Vancouver-based BroadbandTV expands to Southeast Asia, Middle East

Vancouver- based online video purveyor Broadband TV is expanding to Southeast Asia and t he Middle East as it vies to get more eyeballs on its video content.

Broadband TV, a multiplatform network that helps content creators distribute and make money from their videos on platforms such as You Tube, announced Friday it has launched in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

BroadbandTV already bills itself as the largest multi- platform network in the world. Only Google and Facebook attract more unique monthly viewers on desktop computers, according to comScore data from November 2016 that found BroadbandTV had nearly 319 million unique viewers that month.

It now operates in seven languages in 30 countries, and says it is the leader in all English- speaking, Hispanic and Portuguese markets.

“We’ re committed to building on our existing momentum, and today’ s news is yet another example of how we’re laying the foundation for our next stage of significant growth,” founder and CEO Shahrzad Rafati said in a statement. “The regions we’re focusing on have massive potential.”

Southeast Asia’s Internet economy is expected to reach $ 200 billion by 2025, according to a report by Google and Temasek.

Digital industries are expected to add $ 95 billion annually to the Middle East’s GDP by 2020, according to research from McKinsey.

Rafati founded BroadbandTV in 2005. European entertainment network RTL Group bought a majority stake in the company in 2013 for US$ 36 million.

Broadband TV claims its videos have 22 billion monthly impressions across its libraries, brand and network of 85,000 content creators.

Its content creators include TGN, a gaming video network, Opposition, a hiphop music network and HooplaKidz, a kids and family network.

Its par t nership with the NBA called NBA Playmakers is bill ed as t he world’s premiere basketball video network.