Asia's Streaming Landscape Shifts With Microdramas and Vertical Content
WHO:
Variety - Bharath Ram and Vijay Seshadri, executives from JioStar, discussed their product and engineering roadmap at the APOS conference.
Variety - Manoj Punjabi, founder and CEO of MD Entertainment, discussed the company's ambitions at the APOS conference.
Deadline - APAC chiefs for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney, and Warner Bros Discovery participated in a panel discussion at APOS.
Variety - Dhivya T., head of insights at Media Partners Asia, presented research at the APOS conference.
WHAT:
Variety - JioHotstar is focusing on consumer behavior, artificial intelligence, and connected television as key drivers for its next streaming phase.
Deadline - ReelShort has entered into a strategic partnership with Filipino telco Globe to expand its presence in Southeast Asia.
Variety - MD Entertainment is focusing on global partnerships, franchise development, and emerging content formats as part of its strategy for international visibility.
Deadline - The panel discussed upcoming content trends in Asia, highlighting Japanese live-action, Chinese-language content, and microdramas.
Deadline - Southeast Asia’s premium VOD users spend only 8% of their digital life watching premium content, according to Dhivya T.
Variety - Research indicated that streaming platforms are acquiring microdrama content to connect with Southeast Asian audiences who spend most of their digital leisure time on fast-attention formats.
Variety - Asia's vertical content sector is transitioning from short-form experimentation to the franchise era, as discussed by industry leaders at APOS.
WHERE:
Deadline - The partnership between ReelShort and Globe will provide access to ReelShort's premium library of mobile-first short dramas in the Philippines.
Variety - The APOS conference took place in Bali.
WHEN:
Variety - The session titled “Building the Vertical Stack in Asia” occurred on a Thursday during the APOS conference.
WHY:
Variety - The shift towards microdrama and vertical content is driven by the need for subscriber acquisition and engagement with audiences.
HOW:
Variety - JioStar's product development strategy is centered around understanding India's highly diverse audience base.
Variety - The next stage of growth for vertical entertainment in Asia will be driven by subscriber acquisition and the development of intellectual property (IP) franchises.
Deadline - The discussion at APOS focused on content and distribution strategies for the Asia Pacific region as the streaming wars have settled.
(UPDATED June 18, 2026 16:08 UTC)
At the APOS conference, Bharath Ram and Vijay Seshadri from JioStar unveiled their product and engineering roadmap, emphasizing a focus on consumer behavior, artificial intelligence, and connected television for their next streaming phase. Meanwhile, ReelShort has formed a strategic partnership with Filipino telco Globe, which will allow access to ReelShort's premium library of mobile-first short dramas in the Philippines. JioStar's product development strategy is designed to cater to India's highly diverse audience base, ensuring their offerings resonate with a wide range of viewers.
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(UPDATED June 18, 2026 14:03 UTC)
Manoj Punjabi, founder and CEO of MD Entertainment, recently shared the company's ambitious plans at the APOS conference. MD Entertainment is setting its sights on global partnerships, franchise development, and exploring emerging content formats to enhance its international visibility. Looking ahead, the next phase of growth for vertical entertainment in Asia will hinge on subscriber acquisition and the creation of intellectual property franchises.
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(UPDATED June 18, 2026 12:10 UTC)
At the APOS conference in Bali, industry leaders from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney, and Warner Bros Discovery participated in a panel discussion about upcoming content trends in Asia, emphasizing the rise of Japanese live-action, Chinese-language content, and microdramas. Dhivya T., head of insights at Media Partners Asia, presented research showing that Southeast Asia's premium VOD users spend only eight percent of their digital life watching premium content, prompting streaming platforms to acquire microdrama content to better engage audiences. The session, titled “Building the Vertical Stack in Asia,” highlighted a significant shift in the region's vertical content sector from short-form experimentation to a focus on franchises, driven by the need for subscriber acquisition and engagement.