Celestial Tiger Entertainment Secures First and Exclusive Content Deals for its Channels Across Asia

KIX is the “home of combat” with exclusive mixed martial arts and kickboxing events

CJ E&M Corporation exclusive volume deal brings edgy, top-rated Korean TV series to CTE channels


HONG KONG (April 23, 2012) - Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), the operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, announced today several first and exclusive content deals for its channels. CTE makes KIX the “home of combat” in Asia by securing two multi-year output deals with renowned mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter Bellator Fighting Championships and kickboxing promoter It’s Showtime. CTE also concludes a volume deal with CJ E&M Corporation (CJ E&M) that locks in edgy action series and thrilling dramas on a first-run basis for all CTE channels in Asia. 

KIX, the new destination for "all action" entertainment in Asia, carries a multitude of combat events first and exclusively. Premiering in May is the sixth season of the world’s largest tournament-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, Bellator Fighting Championships. Bellator, distributed by FremantleMedia Enterprises, involves single-elimination tournaments with champions crowned across a number of weight classes. Viewers will be able to follow the contestants as they fight their way to the top.

CTE also signed an exclusive multi-year output deal with French media rights agency Fighting Spirit for It’s Showtime. It’s Showtime is a global championship kickboxing tournament featuring top level fights with stellar production values and the most famous kickboxers worldwide. 

Together with other martial arts and combat programs currently in the channel's programming mix, KIX establishes itself as the “home of combat” in Asia.  Such programs include K-1, the worldwide promotion, founded in Japan, focusing on stand up martial arts techniques; Strikeforce, the U.S.-based MMA promotion featuring legendary fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko; and Dream, a must-watch yearly MMA fight-fest with some of the best Japanese and international MMA talents.

The largest entertainment company in South Korea, CJ E&M Corporation, will also be bringing a selection of its latest and most exciting TV series first and exclusively to CTE’s channels in Asia. Included in the volume deal are hits like Blood Thirsty Prosecutor, the number one cable series in South Korea in 2011 starring Yun Jung-hoon; Hero, with Yang Dong-gun as a bad boy who wakes up from a coma and decides to fight evil; Quiz from God, starring acclaimed actor Ryu Duk-hwan as a medical examiner who solves mysterious crimes tied to rare diseases; Ten, a thrilling police drama featuring a group of criminal investigators who tackle the toughest cases while living by the motto “No more unsolved crimes.”; and Girl Killer K, a miniseries about a female assassin starring one of Korea's hottest new singers and actresses, Han Groo.

“With the growing popularity of mixed martial arts tournaments in Asia, we are securing two major combat promotions exclusively for KIX which, together with the current MMA programs, will make KIX the 'home of combat' in Asia. In addition, our partnership with CJ E&M guarantees our channels a pipeline of big-budget action series and thrillers that are truly daring, distinctive and Asian," said Ofanny Choi, Executive Vice President, TV Networks, Celestial Tiger Entertainment.


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Media enquiries

Pauline Poon

Celestial Tiger Entertainment

T: 852 2626 8131

E: pauline.poon@celestialtiger.com


About Celestial Tiger Entertainment

CELESTIAL TIGER ENTERTAINMENT (CTE) is a diversified media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company focuses on the operation of branded pay television channels, content creation and content distribution targeted at Asian consumers.

CTE operates a powerful bouquet of distinct pay television channels including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the most broadly distributed 24-hour Chinese and Asian movies channel in the world; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the gateway to an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; CELESTIAL MOVIES ON DEMAND, Celestial’s subscription Video On Demand service; KIX, the ultimate in action entertainment; Thrill, Asia's only horror and suspense movie channel; and KIX HD, featuring the best of action with a late-night dose of thrillers in high definition.

As one of Asia’s largest vertically integrated entertainment companies, CTE produces original content which complements its channels business. CTE is also the exclusive sales agent of content in all media in Southeast Asia and China from independent Hollywood studio Lionsgate.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE is a joint venture among Saban Capital Group, a leading private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries; Celestial Pictures, a major Asian entertainment company wholly-owned by Astro, the owner and operator of the leading DTH platform in Malaysia; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.