Singapore’s Media Development Authority announced July 1 that it would require pay-TV retailers in the country to implement on August 1 the “cross-carriage” scheme for any pay-TV content sold on an exclusive basis. The system is going ahead despite continued objections from content providers, and warnings of implementation difficulties by the major pay-TV retailers. However, the transition will be eased by the fact that very little content will actually be “cross-carried;” few, if any, exclusive carriage agreements are being signed in Singapore. (In its submission to MDA, CASBAA had warned that with little content actually being cross carried “the risk of unmet expectations and consumer complaints remains very high.”) Meanwhile, local press reports, as usual, focused on the impact of the measures on negotiations for sports rights.
MDA’s latest Press Release and “Closing Note” on the consultation process, as well as all 10 of the submissions made in the most recent round of consultations, can all be accessed through this web page:
http://www.mda.gov.sg/Reports/ConsultationReports/Pages/CrossCarriageMeasure.aspx