Fuji Television Network Inc has concluded a strategic partnership with KKTV Co Ltd, the first OTT video service introduced by Asia's top music streaming service provider KKBOX Group, to launch streaming of a variety of its dramas and variety shows in Taiwan, where demand for Japanese content is particularly high.
Since 2013, Fuji TV has been proactively providing many of its dramas via online VOD streaming services in North America, Central and South America, China, Korea and Southeast Asia. Through this strategic partnership with KKTV, Fuji TV said it aims to further increase popularity and expand distribution of its content in Taiwan where it already enjoys a strong fan base.
KKTV was established in Taiwan in 2016 by KKBOX, an affiliate of KDDI. This new service is targeted towards the already-existing subscribers of KKBOX' streaming music service as well as younger generations of viewers who are accustomed to watching video content online.
Under the new partnership, Fuji TV will provide an array of its hit dramas from the past, including the recently-aired "The Single Teacher Miss Hayako" (series aired April to June 2016) and one of its brand-new original drama for the summer season "Natsuko Kira," which premieres on Thursday, July 21.
Regarding the factors behind its decision to undertake this partnership, Toru Ota, Fuji TV's Senior Executive Managing Director, said: "Taiwan is one of the most important markets for us to focus on. We are absolutely thrilled to deliver our content to Taiwanese audience through KKTV."
Eric Tsai, President of KKTV, also commented: "We believe the main attraction of Japanese dramas for our users is the high level of quality in script, casting, and video resolution. That's exactly why Japanese dramas continue to win the hearts of many fans today even while Korean dramas have risen in popularity. However, Japanese dramas that are currently broadcast on TV in Taiwan are only ten percent of the total number of Japanese dramas produced. With that said, we are extremely happy that we can be involved in providing Taiwanese audiences with Fuji TV's latest drama soon after its original broadcast in Japan, and we hope this new service will help tackle illegal content distributors as well."
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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Jigen113
They already do. Visit their Japanese website and you can stream new episodes for free and old ones for a fee. TBS and Nihon TV also offer similar services.
Michael Reed
Nice. :)
PSandoz
Does Fuji intend to offer the same streaming service to people in Japan?
mrsynik
It's a start, but hopefully the beginning of the end of the stupid geo-blocking that tv networks worldwide practice.
plasticmonkey
Sounds like another sharp, subversive, postmodern commentary on gender stereotypes in Japan . . .
Moonraker
Taiwanese telly must be rubbish then if they think these wooden, copy-and-paste dramas are high quality. I can watch them even with the sound off at the gym and know pretty much what is going on with all the contrived and stylised acting. To be fair though, he does only mention script and casting, along with video resolution (as if that makes up for content).