Bangkok--Oct 19--Total Quality PR
BVITV-AP Announces “The Amazing Race” Format Deal with AXN Asia - Set to Wow Over 76 Million Households
Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) and Sony Pictures Television International’s (SPTI) AXN Asia have announced that AXN Asia has acquired the rights to localize BVITV-AP’s three-time Emmy Award? winning reality-competition series The Amazing Race. AXN (Ch.19, UBC), the heart of action and adventure television, is the leading action and adventure channel in Asia.
“This is the first pan-Asia format deal for a reality-competition show and an excellent example of how great content can transcend geographies and cultures,” commented Steve Macallister, BVITV-AP’s senior vice president and managing director. “We are extremely pleased to bring to AXN’s challenge-driven audiences a uniquely Asian edition of The Amazing Race, which promises to highlight the region’s incredible energy and diversity. This is part of our ongoing strategy to provide our partners with localized content options in addition to offering them the best quality programs from the U.S.”
The U.S. version of The Amazing Race: Family Edition (Season 8) currently airs delayed live on AXN Asia every Wednesday evening at 9pm. AXN reaches more than 76 million Asian households across 23 Asian countries, including AXN's branded daypart programming in China.
“Each season of The Amazing Race has a reach of 16 million viewers across Asia through AXN, with a huge loyal following due to its outstanding ability to capture a sense of adventure. It is the dream of a lifetime for many of our viewers to be part of the show and we have received many written requests for AXN to produce an Asian version. So I am sure the decision to produce an Asian version that is made in Asia for Asians will receive a huge "wow" from our viewers. We are ecstatic to be the first channel to localize the show, and we have high expectations for the Asian version to achieve even greater success,” said Ricky Ow, general manager, SPE Networks - Asia.
The Amazing Race, which recently received its third consecutive Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality/Competition Program, reaches over 23 territories in Asia Pacific. In Australia, The Amazing Race has been hugely successful, winning its timeslot each week and in New Zealand, the Season 7 finale on TVNZ (TV2) posted strong ratings with a 48% share in P18-39.
For BVITV-AP, this agreement was negotiated by Joyce Yeung, executive director, and Maria Wong, sales manager. Betty Tsui, SPTI’s acquisitions executive and SPE Networks—Asia’s vice president programming & production, and Pamela Parker, SPTI’s vice president, business affairs & acquisitions, negotiated on behalf of SPTI.
ABOUT BUENA VISTA INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION — ASIA PACIFIC
Buena Vista International Television — Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) is the distribution arm of Walt Disney Television International — Asia Pacific (WDTV-AP), which is responsible for the licensing of The Walt Disney Company’s branded and non-branded programs across Asia Pacific. BVITV-AP is a proud distributor of 16 Emmy Award winners including Desperate Housewives, Lost, and The Amazing Race.
BVITV-AP is headquartered in Hong Kong with established offices in Sydney, Seoul, Beijing and Mumbai. Buena Vista International Television — Asia Pacific licenses programming to 160 broadcasters in over 35 territories in the region and provides 30 000 hours of programming globally.
ABOUT AXN ASIA
Delivering top rated series, blockbuster features, adventure-reality and first-run lifestyle sports programming, AXN is a leading international television destination among young adults 18-34. AXN is seen in 50 countries across Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and is part of Sony Pictures Television International’s diverse portfolio of over 40 global networks. Sony Pictures Television International is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
AXN Asia is available to more than 36 million households 24-hours daily throughout Asia in Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, South Korea, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Nepal, Maldives, Mongolia, Palau, Vietnam and in hotels and VIP compounds in China. AXN can also be seen in 40 million cable television households on time-block basis in China. More information about AXN Asia can be found online at www.axn-asia.com.
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