Top Stories

TOKYO: Japanese pubcaster NHK is making some major changes to its international English-language service, which reaches more than 270 million homes across the globe, including adding new shows about Japanese films and Kabuki. As of April, NHK World TV will increase the number of regular series it airs from 34 …

TOKYO: Projecting a 110 billion yen ($1.1 billion) loss for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, Sony has announced plans to cut 5,000 positions, sell its PC unit and spin off its TV-set operation as a separate wholly-owned subsidiary. The news came as the company announced its Q3 results, …

HONG KONG: Julien Dutronc has left TV5 Monde to become the director of TV distribution for Lightning International. In his new role, Dutronc will manage regional sales and distribution for the company's various television networks. He will be charged with the rollout of such channels as TRACE Sports Stars HD, …

SYDNEY: The latest Australian Multi-Screen Report illustrates that Australians overwhelmingly prefer live TV to recorded, with overall in-home TV usage steady year-on-year. Broadcast TV viewing is at nearly 96 hours per Australian each month. Australians gravitate toward the largest available screen for viewing as well. Smaller, mobile devices create additional …

SINGAPORE: The online video service Viki has renewed its licensing agreement with NBCUniversal for the third year in a row, allowing it to stream hundreds of hours of shows into Southeast Asia. Viki will be streaming comedies such as The Office, Parks and Recreation, Monk and Psych on its platform. …

KUALA LUMPUR: Astro and its subsidiary Astro Retail Ventures have teamed up with GS Home Shopping to establish a home shopping business in Malaysia. Astro GS Shop (AGSSB) will be 60 percent owned by Astro Retail Ventures, while the remaining 40 percent is owned by GS Home Shopping. Astro's home …

SINGAPORE: Viva Communications is gearing up to launch MTV Pinoy, the Philippines edition of the youth entertainment channel, on February 14. Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia and Viva are collaborating on local production, on-the-ground events and marketing and ad sales for the channel. Viva is also now in charge …

SINGAPORE: Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines is the latest original series for Asian Food Channel (AFC), which will broadcast the 13-episode program regionally across 12 territories in Asia. The series is produced in collaboration with the Philippine Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines. It is …

LONDON: Over the past three months, Passion Distribution has placed more than 150 hours of programming with broadcasters in Australia. For ABC2, ABC TV licensed Firecracker Films' Diary of a Teenage Virgin, Mentorn Media's The Fried Chicken Shop: Life in a Day and SnagFilms' Lost for Life. Nine Network went …

SYDNEY: ABC TV and Screen Australia are planning to commission 25 projects for a new initiative, called Fresh Blood, which seeks to find the next generation of comedy performers and producers. The selected 25 projects will receive a budget of AUS$10,000 to produce three 2 to 5 minute short-form comedy …