Asia TV Forum Opens in Singapore

Some 4,000 delegates are on-site in Singapore for Asia TV Forum & Market, marking the event’s in-person return following a three-year hiatus amid the pandemic.

This is the 23rd edition of RX Global’s Asia-focused conference and market. “So much has changed globally since we last met here in December 2019 to celebrate ATF’s 20th anniversary,” said Chien-Ee Yeh, the president of RX Global Asia Pacific, at this morning’s opening ceremony. Delegates are attending from 60 markets, he noted. “While many of us have gotten used to a new normal of doing business online over the past few years, it is apparent that the spark and excitement of interactions and unique relationships in-person, especially with new connections, cannot be fully replicated with a digital market,” he continued.

The theme of this year’s ATF is “Content is Still King,” Yeh said, noting it “quantifies how quality content continues to transcend time and boundaries, including the pandemic, against a very dynamic backdrop of industry consolidation, increasing prices and evolving business models. With content as a driving force of any successful studio or platform, talent is at the heart of that ecosystem, so as an entertainment content market and conference serving the Asian region, celebrating and nurturing Asian talent has long been a critical part of our curation.”

Supporting those efforts, ATF introduced two new content pitches this year, one in partnership with Vidio for Indonesian content and the second with Warner Bros. Discovery for drama concepts out of Thailand. These join pitch sessions for animation, formats, Chinese-language content with G.H.Y Culture & Media and the IP Accelerator with 108 Media and the Southeast Asia Audiovisual Association.

A total of 383 submissions were received for ATF’s six pitches, Yeh said.

The animation pitch is being beefed up in 2023, Yeh noted, in association with Creative Europe and Ties That Bind, a training program for European and Asian co-pros.

Yeh also noted ATF’s spotlight on Korean content this year, given the segment’s increasing importance to both regional and global streaming platforms.

“ATF has blossomed into Asia’s leading entertainment content market and conference,” Yeh concluded.

The opening ceremony also included an address by Tan Kiat How, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information. ATF is hosting more than 60 Singaporean media companies, presenting more than 1,100 hours of content across 190-plus titles. “Covid-19 has catalyzed new innovations in media, and we need to harness our capabilities and take advantage of these new possibilities. We want to ensure that our local media companies can share stories with the rest of the world. These stories serve as a gateway for audiences to experience the richness of our Asian heritage and way of life.”

Government support is crucial for helping local storytellers bring their ideas to the world, Tan noted, with initiatives such as the Capability Partnership Program (CPP). “Since its inception, CPP has benefitted about 120 local media companies and over 830 media professionals through job creation and opportunities for upscaling.”

Tan concluded, “I welcome partners from all around the world to collaborate with us and leverage Singapore’s connectivity to not just Asia, but to the rest of the world as well.”