Less than a year after launching its new Asia Pacific sales hub, Blue Ant Media has bolstered its foothold in the dynamic APAC region with a multi-faceted team with a special focus – partnerships. 

“We’ve entered into the Asia Pacific market with a combined channel distribution and content sales unit dedicated to serving this region, which really sets us apart as multi-offering partners. Focusing on customized packages that serve the needs of our partners is our strategic way of offering a wide spectrum of content solutions that can include channel deals, formats, branded programming blocks and content,” says Jon Penn, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Blue Ant Media, based in Sydney, Australia. 

The leadership team, which also includes Jason Soh, VP of Distribution, Asia and Nick Solowski, Senior Director, International Sales & Acquisitions, oversees the carriage of Blue Ant’s portfolio of channels across more than 50 platforms and services content licensing relationships with dozens of broadcast and digital buyers in the Asia Pacific region. Blue Ant Media’s global branded channels include the Love Nature brand and a portfolio of FAST channels, including NatureTime, HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets and Love Drama. 

Blue Ant’s distribution catalogue includes over 7,500 hours of premium content and a variety of genres including natural history and wildlife, true crime, factual entertainment, history, lifestyle, paranormal, scripted and kids & family. The breadth and variety of content available for licensing and Blue Ant’s unique position in the industry as distributor, channel operator and producer, gives the team the ability to offer aid to clients who are looking for a one-stop solution for their scheduling needs.

Stand out examples of available titles that offer premium access-driven programming include: Silk Road From Above (3x60 mins) An exhilarating aerial adventure along the world’s most renowned trade route, All-Round Champion (54x60 mins) which follows teen athletes who step outside of their own comfort zones and compete against each other in their rivals’ sports and Brink of Disaster (3x120 mins or 6x60 mins), a series that examines just how devastating natural disasters can be, and explores how the latest science and technology can help. 

Tapping into all pillars of the business also allows Blue Ant’s Asia Pacific team to collaborate with platforms and maximize programming solutions, such as pre-packaged channel opportunities and exclusive premieres of highly in-demand finished programming.

“As part of our channel offering, we create turn-key programming events and promotional tool kits that amplify audience discovery and tune-in for our platform partners,” says Penn. For example, this April Love Nature is offering a one-week programming event to align with Earth Day that also includes on-air promotions and a promotional digital strategy. 

Love Nature in particular is a special example of how Blue Ant can offer collaborative multi-prong content deals. In addition to the channel, the brand’s award-winning original series and documentaries are available internationally for licensing and windowing. Some of the latest original natural history content that will resonate with audiences across Asia Pacific includes: Airborne (4x60 mins), a visually stunning series that gives viewers a true bird’s-eye view of airborne birds and animals that fly, glide and leap through the air; Macaque Island (3x60 mins), which follows the stories of three distinct tribes of long-tailed macaques in Singapore’s stunning hilltop forest, while simultaneously investigating how they are thriving amid Singapore’s growing urban population; and Evolution Earth (5x50 mins), a breathtaking series that reveals astounding ways wildlife at the front lines of climate change are adapting to their environments. 

Brought to you by Blue Ant Media. Published in ContentAsia's 8-21 April 2024 eNewsletter