By this quarter , HOOQ will be releasing OTJ , a HOOQ original series created in collaboration with Globe Studios . Do you think there is a gap in local content in Asia that HOOQ can fill , and what is the current level of investment the company is putting into producing original content ? Peter Bithos : Yes , there is definitely a gap as most Asian content is created in two formats targeted at mass audiences — the twohour movie and the 40-minute TV episode . As such , there is a big opportunity to look at different formats and genres that are less explored and subject matters that may not be suitable for free-to-air ( FTA ) broadcast .

HOOQ is also a great platform for local directors and talents to tell stories that may not fit into the traditional movie or TV formats . Take , for example , On The Job ( OTJ ); it was born as a spin-off of a movie that had so much more to tell but was limited by the format of a twohour movie . With HOOQ , the story can now be told as a six-part series .

HOOQ has always been a big supporter of local content and investing in local content is definitely part of our strategy , and we will be investing millions of dollars

in this space . Currently , there are discussions in the pipeline and we are looking forward to announcing them as soon as possible .

To suggest that Asia is an increasingly crowded video streaming marketplace is perhaps an understatement . You have Netflix and Amazon Prime Video , a number of regional OTT services , not to mention OTT services — standalone or otherwise — offered by broadcasters and pay-TV operators . With so many choices available to viewers , it must be tough to differentiate yourself and stand out in the crowd . What are HOOQ ’ s key strategies to let more people know about your service , and stay with you ? Bithos : It is indeed a very crowded and competitive market and consumers have also shown that their taking up of such services is not limited to just one or two . There is room for each consumer to take up more than one service as each fills a different need .

For HOOQ , we believe that the key to keeping our consumers “ HOOQ ’ d ” is access and content . Accessibility through different payment options and bundling with their current telecom or broadband services make it hassle-free for them as the credit card penetration rate can be rather low in some of the emerging markets .

At the same time , content is clearly the key differentiator and HOOQ ’ s content strategy is to deliver the best of Hollywood and local content of each market in order to satisfy the needs of our customers .

In order to ensure our customers keep coming back , we will continue to add new content either through acquiring content or producing original productions , and help our customers discover the depth of our library of classics hits and blockbusters .

Do you see the shift away from linear watching continuing to grow ? If so , even with so many players , there will seem to be a real chance that the OTT space will expand further . What then , will be the key to winning the OTT space ? Bithos : At this point , over-the-top ( OTT ) is a complement to TV and not a replacement as subscriptionvideo-on-demand ( SVoD ) services mostly do not cover live sports and news , which are the stronghold of TV .

However , the trends do suggest that there is an increase in cordcutters who feel that OTT is sufficient for their needs . At the same time , OTT is here to stay and it has not reached its full potential . This is evident from the adoption of OTT , even though it is relatively new and not accessible to everyone yet .

In Asia , piracy also remains a concern . What are your thoughts on this ? Bithos : Piracy is definitely a concern but we believe that the disruption that OTT has created in this space is giving piracy a run for its money . At such affordable prices through a legal channel , it leaves one to wonder why consumers should take such risks [ of consuming pirated content ]. In addition , there is always the customer experience and content discovery that should not be neglected .

What are some of technologies that are of the most relevance to HOOQ right now ? For instance , Netflix and Amazon are already offering 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) HDR content ( outside of Asia ). Do you intend to be one of the first Asian OTT platforms to do the same ? Bithos : HOOQ is focused on serving customers in emerging markets , and will continue to do so as we are a company built in

❝ Content is clearly the key differentiator and HOOQ ’ s content strategy is to deliver the best of Hollywood and local content of each market in order to satisfy the needs of our customers .❞

Asia , for Asia .

This also means that our focus is serving up a seamless streaming experience , given the challenges that local infrastructure presents our customers . These daily challenges may not be evident to first-world countries , but some of our customers may not even have daily access to the Internet . HOOQ ’ s innovations come in the form of making entertainment accessible to our customers at all times , namely downloads , sachets and CDNs .

HOOQ was the first SVoD service to launch the download function as we are aware that our customers do not have 24 / 7 Internet connectivity and their

— Peter Bithos , CEO , HOOQ

entertainment needs should not be hindered because of this . We also know that sachets are a very common form of purchasing daily essentials , so why shouldn ’ t entertainment be consumed the same way !

As such , HOOQ was the first to introduce weekly “ sachet ” pricing in order for more people to be able to afford and access entertainment . At the same time , we use CDNs to ensure that our customers enjoy a seamless viewing experience by accelerating the delivery through caching . These all form the backbone of HOOQ ’ s innovations to deliver high quality and a seamless viewing experience for our customers in emerging markets .