Vietnam, Thailand and China lead Asia’s formats market this year. The three markets account for a combined share of 49% (102 titles) of the total 208 shows on air, in production or commissioned for broadcast in 2017/2018, according to ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook for Q1 2017. The three markets also topped last year’s Q1 list, although their share has dropped from 53%.

ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook for Q1 this year puts Vietnam on top by volume of the 15 countries being tracked. Vietnam has 44 titles (21% of 208 titles), three titles down from last year’s 47 (Q1/2016: 24% of 193 titles). Titles this year include Asia’s first version of celebrity singing competition It Takes 2 (seasons 1 & 2) airing on VTV3 since February, as well as the long-running Who Wants to be a Millionaire Vietnam, which has been on air since 2005 and is currently in its 12th season.

Thailand is second by volume this year, with 30 titles (14.4% of 208 titles, three up from last year’s 27), including returning seasons of The Choice Thailand, Price is Right Thailand and Still Standing Thailand. Thailand ranked third in last year’s first quarter formats analysis, with 27 titles (Q12016: 14% share of 193 titles).

China dropped to third spot this year with 28 titles (13.5% of the total), only one less than last year, according to data provided by rights holders and distributors. This is despite some serious disruption to the business by regulations that mandate IP ownership rests with the Chinese party and a ban on all things Korean. We’re expecting co-development, a new generation of partnerships, and other creative deal-making to continue while the regulations are in place. Japan plays a significant role in drama adaptations in mainland China. Current activity is driven by Fuji TV formats, including A Restaurant With Many Problems China, Dating: What’s it like to be in Love? China and First Class China.

Cambodia retained both market share (11%) and fourth place position with 22 titles in Q1 this year, up one from last year’s 21 (11% of 193 titles).

The country with the biggest increase in the number of formats in Q1 is the Philippines, with six more titles (from 13 last year to 19), including new seasons of Bet On Your Baby, Cash Cab Philippines, The Money Drop Philippines and The Voice Kids Philippines.

Myanmar (seven titles, 3% share), Pakistan (one title, 0.5%) and Singapore (one title, 0.5%) are all level with Q1 last year.

Sri Lanka was included in this year’s Formats Outlook report with one title – Who Wants to be a Millionaire Sri Lanka season seven. The game show premiered in January this year on terrestrial station Sirasa TV.

Endemol Shine (47 titles, 23% share) and FremantleMedia (45 titles, 22%) were once again the two leaders in the region, separated by more than 20 titles from their closest rivals Talpa and Keshet International, with 20 titles (10% share) each.

Talpa came in with the biggest increase of all the companies tracked, up by 12 titles from eight to 20 shows this time last year.

Warner Bros and Keshet also grew significantly. Warner was up from two titles (Q1 2016: 1%) to 12 (6%) this year. Keshet, which set up its first Asia office in Hong Kong about 18 months ago, was up from nine (Q1 2016: 5%) to 20 (10%) this year.

Sony Pictures Television (seven titles, 3%), Dori Media (rights to two titles, 1%) and Globo (one title, 0.5%) have maintained their number of shows on air/commissioned this year from last year.

Published on ContentAsia's APOS Special, 19 April 2017