Tag: Entertainment

Singapore – KC Global Media Asia, announces a strategic expansion of its leadership team to further accelerate the company’s commitment to premium content and creative excellence. These include Denise Tham being promoted to vice president and head of programming and Sari Trisulo being appointed as vice president and head of production and creative.

Denise has been promoted in recognition of her instrumental role in driving the success of the company’s diverse content slate across Asia, including her support for Jennifer Lee, director of programming and research in Taiwan and Greater China. 

With over 16 years of experience across various English general entertainment Pay TV channels, Denise will continue to lead content strategy, acquisitions, and programming for KC Global Media’s channel brands including AXN, Animax, ONE, and its first FAST channel, KCM. She also oversees the programming for the recently launched AXN Sports, a premium sports block dedicated to live events including LIV Golf and Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL).

Meanwhile, Sari brings with her extensive experience in multi-platform storytelling. She will spearhead the company’s original productions, optimise content formats, and elevate KC Global Media’s creative direction to resonate with evolving viewer preferences across the region.

Both Denise and Sari will report to George Chien, co-founder, president, and CEO of KC Global Media. These leadership developments underscore the organisation’s adaptability in a dynamic industry, culminating in a fully empowered executive team following recent promotions and appointments within the revenue and marketing divisions.

Speaking on these leadership moves, Chien said, “Content is the heartbeat of our business, and these appointments reflect our dedication to creative leadership and programming excellence. Denise has been a driving force in shaping our programming vision, curating content for all channels, and forging strong collaborations with studios in Hollywood and beyond. Her deep expertise in content execution and scheduling has fueled innovative strategies that drive viewership and optimise ratings.”

He added, “We’re also thrilled to welcome Sari, whose storytelling expertise across broadcast, digital, and branded content will enhance our ability to connect with audiences in impactful, dynamic ways. With a strengthened executive team in place, we are poised to chart our next phase of growth.” 

Singapore – Viddsee has unveiled a new strategic framework that integrates its creative, strategic, and technological capabilities into a unified storytelling ecosystem. This evolution goes far beyond a visual refresh – it reflects a deliberate shift in how the company develops, delivers, and scales stories across Asia. 

By aligning its original content development with full-funnel marketing and platform innovation, Viddsee is positioned to create culturally resonant narratives that not only connect with audiences, but also drive performance-across branded campaigns and original IP alike. 

One of those capabilities is Viddsee Marketing, the company’s integrated marketing and advertising arm, offering full-funnel solutions that help brands connect with audiences through strategy, content, media, and performance. This includes everything from campaign planning and branded entertainment to influencer strategy, social content, and media activation – designed to drive results across Asia’s diverse digital landscape. 

Moreover, as part of this vertical, Nuggets by Viddsee is a social-first content offering that creates short-form, trend-responsive branded stories. Leveraging Viddsee’s storytelling expertise and IP sensibility, Nuggets delivers high-impact content built for today’s fast-moving, mobile-first environment. 

To accelerate this vertical, Viddsee welcomes David Koh as head of strategy, media & content and Lawrence Hu as associate creative director. David is a strategic leader with over 20 years of experience working with Samsung, Disney, Canon, and key government and education clients. Meanwhile, Lawrence has a creative with a portfolio spanning Standard Charted Bank, American Express, IKEA, Singapore Airlines, and TURTLETREE.

Other verticals include:

  • Viddsee Originals is the creative heart of the company – where ideas are imagined, developed, and scaled into stories that shape culture. More than just an IP development hub, this pillar defines how Viddsee approaches storytelling across mediums, formats, and audiences. 
  • Viddsee Reels is a key expression of this approach, built around the emerging genre of micro-entertainment. It brings together mobile-first audiences and Southeast Asian storytelling to test, scale, and deepen the emotional impact of micro-dramas all showcased through Viddsee’s platform, purposefully designed for the new era of storytelling. 

Moreover, the brand and website refresh comes as Viddsee continues its expansion across Southeast Asia. By aligning its offerings under a clear strategic framework, the company is doubling down on its role as a long-term creative and marketing partner – delivering culturally rich, performance-led storytelling at scale. 

Kenny Png, chief content officer at Viddsee, said, “This integration changes how we approach story development. It’s no longer just about making content – it’s about designing stories with emotional clarity and strategic intent, from the very first idea.”

Meanwhile, Christopher Cumming, managing director for Southeast Asia at Viddsee, commented, “With marketing veterans like Jay Murali leading operations in Malaysia, Venus Romsaitong growing our footprint in Thailand, and Lawrence and David now building our regionalmarketing muscle – we’re scaling with intent, and shaping culture through every story we tell. It’s not just about expansion. It’s about embedding strategic creativity into everything we do.” 

