Monday, April 28, 2008

Indonesia's MNC dials up Linktone takeover

HONG KONG – Indonesia's second largest media company PT Media Nusantara Citra has succeeded with a take-over of NASDAQ-listed Chinese online entertainment company Linktone. Company will pay $91.2 million for a controlling 57% stake. Following a tender offer, MNC will pay $22.8 million for a 6 million ADRs, equivalent to 60 million ordinary shares. It is also subscribing to an issue of 180 million new Linktone shares at a cost of $68.4 million. "The completion of the MNC investment and the increase in our cash balance by $68.4 million will enable us to aggressively implement our cross media strategy in China and other Southeast Asian markets," Michael Li, Linktone CEO, said. Shanghai-based, Linktone provides services to wireless consumers and corporate customers with a particular focus on media, entertainment and communications. Services are promoted through Linktone's and its partners' cross-media platform and through the networks of China's mobile phone operators. MNC has operations spanning content production, content distribution, nationwide free-to-air television networks, 24-hour program TV channels, newspaper, radio networks and online media. It claims the largest content library in Indonesia, comprising 68,000 hours of entertainment and news content, which is increasing by more than 10,000 hours yearly. Following the takeover Linktone board will comprise Hary Tanoesoedibjo, Elaine La Roche, Felix Ali Chendra, Sutanto Hartono, Thomas Hubbs, former Yahoo director Allan Kwan, Michael Li, Agus Mulyanto and Jun Wu.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Foxcrime wave spreads to Indonesia

HONG KONG – Indonesian pay-TV operator Indovision has added Foxcrime to its bouquet of channels.

The net, operated by Fox Int'l Channels, will launch with Bahasa Indonesia sub-titles on blockbuster shows including "Masterminds," "Body of Evidence," "C.S.I. Miami," "C.S.I.," "Texas S.W.A.T.," "Kojak" "NYPD Blue," "The Practice" and "COPS S8." From June the entire net will become a 24-hour Bahasa Indonesia-subtitled channel.

Foxcrime, which is also seen in Europe, launched in Asia in September 2006 and is now available in Singapore, Hong Kong and Philippines.

"This channel is a sure recipe to fulfill the curiosity of the audience. Foxcrime dramatizes and illustrates scheming minds behind the most shocking crimes ever committed," Handhi S. Kentjono, VP and director of Indovision. "The best way to avoid being a victim of crime, is to understand the mindset of a criminal."

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

IndoVision to beam bbc channels

HONG KONG – Indonesia's Indovision has begun carriage of the BBC Worldwide's BBC Knowledge and children's channel Cbeebies.

Both channels will be localized within six months of launch, with BBC Knowledge carrying Bahasa Indonesia subtitles, and CBeebies dubbed.

"Offering our channels on Indovision's basic platform and its soon-to-be-launched TopTV and OKevision platforms reaches the widest possible Indonesian pay-TV audience - over 250,000 homes - adding to the growing audience for our channels in this region," Christine Leo-McKerrow, BBC Worldwide's senior VP and GM, Global Channels Asia-Pacific, said.

Indovision, which has some 60% of Indonesia's pay-TV market, is part of the Global Mediacom group, which also wholly owns Media Nusantara Citra, the country's largest media group.