Fremantle’s “Family Feud” returns to Malaysia after more than a decade; incoming Asia EVP, Haryaty Rahman, seals Astro deal

Fremantle’s classic “Family Feud” returns to Malaysia in mid-2023 after an absence of about 15 years in a deal with the country’s dominant subscription platform, Astro.

Multiple language versions of the format – one of Asia’s most enduring properties – are being planned.

The number of different language versions has not yet been made public.

The new deal gives incoming Asia EVP, Haryaty Rahman, her first big win since the announcement of her promotion earlier this week.

Multiple seasons of the format aired on various free-TV/terrestrial channels in Malaysia, including TV3 and Ntv7, from the mid-1990s to 2009.

Versions of “Family Feud” have been produced in at least nine Asian countries, including China, India, Thailand, Philippines and Hong Kong. The Indonesia version, “Family 100”, is currently in its 10th season on MNCTV.

ITV Studios opens ATF day 2 with APAC sales of 1,000+ hours

ITV Studios opened day two of this year’s ATF market in Singapore saying it had sold 1,000+ hours of scripted and non-scripted shows, including pre-sales, to domestic and regional Asia Pacific markets.

The deals include “Nolly”, the three-part drama from BAFTA-winning writer Russell T Davies, which has sold to Pumpkin Film in China, Now TV in Hong Kong and TVNZ in New Zealand, and a renewal of the Korea Telecom output deal for scripted and non-scripted programming for the eighth consecutive year.

Hong Kong’s Now TV has also acquired wildlife series “A Year On Planet Earth”, which has also been picked up by PTS in Taiwan.

In Japan, TFC/Star Channel has licensed World Productions’ “Vigil”, which has also been picked up by Cineplex in Thailand for TrueVisions, along with series three of Tall Story Pictures’ “The Bay” and comedy series “Schitt's Creek”.

In India, four-part drama “Litvinenko”, starring David Tennant, has been acquired by Viacom18, with TVOD rights going to BookMyShow Stream, from BookMyShow, which has taken another eight titles, including “Karen Pirie”, “Our House” and “Bancroft”.

Broadcasters and platforms in Korea (KBS), Singapore (Mediacorp), India (Lionsgate Play) have also added ITV Studios’ titles to their line-ups in new acquisitions deals.

CBC/HBO Max’s “Sort Of” goes to Netflix in Malaysia, Singapore & Philippines

Netflix has acquired rights to CBC/HBO Max comedy, “Sort Of”, for Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines in a deal with U.K.-based Abacus Media Rights (AMR) announced today at the ATF in Singapore.

The deals were brokered by Still Road Media, co-founded in second half 2021 by A+E Networks’ former Asia Pacific director for international content distribution, Pooja Nirmal Kant.

The eight-part half-hour series is part of a raft of titles picked up by broadcasters in the region, including China’s Pumpkin Film and regional programmer, Rock Entertainment.

Other titles include mystery thriller “Deadline”, “Pulse”, “H.M. The Queen: A Remarkable Life” and “Philip: Prince, Husband, Father”.

Sienna Films’ “Sort Of” stars Sabi Mehboob (played by Bilal Baig), a fluid millennial who straddles various identities from sexy bartender at a LGBTQ bookstore/bar, to the youngest child in a large Pakistani family, to the de facto parent of a downtown hipster family.

The series was created by Baig and Fab Filippo (“Save Me”), who also serve as showrunners and executive producers.

Jetpack sells 269 half-hours in new Asia deals

Kids and family content distributor, Jetpack Distribution, opened day two of this year’s ATF in Singapore with a raft of sales to local and regional platforms, including Warner Bros Discovery and Disney.

The new deals involve 269 half hours shows such as “Mechamato”, “Dennis the Menace” and “Gnasher” for WBD’s Cartoon Network and Pogo across South Asia; “A Week to Beat The World”, “Spookiz The Movie” and “Spookiz” for Astro Malaysia; and “Paper Owls Ladybird & Bee” for Disney Japan.

Singapore’s Our Grandfather Story eyes original production for global streamers

Singapore-based Southeast Asian digital media publisher, Our Grandfather Story (OGS), today joined the flood of companies jostling for a share of global streamers’ production budgets formerly known as bottomless.

The original TV production for international streamers and networks will be run through OGS’ parent entity, Unfold Asia, launched today during the ATF.

The company said TV projects would be “backed by audience insights and creative expertise from its digital platforms” and that Unfold Studio and Animation – both part of the Unfold Asia umbrella – was in a “unique position to bring refreshing yet relatable content to international streamers and networks”.

Ng Kai Yuan, co-founder of OGS and Unfold Asia, said the company’s track record in “creating engaging yet meaningful works on social media, from YouTube to TikTok, will be an asset for streamers looking for fresh ideas that bring together the best of digital and television”.

What's inside...

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The 30-year Itch: What India’s Zee faces as it celebrates its 30th anniversary

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True story: Korea X Thailand and then what

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Story beats: Maker-Y EP Yossinee Na Nakorn

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Doctor in the house: Connie Macatuno and Teddy Sutthikulphanich on “Dr Foster” adaptations in the Philippines and Thailand

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