Parent brand:
MediaCorp Pte Ltd
Sub or sibling brands:
Channel NewsAsia, Channel 5, Channel U, OKTO, Suria, Vasantham,
Channel 8
Ownership in Asia:
MediaCorp TV Singapore Pte Ltd
Senior executive for Asia:
Irene Lim, Head of Family Segment (Chinese)
Dr Chitra Rajaram, Head of Community Segment (Malay & Indian)
Channel description:
Channel U: A vibrant and informative entertainment channel with bold, enriching and inspiring content from Singapore and around Asia that embraces the aspirations of working adults in Singapore.
Channel 8: A 24-hour Chinese news and entertainment channel. It is the most watched homegrown Chinese channel in Singapore, enthralling its audience with high-quality locally produced and acquired programmes.
Vasantham: Launched on 19 October 2008, Vasantham is the channel of choice for the growing Indian community in Singapore. Its unique blend of innovative, informational and entertaining programming across genres appeals to both local and international markets for Indian programming. With 67 hours of transmission each week, Vasantham is the local Indian community’s source of prime-time news, information and entertainment.
Suria: Suria is the choice channel of the Malay community in Singapore. Since its inception in 2000, Suria, which means “sun” in Malay, holds the pulse of the Malay community in all its local programmes. From skillfully crafted dramas that become instant hits, to fun and entertaining variety shows, staged with top local and international artistes.
Scheduling policy:
Channel U: The Channel is focused on becoming the prime choice for informative entertainment content for young working adults. This combines thought-provoking local infotainment programmes that broaden one’s horizons, as well as the best of Asian entertainment catered to the tastes of the working adult.
Channel 8: Channel 8 provides a programming strategy catered to targeted demographic groups during fringe viewing hours and masstargeting strategy during primetime viewing hours. The primetime belts are consistent to build habitual viewing and reinforce the Channel’s branding. For example, Variety Programmes at 8pm, Dramas at 9pm and News at 10pm, with blockbuster programmes being planned for midyear and year-end.
Vasantham: Vasantham provides programming strategy for all ages. Starting with acquired programming from 3pm onwards flowing into local programming. Tamil News is stripped daily at 8.30pm followed by local infoed, variety and current affairs genres at 9pm. Back to back Drama time belt anchors golden prime time from 10pm onwards. Tamil and regional movies fill up most of the weekends.
Suria: Suria is a family entertainment channel that features multi-genre original content for all ages. The channel airs ad-supported general entertainment from 3pm – 12am on weekdays and Saturdays, as well as 10-12am on Sundays.
Distribution in Asia:
Channel U, Channel 8 and Vasantham are available only in Singapore. Suria’s original content is currently aired on ASTRO as well.
Key carriage agreements:
Channel U, Channel 8, Suria and Vasantham are Free-to-Air (FTA) in Singapore.
On-line, VOD, SVOD or mobile deals:
Channel U: Original programmes from the Channel and selected acquired titles are made available on Toggle, MediaCorp’s online platform which also offers simulcast content from its channels and selected videoon- demand. The service is available online, on smart phones, tablets and connected TVs, allowing viewers to stay engaged wherever they are.
Channel 8: Original programmes from the Channel and selected acquired titles are made available on Toggle, MediaCorp’s online platform which also offers simulcast content from its channels and selected video-on-demand. The service is available online, on smart phones, tablets and connected TVs, allowing viewers to stay engaged anytime, anywhere.
Vasantham: Vasantham programmes are available online for catch-up on Toggle. Suria: Suria is available on Toggle Catch Up and Toggle-It-First VOD
Recent and upcoming developments:
Channel U: The key Local Infotainment Belt offers a slate of informative programmes catered to young working adults. Titles such as Innocence Lost and Homeward Bound have received positive feedback from our viewers.
