Singapore – activeTV, producers of reality series, The Amazing Race Asia (TARA), has brought on board Bertram van Munster, executive producer and co-creator of reality series The Amazing Race, as a stakeholder and partner in activeTV Asia Pte Ltd. The collaboration extends the partnership between van Munster and Michael McKay, president of activeTV, which began during work on the original The Amazing Race series. In Singapore for the announcement, van Munster told Television Asia Plus that he takes the step into Asia seriously and is stepping up efforts in working with activeTV Asia to produce exportable formats and programming. He said, “Michael (McKay, president of activeTV) and I are constantly bouncing ideas off each other and we are looking to create original formats and shows which we can export and reverse the flow of content and formats from the US and UK…We hope to bring a lot of value to the region and look forward to our team becoming one of the biggest creative production forces in Asia.” On TARA, produced by activeTV for Sony Pictures Entertainment Networks Asia’s AXN, van Munster said, “Having collaborated since the original The Amazing Race series, Michael understands what we’re looking for. He’s the only man I would have entrusted the Asian edition of the show to.” He also notes that the Asian version of the show has featured interesting casts, routes and tasks, and both seasons have been as relatable, unpredictable, and successful as the original US-made series. The recently concluded TARA 2 saw a 35% hike in PMEB audiences across the region from season 1. activeTV Asia was established in Singapore since 2006 following the commissioning of the first TARA series. The Singapore team, consisting of six full-time staff, has completed two seasons of TARA, and is in pre-production for the third season. The company has also optioned format rights to BBC’s celebrity ancestry series Who Do You Think You Are? from UK-based production house Wall To Wall. According to Michael McKay, president of activeTV, the company is looking to expand its offerings beyond reality TV to include observational shows and light entertainment, with announcements on major Asian productions to be expected in 2008.