)
Best Performance by an Actor in A Leading Role – Leonardo Dicaprio
Best Achievement in Directing – Alejandro González Iñárritu
Best Achievement in Cinematography

Spotlight (2 wins)
Best Picture
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Room (1 win)
Best Performance by an Actress in A Leading Role – Brie Larson

Bridge of Spies (1 win)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Mark Rylance

Inside Out (1 win)
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

The Hateful Eight (1 win)
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score – Ennio Morricone

Spectre (1 win)
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

Amy (1 win)
Best Documentary, Feature

Academy Awards nominations for films to which FMP has acquired the pay-TV rights in HK/SEA for broadcast (50):

The Revenant (12 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Performance by an Actor in A Leading Role – Leonardo Dicaprio
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Tom Hardy
Best Achievement in Directing – Alejandro González Iñárritu
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Best Achievement in Film Editing
Best Achievement in Production Design
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Achievement in Visual Effects

The Martian (7 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Performance by an Actor in A Leading Role
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Best Achievement in Production Design
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Bridge of Spies (6 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Mark Rylance
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Best Achievement in Production Design
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Spotlight (6 nominations)
Best Picture

Best Directing

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Mark Ruffalo

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Rachel McAdams

Best Film Editing
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Room (4 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Performance by an Actress in A Leading Role – Brie Larson
Best Achievement in Directing – Lenny Abrahamson
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Brooklyn (3 nominations)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Performance by an Actress in A Leading Role – Saoirse Ronan
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

The Hateful Eight (3 nominations)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Jennifer Jason Leigh
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Sicario (3 nominations)
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Inside Out (2 nominations)
Best Writing, Screeplay Written Directly for the Screen
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Joy (1 nomination)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Jennifer Lawrence

Creed (1 nomination)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Sylvester Stallone

Spectre (1 nomination)
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

Amy (1 nomination)
Best Documentary, Feature

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About FOX Movies Premium

FOX Movies Premium is a revolutionary approach to the premium movie channel. It is dedicated to provide first-run, exclusive and live content, as well as cutting-edge, advanced services. Powered by its unique combination of first-run Hollywood blockbuster movies, acclaimed original series, concerts and special events, and provocative documentaries, the channel provides an unmatched entertainment experience. The suite of services built around Fox Movies Premium includes a separate HD simulcast channel in Dolby 5.1 surround sound, a subscription video-on-demand service, and a market-leading online On Demand service—the first of its kind in Asia.

For more information, please visit FOX Movies Premium on Facebook or at foxmoviesplay.com.

About FOX Networks Group

FOX Networks Group (FNG) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, sports, factual and movie channels in 45 languages across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. FNG’s core channel brands include FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Life, FOX+ and National Geographic Channel. FNG’s movie channels include FOX Movies, FOX Movies Premium and SCM (formerly Star Chinese Movies). Our non-linear brands include FOX Play, FOX Play+ and Nat Geo Play. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high- definition extensions, reach over 1.825 billion cumulative households worldwide. In addition, FNG owns and operates two production studios and produces thousands of local programming hours for its wholly owned channels and third parties.

Media Inquiries:

Kelly Jang

Vice President, Marketing & Communications | FOX Networks Group Asia

kelly.jang@fox.com | Tel: +852.2621.8875

HISTORY”s Vikings Season 4 Stormed Asian Homes!

SINGAPORE – 25 February 2016 – The season four premiere of HISTORY’s critically acclaimed scripted drama series Vikings pummeled the competition on Friday night, as the #1 show in its timeslot beating all English language cable channels in Singapore, Malaysia (excluding Movies and Sports channels) and the Philippines (excluding Kids channels).

Singapore saw an increase of +320% Cable 15+ viewers, Malaysia drew in 218% more viewers aged 15+, while the Philippines brought in 644% more 25+ ABC1 audience on its debut night, all more than its prime time average.

The new season of Vikings will introduce its first Asian character, “Yidu”, who will play a pivotal role in the series. Asian-Canadian actress Dianne Doan joins the stellar cast as “Yidu”, the mysterious slave who fascinates Viking chieftain Ragnar.

Vikings season four airs as a same day telecast with the United States, every Friday at 10pm on HISTORY (StarHub TV Channel 401).

Source: Kantar Media, Singapore, Kantar Media, Malaysia DTAM, Kantar Media, Urban Philippines. Vikings S4 Premiere Episode 1 timeslot on 19 February 10pm-11pm (SG/MY), 9pm-10pm (PH). HISTORY Prime average based on period 6pm-12mn (SG/PH) 1 Jan 2015-21 Feb 2016/20 Feb 2016 (MY)

About HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™

HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™ are the leading destinations for entertaining hit series and revealing, award-winning event specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and fascinating manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of genres ranging from real-life characters who bring history to life every day, to natural history, contemporary history, technology and science, as well as archaeology and pop culture. Hit series include Kings of Restoration, Pawn Stars, The Vikings, Ancient Aliens, Duck Dynasty, Counting Cars, Hidden Cities Extreme and Ride N’ Seek. For more information, please visit:
Homepage: www.historyasia.com
Facebook & Twitter: HistoryAsia

About A+E Networks®

A+E Networks® is one of the world’s leading media companies and America’s second largest cable television network. A+E Networks’ channels are watched all over the world, reaching more than 330 million subscribers in over 200 territories. A+E Networks is a joint venture of Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation. Its networks and divisions include A&E®, Lifetime®, HISTORY®, LMN®, bio.®, H2™, HISTORY en Español™, LRW®, Crime + Investigation™, Military HISTORY®, A&E IndieFilms®, A+E Networks International®, A+E Networks Digital®, and A+E Networks Consumer Products®.

