Japanese television networks are scrambling into Asia, seeing it as a new frontier of business opportunities as they struggle with dwindling advertising revenue at home.
Fuji Media Holdings. is pushing into the Asian market with its "Asia Versus" program, a competition for amateur musicians. While it is filmed at a Tokyo studio, the program features contestants from various Asian countries and a multinational mix of hosts and judges from the target markets — South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia as well as Japan.
"Asia Versus," which was launched in April in Japan, will gradually be aired in the other three markets. It is produced by a company jointly established by Fuji Media Holdings, which has Fuji Television Network Inc. under its wing, and Itochu Corp., a major trading company.