Warner Bros Discovery plans to launch its Max streaming service across new Asian markets including Thailand from Nov 19, a major expansion in a region where Amazon.com and Walt Disney are scaling back investment in content.
The introduction of Max in seven Asian markets will bring to 72 the number of countries and territories where the service is available, the media giant said on Tuesday.
Warner Bros said the service would bring popular content from brands such as HBO, Discovery, the DC Universe, Harry Potter and Cartoon Network to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The announcement comes after the company said last month that it expected to add more than 6 million subscribers to its Max platform in the third quarter.
Warner Bros Discovery relaunched the streaming service in May 2023, with expanded programming offerings and extended Max to Europe in May this year, capitalising on the anticipation of the Olympic Games held in Paris earlier this year.
Max also includes premium content from HGTV, The Food Network, the Discovery Channel and other cable networks.
The new push in Asia follows Max’s launch in Japan through a partnership with the local streaming platform U-Next. Warner aims to release the service in Australia in the first half of next year.
Globally, Warner is grappling with a dwindling traditional cable audience. It recently wrote down the value of TV networks such as CNN and TNT, reflecting an exodus of viewers from cable to streaming, taking with them advertising sales and subscriber fees.
Prime Video and Disney+ have significantly cut their investment in Asia to shore up profitability lately, even as Netflix has been ramping up original content production. Local streaming operators have also placed big bets on sports or local talent, helping the growth of the market.
