SkyCable goes Disney

Here’s good news for kids and "young-at-heart" adults who never tire of watching well-loved cartoons and other Disney flicks: the Disney Channel will finally be available to Sky Cable subscribers starting July 1.

Finally clinching a deal that took almost four years in the making, Beyond Cable Inc., which operates the Sky and Home Cable systems, sealed the partnership that will give more reason for kids to enjoy their favorite Disney films via cable TV.

The agreement was formalized two weeks ago at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, signed by no less than Beyond Cable Inc. Chairman Eugenio Lopez III, and Jon Niermann, Managing Director of Walt Disney Television International Asia-Pacific.

"It’s a move that augurs well for the maturing cable subscriber populace," explains Disney Channel-Asia Managing Director Raymund Miranda. "Cable subscribers are making choices based on a lot of things now. Before, cable operators would boast of how many channels they can give you for a certain price, so choices were more quantity-driven."

"But the point is," he adds, "80 percent of the audience is watching only 10 percent of the channels at any given time. And so, both subscriber and operator can rightfully ask themselves, ‘Why am I paying for the rest of the channels that I don’t even watch anyway’?"

Through the auspices of the Beyond Cable service, cable subscribers can choose to pay more for premium service (via SkyCable’s more diverse selections) or sign up with Home Cable should they choose to "economize."

The Disney conglomerate has expanded its reach in the Asian region. From its initial launch in Taiwan in1995, the Disney Channel followed suit in Australia and Malaysia in 1996; Manila, Brunei and Singapore in 2000; and Korea just two months ago.

It’s been a good five years since Raymund joined the Disney Channel office in Manila in 1998, following his stint at GMA-7. Heeding the company’s renewed thrust, he moved to Singapore just last year. As managing director, his responsibilities include ensuring wide coverage for the channel and making sure they do well in the ratings.

Unlike the typical manager who limits his circle to those from the executive level, Raymund keeps his ears open to people whose opinions he believes matter more: the kids. "I have to listen to my kids a lot more now. If I’m not in touch with them, I can assume what they want – as opposed to knowing what they really want," he admits sheepishly. "So, I have to know the stuff they talk about in their school, their clothes, games, favorite artists, all of that."

It was the kids who named one of their interactive morning shows. As Raymund narrates, "We started a block of shows for the morning but we couldn’t come up with a name for it. So, we said, ‘Forget the execs, let’s ask the kids what they want to call it.’ And so, we had this contest where we had this ‘you-name-it’ morning show. Surprisingly, the most number of entries were from the Philippines! We got 3,500 entries in two weeks!"

"In fact," Raymund points out, "we have regular ‘focus groups’ in all of the Asian countries. I talk to people everywhere, outside work, in restaurants, even the cab drivers. That way, I can get a clearer focus of how they look at the world."

Disney Channel’s desire to inject an Asian flavor to the programming soon gave rise to such shows like Disney Buzz, which features Asian hosts kids can readily identify with. (One of the hosts, Karen Borja, is a Filipina.) "Interactivity is not just about putting a local face on TV, however," Raymund clarifies. "It’s also about knowing what the values and cultural perspectives are. That’s why we fly people here on a regular basis. Thanks to that, kids from Manila now want to learn more about their Asian neighbors."

Contrary to what some quarters say, Raymund does not believe the cable industry is killing the movie industry. "The (cable) industry is all about content," he stresses. "There won’t be any industry if you can’t show movies. In fact, what happens is that the cable industry is actually helping the movies earn more!"

"Look," he points out, "there’s VCD, VHS, DVD. These outlets actually lengthen a movie’s life span, giving it the chance to earn more revenue. If there’s anything that kills both industries, it’s piracy. Basically, what piracy is saying is that ideas are cheap. But in the end, it’s the actual cost of the idea we’re protecting, be it a hit song, a cartoon or any other creative enterprise."

Sadly, even the Disney franchise isn’t spared from the rampant crime. "We have about 50 to 60 systems carrying the Disney channel illegally," he laments. "We only wish the government can do more. In contrast, would you believe that in Singapore, there’s zero piracy!"

Who knows? Maybe with a wave of their magic wands and a sprinkling of pixie dust, the Disney reps could smash the pirates to smithereens and – like most Disney films – have their own happy ending.