KC Global Media, the Asia-based entertainment network, has announced its entry into the Indian market through its flagship anime channel, Animax, which will offer premium anime content to Indian audiences. The move is a response to the increasing popularity of anime in India, with the country being the second largest consumer of the genre after China. KC Global Media plans to collaborate with Indian creators and studios to develop original anime characters and also explore localisation in regional languages. The company is keen to partner with Indian entertainment and television industry players and has expressed interest in working on language localisation in India.
KC Global Media CEO George Chien said in his recent interview with Adgully, that the company is committed to curating quality content in partnership with national players and leading broadcasters. The company’s focus is on creating compelling value propositions to meet the expectations of smart consumers who expect premium content at a good price, he added.
According to Chien, the global entertainment industry is experiencing a transformation due to the shift in audience behaviour. While some streaming providers focus on quantity over quality, more people are turning away from streaming services as it becomes difficult to sustain large amounts of quality programming. In this context, KC Global Media aims to offer premium content in partnership with national players and leading broadcasters.
Chien also said that Asian consumers have been receptive to new formats of entertainment. KC Global Media has recently introduced a new audio-drama podcast, ‘Fey Hollow: The Fairy Tale Murders’, which offers a unique dual ending and invites audiences to take the wheel and choose from two different endings. The podcast reached the #1 spot in Apple’s podcast fiction category and ranked #5 overall on Spotify within its first week.
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India’s rapid adaptation to digital-first and its drive towards being a 5G nation make it a promising market for entertainment companies like KC Global Media. The company has an impressive portfolio of iconic entertainment brands, including English-language general entertainment network AXN, anime channel Animax, South Korean entertainment channel ONE and Japanese entertainment channel GEM, in 20 territories across the region.
KC Global Media successfully acquired Animax Asia and three other pay-TV channels, after Sony Pictures Entertainment removed the channel from its Sony LIV application in May 2020. It should be noted that the news about Jio TV broadcasting Animax Asia with English subtitles is not new, as it was announced some time ago. In fact, Jio TV has already started the streaming of the channel, which can be accessed on channel 444 of the Jio TV set-top-box and mobile application for linear streaming.
However, the acquisition of Animax Asia by KC Global Media is still a significant development in the entertainment industry, as it marks the return of the popular anime channel to viewers in Southeast Asia and South Korea after it was removed from Sony LIV without an official announcement.
Source – Adgully
