Latest news with #APOS
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
APOS Co-Founder Vivek Couto On Expectations For 2025 Event & How Asia Has Become A Key Battleground For The Future Of Entertainment
The latest iteration of the APOS conference features a who's-who of top-level film, TV and media players changing the course of the business in Asia. Here's just a small sample: DAZN co-founder James Rushton, Candle Media CEO Kevin Mayer, Foxtel boss Patrick Delany, Google APAC President Sanjay Gupta, iQiyi's Yang Xianghua and Kaichen Li, Netflix Korean content chief Don Kang, Nine Entertainment's Amanda Laing, Owl & Co. CEO founder Hernan Lopez and Jiyeon Song from Korean micro-drama platform TopReels. More from Deadline David Harbour On Feeling Relieved Over 'Stranger Things' Ending: "You're Having To Play A Lot Of The Same Beat" List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More MTV Entertainment Studios, Comedy Central Executives Depart Amid Paramount Layoffs Add to that bosses from JioStar, Prime Video, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros Discovery, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Disney, Paramount, TikTok, TBS, BBC Studios and Banijay and it's clear why APOS has become a key fixture on the calendar. They've got plenty to discuss this year. APOS Executive Director and co-founder Vivek Couto is gearing up for his C-suite get-together in Bali with a global market facing a fast-changing outlook. Tech giants in Asia such as Google, Meta, Netflix and Amazon have been benefitting from growth in mobile screen, smart TV and fixed broadband usage across the continent, while traditional players have been rolling out new services and attempting to keep their linear businesses alive. 'At APOS 2025, we're focused on helping the industry navigate through disruption and opportunity,' says Couto, the veteran analyst who led the creation and is also Managing Director of Media Partners Asia. 'The next wave of monetization is here, and it's not just about more eyeballs, but better economics. We've designed a program that addresses the big shifts: the monetization of sport and entertainment, the role of AI across the stack, and how platforms are scaling in the big local markets that matter.' So what are the pressing live issues? Couto says one is that both the global giants and scaled local businesses need to find 'more robust' ways of making money and investing on content to seal their spots in the new digital ecosystem. 'Our focus is how that transition and monetization keeps pace, and who has the strategies to drive it,' he adds. APOS begins on June 24 with an invite-only CEO Forum, followed by a welcome reception at the Ayana Resort. Day 1 of the conference (June 25) is a big one for film and TV. An early highlight will be Google's Gupta discussing the power of storytelling in his talk on Asia's digital future. 'Google clearly has a view on the impact of AI on content creation and the growth of creators, who are monetizing through social platforms,' says Couto. 'It could also be a very big opportunity for long-form creators. Everyone is experimenting with AI.' We hear that on the same morning, Netflix's Kang, who is VP of Content, Korea, will discuss the performance of Squid Game Season 2, just days ahead of Season 3's launch. 'Netflix has a view on how it did, and Kang also wants to address [emerging perceptions] of a lull in the Korean creative economy. Korea is critical for Netflix, as they'll be investing around $700M there in next 3-4 years.' Ex-Disney boss Mayer will also address how to scale storytelling, while former Fox Networks boss Lopez will discuss the economics of streaming from the perspective of his consultancy Owl & Co. Prime Video India execs will talk about monetizing the explosion in streaming in India, while JioStar execs appear several times as their JioHotstar platform continues with its mission to be a service for a 'billion screens' across India. Couto says the shift towards short-form content, which has blown up in China and Korea through micro-drama platforms such as TopReels, is dictating how several companies are approaching content investments in 2025. Other points of discussion will be the strong theatrical growth in Indonesia, HBO Max's debut in Australia, the expanding addressable TV ads market in India and sports IP. Couto expects much talk to center on how companies should exploit the changing nature of entertainment consumption, giving the example of Disney, whose consumer products, parks and experiences business now generates over 50% of its operating profit on a global basis. This is one place where the traditional players might have the upper hand over the likes of Netflix and YouTube. 'The difference for players like Disney and Warner, in particular, is they've got a lot of revenues coming out of consumer products,' he says. 