Hong Kong, May 10, 2006 — The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today welcomed a decision by Singapores Media Development Authority (MDA) to refrain from regulating exclusive pay-TV carriage agreements within the Lion City.
The CASBAA Chairman, Marcel Fenez, said: The MDA decision sends a positive signal to the investment and creative communities. It will foster the development of new content and a greater variety of services for consumers.
This is an important and transparent ruling taken after detailed study, including industry consultation and extensive market research. We particularly welcome this process.
The MDA determination came after three years of study and debate on the impact of exclusive carriage contracts on the pay-TV marketplace. CASBAA participated in the consultations, along with other industry players.
CASBAA believes that exclusivity permits pay-TV content providers and pay-TV platform operators to differentiate their products. The Association notes that government intervention in contractual arrangements can restrict this important competitive feature, resulting in less investment and C in the long run C less consumer choice.
Moreover, said Mr Fenez the reaffirmation of the importance of open and competitive markets highlights the route we believe all governments should take.
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Note: Singapores Media Development Authority (MDA) today announced the results of a detailed investigation into exclusivity on pay-TV networks, concluding that exclusive carriage agreements per se do not substantially foreclose potential entrants access to key content for the pay-TV market in Singapore.
ABOUT CASBAA – www.casbaa.com
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia is an industry-based advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel TV via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA represents some 110 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than three billion people. Members include ABC Asia Pacific, ABN AMRO, AETN International (History Channel), AsiaSat, Astro, Bloomberg Television, China Entertainment Television, Comverse, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC, HBO Asia, IBM, Macquarie, MTV Networks Asia Pacific, Nokia, now Broadband TV, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sony Pictures Television International, STAR Group, Sun Microsystems, Turner International Asia Pacific, UBC, Walt Disney Television International, Zone Vision, AGB Nielsen, Al Jazeera, Asian Food Channel, BBC Prime, BT Singapore, ESPN STAR Sports, HSBC Bank, Intelsat, JSAT, Media Development Authority, MediaCorp News, National Geographic, Paul Weiss, Starhub, TimeWarner and TVBI.
Contact:
Rebecca Kennedy/ Katie Wong
Communications
CASBAA
Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2854 9913
Fax: (852) 2854 9530
Email: pr@casbaa.com