Tag: Media & Entertainment

Singapore – CNN’s head of Asia Pacific, Ellana Lee, has been elevated to the newly created global role of group senior vice president, general manager for APAC, and global head of productions, overseeing a brand-new team at CNN that will handle all aspects of multi-platform sponsored content at the network alongside her existing editorial responsibilities.

Effective immediately, Lee’s expanded role will see her guide a new global productions team, focused on developing and producing sponsored content across all platforms, and see the creation of new roles in the United States to strengthen and expand the existing Features team, currently based across Atlanta, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and London.

In a CNN career spanning 25 years, most recently as SVP, Managing Editor Asia Pacific, & Global Head of Features Content, Lee has pioneered its highly successful approach to feature content, including major initiatives such as ‘Call to Earth’.

Lee, as the most senior executive outside the United States, will continue to be based at CNN’s Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. As head of the Asia-Pacific region, she will also continue to shape CNN’s editorial output there, with overall responsibility for its slate of award-winning programming as well as its roster of correspondents and newsgathering teams across eight editorial operations.

Mike McCarthy, managing editor at CNN Worldwide, said, “Under Ellana’s leadership, our Features team has consistently innovated, delivering award-winning, multi-platform, editorially robust and engaging feature content that has attracted commercial partnerships with some of the world’s most dynamic and successful brands.  She will now bring that experience, creativity and skill to bear across the network, working in tandem with our digital, TV, product, programming, marketing, communications, and commercial teams globally.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Star Media Group Berhad has promoted Lydia Wang as its new chief operating officer, effective 1 March 2025.

Lydia brings with her over 30 years of experience across diverse industries, including finance, retail, telecommunications, and education, with the last 11 years dedicated to SMG. Prior to her promotion, she served as SMG’s chief revenue officer, where she played a key role in driving corporate growth and leading business transformation initiatives. 

She is also the founder of the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium (AEPIC), the first of its kind in Asia, which unites media leaders from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to champion sustainability through media. 

Additionally, she has been serving on the Council of the Malaysia Digital Association (MDA) since 2020 and will continue her tenure through 2026, advocating for digital transformation and innovation within the industry. 

Speaking on her promotion, Lydia said, “I am honoured to take on this role at such a pivotal time for Star Media Group. As the media landscape continues to evolve, I look forward to working closely with our talented teams to drive innovation, enhance operational efficiencies and unlock new growth opportunities. Together, we will build on SMG’s strong legacy, deepen audience engagement and deliver greater value to our stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, Chan Seng Fatt, CEO at Star Media Group, commented, “We are pleased to announce Lydia’s appointment as chief operating officer, a role that capitalises on her extensive experience and strategic acumen. Her leadership will be instrumental in driving SMG’s growth path, strengthening revenue diversification and unlocking new avenues for expansion. With a focus on operational efficiency, disciplined cost management and profitability, she will spearhead innovation, amplify value creation and reinforce SMG’s position.”

He added, “Her appointment underscores SMG’s commitment to innovation, operational excellence and business growth, ensuring the Group remains at the forefront of an evolving media landscape.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – KC Global Media has appointed Lee-Asha Dukhie as its new director and head of digital marketing. She will be responsible for overseeing all digital marketing efforts, working closely with Serious Media, the company’s marketing agency, to shape the company’s digital strategy across the organisation’s social media platforms, and digital properties.

With years of experience in advertising sales and marketing for both digital and print media, she will be at the forefront of driving innovative digital campaigns, expanding KC Global Media’s digital footprint, and connecting with audiences across digital and social platforms. 

Combined with a degree in psychology, this unique blend of expertise enables Dukhie to analyse audience behavior, anticipate trends, and design strategies that effectively connect with viewers on a personal level. 

George Chien, co-founder, president and CEO of KC Global Media, said, “We’re excited to welcome Lee-Asha to the team. We spent the past couple of years stabilizing our linear business and now is the right time to have dedicated resources focusing on our digital and social platforms. Lee-Asha brings a wealth of expertise in digital growth, content strategy, and audience engagement, which will be instrumental in advancing our digital marketing efforts and ensuring our content resonates with audiences in the region. Bottomline, she will ensure we are relevant.” 

He added, “We are also thrilled to extend our successful partnership with Serious Media as we look to expand our marketing efforts. The addition of a new director and head of Digital Marketing and the strengthened partnership with Serious Media mark important milestones for KC Global Media as the company continues to enhance its global presence and lead in the entertainment industry.”

