MUMBAI: SevenOne International, the worldwide distribution company of ProSiebenSat.1 Group, will open a branch office in Hong Kong.

The company, which has already sold TV formats to Asia in the past, will expand its activities there with the new Hong Kong office, which will also help manage the business with Australia.

English-speaking markets are becoming increasingly important for SevenOne International, as the distribution company?s portfolio includes more and more English-language fiction programs.

SevenOne International CEO Jens Richter said, "Already today, more than 50 percent of all the world?s TV households are located in Asia. This market offers tremendous long-term growth potential for us as a distribution company."

SevenOne International has already placed several formats in Asian TV markets. The TV station Jiang Su Satellite has aired 52 episodes of the SAT.1 show ?Mein Mann kann?. In 2011, the free-TV channel Shanghai Docu TV secured the rights to ProSieben?s knowledge magazine ?Galileo?. In 2005, Sat.1?s science show ?Clever? was broadcast in its original version with Barbara Eligmann and Wigald Boning. And China?s CCTV, broadcast all seasons of the German experimentation show with (Mandarin) Chinese subtitles.