World Screen

HONG KONG: Next week, HBO GO is set to launch as a standalone OTT service in Hong Kong, the first time the digital service is available in Asia without a TV-package subscription. The online streaming hub will debut April 13, giving users access to HBO and CINEMAX content via smartphones, …

SEOUL: CJ E&M’s food-themed scripted series Let’s Eat has returned for a second season on the Korean general-entertainment channel tvN. Let’s Eat is a romantic comedy about a single man who enjoys perusing his favorite foods on a blog called “Let’s Eat.” The second season stars Yoon Du-jun as an …

CANNES: In Nippon Television Network’s entertainment format Breaking Ordinary, engineers and craftspeople are challenged to redevelop their own inventions on a more extreme level. Alongside this new format, the company is highlighting the drama _______ Wife and the animated series My Love Story!! “Our drama series _______ Wife, a universal …

HONG KONG: The Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company (AsiaSat) has agreed to carry the newly launched lifestyle channel TV5MONDE Style HD. The 24-hour channel has programming focused on fashion, luxury and design, food and drink trends, architecture and cultural and historical heritage. The channel airs in French with subtitles offered in …

LONDON/SHANGHAI: BBC Worldwide and Shanghai Media Group (SMG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will expand their collaboration to include program and format production, distribution and co-production opportunities. Under the new agreement, BBC Worldwide will work with a number of SMG’s subsidiaries, including internet TV service BesTV; documentary …

SEOUL: CJ E&M's Digital Studio has entered into a partnership with YGKPLUS, a subsidiary company of the K-pop agency YG Entertainment, and production house Story Plant to co-produce a web drama, We Broke Up. The new musical romantic drama features 2NE1’s Dara, WINNER’s Kang Seung Yoon, top model Hyoni Kang …

LONDON: BBC Worldwide and Sony Pictures Television Networks in Japan are launching a BBC First programming block on AXN Mystery, featuring premium crime, mystery and thriller content from the U.K. The move marks the global debut of the BBC First-branded program block. AXN Mystery will debut the BBC First block …

SYDNEY: Janeen Faithfull is planning to step down from her role as CEO of Endemol Australia later this year. Faithfull will continue to lead the company over the coming months, before the combined Shine and Endemol business is created later this year. Until that time, both Shine Australia and Endemol …

SINGAPORE/TOKYO: GEM Asia is a planned new pay-TV channel from Nippon TV and Sony Pictures Television Networks that will deliver Japanese and other North Asian programming to pay-TV audiences in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. SPT and Nippon TV are forming a joint venture, subject to regulatory approval, to launch …

HONG KONG: At the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali, Rewind Networks has announced a deal to bring HITS to pay-TV platform now TV's subscribers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's leading pay-TV platform has some 1.2 million customers. The launch date for HITS, which features classic television shows, …