NEWS
Blue Ant Media ramps up APAC biz; Jon Penn leads the return based in Sydney with Jason Soh in Singapore
14 September 2023
Canada's Blue Ant Media is ramping up its APAC business, appointing former BBC/Fremantle boss Jon Penn to lead the return as Asia Pacific managing director out of Australia, with former Warner Media/Disney exec Jason Soh as VP of distribution, Asia, based in Singapore.
The new team will oversee the combined distribution of content and channel brands, including Blue Ant's portfolio of FAST channels, as well as production in Australia and co-production in the region, the Toronto-based company said this morning.
The refresh comes three years after Blue Ant Media sold its Asian linear channels – including Blue Ant Entertainment and Blue Ant Extreme – to Ward Platt's Rock Entertainment Holdings in 2020.
Blue Ant, which acquired the two entertainment channels from RTL Entertainment in 2017, retained Love Nature, which was distributed in Asia Pacific by Rock Entertainment.
The Blue Ant Media channels include Love Nature and FAST channels such as Nature Time, HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets, Total Crime and HistoryTime.
The Asia Pacific expansion aligns with the company’s decision to merge production and distribution operations with marblemedia into a unified studio and rights business.
“Both announcements point to Blue Ant Media’s long-term global growth strategy, which includes scaling its creative production capacity and establishing new and stronger partnerships with streamers and broadcasters around the world,” the Toronto-based company said.
Penn reports to Carlyn Staudt, head of commissioning, global media & general manager, Love Nature, and Mark Bishop, co-president of Blue Ant Studios.
Soh is responsible for content sales and leading distribution of Love Nature as well as developing Blue Ant Media’s FAST channel portfolio in Asia.
Nick Solowski, senior director, international sales & acquisitions, reports to Penn for China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Morgan Jacobson joins Penn’s team in Sydney as senior specialist, programming and affiliate marketing for APAC.
Blue Ant holds a stake in Singapore-based global production house, Beach House Pictures.
Related stories:
▶ 16 August 2021: Rock Entertainment drops Blue Ant branding; relaunches two flagship Asia channels
▶ 14 January 2020: Asia’s pay-TV industry takes cover, braces for tough 2020
▶ 14 November 2017: Beatrice Lee takes over Blue Ant Media Asia
Canada's Blue Ant Media is ramping up its APAC business, appointing former BBC/Fremantle boss Jon Penn to lead the return as Asia Pacific managing director out of Australia, with former Warner Media/Disney exec Jason Soh as VP of distribution, Asia, based in Singapore.
The new team will oversee the combined distribution of content and channel brands, including Blue Ant's portfolio of FAST channels, as well as production in Australia and co-production in the region, the Toronto-based company said this morning.
The refresh comes three years after Blue Ant Media sold its Asian linear channels – including Blue Ant Entertainment and Blue Ant Extreme – to Ward Platt's Rock Entertainment Holdings in 2020.
Blue Ant, which acquired the two entertainment channels from RTL Entertainment in 2017, retained Love Nature, which was distributed in Asia Pacific by Rock Entertainment.
The Blue Ant Media channels include Love Nature and FAST channels such as Nature Time, HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets, Total Crime and HistoryTime.
The Asia Pacific expansion aligns with the company’s decision to merge production and distribution operations with marblemedia into a unified studio and rights business.
“Both announcements point to Blue Ant Media’s long-term global growth strategy, which includes scaling its creative production capacity and establishing new and stronger partnerships with streamers and broadcasters around the world,” the Toronto-based company said.
Penn reports to Carlyn Staudt, head of commissioning, global media & general manager, Love Nature, and Mark Bishop, co-president of Blue Ant Studios.
Soh is responsible for content sales and leading distribution of Love Nature as well as developing Blue Ant Media’s FAST channel portfolio in Asia.
Nick Solowski, senior director, international sales & acquisitions, reports to Penn for China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Morgan Jacobson joins Penn’s team in Sydney as senior specialist, programming and affiliate marketing for APAC.
Blue Ant holds a stake in Singapore-based global production house, Beach House Pictures.
Related stories:
▶ 16 August 2021: Rock Entertainment drops Blue Ant branding; relaunches two flagship Asia channels
▶ 14 January 2020: Asia’s pay-TV industry takes cover, braces for tough 2020
▶ 14 November 2017: Beatrice Lee takes over Blue Ant Media Asia
▶ 31 July 2017: Canada’s Blue Ant Media acquires RTL CBS Entertainment Networks
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