Television players across Asia are being tested in a big way as all-out efforts to contain Covid-19 continue. ContentAsia talked to more than 50 companies in 13 countries to track an industry in various forms of lockdown across Asia.

Philippines network GMA put heart into its soul when it formalised its “kapuso” values and culture 18  years ago. As the network celebrates its 70th anniversary, that heart is proving to be bigger than usual.  

GMA commissioned six of the total 16 formats on air/greenlit in 2019, giving it a share of 37.5% of the country’s formats market. The network was also behind the only scripted format in the Philippines for the year – a local version of Korean hit, Descendants of the Sun.  

Drama outstripped demand for every other genre – including anime – among viewers in Japan in Q4 2019. But it’s in anime that SVOD players are underserving domestic audiences, the latest data from Parrot Analytics shows.

The next few months for much of Asia’s television industry could be incredibly ugly, bar the opportunities for anyone with a commercial spot to sell to marketers of hygiene and wellness products, and with some pain-delay for streaming platforms, which are enjoying record lockdown-driven viewing b

“The shows we produce remain important and relevant,” Katigbak tells Senate committee