Japan – Globale entertainment giants Sony and Kadokawa have signed a strategic capital and business alliance agreement, agreeing to conduct a third-party allotment by Kadokawa to Sony on January 7, 2025, with Sony acquiring 12,054,100 new Kadokawa shares for approximately 50 billion yen. 

With the acquisition of the new shares, Sony will become Kadokawa’s largest shareholder, holding approximately 10% of its shares, including the shares Sony previously acquired in February 2021.

This officially confirms previous media reports related to Sony being interested in acquiring the entertainment giant, which specialises in Japanese media and entertainment offerings.

According to both parties, they intend to further strengthen their collaboration to maximise both companies’ IP value globally and facilitate wider and deeper collaboration, such as potential joint investments in the content field, joint discovery of new creators, and joint promotion of further media mixes of both companies’ IP. 

In the future, the two companies plan to discuss specific initiatives for collaboration, such as initiatives to adapt Kadokawa’s IP into live-action films and TV dramas globally, co-produce anime works, expand global distribution of Kadokawa’s anime works through the Sony Group, further expand publishing of Kadokawa’s games, and develop human resources to promote and expand virtual production.

Takeshi Natsuno, chief executive officer at Kadokawa said, “We are very pleased to conclude this capital and business alliance agreement with Sony. This alliance is expected to not only further strengthen our IP creation capabilities, but also increase our IP media mix options with Sony’s support for global expansion, allowing us to deliver our IP to more users around the world.”

He added, “We are confident that this will greatly contribute to maximising the value of our IP and increasing our corporate value in the mid- to long-term. We intend to do our utmost to ensure that our collaborative efforts with Sony produce great results in the global market.”

Meanwhile, Hiroki Totoki, president, COO and CFO at Sony Group, commented, “Through this capital and business alliance, we will become the largest shareholder of Kadokawa, which consistently creates a wide variety of IP, including publications and books, such as light novels and comics, as well as games and anime.”

He added, “By combining Kadokawa’s extensive IP and IP creation ecosystem with the strengths of Sony, which has promoted the global expansion of a wide range of entertainment, including anime and games, we plan to work closely together to realise Kadokawa’s ‘Global Media Mix’ strategy, aimed at maximising the value of its IP, and Sony’s long-term vision, ‘Creative Entertainment Vision.’”

Singapore – Regional entertainment hub KC Global Media Asia has announced a series of key promotions within its leadership team, designed to enhance strategic capabilities and drive revenue growth across the region. 

The promotions include Shirlene Wu as vice president and general manager for Taiwan & Greater China, Edith Goh as vice president of revenue and head of media and sponsorship sales, Bhuvnesh Kanwar as vice president of revenue and head of FAST (free ad-supported streaming television), and Bonnie Wiryani as vice president of revenue and head of content sales.

These announcements comes alongside the departure of Avani Bhanchawat, vice president and head of revenue, who has left the organisation after a seven-year tenure. All new leaders will be reporting directly to George Chien, co-founder, CEO and president of KC Global Media.

Shirlene will oversee the company’s strategic operations and content development, enhancing the organisation’s presence across the region. She has been an integral part of the KC Global Media team for eight years and during her tenure, she has made significant contributions including collaborating with tourism boards and government agencies on various projects as well as establishing a dedicated advertising sales team for Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Edith will be responsible for developing and executing innovative media and sponsorship initiatives while identifying and cultivating new revenue streams. Having been with KC Global Media for more than five years, she secured major sponsorship deals with key partners including One Championship for The Apprentice Asia – One Championship Edition, Tourism Authority Of Thailand and Tourism Malaysia, significantly contributing to the organisation’s growth and success.

Bhuvnesh will drive revenue growth in the streaming sector and oversee monetisation strategies across Indonesia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. He will also work to establish advertising sales opportunities in Singapore, Indonesia, and the pan-regional market. During his six-year tenure at KC Global Media, Kanwar was instrumental in creating branded IPs like Ultimate Challenge and AXN All Stars for both streaming and traditional TV, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesia. 

He has also established linear and on-demand partnerships with various telcos, OTT platforms and DTH providers, including Amazon Prime Video, Telkomsel, Pt Link Net, MNC Sky Vision and many more. Additionally, he was the key architect in launching KCM, KC Global Media’s first FAST Channel, in India.

