PASSION DISTRIBUTION EXPANDS CONTENT REACH IN ASIA
29th November 2013 - Passion Distribution has made a raft of sales into Asia in the lead up to ATF, at both a pan level and within individual territories. Passion has licenced over 430 hours of programming across Asia in the last quarter.
Philippines/Hong Kong/Korea
Scripps Networks International (SNI) programming has proved popular in Asia. In the Philippines, Creative Programs Inc. licenced all three seasons of the cooking series BRUNCH @ BOBBY’S (Season 1-3: 35 x 30’) and INTERNATIONAL OPEN HOUSE (8 x 30’). In Hong Kong, Now TV acquired all three season of HOOK, LINE & DINNER (Season 1-3: 29 x 30’) and TVB picked up HOME STRANGE HOME (16 x 60’). Produced for HGTV by AMS Pictures, Inc. HOME STRANGE HOME is the brand new property series that takes viewers inside some of the strangest, wackiest and most unusual homes on the planet, including an artist’s playground and a spaceship house. Licencing for its Olive Channel in Korea, CJ E&M picked up the seventh season of the SNI show CUPCAKE WARS (Season 7: 14 x 60’) after successfully running previous seasons.
China/Japan
In China, LIC has picked up Pioneer Productions’ documentary series WEATHER THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (9 x 30’) which was produced for Weather Channel, as well as the Waddell Media produced HOW BRUCE LEE CHANGED THE WORLD (1 x 90’ or 2 x 60’). Also licencing for China, Phoenix has picked up the SNI home makeover show RENOVATION RAIDERS (8 x 60') and New China Media licenced the SNI property show YOU LIVE IN WHAT? (14 x 60’). Royal Seal signed a deal for Pioneer Productions’ biographical documentary HOW STEVE JOBS CHANGED THE WORLD (1 x 60’) for Chinese channel JINZHOU TV. In Japan, NTV has picked up KIDNAPPED BY THE KIDS (10 x 60’) which was produced by Love Productions for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.
India
NDTV Good Times, India has just signed a large package deal of Passion titles including the brand new cooking competition show CUTTHROAT KITCHEN (13 x 60’), CUPCAKE WARS Season 7 (14 x 60’), 8 (13 x 60’) & 9 (13 x 60’), MAGIC MAN (8 x 30’), SANDMASTERS Season 2 (13 x 30’) and WHAT WOULD BRIAN BOITANO MAKE? (Season 1-2: 14 x 30’), all of which are Scripps Networks International shows. Indian broadcaster A+E Networks TV18 picked up the SNI show BAGGAGE BATTLES Season 2 (14 x 30’) and the two hour UKTV DYNAMO SPECIALS (2 x 60’) to accompany the TX of the fourth season of DYNAMO: MAGICIAN IMPOSSIBLE (Season 4: 4 x 60’) on its HISTORYTV18 channel. National Geographic Channel picked up the Mentorn Media show MONSOON RAILWAYS (1 x 90’ or 2 x 60’) for its feed into India. Also licencing for its India feed, Discovery Networks has picked up the third season of AN IDIOT ABROAD (Season 3: 3 x 60’), which is a Risk and Me & You production for Sky 1.
Pan
On a pan level, LiTV agreed terms for the SNI shows I BOUGHT A FAMOUS HOUSE (1 x 60’) and the sixth season of DESIGN STAR (Season 6: 10 x 60’). For its pan-Asia feed, Sundance Channel has licenced THE WRITERS’ ROOM (6 x 30’) and DREAM SCHOOL (6 x 60’), both originally produced for Sundance Channel in the U.S. More pan deals include Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia’s licence of CUPCAKE WARS Season 8 (13 x 60’) and AETN All Asia’s licence of BAGGAGE BATTLES Season 3 (13 x 30’). Finally, for its pan-Asia feed, Discovery Networks has picked up A. Smith & Co. Productions’ show JOE ROGAN QUESTIONS EVERYTHING (6 x 60’) and THE MOTORBIKE SHOW Season 2 (6 x 60’), a HCA Entertainment production, after successfully running the first season.
Nick Tanner, Passion’s Sales Manager for Asia, said “On a pan-level and in individual markets, Passion continues to enjoy strong sales across a wide range of genres in Asia. We’re experiencing great traction in India as the demand for high end food, travel and entertainment programming increases. It’s fantastic to confirm new business with such a broad spectrum of clients ahead of ATF this December.”
For more information on Passion’s great programming, please visit ATF stand N14.
