Macau, 27 October 2014 – ‘Front Row: Orphaned’, a documentary produced and broadcast by GMA Network, has won the 2014 Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award for Television. The programme highlights the plight of vulnerable children in the Philippines, where approximately 1.8 million children are abandoned or neglected.

The Award was established by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), CASBAA and UNICEF in 2001. It recognizes the efforts of broadcasters and producers in pursuing high quality children’s television and better coverage of children’s issues, and is given each year to the best programme on children’s rights produced in the Asia-Pacific region. This year’s award was presented at the ABU General Assembly in Macau on 27 October.

The winning documentary follows the daily life of 10-year-old Princess, who has had to take care of three younger siblings since their mother abandoned the children. Princess works at a wet market as a produce washer. She receives five to 20 pesos (0.1 to 0.5 US cents) for her work. After working for the entire morning, Princess then proceeds to her second job, gathering and selling her neighbour’s rubbish. She has to do this every day to feed herself and her siblings.

“I haven’t seen my mom since she left us three years ago,” Princess says. “We started scavenging to get some money and asking around for food. Sometimes we don’t have anything to eat and our stomachs hurt. We sleep on cardboard boxes on the floor. I envy my friends because they go to school but I don’t.”

‘Front Row: Orphaned’ was praised by the jurors for reflecting the vulnerable children’s world through their own eyes. “It was very effective,” they said. “There are many heart breaking moments in this film. The interviews were handled with sensitivity and the three children came across as everyday kids. Their interaction during bath and meal times was very naturalistic, as if the cameras weren’t there. This is a powerful story that really captured the plight of these children.”

The production team described the positive response to the programme from viewers. “Since the documentary aired, one of the children’s relatives has reached out to them. Viewers are now sending two of the children to school and more help is still coming in. But we are hoping for a more permanent and comprehensive solution to address the plight of Filipino orphans, perhaps with better Government facilities to take care of them and their basic needs.”

UNICEF praised the winning entry. “Front Row: Orphaned is a powerful piece of television. It shows the importance of protecting and nurturing children, and the strength and resilience they possess, through the eyes of four abandoned children trying desperately to make the most of their lives,” said Christopher de Bono, Chief of Communications, UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific. “It is also a testimony to the value of powerful television storytelling, by motivating all of us to meet our responsibilities and address the suffering of children in need.”

Dr Javad Mottaghi, ABU Secretary-General, said: “To know there are documentary makers of this quality working in our region, chronicling the lives of our most vulnerable children and celebrating the triumph of their young spirits over great adversity, must spur us all on to be the best media messengers we possibly can. ‘Front Row: Orphaned’ shows how great documentary-making not only exposes inequality and exploitation but journeys deeper into the human spirit and reminds us that each human being, however young, poor and disadvantaged, carries the light of hope in their soul.”

Christopher Slaughter, CEO of CASBAA, said: “CASBAA congratulates GMA Network for their unflinching look at childhood poverty in ‘Front Row: Orphaned’. Our industry reaches hundreds of millions of people around the world daily. It is heartening to see our medium being used as a platform not just for entertainment, but in the service of such a worthy cause as alleviating the plight of children in need.”

Find out more

For more information about the Award, this year’s finalists, and a Q&A with the winner, please visit: www.childrightsaward.org

The winning documentaries can be viewed here: http://ow.ly/D8ziH and the shortlisted documentaries can be viewed here: tinyurl.com/childrights2014

For media enquiries, please contact:
• Hanizah Hamzah, ABU (Kuala Lumpur), + 603 22822480, hanizah@abu.org.my
• Desmond Chung, CASBAA (Hong Kong), + 852 3929 1712, desmond@casbaa.com
• Kritsada Jirathun, UNICEF (Bangkok), +66 2 356 92 49, kjirathun@unicef.org
ENDS

 

Hong Kong, 3 October 2014 – CASBAA and SNL Kagan recently conducted an informative webinar on Tuesday, September 23 detailing how upstart OTT providers are taking on traditional multichannel providers in the fight for Asia Pacific’s video customers.

“CASBAA is excited to have this opportunity to partner with SNL Kagan to help provide essential information to our members about the expanding TV Everywhere and OTT streams in the broadcast industry,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, CASBAA. “Their expertise, in-depth analysis, and proprietary data on the constantly evolving media and communications business provided invaluable insights for the webinar’s attendees.”

