Beyond Distribution

Joanne Azzopardi
VP Sales, Australasia

How has your business been in Asia/what are your top markets in the region?

We continue to have a good business in Asia and our programming works well in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and our programming also works well for pan regional broadcasters such BBC, Discovery, Disney.

Has that business increased or decreased over the past year?

Our business has remained on track despite the current economic downturn. 

Have you noticed any buying/programming trends going on in the region?

There is a stronger demand for lifestyle content.

What genre(s) sells best for you in Asia?

Children’s edutainment in the vein of Backyard Science and Kid Detectives, lifestyle content and documentaries.

What programs have you sold into the region (where and to whom)?

Recently we’ve finalized a package of children’s content to Astro in Malaysia/Brunei including Kid Detectives and Lab Rats Challenge; we’re finalizing a pan-regional sale for our cooking series Chuck’s Day Off, a free-TV sale to Thaole Entertainment for our tween series Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide in Vietnam; various renewals for Backyard Science are currently in discussion and our animated series Milly Molly in Indonesia and Malaysia. 

What are the properties you are looking to highlight for ATF?

Our new children’s edutainment series Kid Detectives, our new lifestyle series Love it or List It from the W Network in Canada, a feature-length documentary on championship jump rope skipping JUMP! and a new season of What’s Good For You.  

What is it about these programs that would appeal to the Asian market?

Kid Detectives is the follow up series to Backyard Science— kids edutainment sells very well in Asia. Kids love learning in a fun way; Love It or List It is one of W Network’s highest rating shows and has already been renewed for a second series with a third series likely. Good quality, aspirational lifestyle series appeal to Asian audiences. What’s Good For You is all about a uncovering life’s little health mysteries –it’s a positive, entertaining health series now into it’s 3^rd series and has sold very well in Asia. JUMP! is an award-winning documentary, which follows five teams as they compete in the World Rope Skipping Championships. The footage is amazing and again it’s very positive and inspirational.

How have you seen Asia endure the current downturn and what sense do you have of the recovery in the region?

Acquisition budgets have been cut, broadcasters are more selective in their programming choices and utilizing their inventories in an effort to reduce expenditure. Some territories are harder hit than others but in general advertising revenues are predicted to grow over the next 24 months so 2010 should start to see some recovery.

What are your overall expectations for ATF?

ATF is a good market for us and is usually very well attended by the Asian broadcasters. It provides an opportunity for us to meet broadcasters who did not attend MIPCOM. We hope to finalize new deals at the market as well as follow up on interest from MIPCOM.