If we thought formats in Asia last year were big, we’re looking at huge this year. According to our latest Formats Outlook, at least 260 local versions of regional/international formats aired in Asia – or were commissioned to air – in the 12 months to early August. If we stretch it a little to 3 September, we can include the first season of MasterChef Asia on A+E Networks Asia’s Lifetime and the first season of How Do I Look? Asia, which premiered on Diva Universal on 31 August. That’s on top of the third season of Asia’s Next Top Model on Fox International Channels’ (FIC) StarWorld, the first season of Asia’s Got Talent on Sony Pictures Television Networks’ AXN, the first season of Food Wars Asia on Food Network Asia and Scripps Networks Interactive’s first commission of House Hunters Asia from Endemol. And that’s only on the regional side.

In specific Asia markets, local broadcasters and production houses are adapting international formats and creating their own. Korea’s CJ E&M has 10 formats on our current leaderboard, including Friends Over Flowers. There’s Infinite Challenge and Where are We Going Dad?, also out of Korea. Star China Media is making inroads with a couple of titles, notably Sing My Song, which is being made in Vietnam. There’s a fast and furious search for local personalities with charismatic friends and drama-queen lives to feed the reality beast.

Broadcasters in Asia continue to embrace international properties. The Voice is everywhere: 12 local versions (including The Voice Kids) in the region since mid-2014. There’s Vietnam’s Next Top Model, now in season six and going strong, along with versions of the CBS Studios’ format in four other markets – Cambodia, China, Korea and India, where the first season premiered on MTV India/Viacom18 in July this year. Endemol Shine’s MasterChef is all over the place; together with MasterChef Junior, Asia is home to eight local series, nine if we include the regional edition. The Money Drop is another popular one; four versions in Asia (Cambodia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam) and Afghanistan.

At this time last year, we counted 151 formats on air or commissioned over four quarters, which means we’re looking at an increase of 72%. We have, admittedly, become better at counting, but there’s no denying that the region is up and rising. Is this the most formats being made locally ever in the history of Asian television? Maybe. We only started tracking in January 2014, so difficult to say for sure but we think so.

Is this the most money ever spent in the history of format licensing and production in Asia? Probably. Broadcasters and production houses don’t publicise their budgets, but ballpark numbers are not difficult to come by. Production budgets for regional formats are between US$2.5 million and US$3.5 million. Some do it for less. Anything more than that and commercial teams swallow hard. Except when it’s Asia’s Got Talent, and they either pale or turn green.

What we know for sure is that the effort being put into creating local versions of proven formats continues to rise. Is there sponsorship/advertising support in Asia for all this? Locally, it would seem there is. Regionally? Some say not enough. Everyone talks about how hard it is out there. Like last year, though, absolutely no one says it doesn’t need to be done.

This article first appeared in ContentAsia Issue 4, 2015, published in September 2015