Co-pros with Asian Media Companies Expected to Rise

SINGAPORE, November 30: As
the Asia TV Forum wrapped in Singapore today, with about 4,700 participants in
50 countries in attendance, many participants predicted that co-productions
with media companies in the region will increase.

With burgeoning production
sectors region-wide, co-productions and formats are priorities for many
international companies looking to do business in Asia. Indeed, as the market
opened this week, Dr. Lee Boon Yang, Singapore’s Minister for Information,
Communications and the Arts, noted, “Asia, with its cultural diversity and
growing affluence, is both a rich source of media content as well as a major
consumer of such content. There is tremendous potential to create content which
appeals to global audiences while encapsulating the new spirit, dynamism and
confidence of Asia. We are indeed seeing the emergence of what may be called
New Asia Media.”

Business worth $60 million
is expected to be closed at the three-day confab, which is moving to a bigger
location next year to accommodate growing attendance; there were 140 new
participating companies this year.

The Media Development
Authority (MDA) of Singapore, a key supporter of the ATF, is looking to drive
business in the region through its alliances with organizations from key
markets around the world. This week alone, the MDA announced media
collaborations with the Philippines and France.

Also this week,
Singapore's Character Farm and distributor Six-Six-Eight announced the
licensing of Katakune, a CGI
animated series about a silkworm, to Japan's Hi Corporation, bringing the
character to mobile platforms. Six-Six-Eight has also sold the series into
China (CCTV) and 22 territories throughout the Middle East.

Korea's Iconix
Entertainment announced the sale of its Pororo the Little Penguin animation series to networks in Italy (RAI TV),
Spain (Cartoon Network), the Middle East (Al-Jazeera's Children's Channel) and
Mexico (Televisa). The show is a joint production between Iconix, the Korean
production company Ocon, educational network EBS and telco Hanaro Telecom.

Disney-ABC International
Television Asia-Pacific announced a host of sales for Dirty Sexy Money, Reaper, Samantha Who? and Private
Practice.

—By Mansha Daswani