Like many others in Asia’s channels space, Sony Pictures Television enters 2019 in different shape.

Little from Asia can compete with anime on the global entertainment stage, where fandom drives commitment and decades-old franchises based on print stories still top the list of Asian titles most in demand.

Philippines’ broadcaster ABS-CBN is likely to spend upwards of US$220 million on production this year, including shows such as long-running drama series Brothers and the local versions of talent/ reality formats.

HBO Asia is almost two years into an originals strategy driven by a different kind of Asian storytelling and a wider, deeper approach to production.

Three versions and multiple seasons of Scandi noir crime drama, The Bridge, have been made around the world. The fourth – and the first in Asia – is a Double Vision production in Malaysia for streaming platform Viu.

British Asian actress Sunetra Sarker became an actress by chance and a poster-person for Asian women with attitude by choice. As her latest TV series makes its way around the world, she is also speaking up for greater diversity off-camera.