'It emphasizes the need to consider all revenue streams beyond screen entertainment.' In a similar vein, Couto notes that Google will address why YouTube is looking into subscription models, 'driven by the need to sustain growth beyond ad revenues.' Day 2 morning will be focused on AI – no surprises there, as the conversation moves towards digital companies such as Sandbox, StoryFit and TikTok. After lunch, there will be a session on U.S. content's impact in APAC, with Chris Taylor, MD APAC, Television Distribution, Networks & DTC at NBCUniversal; Amanda Laing, MD Streaming & Broadcast, Nine Entertainment; Adam Herr, SVP of Distribution, APAC at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Toshi Honda, COO at U-Next appearing together on a panel. Nicholas Simon, founder and CEO of The White Lotus Season 3 co-producer Indochina Productions will appear in a chat about Asia's creative economy going global, alongside Banijay Asia CEO Deepak Dhar and Disalada Disayanon from Kantana Group. Storytelling in the fast-growing theatrical market of Indonesia, the micro-drama boom, sports streaming and media investments will also be on the menu. The key focuses at APOS this year in terms of markets are India, where addressable TV ad growth is supercharging streaming revenues; Japan, which Couto says has 'really come of age as a $5.5B premium VOD market, led by SVOD and premium AVOD'; Indonesia, where the theatrical market has exploded; and Australia, which he predicts will see more big-scale M&A following DAZN's deal for paycaster Foxtel. Ulitmately, the entire event will be geared towards what comes next. 'As we go into this year's APOS, Netflix, Disney, Amazon and YouTube and scaled local platforms such as JioStar, U-Next and Foxtel are all generating profit and more and more cash,' says Couto. 'The key question is now about maintaining the balance between growing margins and investing to drive new growth.' Best of Deadline List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Harbour On Feeling Relieved Over ‘Stranger Things' Ending: 'You're Having To Play A Lot Of The Same Beat'
David Harbour was ready to move on from Stranger Things after 10 years on the Netflix series. The Duffer Brothers series is expected to end with its upcoming fifth season, and Harbour is opening up about why he was relieved about it. More from Deadline APOS Co-Founder Vivek Couto On Expectations For 2025 Event & How Asia Has Become A Key Battleground For The Future Of Entertainment 'Arcane' Showrunner Christian Linke On Exploring Character Relationships & Artistic "Extremes" For Season 2 'Nobody Wants This', 'Monsters' & 'Forever' Teams On Showing LA On Screen - Netflix FYSEE During a conversation with Scarlett Johansson for Interview, the Black Widow star asked Harbour if he was relieved to have completed Stranger Things. 'When I started I loved it so much,' he said. 'Buddies of mine who'd done TV shows for many years said, 'By season three or four you'll be running.' And I was like, 'Never! I love all these guys so much.'' However, Harbour noted that he reached a point where he questioned how much longer the series could go on. 'You get to a certain point where you're like, 'How much more story is there?' You're having to play a lot of the same beat,' he continued. 'And there's a feeling where you're like, 'I want to take a risk. I want to do something that people haven't seen me do before.' So yeah, after 10 years, it's like, 'Okay.'' Stranger Things premiered on Netflix in 2016, and its fifth and final season has been dated to start on November 26 of this year. Johansson noted that from her experience in being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, being committed to one character limits your flexibility as 'your identity is wrapped up in this job for a long time.' Harbour agreed, saying, 'It's the same thing with this show. There'd be certain seasons where you feel like, 'I'm going to go in this different direction.' But as you say, a piece of your psyche is occupied with this group of people and this storyline. I don't paint my nails, but I get that idea of 'I can't get a haircut' or 'I can't shave this freaking mustache.'' Best of Deadline List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
APOS Announces $60,000 Sponsorship for Delta Waterfowl to Boost Duck Populations in Alberta