During the webinar, SNL Kagan analyst Wangxing Zhao examined key trends for OTT subscriber and revenue growth on a global scale, and identified key metrics that signal high probability of OTT adoption in specific markets. In addition, Zhao discussed how operator-led TV Everywhere/Multiscreen services were positioned to grow revenue opportunities for distributors and programmers, while fending off new competition from Over-The-Top (OTT) Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) and catch-up TV websites.

Defined as web-sourced video accessible via the open Internet regardless of broadband network, OTT is taking on traditional multichannel providers with diversified revenue models including advertising, SVoD, premium rental, and download-to-own.

Based on a series of indicators for TV and telecom sectors on both market size and device/service penetration, the top-ranking countries in Asia Pacific for OTT viability are South Korea, Japan, China, Australia and Taiwan. Other factors, such as well-established telecom infrastructure, an open regulatory environment, diverse international content, strong local broadcaster presence, and residential purchasing power, can also boost OTT viability.

On a global level, the Asia Pacific region trails behind North America and Western Europe in terms of pay TV penetration, while exceeding the Middle East and Africa for fixed broadband penetration. North America and Western Europe also lead the charge for OTT SVoD service uptake and revenue, with Asia Pacific ranking third.

Across Asia Pacific, leading pay-TV operators are leveraging TV Everywhere deployments to build product competitiveness and create additional value for existing subscribers, with live streaming channels and VOD libraries rolled out to smartphones, tablets, computers, smart TVs and game consoles. TV Everywhere is believed to play an essential role in long-term video competition for incumbent pay TV providers to meet the challenge of cord-cutting in light of OTT evolution.

“Video competition in Asia Pacific is growing more intense by the day as new OTT entrants stir the pot with innovative business models and content offerings,” remarked SNL Kagan Associate Director Ben Reneker. “Incumbent providers must continue to react aggressively with TV everywhere rollouts to ensure long-term competitive viability. Now is not the time to stand still.”

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

About SNL Kagan

SNL Kagan, a division of SNL Financial LC, is a comprehensive resource for financial intelligence in the media and communications sector, including the broadcasting, cable, entertainment, motion picture, telecom, wireless, satellite, publishing, new media industries and media technologies. The SNL Kagan suite of products integrates breaking news, comprehensive data and expert analysis into an electronic database available online and updated around the clock. For more information, visit www.snlkagan.com.
For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Christina Twomey
Head of Public Relations, SNL Financial
Tel: +1 212 542-8033
Email: ctwomey@snl.com

Hong Kong, 3 October 2014 – CASBAA and SNL Kagan recently conducted an informative webinar on Tuesday, September 23 detailing how upstart OTT providers are taking on traditional multichannel providers in the fight for Asia Pacific’s video customers.

“CASBAA is excited to have this opportunity to partner with SNL Kagan to help provide essential information to our members about the expanding TV Everywhere and OTT streams in the broadcast industry,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, CASBAA. “Their expertise, in-depth analysis, and proprietary data on the constantly evolving media and communications business provided invaluable insights for the webinar’s attendees.”

During the webinar, SNL Kagan analyst Wangxing Zhao examined key trends for OTT subscriber and revenue growth on a global scale, and identified key metrics that signal high probability of OTT adoption in specific markets. In addition, Zhao discussed how operator-led TV Everywhere/Multiscreen services were positioned to grow revenue opportunities for distributors and programmers, while fending off new competition from Over-The-Top (OTT) Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) and catch-up TV websites.

Defined as web-sourced video accessible via the open Internet regardless of broadband network, OTT is taking on traditional multichannel providers with diversified revenue models including advertising, SVoD, premium rental, and download-to-own.

Based on a series of indicators for TV and telecom sectors on both market size and device/service penetration, the top-ranking countries in Asia Pacific for OTT viability are South Korea, Japan, China, Australia and Taiwan. Other factors, such as well-established telecom infrastructure, an open regulatory environment, diverse international content, strong local broadcaster presence, and residential purchasing power, can also boost OTT viability.

On a global level, the Asia Pacific region trails behind North America and Western Europe in terms of pay TV penetration, while exceeding the Middle East and Africa for fixed broadband penetration. North America and Western Europe also lead the charge for OTT SVoD service uptake and revenue, with Asia Pacific ranking third.

Across Asia Pacific, leading pay-TV operators are leveraging TV Everywhere deployments to build product competitiveness and create additional value for existing subscribers, with live streaming channels and VOD libraries rolled out to smartphones, tablets, computers, smart TVs and game consoles. TV Everywhere is believed to play an essential role in long-term video competition for incumbent pay TV providers to meet the challenge of cord-cutting in light of OTT evolution.