Lee-Asha’s appointment follows the recent launch of KC Global Media’s distribution arm as an effort to expand its content sales and partnerships beyond the region. Through this, the company reaffirms its dedication to storytelling, showcasing culture, and contributing to global entertainment’s future. As part of its launch, KC Global Media partnered with production companies Mocha Chai Laboratories, Empire of Arkadia, and Monochromatic Picture.

The company had also 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.

Singapore – A new report from MAGNA has indicated that global media owners’ ad revenues have reached US$933b in 2024, seeing up 10% in increase in line with mid-year expectations. For the media owners, the growth is driven by a combination of factors including cyclical events, digital innovation, and industry shifts.

Traditional media owners (TMO), encompassing television, radio, publishing, out-of-home, and cinema, saw a remarkable 4% increase in ad revenue, reaching US$274b. This marks the strongest performance in 14 years, excluding the post-COVID recovery of 2021. Key factors contributing to this growth include a record number of cyclical events like elections and major sporting events, as well as a 12% surge in non-linear ad sales, particularly ad-supported streaming, which now accounts for 25% of total TMO ad revenue.

Meanwhile, digital pure players (DPP), including search, retail, social, and short-form digital video, experienced even more substantial growth, with ad sales increasing by 13% to US$659b. This growth was fueled by strong performance in search/commerce ad formats, short-form video, and social media. Organic growth factors such as increased competition in e-commerce, the rise of retail media networks, advanced AI targeting, and improved monetization of short vertical videos further propelled DPP growth.

While the global ad market experienced a strong first half, growth slowed in the second half. However, the US market remained the largest, accounting for US$380b, followed by China at US$155b. Key dynamic markets in 2024 included France, the US, India, and the UK, while growth was more subdued in Japan, Canada, China, Germany, and Australia.

Industry-wise, CPG/FMCG, Government, Betting, and Finance were among the fastest-growing verticals, while Tech recovered and Travel slowed down. In 2025, MAGNA expects Auto, CPG, and Tech to be dynamic sectors.

Moreover, the ‘Big Three’ digital media owners, Google, Meta, and Amazon, continued to outperform the market, with ad revenue growth of 11%, 22%, and 21%, respectively. Their combined market share reached 51% of global ad revenue and 61% outside of China.

Looking ahead to 2025, the report forecasts the global ad market to grow by 6.1%, approaching the trillion-dollar mark.

Vincent Létang, EVP of global market research at MAGNA, said, “The strong growth of advertising spending in 2024, despite a challenging economic environment, was of course driven by an unusually high number of major cyclical events but, more fundamentally, media innovation is what attracts a growing share of marketing budgets into advertising formats.” 

He added, “Digital pure-play ad formats (search, retail search, social and short form video) are fueled by the rise of commerce media redirecting billions of dollars from trade marketing into digital formats. The growing reach of ad-supported CTV streaming makes cross-platform long-form video more attractive to advertisers as it now offers scale on top of addressability and brand safety. With no major cyclical drivers in 2025, MAGNA expects ad spend growth rates to slow, but the organic factors will remain at work, stabilizing TMO ad revenues, and growing DPP ad sales.”

Singapore – Sony Group is reportedly in talks to buy Kadokawa, the Japanese media conglomerate giant, according to a recent report from Reuters. In it, two sources familiar with the matter confirmed ongoing talks between the two parties.

The report also notes that should the talks be successful, a deal can be signed in the coming weeks.

Should the deal proceed, this will make Sony the handler of a large chunk of Japanese media offerings on a global scale, which encompasses physical and digital publications, game development, animation studios, as well as other related overseas subsidiaries and owned entities.

In 2021, Sony’s anime distribution service Funimation completed the acquisition of fellow anime streaming service Crunchyroll from global telco network AT&T for a disclosed amount of US$1.175b.

Since then, the company has expanded its reach to more markets globally, including in Asia-Pacific. Earlier this year, Crunchyroll made its move in Indonesia to launch a localised campaign to celebrate more localised content for Indonesian anime fans.

In a recent exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Akshat Sahu, senior director of marketing for APAC at Crunchyroll stated then that the platform’s expansion is in response to growing appetite for anime content in region–albeit to increasing competition from other streaming platforms–local and international.

