KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Malaysian creatives will have a chance at global stardom through Astro’s latest partnership with China’s leading streaming service provider iQIYI.
The deal sees the iQIYI mobile app providing viewers with Chinese-language content in Malaysia, including Astro originals such as Miss Astro Chinese International Pageant, the variety show Call Me Handsome, and the web drama Why So Famous, all of which feature homegrown talent.
With more than 600 million users and 100 million paying subscribers in China, Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad chief executive officer Henry Tan described iQIYI as “second-to-none” amongst video streaming services in the world, making it a viable path for local stars to gain visibility on the global stage.
“This partnership is truly exciting for Malaysian producers and talents because iQIYI will provide another platform to give them exposure not just in Malaysia, but in China and the rest of the world wherever iQIYI is available,” he said at the launch today in Bukit Jalil.
Tan said the partnership was a move to provide Astro subscribers with the flexibility of watching their favourite iQIYI content either through satellite TV or with the personalisation and mobility of online streaming.
By giving customers the best of both worlds, Tan said the company is committed to weathering the challenges of an ever-evolving digital world where video streaming services are the go-to source for consuming content.
iQIYI president of membership and overseas business group Yang Xianghua added that iQIYI looked forward to having more Malaysians join their original productions, citing the talent search competition Idol Producer which featured Johor-born contestant You Zhangjing as an example.
“We believe that content is king. We want to provide the best quality video content from different countries and in the future, we hope to collaborate more with (Astro).
“In the future, the digital platform for streaming services will evolve and users’ watching habits will change. We’d like to learn from each other and exchange our experiences in those areas.”
iQIYI is best known for original content such as Story of Yanxi Palace, which was named the most Googled TV show in 2018.
iQIYI app users can choose from over 2,500 dramas, films, variety shows, and animes with subtitles in Chinese, English, and Malay.
Astro customers can also look forward to ad-free streaming and exclusive benefits with two months of free VIP membership on the iQIYI app.
For more information, check out the Astro website.
