National Geographic channel to feature more local content

MANILA, Philippines - The National Geographic Channel (NGC), which is shown on cable television, will be featuring more Philippine content. Besides increasing its appeal to the local audience, the move will also allow the channel to secure more domestic advertisements, enabling companies to connect with their local audience. The cable TV channel claims to be seen in 1.3 million cable homes serviced by over 250 major cable systems throughout the Philippines, including Sky Cable and Home Cable systems in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao. In a statement, National Geographic said its that programming will be enhanced further, giving sponsors enough leeway to participate in local content. The localization approach started last month with the “NGC Top 30" special show in which local celebrities were tapped to host and introduce documentaries of their choice. “We believe that localization is key," said Avinash Himatsinghani, SVP for Advertising Sales and New Media Partnerships for National Geographic Asia. “This approach of customizing the channel for audiences in an important market such as the Philippines where we have long enjoyed a loyal audience and great following, clearly sets NGC apart." “Distribution is doing well in the Philippine market. National Geographic is in 90% of all cable households in the Philippines. Presently, we have 7.2 million viewers," added Rene Esguerra, COO for Asian Cable Communications Inc. (ACCION), National Geographic's channel distributor in the Philippines. Ad deals sealed in the Philippines will be sent over to National Geographic’s Hong Kong uplink facility for insertion into the Philippine-dedicated satellite feed of the channel. It joins seven other local feeds in the region, including India, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, Hong Kong & Southeast Asia. - Veronica C. Silva, GMANews.TV