TOKYO – Wowow Inc., Japan ’s top pay channel, is opening a Los Angeles office as it seeks to ramp up acquisitions and co-productions to provide content for its new HD channels that will launch in October.
“In celebration of our 20th anniversary, we are proud to expand the WOWOW brand to Los Angeles. This will allow us greater access to our partners and the industry, and capabilities to generate new content to provide our audiences in Japan and around the world,” said Wowow president, Nobuya Wazaki.
The Los Angeles office will be led by Kayo Washio, a producer who has been at Wowow for over 15 years, most recently, as manager of marketing and promotions.
Launched in 1991, Wowow broadcasts a mix of
international films, drama, anime, comedy and sports through satellite, cable and online providers.
The channel has enjoyed steady growth over the last five years, taking its subscriber numbers back over 2.5 million, while it has invested more in domestic original contents. In 2009, Wowow landed licenses for two of the new HD channels that will begin broadcasting this year.
