KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Aug 2017:
Award-winning multi-platform content provider Malaysian company GOASEAN has entered into an agreement with Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific to broadcast its programmes across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong on the Discovery Asia channel.
This will add another broadcast channel to the multi-platform GOASEAN – the first-ever Southeast-Asia-centric travel lifestyle initiative – enabling GOASEAN’s programmes to reach a much wider audience in Asia-Pacific, and attract more tourist interest to the region.
The idea of GOASEAN was conceived by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, when Malaysia was the Asean chair in 2015 – to boost collaboration and investment between member nations and to create business opportunities within the travel sector for the benefit of the Asean community to move the region forward.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Discovery Asia. This will enable us to reach and inspire more people to travel to and within the Southeast Asian region,” said GOASEAN senior vice president Edwin Raj.
“Discovery Asia is certainly a fitting platform for GOASEAN, as the network’s first fully dedicated Asia-focused channel; and like us, is dedicated to travel, lifestyle, food and culture that Asia has to offer.
“Our programmes also fit into Discovery Asia’s philosophy of bringing audience the best of real-world entertainment that is both visceral and experiential.
“Both parties can leverage the synergy of the collaboration to increase our audience and to offer them engaging and entertaining yet insightful experiences.”
GOASEAN Original Series – including award-winning Go Fast or Go Home, Supper Heroes, The Halal Foodie and Strange Encounters – will now be aired over satellite and cable television, over and above its online and mobile gateways for content streaming. Discovery Asia is available in 11 countries in Asia Pacific and has a reach of 14 million viewers.
Discovery Southeast Asia director of content curation Rohit Tharani said: “This is the first time in Discovery Southeast Asia history that we have invested in such a large volume of diverse local content – on a local and regional level.
“GOASEAN’s content is fitting with Discovery Asia’s offering to uncover Asia at its best and most wondrous. We believe that GOASEAN’s content line-up will provide a direct and relevant appeal amongst audiences across SEA, Taiwan and Hong Kong.”
Edwin Raj added: “No one knows Southeast Asia like we do, and our programmes and content reflect this. Featuring natural wonders, hidden jewels, diverse uniqueness of the people, culture and food of the region, viewers will be enticed to travel here.
“The Asean nations will definitely benefit from this, as it will highlight the region’s travel treasures to a wider audience and help them promote their country’s attractions, food and culture, thus driving growth in their tourism arrivals and industry.”
GOASEAN’s achievements in just two years of its existence are impressive. It has produced 20 original series of travel-related programmes and 65 hours of programming. In achieving that, GOASEAN’s production team has travelled to over 700 destinations in Southeast Asia.
To date GOASEAN’s programmes are broadcast in over 80 countries across four continents, and has been honoured with a total of 18 international awards for its original series like The Eco Traveller and Go Fast or Go Home as well as its website.
The collaboration with Discovery Asia together with the partnerships with tonton, Malaysia’s first and largest homegrown video streaming service, and dimsum, a Malaysian subscription-based video-on-demand service, secured earlier this year are all part of GOASEAN’s extensive expansion plan to extend their reach.
GOASEAN has been tasked by the Asean Secretariat to promote travel and tourism in the region to a wider audience in conjunction with the Visit Asean@50 Celebrations.