Channel 8: Chinese TV will celebrate its 35 years of drama productions in 2017 with a series of dramas, kickstart by the year-end blockbuster Hero in 2016. This heartwarming and inspirational drama brings together former and current actors, which chronicles the lives of three humble and relatable characters living in one of the oldest estate in Singapore – Dakota Crescent. An integrated campaign for our year-end blockbuster Hero will be launched to rally Singaporeans to share stories of the ‘heroes’ they wish to honour. Highly popular radio show Yu Jian Huang Cong, The Funniest Morning Show crosses over to Channel 8 as the four wacky hosts, Marcus Chin, Mark Lee, Dennis Chew and Chen Biyu, now tickle fans’ funny bones on TV.
Suria: Its annual music award show Anugerah Planet Music was carried across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei attracting more than a million Malay-speaking audiences in the region.
Upcoming shows:
Channel U: Innocence Lost 2, Sherlock at Work, Your Thoughts Please, Food of Life, Going Miles Spreading Smiles
Channel 8: Hero, Mightiest Motherin- law, The Lead, Yu Jian Huang Cong Goes Channel 8
Vasantham: Masala (Long form drama), Iruvar (Long form drama) and Savaal Singapore 4 (Variety Gameshow)
Suria: Te:Ra Seh! 3.0, Manja, Menantu International 2, Siti K PO Show, Juara Memasak Teens
Parent brand:
Nippon TV
Sub or sibling brands:
Nippon TV
Ownership in Asia:
Nippon Television Holdings, Inc.
Senior executive for Asia:
Int’l Business Development:
Atsushi Hatayama, President
Yorihisa Kono, Executive Vice
President
Sue Fujimoto, Executive Vice
President
Cindy Chino, Senior Director
Kako Kuwahara, Associate
Managing Director
Yuki Akehi, Senior Manager
Channel description:
Since becoming Japan’s first commercial broadcaster in 1953, Nippon TV has become the country’s undisputed ratings champion and finest producer of all genres of programs. One of the biggest successes for Nippon TV is Dragons’ Den, a globally successful business show. The format has sold into more than 30 territories including the UK, Canada, Australia, Russia, Germany, India, Italy and Nigeria. The Emmy award-winning version, Shark Tank, airs in the US. With well-established companies that deal in a broad range of businesses from movies, animation, events, to fitness clubs, Nippon TV is leveraging its ideal platform to expand into new realms. Recently launching a channel in Southeast Asia named GEM through a joint venture with Sony Pictures Television Networks, and taking a stake in the SVOD market through wholly-owned subsidiary Hulu Japan, Nippon TV is steadily solidifying its presence and brand as a global media powerhouse.
Scheduling policy:
Nippon TV is a 24-hour nationwide general channel available in HD. Employing a unique strategy of broadcasting live daily from 4 am to 7 pm, Nippon TV is able to provide viewers with breaking news quicker than any other channel. Each quarter, three exciting new drama series are released for weekly broadcast, along with new animation programs. While Nippon TV’s priority is to continue bolstering its regular lineup of news, infotainment, and entertainment programs, it is also proactively developing blockbuster content and the next generation of talented creators.
On-line, VOD, SVOD or mobile deals:
Nippon TV owns Hulu Japan and most of their programs can be seen on Hulu Japan soon after airing on terrestrial Nippon TV. Nippon TV can also be watched on-demand.
Upcoming shows:
Nippon TV produces exciting and new dramas every 3 months; for the October season the new dramas are: Pretty Proofreader, The Last Cop, Rent-a-Rescue
Parent brand:
NHK, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai, Japan
Broadcasting Corporation
Senior executive for
Asia:
Sayumi Horie, Head of Global
Content Development
Channel description:
NHK is Japan’s sole public broadcaster. Funded by receiving fees from each Japanese household, it has a reputation for impartial, high-quality programming. Through its four nationwide TV channels, NHK reaches about 50 million households. Besides being a broadcaster, NHK has a big in-house production which produces about 80% of what NHK airs. The vast genres of high-quality programs include news, documentaries, talk shows, children and educational programs, music, entertainment, drama, and animation. Known as the pioneer of HD, it is now actively producing programs in 4K and 8K. Scheduling policy: NHK’s mainstream channel “General TV” airs programs that the whole family would be able to enjoy together. Programs range from news and documentaries, drama, talk shows, quiz shows, comedy and music. “Educational TV” channel focuses on kids programs, school broadcasts, and programs on hobbies, foreign language learning and welfare. “BS-1” is the news, current affairs, and sports channel. “BS Premium” is the culture and entertainment channel airing theater arts, travelogues, music concerts, movies, and foreign dramas. All channels have no advertising and are 24-hour channels except for Educational TV.
