OTTs are all the rage right now. Netflix opened its doors to a worldwide audience in January. In the same month, PCCW’s Viu also launched in Singapore. The app currently focuses on Korean content. Not to be outdone, Toggle, from MediaCorp has lined up a series of Toggle originals.

The first up is “A Selfie’s Tale” which has new episodes available every Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Those in a rush to watch the entire series in its entirety can do so via its premium tier at $9.90 per month.

All very interesting we say. With that in mind, we sat down with Mr Anil Nihalani, the Head of Connected Media at Mediacorp to distill the plans that Singapore’s very own OTT has in store for 2016.

Is Toggle contented to be a Singapore play for the time being or does it have regional ambitions?

As Mediacorp’s bilingual portal with entertainment and lifestyle content, Toggle redefines TV viewing altogether, going beyond the television set, offering a wide variety of local content options – catch-up, Toggle Originals, live coverage of key events, behind-the-scene insights to viewers across multiple devices offering a strong library of unique, original local programmes without charge. Since our revamp last April, it has gained new audiences and has seen viewership quadruple. Viewers today are familiar with its ever popular catch up TV service, Toggle-it-first service, movies, drama selection as well as accessing the coverage of major live events – anytime, anywhere.

As a local OTT provider, we aim to deliver a variety of entertainment options to its users. Increasingly, audiences in Singapore are getting more sophisticated, expecting to be excited by content they can relate to and artistes they can emulate. Responding to positive viewers’ feedback received for previous Toggle Originals, we have announced 11 made-for-digital productions which will debut from February 2016. The new titles comprise a range of genres from comedy, drama to thrillers, offering the best of local content in English and Mandarin, in both short and long form formats. All 11 titles will also be available for subscribers to binge watch at their convenience. Hopefully these carefully curated new productions will strike a chord with viewers, as we continue to strive to meet viewers’ varied content consumption needs.

Toggle Originals looks to be more catered to the Singapore market? Any plans to get artistes from the South East Asia and produce content that resonates with regional viewers?

Yes, there are plans to feature artistes from South East Asia for some of the productions and these will be decided based on casting needs and requirements.   While the 11 original titles are developed for our local viewers, some of the storylines have a wider and regional appeal and will be able to resonate with viewers in the region. In fact some of our earlier Toggle originals such Mystic Whispers, Cook Eat China, Letting Go, Sabo and Family Wanders have made their way to Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Cambodia, Brunei). In addition, Cook Eat China has been sold to Canada.