Much has been made of TV networks customising content to meet local
needs and desires. The well-documented battle between the music
networks, MTV Asia and Channel V, is proof there is plenty of heat to
this debate.
But while the music channels continue to slug it out for top local
content and distribution partners, travel and adventure channels appear
unconcerned.
Discovery Channel Networks Asia, National Geographic Channel and AXN are
confident they can continue to grow loyalty and distribution without too
much customisation.
Young pretenders like Alive Networks have tried to break the mould and
adapt content to specific demographics in specific markets. Alive's
vision was to connect with Asian consumers through commissioned
programming.
However, funding for Alive proved insufficient and it was unable to
demonstrate its case as a pioneering model. Despite Alive's demise,
speculation is rife that others are looking to enter the travel space,
though none of this appears to concern existing players.
Discovery claims 25 per cent local versus 75 per cent international
programming over its three networks, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet
and Discovery Travel & Adventure, which launched in June this year. The
channel says it is looking to grow local production capabilities as it
aims to dedicate 10 per cent of Travel & Adventure programming in 2002
to locally-commissioned content. "We have put out a request to the local
production community for programming ideas," says Neville Meijers,
executive vice-president and managing director of Discovery Asia.
"First Time Film-makers is another example of our growing commitment to
local productions. We selected six film-makers from Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan, and are in the midst of
post-production for six half-hour films which will air in December.
"We are also in the final stages of negotiation on the launch of a major
co-production initiative that will see our level of local production
increase across all three channels," he adds.
On the other hand, National Geographic's content is 85 per cent
international, and Asia managing director Ward Platt sees little reason
to tamper with the formula. "Our audiences expect to see programming
about all parts of the world and not just their backyard," Platt says.
"We localise this programming principally through voice-over and
subtitling. We have Hindi, Mandarin and Thai voice-over and we have
Chinese, Korean and Malay subtitles.
"We create localised promos, idents and short-form vignettes for the
Taiwan, China and India markets, and we have commissioned a variety of
programming throughout the region on topics which include adventure,
marine life and environment and ecology."
NatGeo's top five markets are India, China, Taiwan, Korea and
Australia.
It claims to have close to full distribution in these markets, and as a
result is increasing on-ground activities "to help it become more of an
integral part of people's lives". Activities include hosting photo
exhibits for its roster of famed photographers, organising environmental
programmes and putting on local adventure races.
However, the criteria used for selecting programming for all markets
remains generic. "We will never have as much locally-commissioned
content as Channel V or MTV," says Platt. "Our viewers expect to find
programming about our world and beyond. We will localise further by
introducing local hostings for some of our event programming."
Event programming in Asia for these networks is currently led by the
Action Asia Challenge series, which is featured on NatGeo, and the Eco
Challenge on AXN Asia. The latter sees it as a key vehicle to localise
content of the global franchise through the use of local presenters and
a local production house to focus on Asian participants.
"We want to add personality to the channel," says AXN Asia
vice-president of programming and acquisitions, Betty Tsui. "We won't go
the extreme of MTV and Channel V, but we will assess programmes on a
project basis, with an emphasis on expeditions and adventure." The stage
is set to challenge the theory that minimal local content is needed by
the networks even as competition heats up in the travel and adventure
space.
