MUMBAI: Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom Inc, will be scaling up the development and production of original content for MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Channel and Nickelodeon in Southeast Asia.
In response to Southeast Asia being the world’s fastest growing game market1, VIMN has introduced MTV Got Game for fans who have made gaming a way of life. A dedicated gaming and e-sports vertical that spans MTV’s platforms, it will include in-house production of short form content around gaming, on-air playlists inspired by e-sports, as well as partnerships with the industry – all through a distinctly MTV lens.
As part of this, the new Got Game Weekly series will focus on news from the intersection of gaming, e-sports and popular culture. In Got Game: Face Off, MTV pits celebs against each other for FIFA console action and to crown the champion! Guests include Singaporean national footballer Zulfahmi Arifin, and regional artists Joe Flizzow, Sezairi, Jon Chua, Fion, Shaykh, THELIONCITYBOY,and Tim De Cotta. MTV Got Game is also available on MTV Asia’s website, and the content series will launch on linear and online channels soon.
In addition to content created under the MTV Got Game vertical, MTV will premiere Season 4 of video dance tutorial show OK Danceoke in June.
Comedy Central’s original stand-up series, Stand-Up, Asia! will also be renewed for the fourth year. In this upcoming season, expect an evolved format in a fresh setting. A unique mix of stand-up comedy and character sketches will continue to focus on distinctly Asian cultural touchpoints and a thematic approach. Over 10 comics will take it up a notch, continuing to serve Comedy Central’s vision of leading the charge for regional comic talent.
Movies form the backbone of Paramount Channel so in a new short-form series launching in June, personalities from film, TV, music, and Bellator athletes share what excites them in movies – their favourite genres, actors, or quirky nuggets of information about shows.
For the younger set, Nickelodeon continues to make the world a more playful place with short form content centered on fitness and craft for kids. In Nickified Sports, kids will attempt different sports but with a Nick twist, by using regular household items such as a broom in a javelin throw. Funny Fitness with Robbie encourages kids to stay active, with exercises that they can do at home such as jumping jacks or burpees. Last but not least, prepare for the unexpected on Kids Ask the Burning Questions where children interview adults and get the low-down on what adults really think! These will roll out on-air, online and in-app from May.
“Aligned with Viacom’s global mission of creating entertainment experiences that drive conversation and culture, we are scaling up our content production in Asia for every screen across our flagship brands. We know that Asia originals appeal to our audiences, evidenced by strong viewership, and conceptualized fresh formats to resonate with our fans and evolved existing ones to grow share of viewership,” said Paras Sharma, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Southeast Asia, Viacom International Media Networks.
An example of evolved formats is MTV Asia’s reboot of the iconic hip hop show YO! MTV Raps. In addition to a linear series that premiered in mid-April, multiple digital short form offerings across MTV Asia’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter platforms were launched in parallel. Featuring over 30 rappers from 11 countries, this reboot was commissioned on the back of a successful YO! special which aired in June 2018. The top-performing 5-artist Cypher video in the special received over 1.3 million video views in Southeast Asia. This special was also awarded ‘Best Music or Dance Programme’ at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in December 2018.
Viacom has produced and commissioned a record amount of original content in the Asia Pacific over the past 12 months. This includes MTV’s TRL in Australia, MTV Unplugged in Australia and Japan, MTV Asia’s MTV Jammin’2 and MTV Meets3, Nick Jr.’s Ready Set Dance in Australia, and Comedy Central’s Comedians Solve World Problems Asia. Teen Mom Australia is currently in production and slated to premiere across MTV International later this year, and Nickelodeon Australia’s locally produced reality series Slime Cup returns for a fourth season on 1 July.