Lastly, Bonnie will be responsible for driving content sales in Asia, and strengthening partnerships with key partners in Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia excluding Indonesia. Her focus will be on maximising opportunities in both traditional and emerging markets. Wiryani has been with KC Global Media for four years and has expanded the channels portfolio with key clients such as Tonton, Unifi TV in Malaysia, and MeWatch in Singapore. She has also led on-ground activations to enhance brand awareness and has launched the firm’s channels in new markets like Mongolia and the Maldives.

Speaking on the leadership promotions, Chien said, “We are committed to fostering talent and building a strong leadership team and are thrilled to recognise these talented leaders for their hard work and dedication. We are confident they will excel in their new roles and continue to drive the company’s growth ambitions in this dynamic media landscape.”

He added, “We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to Avani for her contributions and leadership during her time with us. Throughout her seven years with the company, she has been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s revenue strategies and driving significant growth. We sincerely thank her for that and wish her continued success in her future pursuits.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Astro has tapped Talon Creative to give the visually impaired a chance to experience the recently-concluded ‘Dari Mata Turun ke Hati’ drama series using an enhanced streaming experience for them.

Astro and Talon saw an opportunity to reach out to the visually impaired community and provide them with an enhanced streaming experience with the groundbreaking first locally produced Audio Description track for a Malay drama. This track provided verbal descriptors of the show, interwoven with the dialogue, allowing visually impaired viewers to experience the narrative of the show and fully immerse themselves in the content. 

For context, the drama series–a story adapted from Japan and brought closer to local culture–tells a story of Iris Sofea, a visually impaired young woman and Jai, a gangster, portrayed respectively by up and coming Malaysian stars in Arabella Ellen and Mierul Aiman. 

‘Dari Mata Turun Ke Hati’ is the first drama in Malaysia to introduce the Audio Description feature. 

As part of the initiative as well, it also translated into the creation of social media posts that mimicked the visually impaired Iris Sofea’s experience, giving the audience a glimpse into her world, bringing the visually impaired community and general public closer together.

Malaysia is home to some of the best local content, featuring high production quality and impeccable storytelling. Unfortunately, not all Malaysians are able to enjoy these home-grown stories, with over 400,000 Malaysians experiencing visual impairment, with 10-15% experiencing total sight loss.

Tai Kam Leong, chief sales and marketing officer at Astro, said, “As Malaysia’s leading media company, we believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to enjoy the magic of storytelling. Leaning into our technological expertise, we wanted to make our content more inclusive and accessible to all viewers, especially those with visual impairments. That’s why we’re excited to produce 480 minutes of the Audio Description track for Dari Mata Turun Ke Hati to enhance the viewing experience for our audience, thus contributing to a more equitable and inclusive entertainment industry.”

Meanwhile, Erman Basiron, creative director at Talon Creative noted “Working on this campaign for this show gave us insight into a point of view we never considered. How do the visually impaired experience life? How do they consume content and media? It wasn’t just about highlighting their plight; it was a real opportunity to give society a look into a completely different paradigm of life.”

Astro has continued to signal its intent of championing inclusivity. Past efforts have seen Astro collaborate with the Malaysian Association for the Blind during the month of Merdeka. The initiative brought Miss Nurin Amalin binti Ishak, a para-athlete who has been blind since she was 10 years old to feel the braille of the Malaysian flag. This enabled her to experience the flow of the flag, its story, colours, and elements. More importantly, it gave hope to the blind that they too can experience the full spirit of what a Merdeka celebration is.

Manila, Philippines – Pan-regional over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service Viu in the Philippines has kicked off its ‘Campus Connect: THE VIU UNIVERSITY INVASION’ initiative, an interactive campus tour designed to engage university students through a series of activities across Manila highlighting the diversity of Asian entertainment.

Said on-campus experience aims to bring Viu’s popular titles to students at Manila’s top universities, as well as enhance students’ daily routines by offering engaging experiences that introduce them to Viu’s diverse range of Asian entertainment. 

The event will kick off at the National University Mall of Asia Campus on September 25, 2024, coinciding with their NU MOA Talent Competition, and then continue to the Arellano University’s Legarda Campus on October 24, 2024, during the AU Showdown 2024.

The Viu Campus Connect event features a variety of engaging activities designed to captivate students and create memorable experiences. At the Viu Photo Corner, students can capture selfies and share them using the hashtags #ViuCampusConnect and #EnjoytheViu, as well as their school’s name. 

Moreover, students can also win rewards by participating in the Viu Pop Quiz, which will test their knowledge of Viu Dramas, and by joining the Viu Pick a Prize activity by liking and following Viu’s Facebook and Instagram pages. The ‘Man on Campus’ segment will offer spontaneous Q&A sessions and more surprises, keeping the excitement alive throughout the event.