“Video competition in Asia Pacific is growing more intense by the day as new OTT entrants stir the pot with innovative business models and content offerings,” remarked SNL Kagan Associate Director Ben Reneker. “Incumbent providers must continue to react aggressively with TV everywhere rollouts to ensure long-term competitive viability. Now is not the time to stand still.”

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

About SNL Kagan

SNL Kagan, a division of SNL Financial LC, is a comprehensive resource for financial intelligence in the media and communications sector, including the broadcasting, cable, entertainment, motion picture, telecom, wireless, satellite, publishing, new media industries and media technologies. The SNL Kagan suite of products integrates breaking news, comprehensive data and expert analysis into an electronic database available online and updated around the clock. For more information, visit www.snlkagan.com.
For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Christina Twomey
Head of Public Relations, SNL Financial
Tel: +1 212 542-8033
Email: ctwomey@snl.com

Hong Kong, 22 September 2014 – CASBAA has announced the appointment of Mark Lay to the newly created position of Vice-President, CASBAA Singapore.

“We are excited to welcome Mark to the CASBAA family and to represent the Association in Singapore,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter. “His thorough knowledge and understanding of Asia’s multichannel TV industry and successful track record in senior management will help CASBAA build its membership base and shape its future strategy.”

Reporting directly to the CEO, Mark will promote the entire range of CASBAA’s products, services and events to relevant Member companies, and ensure Members’ needs and expectations are met by the Association. As Vice-President, CASBAA Singapore, he will also maintain and expand relationships with assigned strategic and potential members and represent CASBAA in the increasingly important Singapore market.

Mark gained his broadcast industry experience through previous roles in Distribution and Marketing with STAR TV and as Vice President Affiliate Sales and Relations at Discovery Channel Asia. He has also held Director level positions at Mikoishi Studios and Acme Mobile and was most recently a Private Investor at Lay Financial in Singapore.

“It’s great to be back in the pay television business and I am looking forward to reconnecting with previous colleagues and clients along with forging strong connections with new players as well,” said Mark. “Working with CASBAA is a role within the industry that is new to me but one which I am very excited to embrace.”

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, 12 September, 2014 – An impressive line up of heavyweight speakers from the global broadcast industry has been confirmed for this year’s CASBAA Convention 2014 (#casbaacon). Taking place at the Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong, from 27th October – 30th October 2014, the convention’s theme this year – Beyond the Box – promises to explore how technology is changing the region’s TV consumption habits.

The convention gathers key operators, content providers, satellite services, technology, carriers and ad agencies from across Asia, and the world, in lively debate and exchange of information through keynote addresses, conversation sessions and panel discussions. This year, the convention looks to tackle how the advent of new content platforms ‘Beyond the Box’ will affect the Asian cable and satellite broadcast industry.

“While linear TV is still an important industry growth factor in the region, the proliferation of new technologies and platforms herald a new era for the industry,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, and CASBAA. “These developments have enabled content providers to meet new consumer demand by offering access to TV content how they want, and when they want.”

“We hope that, with the superb line of up industry stalwarts speaking on the ‘beyond the box’ theme this year, our members will feel well-placed to take advantage of the opportunities that content ‘beyond the box’ presents and explore how different business models and strategies can work for them.”

Discussing the ‘beyond the box’ theme and sharing both best practice and vision from their respective markets across the content, marketing and technology spectrums will be a strong line-up of speakers from across the globe including Jon Feltheimer, Lionsgate; Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media; Andrew Rashbass, Reuters; Kim Moses, Sander/Moses Productions; and Danny Keens, Twitter, while Asian based Victor Koo, Youku Tudou, Sudhanshu Vats, Viacom 18 and David Haslingden, NHNZ will offer insights from a regional standpoint. Please see the table below for keynote and In Conversation speaker line-up.

With a strong cross-section of thought-leaders from the industry offering local, regional and global insights, topics discussed at the convention will cover a broad range of pertinent industry issues, including developments in the over-the-top (OTT) industry; opportunities in the mobile broadcasting space; the impact of ultra-high-definition “4K” television; and the implications of recent innovations in broadcast and transmission technology. Sports issues – including rights, exclusivity and licensing – as well as the broadcast news cycle will also be on the agenda.

