Popular cable TV operator Discovery Networks Asia has come a long way since the Discovery Channel was first beamed into Asian households in 1994.
At the time the fledgling network was operating out of a small office in Hong Kong with a full-time staff of six. It had one feed and its programs were available only in English and were distributed to only six Asian countries. Subscribers numbered a mere 70,000.
In the decade since its inception, the network has burgeoned into one of the most popular in Asia. It now boasts more than 180 million subscribers in 22 countries and territories throughout Asia, excluding India, and its programs are available in eight languages.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DISCOVERY CHANNEL
"The network has changed enormously over the past decade and now Discovery is a strong brand in Asia. We've diversified from the original format of predominantly wildlife-orientated programs and now gear our programs to suit specific local audiences," said Discovery Networks Asia Executive Vice President and Managing Director Neville Meijers.
A division of US-based Discovery Communication, the Discovery Channel was launched in the US by John Hendricks in 1985 and was the first cable network dedicated solely to broadcasting documentaries and educational programming.
Working in conjunction with its shareholders -- Liberty Media Corporation, Cox Communications and Advance Newhouse -- Hendricks' original network has blossomed. It currently incorporates and operates six networks worldwide -- Animal Planet, Discovery Health, Discovery Travel & Adventure, Discovery Science, Discovery H & L as well as the initial Discovery Channel itself.
The network is continuing to grow on a global scale, but it is in Asia where company executives, such as Meijers, believe the future of the network lays. They believe that the continent is one of it strongest markets and one that Discovery aims to continue to exploit by tapping into the increasingly popular and lucrative market where localization pays huge dividends.
Even though it will be a long time before China's populace has full access to the network's programs, Discovery Channel has already built a large following there. Broadcast for one hour on a daily basis by 25 local cable companies across China, Discovery has already attracted up to 60 million viewers.
According to a recent report, revenues from Asia account for nearly 30 percent of the network's total international sales. Insiders expect this to reach 50 percent within five years, depending, of course, on the speed and willingness of governments and their respective broadcast regulators to open their airwaves to digital TV.
"Digital offers huge benefits for both us and the viewers. We've been able to broadcast and develop three new channels, as well as switching from mono to stereo in the areas which have digital capability," Meijers said. "As the demand for digital television grows, so will our ability to localize and enhance our broadcasts throughout Asia."
Already available in Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong and with broadcast systems in Korea, Japan and Singapore set to follow sometime in the near future, Discovery's move to the digital format has already proven hugely popular. Viewing figures have increased and the network has been able to design both its programs and programming schedules to meet the specific demands of its viewers.
Currently only 40 percent of the programs broadcast on Discovery Taiwan are dubbed into Mandarin. In Thailand, where, the country has digital capability, Discovery is able to offer 100 percent of its programming in Thai.
The move to digital in Taiwan, however, is still plagued with problems and could be some time before it's complete. While Meijers is confident that Taiwan's broadcasting systems will one day become digitized, he is still loath to put a time frame on the establishment of a digital broadcast system in Taiwan.
A leading factor in the network's increasing popularity throughout Asia has been its eagerness to localize its programming. Along with AXN, Star TV and Disney Channel, Discovery was one of the first channels in Taiwan to recognize the need to include more local elements and to adapt its broadcasts to take into consideration the viewing interests and habits of local populations.
Two years ago, the network produced and broadcast only two hours of original localized programming, now that number has jumped to 70 hours per year. To meet the huge demand for localized programming, the network now has its own production teams based out of offices in Taipei and Singapore, and has begun to work closely with production companies in China.
"The network once procured many of its programs from other production companies, but in recent years we've taken to commissioning and co-producing our own programs, especially on a regional basis," said Kevin Dickie, vice president of marketing and communications at Discovery Networks. "We still have editorial control, but we are open to suggestions and ideas from both professional filmmakers as well as the general public."
To meet the demand for more localized programming, the network has earmarked a budget of US$3million for the production of regional and local programs. Since the network first opened the door to local productions it has been inundated with viewers' letters offering tips for programs.
"We get thousands of letters every year from people with ideas about programs. While a lot are pretty vague and are from people who simply went somewhere and liked it and figured it would make a good program, we do get quite a few feasible proposals," Dickie said.
Though neither was spawned by a viewer's letter, two of the Discovery Channel Taiwan's most popular programs last year were local productions commissioned by Discovery Network Asia.
Produced by local production houses with the network's financial backing, Science of SARS and The Secret of Taroko, which were broadcast in May and September 2003, respectively, clocked some impressive viewer ratings. The travel program, The Secret of Taroko saw a staggering 1.30 percent of the population tuning, in while Science of SARS was watched by 1.03 percent of the population.
"Nowhere is localization more manifest than in Taiwan. Anything China/Taiwan-related has great appeal and proves hugely popular," said Dickie. "China-related programs are still popular in Hong Kong and Singapore, but it's the technology and science programs that prove the most popular there."
The success of these two locally produced programs and the local viewing statistics, which point to Taiwan audiences love of all things China/Taiwan-related, has led to the network into talks with Taiwan's Tourism Bureau in recent months.
According to the general manager of Discovery Taiwan, Tommy Lin (
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