MCOT & Viacom International enter into strategic alliance in Thailand

Thailand’s MCOT has entered into a strategic alliance with Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Asia and content provider appleTool, to collaborate on production, licensing, distribution and live events for MTV Thailand.

This follows an announcement on an exclusive licensing agreement between VIMN and appleTool to bring back MTV Thailand to its Thai fans. At the signing ceremony, MCOT also announced a licensing agreement with VR1 Media Group to offer a Nickelodeon branded block on MCOT’s Modernine that will launch on June 22nd.

VIMN Asia’s executive vice president and managing director, Indra Suharjono, said the deal makes MTV the most widely distributed non-Thai channel in Thailand.

“We will be the widest distributed international channel in Thailand as we will be across all major platforms, including True Visions, PSI C-band, and DTV. MCOT’s over 60-year history and dominance in the Thai media market makes them a logical and strong partner and we have certainly fulfilled our on-going strategy to extend the coverage of both MTV and Nickelodeon brands across Asia, especially in a fast-growing market like Thailand,” said Suharjono.

appleTool plans to fully localise MTV Thailand through the alliance.

“We look to build an exceptional platform for the creation and delivery of great music and entertainment for the Thai youth. Our collaboration with such an iconic youth entertainment brand like MTV represents an opportunity for local talents and youths to engage each other as we create a channel that features some of the very best of MTV for Thai millennials,” said Byrd Kulpong Bunnag, chief executive officer, VR1 Media Group.