STONY PLAIN, Alberta, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainable hunting practices, the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society (APOS) is proud to support innovative and science-based conservation projects through its Wildlife Management Fund (WMF). APOS is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the Delta Waterfowl's Alberta Hen House Project. Together, APOS and Delta Waterfowl will help boost the duck populations in Alberta. Delta Waterfowl is a leading conservation organization focused on increasing duck numbers across North America through intensive management programs and the preservation of breeding habitat. As a part of their Hen House Program, Delta Waterfowl installs hen houses – elevated nesting structures that are proven to dramatically boost nest success for mallards from 5% to 60% by making hens and their eggs inaccessible to predators. This program has been successfully implemented across Canada and the US, demonstrating its value as a tool to effectively increase duck populations. Research shows that while modern harvest has little impact on duck numbers, predators such as raccoons and skunks are some of the leading causes of declining duck populations. To help address this in Alberta, Delta Waterfowl will install up to 400 new hen houses, adding to its existing network of 1,860 structures across Alberta's wetlands, which are prime duck breeding habitats that have experienced decades of declining duck nest success due to habitat fragmentation and predator overabundance. Delta Waterfowl estimates that this work will result in the production of over 4,000 fledged, first-year mallards for the 2026 breeding and hunting season. 'This winning partnership will produce ducks for years to come for all who enjoy healthy fall flights,' states Delta Waterfowl CEO, Jason Tharpe, 'we at Delta are grateful for APOS' support to grow our fleet of Hen Houses across Alberta.' APOS is contributing $60,000 to the project, directly supporting the installation of new hen houses over the next two years, as well as maintenance of the existing structures and monitoring of the outcomes of the Alberta program over the next five years. 'Alberta is known around the world for its amazing waterfowl populations,' states APOS President, Corey Jarvis, 'our members rely on this resource and want to see it continue to thrive for future generations. We are excited to work with Delta Waterfowl for the benefit of all those who appreciate ducks in Alberta and across the continent.' The WMF is derived from the annual fees paid by big game and waterfowl outfitters in Alberta. Through WMF, APOS supports initiatives aimed at maintaining and improving wildlife populations and their habitats, promoting responsible stewardship of Alberta's wildlife, and enhancing the effectiveness of conservation efforts. In the decades-long legacy of the WMF preceding 2022, approximately $6 million have been dedicated back to our province's wildlife resources for various projects. With changes to the agreement with the Government of Alberta in 2022, the funds available increased, enabling just over $2 million in contributions over the last 3 years. For more information about APOS and the Wildlife Management Fund, please visit To learn more about Delta Waterfowl, please visit CONTACT: grants@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
APOS 2025 Draws Top Media Execs to Bali for 15th Edition
The 15th edition of APOS is set to bring together influential decision-makers from across the media, entertainment and digital landscape at The Ayana Estate in Bali. The conference has secured a notable roster of speakers including streaming executives, content creators, and digital innovators who are shaping the future of entertainment across Asia Pacific and beyond. More from Variety Stagecoach Livestream Schedule: How and When to Stream the Festival 'Sirens' Trailer: Meghann Fahy Saves Her Sister From Julianne Moore's High Society Cult in Netflix Series 'The Thursday Murder Club,' Whodunit Starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie, Sets Release Date on Netflix Netflix's VP of content for Korea, Don Kang, will be making his APOS debut, coinciding with the release of 'Squid Game' Season 3 that same week. Kang's session is expected to provide insight into Netflix's K-content strategy, audience engagement metrics, and future plans for Korean programming that has achieved global popularity. Disney's presence will be substantial, with Kylie Watson-Wheeler, senior VP and MD of The Walt Disney Company Australia/New Zealand and head of ESPN APAC, expected to discuss the company's streaming success in one of their largest Asia Pacific territories and the integration of ESPN into Disney's Australian operations. James Rushton, co-founder of DAZN, is also on the agenda. DAZN has recently expanded its footprint by acquiring Foxtel and securing a deal with Saudi Arabia. Warner Bros. Discovery APAC president James Gibbons will likely address the Max's successful launch in Australia as well as operations in Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Japan. The conference will spotlight tech giants' increasing involvement in the entertainment space. Sanjay Gupta, president of Google APAC, will deliver a keynote on how he sees the future of AI with entertainment, while Jonathan