16 December 2013 ATF Preview ( Co n t i n u e d ) of programming needs from one territory to the next. Censorship restrictions, budget limitations and the growth in their own local productions are limiting factors to the success in licensing Western content in Asia as a whole.” Yet, she added, over the “last few years, Breakthrough has increased its travel to Asia and in doing so we have a broader, more in-depth understanding of our clients’ needs.” Likewise, Starz’s Bartoo noted that the “broadcast market in SE Asia, especially for freeTV, and for American series, has been challenging over the years.” Yet the success of Spartacus has generated “more interest than ever in our…onehour series [and] cinematic content that resonates well with this market.” He added: “There is a growing demand forWestern product, but you still need the proper content that…falls within certain genres. For example, premium series and action/ disaster movies work well, and there is also an appetite for Christmas movies and thrillers.” Comarex’s Contreras said that “traditional and classic telenovelas have been a staple in Southeast Asia for many years now, and we hope the audiences’ love for the drama, the mystery, the romance and deception that are legendary in this genre continues for many more years.” Studio 100 Media’s Patrick Elmendorff (who has attended ATF for around 13 years) has found that broadcasters and viewers in the region have “always been very interested in animation series, especially in 3D/CGI content.” He added that “buyers are always looking for newcontent, storydriven content and character-centered programs filled with humor, enchantment…and gripping stories that communicate positive values such as honesty and friendship.” Inthatvein,Breakthrough’sBlankhasfoundthat “family and kids series have always had a positive track record in Southeast Asia and recently [there has been] growth and demand for our travelrelated content.” She added, “We are also keen to discover and expand new opportunities for our growing Feature Film Division.” The type of content that works is “truly dependent on the needs of the individual broadcaster and what works best for their audience,” said 9 Story’s Osborne. “We have had a variety of genres work…from animated preschool and six-through-11 comedies, to youth live-action and educational programming. As a specialist in the kids and family space, we have a wide range of genres and formats to offer within this category,” she said. “Overall, the tastes haven’t really changed, but we are seeing more interest in entertainment formats. In general, Western content has proven to be very successful in recent years,” said Caracol’s Arteaga. Zodiak’s Koh added that the “formats business has increased in the last year or so, primarily the big studio-entertainment shows are of interest to my buyers.” Sebastian Burkhardt, head of Sales for Banijay International, concurred that “broadcasters in Southeast Asia have certainly opened up to formats from the Western world, and there are increasingly more and more slots available for bigger formats with a track record, and those that are sponsorship friendly,” he said. “Whilst the majority of imported formats were game shows and light entertainment, we have noticed a trend for more factual programming traveling into the region, particularly in the bigger markets like China, India and Indonesia,” he added. Mario Castro of Miami, Florida-based Televisa Internacional has found that “ATF consistently represents a gateway to Southeast Asian markets. We have attended for many years and we hope to continue for years to come.” “Like many countries that experience growth, the markets in Southeast Asia, along with their broadcasters, are seeing a fast development in payTVandnewmediaplatforms,”saidTelevisa’sCastro. “Growth in the amount of screens the audiences have tends to open themand allows foreign content to gain demand, regardless of the origin.” Bartoo of Starz is particularly interested in meeting with broadcasters from Indonesia and Thailand, “whilestill buildinguponandexpanding our existing relationships in key territories like Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong,” he said. Osborne said that while 9 Story is looking to do business all over the region, a “core strategy is to develop free-TV relationships, particularly in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.” Comarex’s Contreras believes that the “ATF is oneof themost importantmarkets for our company due to its attendance. The location is central for all our Asian clients and partners who attend.” Blank of Breakthrough agreed that the locale is key, saying, “It gives us a chance to visit neighboring countries in Asia Pacific ahead of the market. This year, we will be seeing our Australian clients in Sydney pre-ATF.” On December 3, attendees can participate in the opening address and keynote. There will also be several other conferences, including “Digital Agility Now — Creating a High Velocity Media and Entertainment Organization in the Age of Transformative Technology,” “New Media Strategy — Business Model and Monetizing Opportunities,” “Animation Lab — Buyers’ Co-production & Financing Panel,” “A Global Perspective into Asia on the Booming Formats Community,” “Focus on Korean Formats — On Format Trends and theHottest Format Properties” and “Asia’s Most Desirable Buyers — What Do They Want?” among others. Other highlights include a session offering an overview of TV content’s evolution with David McGregor of Ernst & Young (Australia), and another session that will showcase Asia’s version of ad-supported on-demand video streaming featuring Tommy Lee of SK Planet (South Korea). Last year’s opening ceremony for ATF and ScreenSingapore NBCUniversal’s Linfield Ng, Mei Ling Chong, Maria Hassouni, Shreya Kapdi, Joy Kaung, Amreet Chahal, Rajiv Dhawn, Mike Mendelsohn A+E Networks’ Catherine McGrath, Kerri Tarmey, Ling-Sze Gan
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