“We’re ramping up our expansion to meet this demand by bringing fans closer to the anime they love. Our aim is to create a localised experience that caters to the unique cultural and consumption preferences of each market. By expanding further into Southeast Asia, we aim to provide fans with seamless access to an extensive collection of anime and introduce them to new and exciting titles at the same time as they stream in Japan,” he said.

Manila, Philippines – Media company ABS-CBN has announced the retrenchment of 100 of its employees, accounting for the company’s 3% of its workforce.

The company has confirmed said news to MARKETECH APAC when reached out, citing the global decline in pay TV business, as well as the TV industry being hurt by lower consumer spending translating into lower advertising spends.

“We are committed to providing those affected with full benefits and support, and are deeply grateful for their many years of service to the company and to the public,” ABS-CBN said in a press statement.

Nonetheless, ABS-CBN has highlighted how its TV ratings continue to improve, as well as its film studio Star Cinema producing two box office-hitting titles ‘Unhappy for You’ and ‘Rewind’. 

It has also highlighted that its music business has gotten a strong boost from the popularity of girl band BINI–which has been notable lately for their brand collaborations with local brands like Jollibee, Modess, Surf, Sunsilk, amongst others.

ABS-CBN has struggled to maintain its revenue since its franchise on free TV and radio has been revoked by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Following that, the network has laid off more than 4,000 employees as it affected multiple verticals of the media company.

In 2023, its radio channel TeleRadyo also ceased operations, with its 630 kHz frequency taken over by a new ‘TeleRadyo Serbisyo’ done in partnership with ABS-CBN and Prime Media Holdings.

The media industry in the Philippines has been experiencing difficulties as well, which resulted in shutdowns like of CNN Philippines in January this year.

Australia – National public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has unveiled a refresh brand design for ABC News, including the return of its iconic news theme which was used from 1986 to 2005–now back in an updated arrangement and remix.

A redesign led by ABC in-house creative teams has created a brighter and more varied audience experience, with an expanded colour palette and a wider range of typefaces creating a more modern and engaging experience for audiences. 

Moreover, the new graphic design incorporates shapes that are direct traces of the broadcaster’s master logo, the ABC Lissajous. ​The ABC NEWS logo also changes from black-and-white to a vibrant blue background that is more impactful and appealing on digital as well as broadcast.

Justin Stevens, ABC director of news, said, “We’re delighted to introduce an updated look and experience for the public however and whenever they use ABC NEWS across any platform. The new design is impactful and appealing for audiences and gives us a consistent look across all platforms. Our audience accesses our journalism across all platforms and mediums and the design needs to reflect that.”

He added, “The upgrade to the web and app improves the experience for users and adds features to let them personalise their news service. I’m thrilled to welcome back the iconic ABC NEWS theme. It captures the excitement and passion everyone in ABC NEWS has for news and current affairs.”

Meanwhile, The updated website goes live for all users from 6am AEST Monday with upgrades to the ABC NEWS app also to be rolled out soon.

“Our product and technology teams developed the new experience to relate to all Australians and showcase a breadth of content using modern design and engineering practices,” said Damian Cronan, chief digital and information officer at ABC.

He added, “We’ve modernised the digital experience for ABC News with a strong focus on personalisation so our diverse audiences can now get the breaking news and stories that are most relevant to them.”

In terms of the revamped news theme, the original theme was composed by Sydney arranger and keyboard player Tony Ansell and Peter Wall.

“I’m delighted it’s coming back – I think it’s our best work,” Peter said. “Many people grew up listening to it and it’s wonderful new audiences will now also be able to discover it. Tony’s arrangement and Dick Montz’s piccolo trumpet have really stood the test of time.”

“Peter and Tony’s composition is really quite brilliant,” David said. “The genre of ‘news theme’ is highly stylised. It has to have solidity and trustworthiness, suggest something important is coming and give a sense of immediacy and urgency. Their composition is a piece of music that has depth and power very rarely heard in other news themes.”

Singapore – SPH Media has announced its recent revamp of its brand identity, in an aim to better reflect its evolution and ambition as a relentless creator of quality content and experiences, amidst the changing media landscape.

The brand refresh is another milestone for SPH Media’s transformation journey, on digitalisation, audience engagement and talent development, which started two years ago. Throughout the journey, it remained steadfast in its mission to be the trusted source of news on Singapore and Asia.

