Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending Dec 12th. Curated by CASBAA, News Views keeps you in the loop. We always value your feedback, so tell us what you think!
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Christopher SlaughterCEO |
It’s a little bit late to the party, but The New Yorker has a characteristically lengthy-but-sort-of-rambling piece about how user-generated content is getting serious attention from the entertainment industry. So if you’re wondering why Google is starting to put its talent on contract, or how a grumpy cat can earn US$100 million, look no further. |
John MedeirosChief Policy Officer |
There is a feeling of pervasive dread in the Indian media industry that more intrusive content regulation is coming down the road. One well-respected commentator fears the arrival of “draconian” media regulation. There are good reasons for concern; in any case it’s never a good thing when one of the houses of Parliament spends time talking about “indecency” in cable TV. The government responded that it issues advisories to the channels, but it does not want to impinge on freedom of expression. Let’s hope such wisdom prevails. (Meanwhile, a Bollywood commentator raked the parliamentarians over the coals, suggesting if they were worried about bare-breasted women bathing in public they should “go to the Andamans and hand out sarees to the tribes there.”) |
Mark LayVice President, Singapore |
We have all heard the expression “build it or buy it”…probably from a number of CASBAA’s technology provider members. For the technology platform for HBO’s new OTT service, HBO has decided to buy it. And really, why wouldn’t they, when the cost of their facility in Seattle has been rumoured to be costing them $100 million per year. |
Anjan MitraExecutive Director, India |
A recent rap on the knuckles by the Indian government auditor, Comptroller & Auditor General of India for failing to meet transponder demands from Indian customers, notwithstanding, Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO) has got something to smile about, may be, smiles also dot faces of many Indian communications and media companies in search of transponder capacity, made more scarce by restrictive government policies. ISRO’s new communications satellite, GSAT 16, carries 12 Ku-band transponders, 24 C-band transponders and 12 upper extended C-band transponders. How the distribution of satellite capacity, amongst a plethora and varied companies, is made will be worth watching. But any additional sat capacity over Indian skies is always welcome. |
Sara MaderaDirector, Member Relations & Marketing |
You Tube has released their list of top 10 ads, half of which were created for use natively online, showing that brands are getting more savvy about how to use social media. |
Christopher SlaughterCEO |
Okay, so now we’ve got a ticking clock: Netflix wants to have a global footprint within five years. Oh, and by the way, ratings don’t matter. Oh, and while we’re on the subject, broadcast television will be gone in sixteen years. |
John MedeirosChief Policy Officer |
Hats off to Philippine broadcaster ABS-CBN, which had the gumption to file – and win – court actions in the USA against New Zealand-based websites pirating ABS-CBN’s Pinoy content. The USA is an important market for ABS-CBN and it has been taking energetic enforcement actions there. |
Mark LayVice President, Singapore |
For those of you who were too busy to attend the 42nd annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York, I have pulled together a couple interesting articles that sum up the discussions. James Murdoch talks succession…sort of. Starz CEO Chris Albrecht thinks it is “really shortsighted for these networks to be selling their shows to Netflix, while Discovery has inked a deal with Hulu. |
Anjan MitraExecutive Director, India |
God giveth, God taketh away. Should work both ways. After having pushed deadlines of complete cable digitisation to end 2016, much criticised by broadcasting companies in India, the Indian government is proposing a bit of a leg-up for India digital. Having delayed speedy rollout by insisting on max usage of domestically manufactured STBs, which are scarce, Ministry of Information Technology proposes a corpus of Rs.100 crore (Rs 1 bn) to boost local manufacturing. To compete with SE Asia-made cheaper STBs, Indian manufacturers would be extended long terms of credit from this corpus. Makes business sense. But Indian customers of STBs bemoan that hopefully such a proposal doesn’t degenerate into a futile exercise leading to more delays in now-hiccuping digital roll-out. |
Christopher SlaughterCEO |
Bloomberg Businessweek is celebrating its 85th birthday this week by listing the top 85 disruptors in its history, and you guessed it, TV is right up there, at number 5. That’s way above kitty litter (#73), Singapore (#71), Facebook (#51), or even gay marriage (#35). |
John MedeirosChief Policy Officer |
And the shoe has finally dropped in Australia, where – after months of debate and deliberation – the government has finally come out with its copyright protection package. It includes site blocking for egregious overseas pirate sites, as well as an ultimatum to ISPs and the content industry to come up with a workable program to send escalating notices to individuals caught doing pirate downloads. |
Mark LayVice President, Singapore |
King Julien of Madagascar fame once said, “Take note, Maurice. Tonight, chow mein is my main chow”. And I guess it is as, DreamWorks Animation to Launch TV Channel in Asia, “though ONLY (emphasis mine) in 19 countries across Asia, at least initially”. “While DreamWorks Animation will handle programming and distribution, it also has partnered with HBO Asia for affiliate sales, marketing and technical services.” |
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