France 24 to offer Spanish version

26 Feb, 2016 – French international news channel France 24 will launch a Spanish language version in 2017, French President Francois Hollande announced during his State visit to Argentina.

Already broadcast in French, English and Arabic, the Spanish feed will specifically target viewers in Latin America. At launch, it will offer six hours daily in Spanish, with additional content in French. The editorial line will tend to bring a French eye on international issues and regional topics.

AMC Networks “highly successful” 2015

26 Feb, 2016 – AMC Networks has reported financial results for the full year and fourth quarter ended December 31st 2015.

President and Chief Executive Officer Josh Sapan said: “2015 was a successful year for our company. Our strategy of creating compelling original, high-quality programming continues to deliver strong financial results, including double digit increases in revenue and adjusted operating cash flow. We premiered three new AMC original series, Fear the Walking Dead, Better Call Saul and Into the Badlands, all of which broke ratings records. We received widespread critical praise and industry honours for our television and film content. We continued to build and expand our international business into key markets across Europe and Latin America.”

Fourth quarter net revenues increased 11.4 per cent, or $70 million, to $679 million over the fourth quarter of 2014, led by 12.5 per cent growth at National Networks and an increase of $9 million at International and Other.

25 February 2016

Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending Feb 26th. 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	After more than a decade of work on its Copyright Bill, the Hong Kong Government now appears ready to throw in the towel on the whole thing. Months of delaying tactics by anti-government legislators, coupled with shrill sloganeering by “copy-left” activists — all of which has been happening at the start of an election cycle — have mired the bill in a legislative morass. But the tipping point appears to have been a simple mis-count; only 34 legislators were counted during a quorum call in LegCo, when there were actually 35 present. Unfortunately, even though the count was wrong, the Legislature was adjourned anyway. That was enough to prompt Commerce and Economic Development Secretary Greg So to say “Enough is enough.” If the bill doesn’t pass a LegCo vote next week, it will be shuffled to the bottom of the deck, effectively killing it.
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	The proposed merger deal in South Korea between SK Telecom and CJ Hellovision has run into serious flak. Academics have been criticizing the merger, and they were recently joined by trade unions. The biggest concern is that this huge vertical acquisition could stunt competition in So. Korea, and there were many calls for the government to review it carefully. CJ wanted to get its shareholders to approve the deal this week, but under relevant media law, it seems such a move may be illegal. The forecast is for continued stormy weather.
Mark Lay Vice President, Singapore	I just love it when an interviewer doesn’t pull any punches. Re/code senior editor Peter Kafka does a great interview with ESPN President, John Skipper, at Code/Media 2016. As a channel that has taken a few punches in the chin of late, it’s interesting to see how one of the most basic channels of basic-cable looks at the network’s future and how they plan to make sure the business keeps on growing. Skipper: "We were the first in the market with authenticated television…all of our content is over-the-top.” And speaking of OTT sports, have a look at this comprehensive piece: Ex-stream-ly Frustrating: The Messy Ecosystem of Live Sports Streaming.
Christopher Slaughter CEO	Elsewhere in the world of “sports”, Microsoft is offering US$2.5 million in prize money for its Halo World Championship next month, cementing a trend that isn’t going to go away. In case you hadn’t noticed, last year, eSports events paid out more than US$62 million in winnings, and generated more than US$20 million in ticket sales. If — like most people in our industry — you don’t really understand what’s going on with this whole eSports thing, join us Tuesday in Singapore for our eSports panel at the CASBAA OTT Summit to find out more.
Yegee Chun Regulatory Assistant	A loaded Android box advertising free television for life has surfaced in Canada. The so-called Free TV Box allows unlimited access to commercial-free, copyrighted content with a one-time payment of about CA$150. Canadian law does prohibit services that exist primarily for the purpose of "enabling copyright infringement," but Canada’s Copyright Act only addresses unauthorized downloading, not streaming, of copyrighted content. Given this legal grey area, one citizen who sells boxes from his home advises: “It’s up to yourself to decide if it’s immoral.”
Mark Lay Vice President, Singapore	Time Inc. is in the news this week with a small deal that’s done and a BIG deal that’s rumored. The done deal is about Time Inc.’s Sports Illustrated returning to cable and satellite TV in Asia. Under a pact with Hong Kong-based sports programmer ASN, the parties will develop a Sports Illustrated-branded sports broadcasting and digital network. Debuting this spring, the deal will see, the ASN and ASN2 pay-TV sports channels, companion websites and mobile apps rebranded as “Sports Illustrated” and “Sports Illustrated 2.” Time’s BIG deal is rumored to be their interest in buying Yahoo’s “core business”. This deal is anything but done with Verizon and AT&T also looking at a transaction.
Kevin Jennings Vice President, Programme	At the Media 360 Summit on Thursday in Hong Kong, Google’s Scott Beaumont shared a few numbers predicting that over the next five years the number of people connecting to the internet will increase by a further 2 BILLION, with a large proportion of those people coming from Asia. These remarkable predictions should add more urgency in ensuring that broadcasters are clear on any future internet OTT plans. Coincidentally the CASBAA OTT Summit is being held on Tuesday 1st March in Singapore, and will take a closer look at the OTT industry. Space is now limited so register now to secure a place.
Jane Buckthought Advertising Consultant	comScore has rolled out its mobile audience solution Mobile Metrix in the Philippines, providing measurement of total mobile audience behaviour across smartphones and tablets. In the US, Comscore has joined with Rentrak and announced plans to introduce a new cross-platform TV measurement product, to take on Nielsen’s TV ratings. The product will have information on TV and connected device viewing on a monthly basis and as they say “combine scale with smarter methodology”.

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John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Yegee Chun

Regulatory Assistant

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant