PCCW (SEHK:0008) – HONG KONG / SINGAPORE, August 28, 2019 – Viu, a leading pan-regional OTT video service from PCCW Media Group, and HBO Asia jointly announce their partnership in the second season of Viu Original’s The Bridge, which will begin shooting its second 10-episode season this year and will be simulcast on Viu and HBO Asia’s channels and services in early 2020.

Loosely based on the second season of the original series, season two will pick up one year after where the story ended in season one.  A yacht registered in Singapore drifts ashore in Johor with a deceased Indonesian family on board. Investigating the slew of serial killings that ensue, the characters become mired in a web of treachery, deceit and personal tragedy.

Mr. Jonathan Spink, Chief Executive Officer of HBO Asia, said, “HBO Asia is delighted to once again partner with Viu and PCCW Media Group on the second season of The Bridge. This series, an Asian adaptation of the successful licensed format, which is produced in association with Viu, will complement our growing slate of HBO Asia Original productions that are available to a global audience.”

Ms. Janice Lee, Managing Director of PCCW Media Group, said, “Our partnership with Endemol Shine and HBO Asia on the second season of The Bridge is taking our collaboration to a higher level. We are excited to extend on the success of the first season with a storyline that resonates with audiences in Asia and take it even further by adding new elements.”

Ms. Rashmi Bajpai, Executive Director Asia of Endemol Shine International, said, “We are thrilled about Viu’s faith in renewing The Bridge. It has been a stellar example of knitting together the nuances – culturally, creatively and commercially to produce a drama that has worked in a diverse region. The commissioning of the second season reinforces our belief in the potential of scripted formats in Asia and we hope this will pave the way for many more co-productions.”

The Bridge is licensed from global producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group. Viu is also working with longtime partner Double Vision to produce season two, as it did with the first season.

The second season will be available on Viu in all its markets as well as on HBO Asia’s network of channels and services, including HBO, HBO GO and HBO ON DEMAND, across 24 territories.

The Bridge was originally created and written by Hans Rosenfeldt as a joint production of Sweden’s Filmlance International, part of Endemol Shine Group and Denmark’s Nimbus Film. The Bridge (Bron/Broen) was produced in co-production with Sveriges Television, DR, ZDF German Television network, ZDF Enterprises Gmbh, Film i Skåne, NRK, Copenhagen Film Fund, Lumiere Group, Stiftelsen Ystad Österlen Filmfond, Norvision and in co-operation with Malmö Stad. It has aired in more than 188 territories/countries and spawned localized remakes in the U.K/France, the United States/Mexico, Germany/Austria, Russia/Estonia and Serbia/Croatia.

About Viu

Viu is a leading pan-regional over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service operated by PCCW Media Group. It is available in 17 markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar in Asia, the Middle East countries of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the newly launched South Africa.

Operating with both an ad-supported tier and a premium subscription tier with more features, Viu delivers premium Asian content in different genres from top content providers with local language subtitles as well as original production series under the ‘Viu Original’ initiative.

Viu offers users express delivery of telecast content, streaming and download features, and localized user interfaces. With the patented Dynamic Adaptive Transcoding technology, Viu can provide the best viewing experience regardless of device or network conditions.

The service can be accessed via Viu app (available for free on App Store and Google Play) on connected devices, e.g. smartphones and tablets, as well as on web by logging into www.viu.com.

About PCCW Media

The Media Group of PCCW is a leading, fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong.

The Media Group operates the leading pay-TV service in Hong Kong under the Now TV brand delivering both self-produced and licensed content to its customers using IPTV technology. Now TV offers more than 160 linear channels and on demand library of local, Asian and international programming. Its premium content can also be accessed via the Now Player app. It is also a leading producer of Chinese language news, financial news and sports programming in addition to Asian infotainment content which complements its wide portfolio of licensed movie and international television content. PCCW Media also offers the Now E entertainment OTT (over-the-top) platform with international and Asian dramas, movies and world-class sports events, which is designed to meet the needs of viewers with Millennial lifestyle.

The Media Group is also engaged in the provision of OTT video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and 16 markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India. In addition, MOOV is a hugely popular music digital streaming service in Hong Kong.

About PCCW Limited

PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008) is a global company headquartered in Hong Kong which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.

The Company holds a majority interest in the HKT Trust and HKT Limited, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services. HKT meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centers.

PCCW also owns a fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong, PCCW Media. PCCW Media operates the largest local pay-TV operation, Now TV, and is engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region.

Through HK Television Entertainment Company Limited, PCCW also operates a domestic free television service in Hong Kong.

Also, wholly-owned by the Group, PCCW Solutions is a leading information technology outsourcing and business process outsourcing provider in Hong Kong and mainland China.

In addition, PCCW holds a majority interest in Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, and other overseas investments. To learn more about PCCW, please visit www.pccw.com.

About HBO ASIA

 Wholly owned by HBO (a subsidiary of WarnerMedia), Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Lionsgate and DreamWorks Animation. HBO is available across 23 territories in Asia. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. HBO Asia broadcasts five 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Cinemax; an Asian movie channel, Red by HBO; internet streaming platform, HBO GO; subscription video on demand (SVOD) service, HBO On Demand; and a branded SVOD service in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang). HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

HBO, Home Box Office and HBO Asia Originals are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

 About Endemol Shine Group

With world-class creative, production, distribution and commercial capabilities, Endemol Shine Group works on a unique local and global axis, comprised of 120 companies across all the world’s major markets, dedicated to creating content that entertains and enthrals billions of people around the world. Endemol Shine Group’s drama portfolio is international and diverse, with acclaimed worldwide hits such as Humans, Bron, Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Grantchester, Spring Tide, Penoza and Broadchurch. Global hits include MasterChef, Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, The Money Drop, Your Face Sounds Familiar, The Brain, Hunted and The Island along with new travelling formats All Together Now, Family Food Fight and Big Bounce Battle. Our content is enjoyed wherever the audience wants to watch and generates more than 3 billion monthly views online, with titles such as Mr. Bean now among the world’s most popular entertainment brands on platforms including YouTube and Facebook. In 2018, Endemol Shine Group had 700 productions on air across 270 platforms in more than 70 territories, travelling more formats than any of our peers.