Filmmaker Afdlin Shauki announced that he and business partner Datuk AC Mizal are going to launch their own TV station called Syiok TV.
The TV station is an ambitious RM20mil-per channel venture under Afdlin and AC’s newly-formed Syiok Media Network.
The company will utilise a broadcasting licence first acquired by actor-singer-host AC.
“It has been a lifelong dream to have a platform that will allow us greater freedom to put out our own content.
“I believe this is a move that will truly revolutionise the local entertainment industry,” Afdlin said at press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Afdlin and AC, however, declined to reveal if Syiok TV will be available as a free-to-air channel, another form of pay TV or an online streaming service.
They both said the plan now is to strengthen content offering and announce a viewing platform later this year.
The long-term goal for Syiok TV is to provide a win-win situation for content creators.
Aflin, who has been involved in the entertainment industry since the 1990s, has provided comedic content for various TV stations throughout the years. He came to a conclusion that current standard practice in the local industry is unfair.
“Content creators are the movers in the industry. However, they get paid only so much and they don’t own the rights to the content they have come up with.
“The rights belong to the TV station. I’m thinking ahead. I want to do something where the rights of content creators are protected.
“Intellectual property rights should not belong to the TV station. Change has to start from us at Syiok TV. Hopefully other stations will follow our lead.”
Syiok TV will kick off with the launch of one channel for now.
“Viewers can expect content that they have never seen before on local TV. We’re looking at both English and Malay-language content. We have locally-produced animated content geared for older viewers and local English sitcoms.
“We’ll also have films. Our station will become its own cinema. AC has something fresh planned for the news segment,” Afdlin offered. He also said that additional channels will depend on the profitibality of the first channel.
He is optimistic that Syiok TV’s content offering will be able to pull in advertisers.
“Our plans are very exciting. All this while, business-minded people have been running the industry. This is different. We’re going to see what happens when those who are very much involved and passionate about the industry take over.”
