GOASEAN collaborates with Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific

PETALING JAYA: Multi-platform content provider GOASEAN has entered into an agreement with Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific (DNAP) to broadcast its programmes across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong on the Discovery Asia channel.
GOASEAN senior vice president Edwin Raj said the agreement will enable it to reach and inspire more people to travel to and within the Southeast Asian region.
“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 DNAP’s philosophy of bringing audience the best of real-world entertainment that is both visceral and experiential,” he said in a statement today.
In addition, both parties would be able to leverage the synergy of the collaboration to increase their audience and to offer them engaging and entertaining experiences. Discovery Asia is available in 11 countries in Asia-Pacific and has a reach of 14 million viewers.
GOASEAN Original Series that includes the 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.
Edwin said Asean nations will benefit 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.
“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 Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong,” said Discovery Southeast Asia director of content curation Rohit Tharani.
The idea of GOASEAN was conceived by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun 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.
To date, it has produced 20 original series of travel-related programmes and 65 hours of programming. The programmes are broadcasted in over 80 countries across four continents. It has also been tasked to promote travel and tourism in the region in conjunction with the Visit ASEAN@50 Celebrations.
Earlier this year, GOASEAN secured partnerships with tonton, Malaysia’s first and largest homegrown video streaming service, and dimsum, a Malaysian subscription-based video-on-demand (VOD) service. These partnerships and the collaboration with DNAP are part of its expansion plan to extend its reach.