Asia Media Group

Asia Media Group Berhad is a Malaysian media company whose principal business was built around digital out-of-home broadcasting and advertising in public transportation environments. Its core platform, commonly branded as Transit-TV, used electronic screens installed in buses and other indoor or outdoor locations to distribute news, entertainment, information and advertising. The model combined a broadcast-style programming service with a commercial advertising network, allowing brands to buy video advertising, sponsorships and other forms of screen-based promotion while passengers consumed short-form content during their journeys. The company began operations in 2007 and quickly pursued concessions with major Malaysian transport operators. A significant early agreement covered the installation and operation of Transit-TV across 1,050 RapidKL buses in the Klang Valley. The project established Asia Media as a specialist in transit-based digital media and helped it scale beyond a conventional advertising-sales business. Subsequent arrangements extended the network to Causeway Link buses in Johor Bahru and to luxury coach fleets operated by Konsortium Transnasional, including Plusliner and Nice++ Express services. Asia Media also developed a Transit-TV presence in Kuala Lumpur and other urban transport settings. Asia Media TV, or AMTV, served as the group's flagship channel on the Transit-TV network. Its programming mix included local news, sports, health, entertainment, documentaries, business and technology features, marketing material and regional-development coverage. The company described its programming approach as interactive: viewer responses gathered through social media and mobile participation could influence content, while campaigns could incorporate online engagement, viral video, games, polls and sweepstakes. This gave advertisers a way to combine physical reach among commuters with digital interaction. The company also sought to move from prerecorded digital signage into live and mobile broadcasting. It received Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission licences covering network facilities, network services and content applications, and was awarded three L-Band spectrum blocks. Asia Media selected DMB-T technology for a mobile-TV application and tested live television broadcasting on buses in the Klang Valley in 2011. Its stated plans included expanding live broadcasting across its transit network and developing a wider digital broadcasting infrastructure. Asia Media became a public company on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market in January 2011. Its initial public offering was reported as heavily oversubscribed, and the shares began trading on 11 January. In the following years, the group pursued a transfer to Bursa Malaysia's Main Market, completed bonus and warrant exercises, and carried out a rights issue intended in part to fund the expansion of live broadcasting. In 2015 it acquired DPO Plantations Sdn Bhd and subsequently announced an oil-palm joint venture involving the Sarawak Land Custody Development Authority, representing a diversification beyond media. The brand received a number of Malaysian entrepreneurship, media and business awards during its growth period. It also undertook public-service and community initiatives, including crime-prevention messaging developed with the Royal Malaysian Police, missing-person announcements, free public-service airtime and environmental-awareness campaigns. The available reference material documents the company's operations and corporate activity mainly through the late 2000s and mid-2010s; its present operating status, ownership and website are not established here.

Asia Media began operations in 2007 as a Malaysian digital out-of-home and transit-media venture. In September that year it secured a concession to operate Transit-TV across 1,050 RapidKL stage buses in the Klang Valley. The agreement gave the company access to one of the country's most visible public-transportation environments and provided the foundation for its screen-based advertising network. Asia Media also received MSC Malaysia status in 2007. The company expanded its transport footprint in 2008. It completed Transit-TV installation across the RapidKL fleet and received a concession to operate screens on 250 Causeway Link buses in Johor Bahru. It also acquired Transit Vision Holdings Sdn Bhd, an operator of LCD screens in 200 luxury coaches serving Plusliner and Nice++ Express fleets. The subsidiary was later renamed Transnet Express Sdn Bhd and operated under the Transnet Ex brand. Asia Media's network and AMTV channel received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records as the largest Transit-TV network at that time. AMTV was officially launched in February 2009. From 2009 onward, Asia Media presented itself as a broadcasting company as well as a digital-signage operator. It announced plans to deploy Digital Video Broadcasting for Transit-TV, initially in the Klang Valley and later in Johor Bahru and Penang, and said that live digital broadcasting would begin in 2010. The company collaborated with The Star in a joint media initiative and appeared at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Digital Broadcasting Symposium. In April 2010, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission granted Asia Media individual licences for network facilities, network services and content applications. The company was also awarded three L-Band spectrum blocks and selected DMB-T for its mobile-TV plans. Asia Media's growth period was accompanied by awards and public attention around its founder and chief executive, Dato' Ricky Wong. The company received SME and brand awards, while Wong was recognised in Malaysian and Asia-Pacific entrepreneurship programmes. In 2011, Asia Media Group pursued a Bursa Malaysia listing. Its IPO was reported as oversubscribed, and its shares began trading on the ACE Market on 11 January 2011. The company then tested live television on 30 buses in the Klang Valley and stated ambitions to extend the technology across buses and trains. It also announced plans to expand into Singapore and explore Indonesia, although the available material does not establish that those proposed expansions became operating markets. The company's ambitions were included in Malaysia's Economic Transformation Programme. In 2011, the government described a proposed investment in digital live Transit-TV broadcasting infrastructure, with expected economic and employment effects. In 2012 and 2013 Asia Media sought to move from the ACE Market to Bursa Malaysia's Main Market. It reported meeting the relevant profitability criteria and received regulatory approval for the transfer. The company also announced a bonus issue and free warrants in 2012, followed by a rights issue in 2013. The rights issue was intended partly to support the rollout of live broadcasting. The company moved to the Main Market in February 2013. Asia Media continued to receive media-brand awards for its Transit-TV network through 2014. In 2015 it acquired DPO Plantations Sdn Bhd and announced that the subsidiary would form an oil-palm cultivation joint venture with the Sarawak Land Custody Development Authority. This was a material change in the group's documented corporate scope, adding plantation interests to its broadcasting, advertising and digital-media activities. The reference material available for this dossier does not establish the group's later operating status, ownership structure, management team or whether its Transit-TV network remains active.

