Sony Pictures' Indonesian ambitions

Sony Pictures Television Networks(pictured) has entered an agreement to acquire 50% of Indonesian Channel Televiva from Dori Media Group.Televiva offers viewers telenovelas, or Latin American format soap operas, dubbed into Bahasa Indonesia. The channel is carried exclusively by Indovision, the nation's largest pay TV provider. The channel is popular among women ages 15 and over, according to a joint release by Sony and DMG.Andy Kaplan, president, worldwide networks for Sony Pictures Television said: "Televiva complements our bouquet of channels and we look forward to working closely with DMG for continued success."Nadav Palti, president and CEO of DMG said: "We have developed a successful business over a number of years, but we are certain that SPT Networks' involvement will contribute to our operations in Indonesia, as well as venture to other regions."The pay TV market in Indonesia, which showed a 6.6% penetration in 2012, is expected to grow from 2.4 million to 5.5 million TV households by 2016, said a note in the release.In Asia, five of SPT Networks' channels - AXN, Sony Entertainment Television, beTV, One and Animax - are already offered across pay TV platforms.