Malaysian Media Content Providers Have To Explore VOD Platform To Enter Japan's Content Market

By Rosemarie Khoo Mohd Sani and Sharifah Pirdaus Syed Ali KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysian media content providers have to explore the video on demand (VOD) platform if they want to penetrate into the Japanese content market. Senior Director, International Business of Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV) Mikiko Nishiyama said Japan's terrestrial television content was dominated by Japanese local productions, with limited slots given to foreign productions. "The slots on terrestrial TV are very competitive and are based on ratings as most Japanese prefer local content. "VOD platform like Hulu.com, widely known in Japan (similar to Netflix, iflix), does not require specific time slot and content providers could try to push their products here (Hulu.com). "Provided it is interesting and suitable for local viewers, the content has the potential to be accepted," she told Bernama on the sidelines of the 5th Asia Content Business Summit (ACBS) in conjunction with KL Converge! 2016 here Thursday. Nishiyama said there is potential for human interest drama laced with a bit of comedy as an interesting factor in Japanese content. On Nippon TV business venture in Malaysia, she said the company had been collaborating with Media Prima Bhd since 2013 through two travel programmes, promoting inbound tourism to Japan which depicted places and food in 2014 and 2015, respectively. This year, the collaboration entails outbound promotion featuring Japanese products in a Bahasa Malaysia comedy sitcom, co-starred by a Japanese actress and Malaysian actors. The programme, to be aired in November, was funded by the Japanese government in an effort to promote Japanese industry and enticing tourists. Besides that, Nishiyama said GEM TV Asia channel, owned by Nippon TV and Sony Pictures Entertainment, were also in talks with a Malaysian paid television platform to secure broadcasting for the channel in Malaysia. GEM TV Asia, the latest Asian entertainment channel from Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, offers first-run and exclusive dramas, comedies and variety shows from Nippon TV and other northeast Asian territories. --BERNAMA