Christine Fellows

March 12, 2012 World Screen Interviews

 

This interview originally appeared in the MIPCOM 2011 issue of TV Asia Pacific.
 
Q&A Universal Networks’ Christine Fellowes

When NBCUniversal and Comcast International Media Group consolidated their Asian operations earlier this year, the job of running the merged channels division went to Christine Fellowes. The long-time head of Comcast’s Asian business, Fellowes, as managing director of Universal Networks International (UNI) for the Asia Pacific, is now in charge of a portfolio that includes Universal Channel, DIVA Universal, Syfy Universal, E! Entertainment Television, The Style Network and Golf Channel. She shares her strategy for further expansion of UNI’s regional business with TV Asia Pacific.
 
TV ASIA PACIFIC: How has Universal Networks International benefited from the addition of the Comcast channels?
FELLOWES: Universal Networks International has cemented its position as an entertainment powerhouse with the addition of E!, Style and Golf to its bouquet of brands. With the addition of two more female-focused channels, E! and Style, we are able to deliver quality content for the highly coveted demo of [upscale] female viewers, and, in turn, offer advertisers one unified platform to connect with this target audience.
 
There is a great advantage in working with a diverse bouquet of channels, as we are able to reach a wide spectrum of audiences on multiple touch points.
 
TV ASIA PACIFIC: What are UNI’s plans for making content available on additional platforms?
FELLOWES: We know that pay-TV viewers want to watch great content where and when they choose, and it’s a priority for UNI to offer that to consumers. Wherever possible we prioritize securing 360-degree content rights to make our channel brands available on multiple platforms. For example, in Asia Pacific, we launched the drama Fairly Legal first online on DivaUniversal.asia a week before its on-air premiere, in May 2011. We will continue to evolve our offering moving forward.
 
TV ASIA PACIFIC: What are you doing in terms of original programming across the portfolio?
FELLOWES: We have strong original and first-run programming to complement our channel proposition. Original programming will continue to be a focus for Universal Networks’ investment. We have invested in top quality co-productions and originals: Haven, Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, Rookie Blue and Fairly Legal. E! Entertainment Television and Style also have signature original content that resonates with their demos. E! brings first-run and exclusive originals such as E! News, E! News Asia, Live from the Red Carpet, Fashion Police and Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Style [offers] to its female audience original content focused on fashion and relationships, such as Giuliana & Bill, Clean House, Jerseylicious, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, How Do I Look? and Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?
 
TV ASIA PACIFIC: What are your broad priorities for the next 12 to 18 months?
FELLOWES: One of the goals for the international division of NBCUniversal is to build a cohesive TV business that operates efficiently across all of our channel brands. Our priority is to effectively utilize the scale created by combining the NBCUniversal assets with Comcast’s assets to grow our Asia-Pacific business.
 
Distributors today require high-quality cost-efficient channels with brands that are clearly identifiable and unique to pay TV, but available across multiple platforms. With our combined assets we believe NBCUniversal is uniquely positioned to deliver these requirements. We benefit from understanding the business equally from a distributor’s perspective and a content provider’s perspective. We’ll focus on turning these advantages into stronger relationships with operators across the Asia-Pac region and the rest of the world.
 
TV ASIA PACIFIC: You’ve launched Universal Channel HD and Syfy HD in several markets. Do you envision additional feeds or channels this year?
FELLOWES: HD rollout is a priority for UNI as part of its growth plan. Further HD launches in Asia are expected, including for E!, Style and Golf. We’ve just completed the launch of E! in the Philippines and HD channels in Singapore on StarHub.