Zepp, Google's MD of global partnerships for emerging content, XR and TV platforms, will focus on the company's collaborations with Hollywood and media companies. TikTok's global head of distribution, Isaac Bess, will also be making his first appearance at APOS and along with Yoichi Sato, GM of content operations, APAC, is expected to speak about exploring partnership opportunities with premium content creators and studios, with potential announcements expected regarding the platform's micro drama content tile. Other notable speakers include Gaurav Gandhi, VP of APAC and MENA for Amazon, who alongside Nikhil Madhok, head of originals for India at Amazon Prime Video, and Amogh Dusad, director and head of Content at Amazon MX Player, will discuss Prime Video's development in India, local content creation, and advertising business growth across the company's platforms. Soraj Asavaprapha, chair and CEO of Jasmine International Public Company Limited, will represent a significant player in the region, having invested some $560 million for Premier League rights over the next six years, along with a Paramount deal as part of their content investment strategy. iQIYI's president of movie and overseas business group, Yang Xianghua, will focus on the Chinese streamer's growth in Southeast Asia and its increasing strategic focus on new growth in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. The conference will also feature prominent content creators including Dinesh Vijan, founder and CEO of India's Maddock Films, and Angga Dwimas Sasongko, founder of Indonesia's Visinema Pictures, who have been driving local storytelling in their respective markets. APOS 2025 will mark the first appearance for several executives, including Chris Taylor, NBCUniversal's managing director for APAC, television distribution, networks and DTC, and Katsuaki Setoguchi from TBS Holdings Inc./The Seven, Inc., who are expected to discuss their global content appeal and co-production partnerships. APOS will take place June 24-26. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Warner Bros. Discovery Sets Max Streaming Launch for Australia
Warner Bros. Discovery is making its long-awaited streaming debut in the Australian market, announcing Tuesday that Max will launch down under on March 31. Australia's streaming landscape has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, but the territory remains the Asia-Pacific region's second-largest premium SVOD market behind Japan. The Australian launch was the expected next step in Max's global expansion strategy as WBD looks to challenge Netflix, Disney+ and local incumbent platforms in key international territories. More from The Hollywood Reporter Court Denies Bid to Dismiss 'The Pitt' Lawsuit Against Warner Bros. TV, 'ER' Alums 'Yunan' Review: An Existential Mood Piece on Displacement That Deftly Harnesses the Transformative Power of Nature 'Apple Cider Vinegar' Star Kaitlyn Dever on Finding Empathy for Belle Gibson and Why the Hit Netflix Show Was "Deeply Personal" The studio and entertainment giant will bring to bear its formidable content arsenal — spanning HBO and Max Originals, Warner Bros. Television favorites and recent theatrical blockbusters — as it seeks to build a sizable position in the crowded marketplace. WBD first tipped the Australia rollout at last September's APOS media and entertainment industry conference in Bali, Indonesia. Max will be available in Australia at through app stores including Apple and Google Play, and on all major devices, including mobile, tablet, gaming consoles, and connected TVs like Hubbl. Australians already familiar with HBO's prestige programming through Foxtel's existing distribution channels will still have access through that platform, as WBD confirmed a launch partnership that gives Foxtel subscribers access to the Max app at no additional cost. 'We've been clear that the globalization of Max is a top priority, and Australia represents one of our biggest new markets and a significant opportunity to delight even more fans with the incredible stories told by our iconic brands,' said JB Perrette, CEO and president of global streaming and games at WBD. The second season of HBO's post-apocalyptic hit series The Last of Us will debut exclusively on Max on April 14, positioning the Pedro Pascal-led video game adaptation as an early tentpole for the platform. 'WBD has a long history in Australia, and we know our world-class content from HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery and more is incredibly popular with audiences here,' said Michael Brooks, gm of WBD Australia and New Zealand. 'We have a clear strategy to maximize reach through our direct-to-consumer app and distribution partnerships, and our collaboration with Foxtel at launch is a testament to that.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
