Blue Ant Media, the Canadian-owned group with operations spanning TV production, distribution and channels management, is creating a new Asia-Pacific base in Sydney, Australia.

It has hired Jon Penn as its Asia-Pacific MD and Jason Soh as VP of distribution, based in Singapore.
Penn is a veteran with ten years in Asia with BBC Studios and 11 years of experience at Fremantle. Latterly, he has been a partner at ACT Media Ventures and advised Blue Ant on its expansion in Australia.

“The appointments signal the expansion of Blue Ant Media’s channel and program distribution business in Asia Pacific, combining the company’s channel distribution and content sales in the region into one unit. The Asia Pacific expansion aligns with the company’s recent announcement of plans to merge production and distribution operations with marblemedia into one unified studio and rights business,” the company said.

Penn will be responsible for overseeing content sales and expanding the distribution of Blue Ant Media’s global branded channels across Asia Pacific. These include the Love Nature brand and Blue Ant Media’s portfolio of FAST channels, including NatureTime, HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets, Total Crime and HistoryTime. 

He reports to Carlyn Staudt, head of commissioning, global media & GM Love Nature and Mark Bishop, co-president of Blue Ant Studios.

Soh was previously global channels and distribution director – APAC for Wildbrain and also held senior business roles with WarnerMedia, HBO, Disney and Nickelodeon.

Other changes relating to the Asai-Pacific expansion include: Nick Solowski, senior director, international sales & acquisitions, who will continue his multi-regional content sales responsibilities, but will now report to Penn on business in China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand; Morgan Jacobson join’s Penn’s cluster as senior specialist, programming and affiliate marketing for APAC. Jacobsen has relocated to Sydney from Love Nature’s Washington DC office and will be taking on sales and affiliate marketing responsibilities for the region.