MEDIA

Hong Kong - Sing Tao News Corp has launched a free weekly magazine called Smart Parents aimed at middle class families in Hong Kong.

Beijing – Disney-ABC International Television has partnered with Shanghai Media Group to produce a local version of The Amazing Race series in China.

Regional - Ebay's PayPal has struck up deals with Singapore bank DBS and China's bankcard association China UnionPay to offer consumers an even higher level of accessibility to online buying.

Regional – Pay-TV channel AXN is set to bring entertainment in high definition to audiences in Southeast Asia starting from May this year.

Malaysia - Powerscreen will invest close to RM3 million this year to expand and renew its network of giant LED Screens across Malaysia.

Shanghai - Chinese digital media group Focus Media plans to expand to lower tier cities across China in 2010, as the group reports a recovery in ad revenue for the fourth quarter of 2009.

New York - Anticipating the growth of e-reading devices like the Apple iPad, the US Audit Bureau of Circulations has expanded its definition of digital magazines to accommodate the shift.

Malaysia – Goodyear has launched an online contest on Motorsportchannel.com to tap its 2010 Formula Drift Asia series sponsorship.

Hong Kong - UM has secured the regional tender to handle media buying duties for AIA, but its win has been overshadowed by Prudential's US$35.5 billion grab for the insurance giant.

Hong Kong - Internet portal Sina has tapped Pixel Media as the exclusive advertising sales representative of sina.com.hk and its new standalone website for women eLadies.

Singapore - Serial MultiVision (SMV), along with IT product firm AG World (AGW), will be the exclusive operator and project integrator respectively to manage and market Orchard Road's media wall.

Singapore - SPE Networks pay-TV channel Animax is sporting a new look for its young audiences, adding new programming choices as well as a dash of viewer interaction.

Malaysia- Total Sports Asia (TSA) has inked a deal with the China Badminton Association (CBA) to distribute media rights for the Badminton Asia Championships in 2011 and 2012.

Malaysia – The Malay Mail is a supporting partner for AXN’s upcoming Amazing Race Asia Season 4 which has seen the newspaper brand feature at auditions since 6 March.

Singapore - Marketing understands The Upper Storey has won the Microsoft Office 2010 business after a four way pitch.

Singapore - March will be the last issue of high-end magazines Wealth and Robb Report, Freddie Tan publishing director tells Marketing.

Hong Kong - PCCW's pay TV platform now TV has won the exclusive Hong Kong broadcast rights to Indian Premier League, a major cricket event, for three seasons from 2010 to 2012.

Regional - Beaumont Publishing will relaunch TimeCraft magazine regionally under a new name Designare Time, Derek Ho GM at Beaumont tells Marketing.

Malaysia - The New Straits Times Press (NSTP) Group has appointed Universal McCann to help mastermind an aggressive communications strategy.

Malaysia - The New Straits Times Press (NSTP) Group has handed creative duties for its various newspaper titles to McCann Erickson and BBDO following a pitch.

Singapore - Days after the Audit Bureau of Circulations Singapore issued a stern warning to publications, the Magazine Publishers Association of Singapore has requested a clarification on errant publishers.

Hong Kong - Mark Lee, group general manager at TVB, will temporarily take over duties from general manager Stephen Chan, who has been arrested over allegations of corruption.

India - The Walt Disney Company is producing a fantasy adventure film targeted specifically for Indian audiences, featuring a host of leading local talent.

Malaysia - The season finale of The Biggest Loser Asia (TBLA) delivered solid ratings for the Hallmark Channel at its time slot last Tuesday, 9 March.

India - The Hindi news channel, STAR News has rolled out a brand campaign in an attempt to further differentiate its brand from the competition.

India - Out-of-home television company OOH Media has tied up with radio taxi service Mega Cabs with a fleet of about 700 cabs.

Singapore - ZenithOptimedia has bagged the media duties for the Singapore Media Fusion, following a competitive pitch.

Taiwan - Starcom Taiwan has bagged the strategic media duties and digital responsibilities of Prudential Insurance Company of America, Asia Pacific Telecom and paper manufacturing business Yuen Foong Yu.

Regional - Content producer ice-TV has re-launched across Asia, after a hiatus of two years.

Shanghai - Mindshare China has promoted Linda Lin and Asmita Dubey as managing directors for its Shanghai and Beijing offices respectively.