Media Veterans Target China with New Venture

LOS ANGELES: Martin Pompadur, a former News Corporation senior executive, has teamed with E! Entertainment Television co-founder Larry Namer and Amerilink founder Jean Zhang to set up a new venture focused on developing and distributing content for the Chinese market.

Metan Development Group will initially focus on the creation and distribution of original programming tailored to audiences in China, with accompanying Internet and mobile content. The shows Hollywood Today, Music News, World Film News and World Sports Report will be available by early 2010. The first of them, debuting late this year, is Hollywood Today, a daily 15-minute program offering the latest entertainment and celebrity news. The program will feature two anchors reporting from Metan’s Beijing studios and Chinese-speaking field reporters in the U.S.

Future plans for the company include a live-events division, presenting Western music, dance and stage acts in China.

"Our goal is to create and acquire high quality content for the Chinese audience developed from a Chinese perspective," said Namer. "We possess the proven expertise and important contacts, including invaluable working relationships with China Central Television and the China Association of Film, Radio and Television, enabling us to assist all content creators and owners to sell their programming to the over 3,500 provincial, regional, city and local stations within the region—a task that typically would be a daunting and logistical nightmare for them."

"Metan is strategically poised to make significant headway in the Chinese media industry by becoming one of the first to develop and distribute Western content specifically for Chinese audiences," added Pompadur. "Our approach is nimble, responsive and client-focused, exceeding what any of today’s major media monoliths could offer. We’re excited to provide Western companies a bridge of entry to this dynamic and emerging market."