Seven of the biggest regional multichannel television networks presented their upcoming programming to more than 60 media buyers, agency heads and clients during TV Upfronts – The Hong Kong Screenings. The screenings staged on February 21, promoted in association with Campaign Asia-Pacific, built on the success of the inaugural Upfronts held in Singapore last December to promote the power of advertising on multichannel TV across Asia. “Multichannel TV is a powerful medium to maximize ROI for marketers,” said Marcel Fenez, chairman of CASBAA. “While the numbers from our recent research show that costs can be lowered and reach increased by advertising on multichannel TV, these screenings truly showcase why this medium is so popular – because of the diversity of content available to viewers in Asia.” Participants in the showcase included AETN All Asia Networks, Bloomberg, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, FOX One Stop Media, NBCUniversal, SPE Networks-Asia and Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific who unveiled new programming illustrating the appeal of multichannel TV to targeted markets and a range of demographics. Agency participants included Carat, GroupM Regional, MediaCom, Mindshare, MPG, MEC, OMD, Maxus, PHD and UM. Guest speaker Sean Rach, director of regional marketing at Prudential Corporation Asia, presented a case study on the benefits of using multichannel TV to help parents in Asia build money-smart values for children aged seven to 12. “Multichannel TV can no longer be perceived as a niche platform for advertisers anymore, with penetration surpassing 50% of TV homes across Asia,” added Fenez. “CASBAA will further promote the power of multichannel TV across Asia with additional TV Upfronts across the region later this year.”