The emergence of Asian economies is creating new export opportunities, but Zee International Business president Bharat Ranga (pictured) pointed out that better insights are needed into what global audiences are watching, and why.
ITV regional director James Ross added that broadcasters are no longer catering exclusively to Asian expatriates, but to a local audience with an interest in Asian culture, while Government-backed channels in the region are also becoming more aggressive in their attempts to export programming.
While factual and children's TV travel well, drama still poses problems for export, with the panel also agreeing that content is more important than the relevant distribution platform.
The Amazing Race Asia executive producer Michael McKay added that some programming simply does not translate - pointing to Hell’s Kitchen as an example of a show which may not be well-received in conservative Asian societies.
"There are lots of good opportunities to take ideas from Asia and sell them to the rest of the world," said Ross. "We can expect lots of great things from the region over the next 5-10 years."
