Thailand’s Tee Entertainment has teamed up with a local conglomerate in a bid to expand its customer base in Myanmar’s media industry.
The company signed a deal with Shwe Than Lwin Media Co Ltd, which owns Myanmar’s largest paid and free-to-air TV station Skynet DTH, to manage the production and co-manage the strategy, operation and marketing of the new company, Tee International Myanmar,.
The firm said it is entering Myanmar’s media and program production as well as online market to expand its footprint in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), adding that there is huge potential for growth in the media and public relations industry in Myanmar.
Tee–Somchai Cheewasutthanon, president of Tee Entertainment Co Ltd, said, “We will be responsible for producing and selling the content and TV schedule while Skynet TV takes our programs to broadcast through its paid and free-to-air TV.”
The income will be split 70:30 between Tee Entertainment and Skynet TV.
He said the JV firm will start to produce three TV programs, two game shows and one music program from the fourth quarter of this year for Skynet channels.
In 2015, the company is planning to produce Sitcoms, Talk Shows and Soap Operas for the local TV station.
Tee Entertainment has also signed an agreement with Skynet in July to authorise its partner to plan advertising and sell TVC spots for the English Premier League, for which Skynet is the authorised broadcaster in Myanmar.
“International sponsors are very interested. We have organised on-ground activities together with Skynet TV and the sponsors such as outdoor live game for big matches such as the Manchester Derby plus add-on activities bringing the lucky viewers to watch EPL games in the UK,” Tee–Somchai said.
“This is the first time that such activity is being held in Myanmar and we believe this will create a new experience for Myanmar viewers and get very good feedbacks,” he added.
Tee–Somchai said: “The challenge of TV program production to Myanmar people is to understand the needs of Myanmar viewers. The programs needs to be related to the lifestyle of Myanmar people and reflects their preferences, priorities.”
He said the most important thing about producing TV programs in Myanmar is to have good marketing and advertising plan, and for that the firm will bring Thai professionals to help at the beginning stage.
“These professionals will also transfer the know-how to the local people [Myanmar Team] in order to develop quality professionals for the market.”
The firm said in 2015 the company will invest heavily in penetrating international markets, especially in AEC countries such as Laos and Cambodia, markets which the company is studying at the moment in terms of culture, society, laws, economy, as well as customer behaviours.
“2014 is the first year that we are penetrating international market. We want to be a one-stop service provider for the customers for anything related to contents,” Tee-Somchai said.