Lastly, the event offers a refreshing break from academics with engaging activities, exclusive prizes, and a chance to join a growing community of Viu enthusiasts. Interested college students can follow Viu’s social media channels for updates on the tour schedule.

Singapore – Global gaming and entertainment company Ampverse Group has announced the appointment of a new board of advisors comprising distinguished global executives from the gaming, advertising, investment, technology, and media sectors. This strategic move accelerates Ampverse Group’s expansion and solidifies its position as a dominant force in the industry.

The new members of the advisory board include John Redgrave, Marcus John, Rohit Sharma, Oliver Woodley, Chirag Shah, and Gita Ramakrishnan. Together, they will propel Ampverse Group into its next phase of growth under the leadership of Ampverse CEO Charlie Baillie.

As the former vice president at Discord, Redgrave played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and success. He previously founded Lattice, which was later acquired by Apple and Sentropy which was sold to Discord. With a deep understanding of digital platforms and a keen eye for innovation, Redgrave brings invaluable expertise to Ampverse Group’s advisory board.

Meanwhile, for over 3 decades, John has advised Fortune 500 companies, federations, governments, and investors on major sports and entertainment investments, including the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and Formula 1. He is currently the CEO of Sports Capital Advisors and was formerly global head of sports of WPP’s MediaCom and managing director of IMG/Endeavor China.

As the former COO and board member of AnyMind Group, Sharma also founded POKKT, a mobile video advertising platform in India, SEA and MENA that has been backed by Investors such as JAFCO Asia, Jungle Ventures, Singtel Innov8 and GSF.

Meanwhile, Woodley is the global commercial director of Soho House Group and long-time investor into Ampverse, and also formerly held senior roles at VICE Media. 

For Shah, he is a seasoned entrepreneur, having co-founded several ad tech companies, including one acquired by Dentsu. He brings a wealth of experience in Gaming 360, scaling businesses, giving investment advice, and navigating complex markets. 

Lastly, Samakrishnan is a seasoned investor with over 20 years of experience in capital markets, excelling in both private and public equities with a top decile performance record. 

The combined expertise and global reach of this new board will be a driving force in Ampverse Group’s ambitious growth plans. These advisors bring unparalleled experience in digital innovation, strategic investments, and market expansion. Their insights and leadership will guide Ampverse Group in exploring new frontiers, enhancing its market presence, and fueling sustainable growth.

Charlie Baillie, CEO of Ampverse Group, said, “To build a remarkable company, you need a remarkable team. Since founding Ampverse Group in 2019, we’ve been fortunate to attract a world-class group of team members and investors. Looking ahead, we have huge global ambitions, and therefore I’m excited and honoured that such a distinguished group of leaders from the gaming, media, investment, technology, and advertising sectors share our vision and have agreed to join our newly formed advisory board.” 

Singapore – Supergiant, a new immersive experience, multimedia, and entertainment agency, has officially launched in Sydney, London, and Singapore. The agency is helmed by a collective of award-winning creatives, event planners, designers, and production experts.

The immersive experience agency was founded by former Imagination director Heath Campanaro, Heckler co-founders Will Alexander and Jamie Watson, and former Imagination creative director Simon Connell. 

Campanaro spent the past 20 years leading Imagination, where he and Connell orchestrated some of the most dynamic events nationwide. Joining forces with Alexander and Watson, whose globally awarded design and post-production studio Heckler is renowned for award-winning films, TV commercials, and experiential installations, they aim to create an entirely new kind of creative offering.

Supergiant combines design, VFX, entertainment, lighting, technology, and music to deliver culturally iconic projects and immersive experiences. For its debut project, the team worked on Glastonbury, providing large-format content design and production for three of the iconic music festival’s biggest stages.

The ‘Pyramid Stage’ and the ‘Other Stage’ showcased over 250 motion graphics packages designed by Supergiant in collaboration with the festival’s graphic artist, Stanley Donwood. Additionally, Glastonbury’s new Dragonfly installation (created by Arcadia Spectacular) and the ‘DJ Stage’ featured stunning 3D motion content for the Opening Ceremony with Fatboy Slim.

Supergiant also supported Australian immersive media studio Astral Projekt in collaboration with Barry McGuire, an Aboriginal Songman from the Balladong, Whadjuk, and Noongar nations, to tell the Dreamtime story of the dragonfly.

Speaking at the launch, Campanaro said, “Supergiant was founded to create the kind of experiences that we all love, crave, and rave about. To entertain people and to immerse them in design, music, light, technology, and ideas that create core memories.” 

