ATF returns as Asia gains ground in TV programming industry

Singapore: As formats and co-production gain in popularity and importance in the international TV market, the third annual Asia Television Forum (ATF) returns (from 3 to 5 December) at Sentosa, Singapore, to catch the rising waves in time.

Through the debut of new format and co-production-focused sellers, and a host of new participating international sellers and national pavilions, ATF (www.asiatvforum.com) marks a rising Asian importance in the share of the industry pie.

The organiser, Michelle Lim, vice-president of Reed Exhibitions, highlights the importance of ATF as a strategic platform for the industry: “ATF provides vast opportunities to build strategic alliances and partnerships, make contacts and spin off new formats and co-production within Asia and out of Asia. Strong support from international sellers in the area of formats and co-production, other new sellers and new national pavilion, and increased buyer interest attest to Asia’s potential to the industry both within and beyond the region.”

As formats and co-production emerge as the latest industry global trends, ATF’s conference, organised by Asia’s leading trade publication Television Asia, is timely and relevant in addressing these through its comprehensive and in-depth discussion by its pool of international speakers.

Hosted by W Paterson Ferns from Banff Television Festival of Canada, Asia’s first Super Pitch session that was launched last year will return as independent production houses and broadcasters with in-house production departments congregate to pitch to a panel of commissioning editors and buyers from around the region. Winning entries are awarded prize monies for developing concept into actual programmes.

Some sellers in the areas of formats and co-production are Distraction Formats (Canada), peppermint gmbh (Germany) and Granada (UK). New sellers include the likes of Eagle Vision (UK), Cumulus Distribution (UK), Extreme International (UK), BBC (Hong Kong SAR) and Distraction Formats (Canada) among others.

This year, four national pavilions, namely France, Canada, Spain and Singapore, will be featured and bringing with them over 40 companies. Of these, the Spain pavilion will mark its debut appearance at ATF.

Top-notch buyers for the event will hail from companies like Star TV (Hong Kong), Tokyo Broadcasting System (Japan), United Broadcasting Corporation (Thailand), the Educational Broadcasting System (Korea) and JoongAng Broadcasting Corporation (Korea) and PT Cipta Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (Indonesia), among many others.

Koh Tin Fook, deputy CEO and director (industry development), Singapore Broadcasting Authority, says: “Moving into its third year, the ATF will continue to serve as the industry’s key TV programmes market and conference event in the region, connecting the international media community and the expanding Asian players.

“The ATF will continue to grow in breadth and depth, with new market players, fresh conference topics and more exciting social events for networking. The Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA) will continue to support the development of the ATF into the region’s premiere marketplace and event for the TV industry.”

Asia Animation will make its second presentation alongside ATF, where its grows in terms of increased exhibitors showcasing Asian content and capabilities in animation, as well as an animation conference addressing the latest animation technologies and trends in the world.
ATF2002 and Asia Animation 2002 are slated for 3 - 5 December 2002 in Singapore.