Astro has demonstrated again why it ranks as one of Asia’s most ambitious and forward-thinking media companies.

The Malaysian pay-TV operator is one of the JV partners in a new documentary channel, Spark Asia, further expanding Astro’s own content repertoire while testing out alternative avenues for growth. Spark Asia will make its debut in the first half of next year.

It’s never been a better time to aggregate and produce Asian content, for domestic audiences as well as overseas, but big rewards could lie in store for companies able to do more. Differentiated Asian content is set to drive the next wave of growth for Asian distribution platforms, looking to push up Arpu as well as subscriber numbers, but current output won’t be enough to meet operator needs.

That’s creating a big opportunity for new partnerships and JVs that can accelerate local momentum, especially in places where ad markets are large enough to support vibrant domestic production. The economic model is straight out of Hollywood. Production budgets have more room to grow, if overseas markets can deliver the profit and scale.

The most visible example today is in Korea, where the market’s biggest broadcasters are now exploiting their programming in Southeast Asia via general entertainment channels as well as licensing deals, working with international players such as Sony and Turner. Given the popularity of pirated Korean content online, similar deals targeting Southeast Asia’s emerging SVOD space might make sense as a next step.

Arguably, more can be done with Chinese entertainment in Southeast Asia too. The formula needs to be tweaked for smaller markets, however. Not all programming has the same appeal as Hollywood movies or Korean drama, prompting a greater focus on IP and fresh content instead. That’s the model for Spark Asia, and a possible way forward for broader collaboration across the region as a whole.

This article also appears in the Q3 2014 edition of Media Business Asia magazine.