DEX to tap Thai market via video-on-demand offerings
DREAM EXPRESS Co Ltd (DEX), which owns local broadcasting rights for cartoon and superhero characters from Japan, is reshuffling its business model towards VOD (video-on-demand) rights through selected devices, such as mobile phones and tablets.
Krit Sakulpanich, the chief executive of DEX, said that compared to Japanese customers who are slow in adjusting to any changes affecting their daily life and culture, Thais are much more adaptable.
Thais find it easier to accept or import innovation into their lives. The number of Facebook and Line members in Thailand indicate the trend well as Thai members are in the top five globally.
Japanese still conform to “catch-up TV behaviour” by recording TV programmes and watching it on weekends or during free time whereas Thai people use the latest technology such as real-time simulcasting or “30 minutes later” catch up TV streaming through Internet after terrestrial TV broadcasting, Krit said.
This national trend has made DEX partner the latest Internet streaming application platform “Flixer”. Currently, more than 300,000 Thai audiences are able to watch thousands of episodes of Japanese TV programmes, not only from Thai TV stations but also from Japanese TV broadcasts.
“We carefully monitor both terrestrial broadcasting as well as Internet streaming platform. Apart from partnering Flixer apps, we will continue broadcasting Japanese high-rated animation and live action programmes for kids in ONE31 digital terrestrial TV slot every Saturday and Sunday. Advertising income will come from synchronising off line and on line media. The income stream in the next five years would be split 50:50 online versus terrestrial TV, while DVD would diminish to zero,” said Krit.
Krit said that DEX plans to release in cinema the latest Crayon Shinchan movie in December and consecutively downstream the movie on free TV and Internet streaming platform. More than five animation and live action movies are being lined up for 2019 including a couple of “Fate Stay Night” sequels. Gundam Narrative, the movie, will also be there for the niche market devoted to robot hobby models.
For TV series, the company will continue broadcasting the latest Gundam Build Diver TV series, Masked Rider Build, Ultraman Geed, and Love Live through weekend slots on digital and satellite TV.
“We expect to have 20 per cent annual revenue growth from the media exposure business unit. Within a couple of years, we believe our TV timeslot in Thailand will be broadcasting the same episodes as on Japan TV. In other words, Thailand and Japan will broadcast the same programme on the same day but dubbed into Thai language in advance of post-production,” he said.
Krit said that under the digital borderless business atmosphere, the Thai market will be catching up with Japan organically and the company would fully benefit by having Japan as the driving force for global marketing.
“Fortunately, our target group are the young generation. They are very familiar with technology gadgets. We just have to shift fast our asset and communication from analog to the digital path. Technology is out there. It is our employees, staff, managers who have to learn how to benefit by utilising these gadgets wisely,” said Krit. “In parallel, we are providing more products and services for our fans on the alternative digital platform. There are still a couple of confidential projects to be released in 2019,” he added.
Krit said the company is conducting research at this moment about penetrating the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam market.
