Asia TV forum showcases growth.

Lately, when a TV distributor is asked which territories are becoming more receptive to international business, he or she will often mention Asia--be it Korea, Japan or even the territory known as Australasia. And the market that is set to benefit most from this upturn in business is the Asia TV Forum (ATF), to be held in Singapore from November 30-December 2. The market cuts down the cost and effort buyers put into traveling all around Asia by creating a one-stop-shop for sellers to reach Asian broadcasters and producers.

"Asia Television Forum is a good market for us for a number of reasons," said Christine Fellowes, managing director, Asia, E! Networks. "It serves as a timely follow up to MIPCOM. Many of the South East Asian clients who do not make it to Cannes will come to Singapore for ATF, so we see many different clients at each market. Also," she added, "the setting for ATF is in hotel suites and the pace is more relaxed. We have a chance to be more detailed in our presentations and to discuss specific client issues and deals in more depth."

Hong Kong-based Robert Chua, who is bringing his new technology, The Interactive Channel (TIC), to the Asia TV Forum, said that Singapore is quickly becoming an important Asian TV hotspot. "Right now, Shanghai is most important, Singapore is getting there and Hong Kong is trying to make its place," he said.

"The Singapore government," asserted Chua, "is always ready to help, and has been wonderfully supportive of the Asia TV Forum." Chua is taking advantage of Asia, and the rest of the world's move toward IPTV, by licensing a new interactive technology which sees a channel simulcast on TV and the Internet, and allows viewers to participate in their favorite shows. Chua stressed that while his company, Robert Chua Productions, has provided con tent to broadcasters for years, now it is focused on licensing only its technology, and that it is the job of local content providers and broadcasters to provide content on the platform.

ATF, which has had a strategic partnership with MIP and MIPCOM since 2003, is co-organized by Reed Exhibitions, TV magazine Television Asia, Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA) and the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. In 2003, a merger of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, the Films and Publications Department and the Singapore Film Commission formed the MDA. The MDA's mission is to position Singapore as a center for media exchange.

Last year, ATF saw 164 distribution companies, from 41 countries. That number was a 60 percent increase from the 103 companies that attended in 2003. Of the sellers, the majority came from Europe, with Asia, America and Australia trailing, in that order. The majority of buyers were primarily from South East Asia (including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand), East Asia (including China, Japan, South Korea), South Asia (including India and Pakistan) and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Rim) respectively. A small percentage hailed from France, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, the U.K. and the U.S.

"ATF is important to E! Networks, particularly for the South East Asian markets. We believe in addition to having a catalog of quality programming that is popular with Asian television audiences, the reason buyers keep coming back to us, is because our client service is excellent. We pride ourselves on understanding our clients' schedules, on proactively developing ideas for our clients and on having a personal relationship with them that makes it fun to do business. ATF provides a further contact point that helps us achieve this," said E!'s Fellowes.

She continued, "In Asia we focus on programming that has the greatest appeal to audiences. From E!, blockbuster movies and A-list celebrities are known everywhere so we focus on celebrity profiles and clip based programming that fans love. The Style Network's makeover programs also have regional appeal as the urbanization of cities continues around the region, and the middle class audience base develops. There are certain reality programs that will not work in Asia as cultural differences drive audience reaction. For example, there are usually big variations in what each country finds humorous, and in their ability to relate their own experiences to 'real' situations on camera." She continued, "In many conservative markets in Asia, we also have to be aware of censorship issues governing what is appropriate entertainment product for local audiences." One company attending ATF for the first time is Fireworks International. Executive vice president, worldwide distribution, Saralo MacGregor, is confident that following the company's recent acquisition by Content Films, "we will have strong new product, and the Asia TV Forum provides us with an excellent platform from which to announce the 'new us'." She also noted that, "It is a double good time given the huge upswing that we have seen recently in the region."

When it comes to East Asia, the focus, according to Robert Chua, "is on local programming--first city, then provincial, then national and then international." This is something that works well with his TIC technology, because, he said, "many countries place restrictions on foreign programming and Asian viewers would rather see Asian faces on their favorite programs, the area is changing toward localization." And because Asian audiences want their own version of shows, Chua predicted that formats would be hot at the Asia TV Forum. But Chua mentioned that the Asian market is also open to movies, quality dramas, and has been especially receptive to BBC programming.

When it comes to his own interactive technology, Chua has already licensed the technology to China, and just got back from Vietnam, where he saw great interest. "As long as a country has broadband technology available, then it can work." He explained that the Japanese and Korean territories are very advanced and are well suited for groundbreaking innovations.

Chua added that at the Asia TV Forum he will be looking to license TIC to content providers or directly to cable operators. He is also open to considering partners and investments from holding companies. When asked what the advantage to attending ATF really is for E!, Christine Fellowes said, "Formal markets are time and cost effective as we can see many clients in a short period of time and they serve as a great launch platform for new program franchises and new brands."