The refreshed brand includes a new logo that pays tribute to SPH Media’s heritage while capturing the company’s progression. The logo stands for the importance of giving a voice to Singapore and to all those who call Singapore home, while inspiring conversations and providing quality content to enhance the lives of the audience. 

The logo incorporates elements such as the Symbol which reflects SPH Media’s pursuit of quality journalism and content creation, representing the narratives that reflect the identity of individuals and communities. The bold curves, open design of the logo and the choice of colour – harmony blue, come together to evoke a sense of vibrancy, inclusiveness and adaptability. 

Another asset in the SPH Media brand revamp is the so-called ‘The Symbol’, which serves as a secondary graphic, and highlights the significance of the representation, communication, and conversation to the ongoing richness and diversity of Singaporean culture.

Fen Peh, head of corporate marketing and communications at SPH Media, shares, “We are excited to unveil SPH Media’s refreshed brand, a testament to our commitment as the relentless creators of content and experiences. The revitalised visual identity highlights our ongoing dedication to impactful storytelling and providing platforms for essential narratives. The brand refresh also aligns with our transformation journey amidst a highly competitive media landscape, as we continue to evolve our portfolio of news, entertainment and lifestyle media to engage our audience.”

The refreshed brand officially launches today, and will be supported by a social media campaign that will take audiences on SPH Media’s journey from its past to the future, familiarising them with the stories told and SPH Media’s brand identity.

Singapore – Vice Media Group has announced that it will cease publishing new content on its main news site Vice.com, as well as announcing more layoffs across its staff, according to an internal memo Bruce Dixon, group CEO at Vice Media Group, sent out across its employees.

According to the memo, Vice Media will look into partnering with established media companies to distribute their digital content, including news, on their global platforms, as the company fully transitions to a studio model.

“After careful consideration and discussion with the board, we have decided to make some fundamental changes to our strategic vision at Vice. We create and produce outstanding original content true to the Vice brand. However, it is no longer cost-effective for us to distribute our digital content the way we have done previously,” Dixon said.

While he did not specify how many employees, Dixon said that the company will be ‘eliminating several hundred positions’. He also noted that Refinery 29, Vice’s standalone website focused on young women stories, will remain as a standalone business. The memo did not mention, however, on the current standing of Virtue, Vice’s in-house creative agency.

“I know that saying goodbye to our valued colleagues is difficult and feels overwhelming, but this is the best path forward for Vice as we position the company for long-term creative and financial success. Our financial partners are supportive and have agreed to invest in this operating model going forward. We will emerge stronger and more resilient as we embark on this new phase of our journey,” he added. 

The company had previously announced bankruptcy earlier in 2023, and was acquired by investment companies Fortress Investment Group, Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital for US$350m. Prior to this, it had also announced several layoffs, including the entirety of its newsroom team in Asia-Pacific.

Aside from Vice Media Group, the media industry has been taking a hit this year, with media entities such as Time, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Forbes, and Business Insider all announcing staff reductions earlier this year. In APAC, CNN Philippines recently shut down due to financial losses, effectively laying off its entire workforce.

Manila, Philippines – Coconuts, a regional alternative media company, has announced that it is shutting its online publishing operations by the end of this year, citing difficulties in keeping the media business being financially stable.

In an update article posted by Byron Perry, founder and chairman of Coconuts Media, he said that while its online component will be shut down, its BK Magazine, Soimilk, and Grove brand studio will continue operating. Moreover, the online publication will still remain up as an archive for online readers.

Perry reflects on the fact that despite all of the numerous journalism and entertainment awards they have won, these editorial and audience achievements have not converted into commercial success for the publication. Nonetheless, they are thankful to their readers, and hoped that their core mission of informing and entertaining its readers had been achieved over the span of 12 years.

“I also personally want to thank all of the staff – past and present – who have put so much time, effort, drive, creativity, and intelligence into making Coconuts great. I am truly grateful for your service and I wish you the best in your careers,” he said.

Coconuts was first launched in 2011, and serves readers in the Southeast Asian cities of Bangkok, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bali and Yangon. It previously had a two-year deal with Filipino media company ABS-CBN back in 2015 to allow both media entities to exchange news, features and video content on their respective platforms. In 2021, Coconuts Media had acquired BK Magazine, a Bangkok-based print and online lifestyle magazine.

Coconuts’ closure follows a worrying slew of media closures and layoffs, including VICE, which axed its entire APAC newsroom team back in April following the company’s declaration of bankruptcy.