“Simon and I have had a long and incredible creative partnership; however, partnering with Will and Jamie—who together at Heckler have created some of the world’s most exceptional art installations, music videos, live events, activations, and experimental performance pieces—we now bring a whole new level of artistry to Supergiant,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Alexander shared, “We’re excited to see the awesome potential of this partnership. Heath has an unrivalled reputation in the event industry, and he and Simon have delivered some of the biggest and most dynamic live experience projects on the planet. When you add the high-end artistry Jamie and I have built at Heckler, plus the depth of our teams across Sydney and Singapore, you get this multiplication effect that is really hard to beat. We know we’re on the cusp of something new and really exciting! ”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Global multi-media company KC Global Media has announced that it has teamed up with Tourism Malaysia to produce a new series called ‘Unfading Memoirs’, which will showcase Malaysia’s rich cultural tapestry and breathtaking landscapes. Moreover, said production will offer viewers a fresh perspective on the beauty of Malaysia through the lens of entertainment. 

The branded series will be shown on KC Global Media’s English-language general entertainment channel AXN Asia in July 2024 across Asia.

The collaboration between AXN Asia and Tourism Malaysia represents a multi-dimensional fusion of travel and entertainment. Launched across television and social media platforms, ‘Unfading Memoirs’ features beautifully curated experiences from different travellers’ perspectives, and aims to inspire audiences to advocate these extraordinary destinations. 

Through a series of user-generated content initiatives, viewers will be empowered to share their own travel experiences, further enriching the narrative of the unique destinations while having the opportunity to win exclusive trips.

Moreover, ‘Unfading Memoirs’ serves as a testament to the beauty of travel, inviting viewers on a captivating journey through Malaysia’s culinary delights, cultural heritage, and outdoor adventures. Hosted by renowned personalities and avid travellers, Justin Bratton and Selina Lo, alongside the charismatic food and travel enthusiast Erwan Heussaff, the mini-series promises an immersive and unforgettable exploration of Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak. 

This travelogue also seamlessly encapsulates the essence of these destinations, transcending conventional digital content by weaving together a diverse array of experiences into the ultimate travel compendium. Through the hosts’ uniquely AXN-inspired narratives, the series brings these locales vividly to life, offering a dynamic and accessible guide to exploration right at your fingertips.

George Chien, co-founder, CEO, and president of KC Global Media, said, “Partnering with Tourism Malaysia for ‘Unfading Memoirs’ is an honour for AXN Asia. Our commitment to promoting travel and adventure is deeply ingrained in our ethos, and this collaboration perfectly aligns with our mission to inspire wanderlust and cultural exploration – exemplifying our dedication to producing meaningful and engaging content that resonates with viewers across the region. We are excited to embark on this journey with Tourism Malaysia and look forward to creating more impactful projects together in the future.”

Meanwhile, Manoharan Periasamy, director general of Tourism Malaysia, commented, “Malaysia is a treasure trove of cultural diversity, natural beauty, and captivating experiences – for which we’re eager to showcase Malaysia’s unique charm to a wider audience, inviting travellers from around the globe to discover the wonders of our country. Together with AXN Asia, we’re committed to positioning Malaysia as a top travel destination, sharing the essence of Malaysia with the world and fostering meaningful connections through travel.”

United Kingdom – The commissioning team at BBC Studios Social is inviting independent producers of all sizes and backgrounds to propose unique short-form proposals. These concepts strive to broaden and improve existing intellectual properties (IP), captivate devoted fans, and capture the attention of new audiences across digital channels. 

The available production opportunities currently span multiple key brands in the BBC Studios Social portfolio and are available online. Regarding Kids & Family, commissioners are actively looking for fun activity-based material for the hit show Hey Duggee, as well as engaging concepts focused around cuisine and family-oriented entertainment for the internationally recognized Bluey franchise. Furthermore, suggestions targeting a younger demographic are welcomed for the digital-only humour program Funny Parts and the automotive Top Gear.

Regarding factual and unscripted programming, BBC Earth is actively looking for ideas that capture the wonders of nature in appealing ways that work for its new vertical channels. For BBC Earth Science, a wide range of concepts covering subjects including sustainability, space exploration, and the complexities of the human body are also being sought out. 

Chris Allen, director, digital content development at BBC, said, “In an increasingly competitive and fast maturing digital-first market, BBC Studios Social are committed to finding, developing, and partnering with the best independent producers and new talent globally. We love our world-class brands, and we’re super excited to share them with you to deliver new formats, new talent, and new ideas that are critical and commercial successes. Whether silly comedy sketches, or a mind-bending science documentary, we hope this will be the start of some beautiful creative partnerships.”