Distribution in Asia Pacific:
NHK World TV is a 24-hour all-English channel for international viewers.
Upcoming shows:
Moribito II: Guardian of the Spirit, The Sniffer, The Dragon Dentist
Parent brand:
Turner Asia Pacific
Sibling brands:
Warner TV, truTV,TCM Turner
Classic Movies, Mondo TV and
TABI Channel
Senior executive for Asia:
Ricky Ow, President
Marianne Lee, VP – Content, General
Entertainment
Phil Nelson, SVP & MD, Southeast
Asia Pacific and North Asia
Voo Chih Yeong, VP – Southeast Asia
Gregory Ho, VP, Corporate
Communication & Marketing
Awantika Sood, Director of Ad
Sales, Southeast Asia
Channel description:
Oh!K offers viewers the ultimate Korean entertainment, including premium drama series as well as variety and music programming. A brand powered by major studios and content creators including MBC, one of Korea’s leading broadcasters and content providers, Oh!K is for everyone who loves drama – packaging iconic and awardwinning hit series from an unrivalled catalogue of content. The channel is available in Southeast Asia and provides local audiences access to first-runs and exclusives, many within hours or even simultaneous with the Korean premiere. Oh!K is brand created and distributed by Turner, a Time Warner company.
Scheduling policy:
Airing 24 hours a day, Oh!K is the premier destination for captivating Korean drama series and music and variety programmes. All content is delivered directly from Korea, in high definition and selected local languages. Distribution in Asia: Oh!K is currently available in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, broadcasting in Chinese (subtitles and audio), Bahasa Malaysia (audio and subtitles), Bahasa Indonesia (subtitles), Korean (audio) and English (subtitles). Key carriage agreements in Asia: Oh!K is currently available on Now TV in Hong Kong, StarHub TV and Singtel TV in Singapore, Astro in Malaysia, and Tribe and Transvision in Indonesia. Key tiers: Oh!K is available on Now TV’s Asia Entertainment Pack, StarHub’s Chinese Entertainment and Ethnic packs, Singtel’s various Jingxuan and Inspirasi packs, Astro’s Korea pack and Tranvision’s Platinum + and Diamond + pack.
On-line, VOD, SVOD or mobile deals:
Selected Oh!K content is available on Astro on Demand and Astro on the Go via laptop, tablet and smartphone. Oh!K on Demand is also available via Now TV in Hong Kong. Recent and upcoming developments: Since launching, Oh!K has grown its distribution, premiering in Hong Kong earlier this year and in Indonesia at the end of 2015. The channel has plans to further expand its distribution in 2017. Oh!K was the first channel to provide Korean content in Southeast Asia with local language options for its express titles on the same day as its Korea airing. The brand also actively works to secure high-profile talent visiting from Korea to Southeast Asian cities.
Upcoming shows:
Recent hits include the express drama titles W-Two Worlds, The Flower in Prison, Coffee Prince and Shopaholic Louis, and ever-popular variety shows such as Infinite Challenge and The Real Men and Just Married. At the end of the year, there will be an exclusive live simulcast of the MBC Drama and Entertainment Awards 2016. And in early 2017 there will be the global premiere of muchawaited Saimdang, which features the TV return of star actress Lee Young-Ae.
