July 2015

CASBAA Gives the Industry View on Convergence

At the invitation of Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), CASBAA reps will join regulators and experts from governments in ASEAN and around the world at an ASEAN Broadcasting Regulation Forum in Bangkok July 7 and 8. The event is co-sponsored by the London-based Institute for International Communications. Speaking for CASBAA, Regulatory and Antipiracy Committee Co-Chairman Andrew Marshall will give an opening speech, and later in the program CASBAA’s industry experts will give the officials a feel for what it’s like to do business in an age of convergence.

CASBAA Convention 2015

Preparations for the CASBAA Convention are well underway. With a new venue at the Intercon and a slew of exciting speakers being lined up the October event is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting we have produced. By now all CASBAA member companies will have received this year’s sponsorship prospectus and we’d like to thank those companies that have already committed their support:

If you would like to discuss sponsorship ideas or would like more information please contact adela@casbaa.com

Satellite Industry Forum 2015 – Recap

More than 200 people attended the Satellite industry Forum in Singapore at the beginning of June to explore this year’s theme “Is the satellite game changing?” The programme included Stephen Spengler, CEO, Intelsat, who delivered the opening keynote and highlighted a slew of issues currently affecting the satellite sector. Michel de Rosen, Chairman & CEO, Eutelsat, gave an emphatic speech to engage delegates with the issue of protection of C-band. Delegates also heard from Myanmar’s Deputy Minister for ICT U Thaung Tin, who discussed his government’s national goals to develop the domestic satellite business. The Satellite Forum was followed by a very successful CASBAA Cocktails evening for delegates and all CASBAA members and is something to put in your diary for next time. Revisit the forum through photos, videos and read the summary of the day.

New Member – Harmonic

Please welcome new Member, Harmonic, to the CASBAA family. Harmonic is the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure for emerging television and video services. Harmonic enables customers to produce, deliver and monetize amazing video experiences, with unequalled business agility and operational efficiency, by providing market-leading innovation, high-quality service and compelling total cost of ownership. For more information about them, click here.

China and the World

At the inaugural China and the World conference, held in Shanghai in June, speakers focused on unique business models developing in China around online content – and how they are damaged by rampant piracy. Organised by Lightning International in partnership with CASBAA the conference examined the two sides of the coin with companies looking into China as well as China looking outward. Several CASBAA members participated with the majority of attendees coming from the domestic media scene. Monetization of content continues to be a challenge, speakers noted, and John Medeiros chaired a discussion on Piracy in the aptly named session To Pay or Not to Pay.

Pacific Islands Take A Stand on Satellite Spectrum

At the 8th APT Policy & Regulation Forum for Pacific (Tonga, mid-June), the government of Papua New Guinea led a successful effort to spark a common initiative by the Pacific Islands in favor of continued satellite use of C-band spectrum. Fiji, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu joined PNG in adopting a request for an Asian Common Position to be taken up at upcoming ITU spectrum meetings. Maui Sanford, CASBAA’s consultant who attended the meeting and monitored progress, said “this was a crucial step. It was great that the Islands found their voice. They are determined to protect satellite links that are so important to them; after all there is no realistic alternative to C-band, in our region full of sun and sea… and tropical rainfade!”

Switch on with CASBAA and our Members’ video: casbaa.com/video