• 2015

  Diversification into plantations

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Asia Media acquired DPO Plantations and announced a proposed oil-palm joint venture in Sarawak.

• 2013

  Transfer to Bursa Malaysia Main Market

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The company's securities transferred from the ACE Market to the Main Market, and a rights issue with free warrants was completed.

• 2011

  ACE Market listing and live-broadcast tests

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Asia Media Group listed on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market and tested live television broadcasting on buses in the Klang Valley.

• 2010

  Broadcasting licences awarded

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  MCMC granted the company individual licences for network facilities, network services and content applications. Asia Media also received L-Band spectrum blocks.

• 2009

  AMTV officially launched

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Asia Media TV became the flagship programming channel on the Transit-TV network.

• 2008

  Expansion to Causeway Link and luxury coaches

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The company completed installation on the RapidKL fleet, won a Causeway Link concession and acquired Transit Vision Holdings, later renamed Transnet Express.

• 2007

  Operations begin and RapidKL concession awarded

  [1]Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Asia Media began operations and secured a concession to operate Transit-TV on 1,050 RapidKL buses in the Klang Valley. It also received MSC Malaysia status.

A Malaysian transit-media and digital broadcasting operator connecting advertisers and public-service communicators with commuters through screen-based content, sponsorship and interactive campaigns.

• Digital out-of-home media · 2007

  Asia Media Transit-TV Network

  The company's principal platform placed digital electronic displays on public-transport vehicles and in other indoor or outdoor locations. The network carried AMTV programming, public information, sponsored content and video advertising. Its documented footprint included RapidKL buses, Causeway Link buses and luxury coach fleets. The format was designed to reach passengers during travel while giving advertisers a controlled, screen-based environment for repeated exposure.

• Broadcasting and infotainment channel · 2009

  Asia Media TV (AMTV)

  AMTV was Asia Media's flagship channel distributed through the Transit-TV network. Its reported content covered local news, sports, health, entertainment, documentaries, business, technology and regional developments. The company also described an interactive editorial and campaign model using social media, mobile participation, polls, games, sweepstakes and viral video to connect programming with audience response.

• Mobile and live digital broadcasting · 2011

  Live Transit-TV Broadcasting

  Asia Media developed a live-broadcasting initiative intended to add real-time television capability to its transit screens. It tested the service on buses in the Klang Valley in 2011 and planned to extend the technology across buses and trains. The company selected DMB-T technology for its mobile-TV application and used its broadcasting licences and spectrum awards to support the initiative.

• 2009Coral reef conservation airtime sponsorship

  Malaysia

  Asia Media sponsored airtime for a Reef Check Malaysia video about coral-reef conservation on buses serving the Klang Valley.

  Outcome. The campaign used the Transit-TV network to increase public awareness of environmental conservation.

  Source
• 2008Missing-person public alerts

  Malaysia

  Asia Media used Transit-TV screens to display information about the disappearance of Sharlinie Mohd Nashar. The initiative illustrated the network's use for urgent public-service communication.

  Outcome. The alerts were viewed by large numbers of public-transport passengers, according to the reference material.

  Source
• Crime-prevention and public-service messaging

  Malaysia

  Asia Media worked with the Royal Malaysian Police, ministries and non-governmental organisations to distribute crime-prevention information, missing-person notices, wanted-person bulletins and other public announcements through its screens.

  Source

• 2013

  Acquisition of DPO PlantationsM&A

  Background

  Asia Media Group sought to broaden its corporate activities beyond broadcasting and advertising.

  Action taken

  It acquired DPO Plantations Sdn Bhd as a wholly owned subsidiary.

  Aftermath

  DPO Plantations subsequently entered into a proposed joint venture with the Sarawak Land Custody Development Authority for oil-palm cultivation.

  Source

• 2013

  Rights issue to support live-broadcasting rolloutStrategy

  Background

  The group sought funding for the expansion of live broadcasting across its Transit-TV network.

  Action taken

  Asia Media completed a renounceable rights issue accompanied by free warrants.

  Aftermath

  The issue was reported as raising RM50 million, with an 88% acceptance rate.

  Rights-issue proceeds. RM50 million (2013)

  Source

1. 1Asia Media Groupen.wikipedia.org