Industry

Harbour Rights, the global television distribution arm of international media group AMPERSAND, is entering the fast-growing microdrama and vertical content space through a strategic partnership with COL Group International, China’s largest publication group and a dominant force in the vertical drama market.

Under the agreement, Harbour Rights has been appointed official distribution partner for Europe and Latin America, bringing COL Group International’s extensive catalogue of more than 1,000 premium vertical drama titles to buyers across both regions. The slate combines premium productions from COL’s global platform FlareFlow with top-performing Chinese series from 17K, which have generated billions of views, responding to accelerating international demand for short-form, mobile-first scripted content.

The offering is currently available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, with Indian, Turkish and Arabic-language content set to be added to the catalogue. Designed for smartphone consumption, vertical drama content is produced in portrait format with fast-paced storytelling, creating new monetisation opportunities across digital platforms and traditional media ecosystems alike.

Microdramas have already gained strong traction in the US and China, and the format is widely expected to scale globally in 2026. Broadcasters, OTT platforms and digital-first services are increasingly exploring vertical drama through IP partnerships, content licensing models and direct platform integrations, including FlareFlow deployments.

“We are delighted to offer one of the strongest catalogues in the market. Having Harbour Rights onboard is key as we leverage mainstream networks to reach new, mobile-first audiences. Our content is tried, tested, and has scaled globally, and we're confident this partnership will create the next wave of success stories,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager, COL Group International

Through the alliance, Harbour Rights will leverage its established international sales infrastructure and market expertise to connect COL’s vertical drama portfolio with a growing base of global buyers. The strategy targets both emerging platforms built specifically for vertical content and established broadcasters and streamers adapting their content strategies to short-form consumption trends.

"Navigating the international distribution landscape for this new format presents unique challenges, from technical specifications to platform strategy," added Teremoana Seguin, Managing Director, Harbour Rights. "Our role is to provide a ready-made, end-to-end solution for partners—from initial content evaluation to structuring full output deals. We simplify the process, allowing platforms to seamlessly integrate this must-have content and capitalize on its immediate audience appeal."