The Japanese digital TV platform Wowow has intensified its efforts to strengthen its international presence through two key initiatives: a strategic alliance with the TNL Mediagene Group and the launch of Wowow Bridge, its new production services division. Both strategies, unveiled redcently, highlight the company’s commitment to innovation and global collaboration in the media sector.
The partnership with TNL Mediagene, which operates in Japan and Taiwan, aims to develop unique media businesses and expand content distribution internationally. The companies plan to collaborate on e-commerce and crowdfunding platforms, as well as on advertising solutions that integrate traditional TV with digital advertising. TNL Mediagene also brings expertise in artificial intelligence and data analysis, creating content tailored to millennials and Generation Z in Japanese, Chinese, and English, with plans to expand into East and Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, Wowow has taken an unprecedented step in Japan with the launch of Wowow Bridge, a division offering production services for international projects in the country. Inspired by Wowow’s collaboration on the series Tokyo Vice, this new operational arm facilitates the production of films, TV series, commercials, and more, providing services ranging from location scouting to post-production. Kayo Washio, executive producer of Tokyo Vice and director of international operations at company, will lead the division from Los Angeles, strengthening the connection between Japan and the global entertainment industry.
With Japan introducing tax incentives, such as reimbursing up to 50% of production costs for projects that meet certain criteria, Wowow Bridge is positioned as a strategic ally to attract international productions to the country. ‘Japan may seem like a complicated place to shoot, but our mission is to simplify the process and act as a bridge between foreign productions and Japan’, said Washio.
These announcements are part of Wowow’s 10-year strategy as well as its medium-term management plan released in May 2021, which seeks to strengthen existing businesses and create new projects. Wowow stressed that its goal is to ‘reform the structure of media services (streaming and distribution)’ and ‘generate new revenues by developing new services’.
