Making HBO an all-around entertainment channel

Time flies when you’re having fun. That’s corny but true.

"The Philippines has been an incredibly important market for HBO Asia. We’re almost an institution here. In our ninth year in Asia, we now reach 24 countries," announces newly-promoted James Marturano who is both Executive Vice President and Managing Director of HBO Asia.

It is joint venture of Time Warner Entertainment (Home Box Office and Warner Bros), Paramount Films, Sony Pictures and Universal Studios. HBO, HBO2 (Asia’s first programmed multiplexed channel designed as an extension to complement HBO) and Cinemax also have an exclusive licensing agreement with DreamWorks. Major independent distributors such as Polygram, Rysher, New Line, Castlerock, Pearson, Orion and Morgan Creek complete its film sources.

Around the world, HBO has distinguished itself for sponsoring the concerts of the most sought-after artists. Try to beat names like Barbra Streisand and Michael Jackson. On the local front, the movie channel has produced the performances of Verni Varga, Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, The Side A and most recently, Lani Misalucha.

"We have tried to make HBO an all-around entertainment channel by airing blockbuster movies, original series (including Sex in the City which has captured the imagination of both audiences and critics), concerts and original movies. And, can you guess what was the first live event HBO broadcast in the ’70s?," Jim asks, candidly offering a free drink (knowing all too well that someone in the table would probably do so).

Caught off guard, I blurt out the answer and confirm my age. Yes, I was one of the live viewers tuned in to (a channel which was not HBO, of course, since we had no cable back then) the exciting Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier bout or The Thrilla in Manila.

The stakes are raised when HBO Marketing Manager Caroline Wong declares she too has a trivia challenge. What company pioneered the cable industry? Jim offers a trip to Singapore (HBO’s Asian homebase). Foremost on everyone’s lips is CNN. But, unfortunately, the gigantic success of what was once downplayed as the Chicken Noodle Network did not beat HBO to the draw. "Wasn’t it obvious?," Caroline says slyly.

"Even in this side of the world, it was vital that we were the frontliner. When we came to the region in 1992, we took all the risks. Although we carry the name HBO, new licensing deals had to be made between us and film companies. New territories meant totally new contracts. It wasn’t easy," Jim admits.

Perhaps it wasn’t. But Asian viewers easily took to the movie channel. Within three years HBO had a 600,000 subscriber base (a figure that has now reached millions). Just when we thought HBO was resting on its laurels, the company launched Cinemax in 1996.

Cinemax audiences (if we take the cue from the channel’s slogan) are asked to "expect something different." That’s exactly what we’ve been getting so far. Don’t you just wanna burst with pride when the films of our very own Vilma Santos, Sharon Cuneta and Rosanna Roces grace the small screens of our Asian neighbors?

Sci-fi fans will know nothing but great expectations when Cinemax airs the three-part, six-hour mini-series based on Frank Herbert’s Dune. The 1965 novel (now considered a classic and a collector’s item) has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Production cost went over S$20M. Academy Award-winning William Hurt and Italian screen icon Giancarlo Giannini lead the cast. The epic adventure earned raves from the American press. It also won nominations at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards (for Outstanding Cinematography in Movies of the Week Mini-Series Pilot for Cable or Pay TV) and at the Cinema Audio Society Awards (for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Movie-of-the-Week, Mini-Series). We’ll have to see for ourselves starting May 11 when it premieres on Cinemax.

Meanwhile, let’s not forget that HBO has won more awards for original movies than any other cable network including a record seven consecutive Outstanding Made-for-Television Movie Emmy Awards. The most memorable of course, is And The Band Played On which fearlessly delved into AIDS at a time when the dreaded disease was still a taboo subject. Also worth waiting for is Introducing Dorothy Dandridge which premieres on April 21. The HBO Original movie won five Emmy Awards as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for lead star Halle Berry. It captures the life and tribulations of a 1940s black actress victimized by racial discrimination.

"Actually, our original movies don’t have such big budgets. But a lot of major actors work with us because we give them artistic freedom. Our projects are often on-the-edge. They’re not necessarily mainstream. Even other networks now understand the importance of producing original movies. How do we handle competition? We just focus on who we are and what we do best. We just keep doing what we’re doing without looking over our shoulder,"Jim explains.

Competition also comes in other forms. Piracy is one of the biggest challenges HBO and Cinemax have yet to face. "The best way to fight it is to find the source. What’s difficult is that resources are limited for both the government and for our network. We have been working with investigators. Eventually, the industry will regulate itself. Actually, it’s unfair to legitimate subscribers, cable operators and networks like us. There’s no quick fix to this problem. In fact, it’s not just here in the Philippines. It’s all over. What’s good is that it hasn’t gotten worse here. So there’s always a chance it can get better."

Programming on HBO and Cinemax can only get better. Coming soon on your (hopefully, legitimate) cable TV screens are Erin Brockovich, American Beauty, The Patriot, Austin Powers and Double Jeopardy.