For Immediate Release 

Riaz Mehta, Chief Executive Officer of Imagine OmniMedia is Executive Producer of the 15-episode reality TV series. Reality TV maestro Mark Burnett and Scot Cru of Mark Burnett Productions are Executive Producer and Co-Executive Producer respectively.

The Contender Asia is directed by internationally acclaimed Jerry Schafer complemented by local talents and senior producers from Mark Burnett Productions.

The 16 fighters vying to be The Contender come from 14 different nations and represent the cream of the crop in Muay Thai’s middleweight division. In accordance with the format of the show, they have been divided into two groups at The Contender House. Each week’s filming will follow the fighters as they live and work with each other, with the pinnacle being the elimination face-off in the ring.

The Contender Asia fight nights are being held every Wednesday and Saturday in front of a live audience, with the public invited to be part of the filming. The first two fight nights attracted capacity crowds which included VIP guests, media and fight fans drawn to the high-impact visual spectacle of Muay Thai and the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood production. Local and international celebrities have attended the first two fight nights with CNN’s Entertainment Anchor Adrianna Costa and Mario Lopez of Dancing With The Stars and Saved By The Bell fame lined up to appear on the show in October.

Imagine OmniMedia’s historic partnership with Mark Burnett Productions and DreamWorks SKG has resulted in The Contender Asia being the first international reality TV series filmed here and produced by a local media company, a venture made possible by Singapore’s Media Development Authority facilitating the financing from Asian banking specialist, DBS Bank.

The Contender Asia will be hosted by Australian-Chinese actress Jaymee Ong and Stephan Fox, the International Co-ordinator and Vice-President of the World Muay Thai Council. The Contender Asia is scheduled to debut on AXN this December.

The Contender Asia fight nights are held every Wednesday and Saturday until October 20. Tickets are available from SISTIC, priced at $30 on a Wednesday night and $40 on a Saturday. VIP tickets are $100 on a Wednesday and $120 on a Saturday evening.

For more information on The Contender Asia, please go to www.thecontenderasia.com. For more information about Imagine OmniMedia, please go to www.imagine-omnimedia.com. 

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About Imagine OmniMedia

Imagine OmniMedia is a Pan Asia media and mobile ventures company providing production, distribution, management, technology and funding to develop and implement media and mobile opportunities. The company's strategy is to take advantage of the growing market in Asia for TV viewership and mobile interactivity. With this in mind, Imagine OmniMedia works with international best of breed companies, to bring top tier media brands, concepts and formats to Asia.

About Mark Burnett Productions
Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) is a leading production company in content for both primetime television and the internet.  MBP revolutionized television with hits such as Survivor (CBS), The Apprentice (NBC), The Contender (ESPN), Rock Star: INXS (CBS), the new smash hit Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (FOX) and the co-production with Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television, On the Lot (FOX).  Other MBP projects in 2007 include: Pirate Master (CBS) and the 2007 MTV Movie Awards (MTV) for which Mark Burnett served as Executive Producer.   MBP also partnered with AOL in 2006 on the highly successful interactive adventure Gold Rush, the first-ever unscripted project to be produced exclusively for the internet.  In addition, MBP has established a scripted division and is developing comedies and dramas for television as well as feature films.  MBP also successfully reintroduced product placement as an integral part of each of its shows and has garnered a total of 46 Emmy nominations since 2001.            

Media contact

Ronda Ng                                                          Nadia Daeng

Fulford Public Relations                                      Fulford Public Relations

DID: 6324 5293                                                  DID: 6324 2534

Phone: +65 9152 2842                                       Phone: +65 9798 9506