FIC Asia Bags Shine Titles

LOS ANGELES: Fox International Channels (FIC) has signed an exclusive volume deal with Shine International for more than 120 hours of U.S. entertainment programming for its services across 30 territories in the Asia Pacific. 

Included under the deal are Masterchef, the U.S. edition of the hit international cooking competition; Got to Dance, a reality dance competition featuring Paula Abdul; Archer, an animated spy series for adults; and The Buried Life, a documentary program following four young men as the travel across North America. These shows will be aired on both the standard-definition and high-definition versions of FIC’s four main entertainment channel brands in the region: FOX, Star World, FX and FOX Crime. FIC has also committed to producing one of Shine International’s formats, details of which will be announced later this year.

"Shine International is more focused than ever on the Asian market, and we’re thrilled to announce this deal with our partners at Fox International Channels in Asia as we head into one of the most important markets of the year," said Chris Grant, the president of Shine International. "We’re committed to bringing the best content to our buyers around the world and we’re better equipped than ever to deliver on that promise thanks to new partnerships with independent producers and a growing sales team."

Ward Platt, the president for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at Fox International Channels, added: “We are delighted to acquire premium U.S. entertainment programming from Shine International to underpin the aggressive channel strategy for Fox International Channels Asia. These shows will be broadcast first on the FIC channels ahead of the terrestrial channels. We believe that by acquiring these high-quality first-run shows for our channels, we will be able to significantly strengthen the bond with our viewers and make our channels a compelling viewing experience, which in turn delivers great value to our affiliates and advertisers.”