SingTel to launch Mandarin drama series for 3G subscribers
By Channel NewsAsia's Taiwan Bureau Chief Young Ming
TAIPEI : Singapore Telecom is launching its first Mandarin drama
serial produced for its 3G mobile phone subscribers in
Singapore.
The Singapore-Taiwan production is a sequel to a popular Taiwanese
drama series now airing on MediaCorp's Channel U.
Called "The Prince Who Lost His Memory", the 10-part love story has
a cast of up and coming young Taiwanese artistes.
It is being adapted for mobile phones through a deal between
Singapore Telecom and Taiwan's Sanlih Cable Television
Network.
The show is a short sequel to the popular drama series, "The Prince
Who Turns Into A Frog", which can now be seen in Singapore on
MediaCorp's Channel U.
Each episode will be three minutes long and will be charged on a
pay-per-view basis.
Said Vivian Chang, vice president (digital content) at Sanlih
E-Television, "The handphone is a very mobile and personal medium.
Any content that fulfils these two requirements would be very
dynamic."
Taiwan has more than 23 million mobile phone users, but its 3G
mobile network is still in its infancy.
So this latest mini-drama won't be released here; instead it will
be shown in Singapore and also made available in mainland
China.
Even in countries where 3G technology is more established, watching
a drama on a mobile phone is a novelty.
Said Ms Chang, "The 3G market is still maturing and something like
this is clearly still experimental. It's risky yet creative."
The first Mandarin drama produced for 3G mobile phones was "PS.. I
Luv You".
The 30-episode drama series, which attracted plenty of commercial
interest at its debut in June at the Shanghai TV Festival, was a
collaboration between Singapore's MediaCorp and the island's Media
Development Authority. - CNA /ct