ATF Buyer Profile: SPT’s Yan-Jong Wong

PREMIUM: As the VP of programming for English content at Sony Pictures Television’s networks in Asia, Yan-Jong Wong is acquiring for a portfolio that includes AXN, SET and beTV.

What have been some of your most successful acquisitions recently for AXN, beTV and SET?
Last Resort, which premiered in October, has started well on AXN, especially in the Philippines where the first four episodes topped ratings in its timeslot across all cable channels among pay-TV ABC1 viewers.

On beTV, season two of the U.K. sleuth series Sherlock was a hit, as the final episode topped ratings in its timeslot among English general-entertainment channels in Singapore. The upcoming third season of Sherlock has been acquired for beTV. We are also looking forward to the upcoming premiere of new comedy series The Wedding Band.

As for Sony Entertainment Television (SET), we are very excited about new drama series Nashville.

Are you acquiring formats from the international market?
While most of our programming is acquired, we have commissioned a number of original productions including successful adaptations of very popular formats including The Amazing Race Asia, Cash Cab Asia and India’s Minute to Win It for AXN. Additionally, we are always on the lookout for exciting and innovative formats that can work for our channels across Asia.

Have your programming needs changed significantly over the past year?
In repositioning and rebranding AXN Beyond to beTV in March 2012, we added comedies to the programming lineup to appeal to wider audiences.

What are some of the slots you currently need to fill?
There are no specific slots that we are looking to fill now as we have a strong programming slate in place for the months ahead, including new shows and returning programs which are proven hits.

We recently signed a deal to bring Legend Fighting Championship to AXN which will air in the months ahead. In addition, psychological thriller Hannibal, SPT Network’s original series for AXN worldwide, is set to debut on the channel soon.

For beTV, dramas like Chuck and Necessary Roughness as well as reality show Face Off will return, with new series such as the British comedy Spy and The Wedding Band premiering on the channel in the coming months.

SET will bring the latest seasons of reality series Top Chef, Millionaire Matchmaker and Flipping Out to viewers across the region, in addition to a fifth season of the hit legal drama Damages.

Do you see any major changes in your acquisitions remit in 2013?
No, we do not anticipate significant changes as we continue to follow our programming strategy, which has worked well so far.

Are there particular types of shows you’re eyeing at Asia TV Forum?
We continue to be on the lookout for fresh content including drama, comedies, and reality series with high production values that are on-brand with each of our channels. More so, Asia Television Forum is a convenient local platform, where we can meet with independent studios and some of the on-going acquisition negotiations for the year.