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YouTube content creator Maker Studios eyes Australia after Asia push

Maker Studio's controversial kissing a girl video was banned in Singapore

Maker Studio’s controversial kissing a girl video was banned in Singapore

Maker Studios, one of the biggest producers of content on YouTube, has expanded its presence in Asia and is exploring a move into Australia.

The Los Angeles-based company acquired by Disney for $500 million in March, has established an office in Singapore as a Southeast Asian hub, and is looking to launch next in Hong Kong as a springboard into China, Mumbrella Asia has revealed.

Maker Studios, which has been trumpeting its skills in ad-funded productions, is also exploring opportunities for launch in Australia further down the track either organically or by acquisition, the company’s international president Rene Rachtman told Mumbrella Asia at the All That Matters conference in Singapore yesterday.

“Australia is of major interest to us. The ad dollars are disproportionately big for the size of the market,” Rachtman said. “The talent pool is growing too. There are a lot of YouTubers in Australia.”

India and Japan are other markets of interest, Rachtman said, adding that English speaking markets are the priority.

Maker Studios’ Asian operations are being led by former FremantleMedia business developement head for Asia, Gautam Talwar, who joined the company seven months ago. He is based in Singapore.

The company recently hired a network development director to manage talent, and is looking for a commercial director.

Rachtman commented: “We are already getting 700 million views per month from our content in Asia, and have been seeing about 400 per cent growth in our audience year on year.”

“By this time next year, I expect us to have generated about three billion views,” he said.

Robin Hicks

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