BEC-Tero eyes second regional base in Myanmar
BEC-Tero Entertainment aims to make Myanmar its second base for television and radio production and show business in Southeast Asia once the region becomes a single market in next three years.
"As we already have a media partner in Myanmar, BEC-Tero Entertainment could share its expertise in TV and radio production and event-organising skills to support the local team to drive market growth," said deputy managing director Neil Thompson.
Early this year, BEC-Tero formed a joint venture with Yangon-based media company and broadcaster Forever Group to run a new TV station, Channel 7, which is expected to be launched in May 7 next Monday. after a delay from Myanmar’s New Year in April. The new company was set up under the name of Forever BEC-Tero.
Under this JV, BEC-Tero will co-produce television programmes for Channel 7 and for Forever Group’s existing media outlets. Forever Group currently operates free-to-air channel MRTV-4 and also offers 70 subscription-based TV channels, including 10 digital channels and seven high-definition ones.
In the first phase, the Thai partner will provide technical support and jointly produce TV drama and morning talk shows for Forever’s free-to-air channels.
Thompson added that his company planned to provide show-business and radio-programming support this year.
BEC-Tero is also in talks with other media companies in Indochina, he added.
Additionally, Thailand’s leading entertainment conglomerate is strengthening its relationships with world-class artists and comedians to manage imported live shows throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Amid the debt crisis in some countries in Europe and economic downturn in the United States, world-class artists, singers and even shows are looking at performing in the Asia-Pacific region, Thompson said. To cash in on this trend, his company will focus more on artist management aimed at bringing more international shows into this region.
For example, having a close relationship with Yanni, an internationally known composer and pianist, BEC-Tero will organise his shows in new markets such as New Zealand and in the Middle East on top of the existing markets of Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The company also plans to bring more international shows into the kingdom. This year, it projects a 10-per-cent increase in sales from last year’s Bt1.2 billion, contributed from 15-18 imported shows. These include world-class stand-up comedian Russell Peters’ Notorious World Tour in May 3 today, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo from May 9-12, and Lady Gaga: The Born This Way Ball on May 25.
Pongpant Wongnongteoi, strategic planning director, said the company targeted 10-per-cent growth this year in every business category: TV and radio broadcasting, ticketing service and show business.
