Continued Success with Formats for Malaysian Market
(L—R) Nini Yusof, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Media Prima Television Networks, chats with Michelle Lin, APAC Manager of K7 Media
Multiplatform media conglomerate in Malaysia, with four (4) lucrative TV channels and a big team that produces content, is in no danger of slowing down. In fact, it has plans to ramp things up.
According to an insightful session with Nini Yusof, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Media Prima Television Networks, this Goliath has TV3, which targets the mass universal audience with hit dramas, news, current affairs, docs, and a lot of syndication, including the likes of Hindi, Hollywood, and Korean movies, among other popular content.
Its 8TV focuses on Chinese/Mandarin content, including HK drama series, with its afternoon belt targeted at the Hokkien-speaking community, with dramas in this specific patois. TV9 is a mass Malay channel with an all-Malay content, while NTV7 is a channel that works with the government to air school syllables and curriculum.
Speaking of its streaming strategy, Nini noted that Ton Ton, is their crown jewel, where it streams live TV, in addition to their VOD, where it works closely with YouTube and Dailymotion. Nini also noted that its TV3 and TV9 dramas are syndicated on the platforms of their much-loved OTT partners.
Focusing on formats, and discussing the challenges of adapting foreign formats, Nini noted that so far, they have been lucky to have great partners.
“Adapting successful formats from another broadcaster is never easy,” Nini noted during the Plugged-In Series session. “We have to do a lot of localisation.”
Media Prima Television Networks to date works closely with CJ ENM (Love at First Song / Lagu Cinta Kita) and enjoys a close partnership with Korea’s SBS (Master in the House), with the I Can See Your Voice Format in Malay & Chinese having had several seasons already.
When speaking of adaptation, Nini noted that elements that are usually focused on include colours used, the way the hosts are dressed, the judges, the necessity to follow local censorship laws, and the general need to be sensitive to local nuances.
This is especially true with dating shows. Nini noted that they have to remove a lot of “skinship”, replacing it with additional drama among the jury, among other facets. Despite the many tweaks, Nini stated that the dating format is already a huge success with two couples already having gotten married because of the program.
Looking forward, Nini revealed that Media Prima Television Networks hopes to develop its own show and partner with a formats specialist to make its original formats a success around the world. The trick, according to Nini, is how to make it all interesting for other markets/broadcasters – how to make it work for those outside Malaysia.
On the whole, Nini also offered that for other content in 2022, she is looking to work with global partners in the areas of docs. This was done before with Nippon TV and Fuji TV, and Nini would like to revive such collaborations.
For more on this, watch the session here.