formatswho’swho REGIONAL Asia’s Next Top Model S4/5 Networks Interactive Asia Pacific Date: Premiered 22 May 2016 Slot: Sundays, 6pm Length: 6x30 mins Produced by: Endemol Asia Original created by: Scripps Net- works Interactive U.S. Rights owner: Scripps The pitch: A search for the per- fect home How Do I Look? Asia S2 © 2016 Pottle Productions, Inc.. All rights reserved. “Asia’s Next Top Model” is a trademark of Pottle Productions, Inc. The Amazing Race Asia Is there life left in pan-regional formats? Yes of course there is. It’s not easy, the big ones aren’t cheap, and there’s a stronger focus as always on market-specific production. But Asia will continue to tap regional advertising dollars from market- ers with messages that span borders and want video entertainment vehicles with which to help spread them. Although 2016 marked the return of The Amazing Race Asia to AXN screens after a break of six years, the number of blockbuster pan-regional formats took a hit in 2016 compared to 2015. Back on air in 2016 were Asia’s Next Top Model season four for FOX Networks Group’s StarWorld and How Do I Look? Asia season two, for NBCUni- versal’s DIVA. There is no word yet on the return of either Asia’s Got Tal- ent or MasterChef Asia for second seasons, but both titles still seem to be in play. There was also no confirmation at presstime on a possible pan-regional version of Talpa’s The Voice. Mid- and low-cost productions will continue to draw attention, as will innovation such as Scripps Networks Interactive’s multi-faceted pan-regional deal with Panasonic that wraps multiple shows under one catchy concept, in this case “Love to Cook”. Perhaps the biggest shifts in the region’s formats environment during 2016 came from Endemol Shine Group Asia, all3media and FremantleMedia Asia, which shuttered its Singapore-based regional production unit for a stronger production focus in China, Indonesia and India, and expanded format licensing sales under Ganesh Ra- jaram as GM, FremantleMedia International Distribution Asia. Endemol Shine, meanwhile, moves into 2017 with a stronger com- mitment to 360-degree initiatives on the ground in Asia, an ongoing eye on co-developing shows it can take global, and high hopes for its joint venture with Korea’s CJ E&M. This kicked off in October with the debut of The Society Game at MIPCOM and in November 2016 with the first MasterChef dining experience in Singapore. all3media, which has until now operated its Asia business from Europe, has staffed up in Singapore and enters 2017 with enviable formats deals in Japan and a turbo-charged agenda for the region. all3media follows Keshet International, which set up in Asia a year ago with Gary Pudney at the helm out of Hong Kong and a “watch this space” on production expansion in other markets in Asia in 2017. So, yes, there is life left in pan-regional. It won’t look like the same as it used to, but it will draw breath, move around and contribute to original content creation across all platforms. And that’s a good thing. – Janine Stein 44 Genre: Reality modelling show Broadcast on: StarWorld/FOX Networks Group (FNG) Asia Date: 9 March-1 June 2016 (sea- son 4); Q1-2 2017 (season 5) Slot: Wednesdays, 8.45pm (sea- son 4), no details for season 5 Produced in Asia by: Season 4 produced by FremantleMedia Asia; season 5 by Refinery Media Rights/distributed in Asia by: CBS Studios International The Amazing Race Asia S5 Genre: Reality competition Broadcast on: Sony Pictures Tel- evision Networks Asia’s AXN Date: Premiered, Thursday, 13 Oct 2016; finale on 15 Dec 2016 Slot: Thursday, 9pm Produced by: Profiles Television, backed by format creators Ber- tram Van Munster/Elise Doganieri Rights: Disney/ABC Studios How did it do? Premiere episode (Thurs, 13 Oct, 9pm) beat Asia’s Got Talent (AXN, Mar 2015) in Singapore (up 26%) & Malaysia (up 33%). The premiere topped English originals in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines for 2016. In S’pore, AXN won the slot with a 38% share of English GE channels. In Malaysia, AXN had % share among 11 Eng- lish GE channels. (Source: Kantar Media Malaysia DTAM, Kantar Singapore/SG-TAM Pilot Data). House Hunters Asia Genre: Makeover reality show Broadcast on: Diva Date: Premiered 29 Aug 2016 Slot: Mondays, 8pm Length: 8x60 mins Producer: FremantleMedia Asia Rights: NBCUniversal Original created in: U.S. The pitch: Style-challenged participants get a new look What changed in season 2? Season two was led by original U.S. host Jeannie Mai, with guest stylists from Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia. Papa’s Kitchen Genre: Game show Broadcast on: Asia Food Channel Date: Premiered 17 Mar 2016 Slot: Thursdays, 10pm Co-produced by: Scripps Net- works Interactive (SNI) and Fuji TV The pitch: 10 celebrity dads com- pete in a cooking battle Others: Ratings from Kantar Media (Singapore) and Nielsen (Malaysia) put the series at #1 among English-language pay- TV audiences (Female 25-54 & PMEBs) in Singapore (7 Apr 2016, 10pm) and Malaysia (4-10 Apr 2016). Data from SNI Genre: Reality house hunt Broadcast on: HGTV Asia/Scripps contentasia issue six, december 2016