Networking is also a focus of the event and members and delegates will have plenty of opportunity to get together at the newly revamped exhibition space outside the Main Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt, which will feature display booths and networking lounges.

Supporters for the CASBAA Convention 2014 include Official Entertainment Channel Partner ITV International Channels, Official Media Partner Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific and Sponsors ABS, Akamai, APT Satellite, ARRIS, AsiaSat, Australia News Channel, Bloomberg Television, Brightcove, Conax, Deutsche Welle, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, Elemental Technologies, Ericsson, FRANCE 24, InvestHK, Irdeto, MEASAT, nowTV, Playboy Plus Entertainment, PwC, Scripps Networks Interactive, SES, Tech Storm, Time Warner, TrueVisions and TV5MONDE.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers and In Conversation Line-up To Date:

Name	Comapny	Topic
Jon Feltheimer	CEO, Lionsgate	Jon Feltheimer shares his views on what it takes to navigate the complex media landscape, and how to thrive in an age of constant change.
Victor Koo	Chairman & CEO, Youku Tudou	Youku Tudou is one of the behemoths of China’s gigantic online video market but as the fiercely competitive marketplace comes under greater official scrutiny, how can Youku Tudou ensure that it stays on top?
Mike Weatherley	Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade UK Parliament	As the Intellectual Property Adviser to the UK Prime Minister, Mike Weatherley is charged with leading the British government’s efforts at fighting piracy and raising awareness of IPR. Weatherley is bringing his media industry experience to bear on the piracy problem, raising awareness in innovative ways.
Andrew Rashbass	Chief Executive, Reuters, Thomson Reuters	Andrew Rashbass is challenged with bringing a legacy brand into the modern digital age. What lessons can be learned by other media organisations?
Tom Mockridge	CEO, Virgin Media	Virgin Media is a leader in the UK digital space. Following its acquisition last year by Liberty Global, how have things changed? What are the advantages to being part of the world’s largest cable company?
Kim Moses	Co-founder, Sander/Moses Productions	Kim Moses has been in the TV industry for over 20 years, as the executive producer of successful network TV shows such as Ghost Whisperer and Reckless. She co-founded Sander/Moses Productions, and is a leading advocate to help further the role of women in media.
David Haslingden	CEO, NHNZ	Since leaving National Geographic Channel, David Haslingden has built Asia’s first “super indie” production company, bringing together assets in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Singapore, and Taiwan to form a unified company. A look at his views on how the original content market is shaping up in Asia, trends to watch out for, and pitfalls to avoid.
Jay Rosentock	President, Discovery Education Int’l & EVP Corporate Development, Discovery Communications	TBC
Bruce Tuchman	President AMC and Sundance Channels Global, & AMC Networks Asia Pacific	Bruce Tuchman leads the strategic distribution, programming, business development and marketing of AMC Global and Sundance Channel Global throughout the world as well as the strategic distribution, programming, business development and marketing for AMC Networks International channels in Asia.
Jim Samples	President, International, Scripps Network Interactive	From its 19th century origins as a newspaper publisher, Scripps has become a pioneer in lifestyle programming in the US. Now, with the acquisition of the Asian Food Channel last year, the network has entered the Asia-Pacific region in a meaningful way. How will its lifestyle channels fare in the markets of Asia?
Barry Cupples	Global CEO Investment Omnicom Media Group	Barry is passionate about evolving his organisation’s existing business model to drive change through the development of new success metrics for clients to help them realize business growth that’s measurable in real time.

For further information about the CASBAA Convention 2014, please visit www.casbaaconvention.com.

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

—

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Amy Chan/Fiona To
Ogilvy Public Relations
Tel: +852 2884 8421/ +852 2884 8521
Email: amy.chan@ogilvy.com / Fiona.to@ogilvy.com

Hong Kong, 7 July 2014 – CASBAA, the Asian association of the pay-TV industry, lauded Indian police action in busting up a ring of streaming-TV pirates and arresting four conspirators in Hyderabad a week ago. The activities of the ring were aimed at diverting the signals of Indian pay-TV broadcasters onto the internet, and retransmitting their signals globally to hundreds of thousands of viewers who paid for a “Jadoo TV” streaming media box.

“Congratulations and kudos to the Hyderabad police Cyber Crime wing,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter. “We are pleased that Indian authorities will not accept that the hard work of Indian creators, artists, and production teams is stolen with impunity and spread around the world for the benefit of criminal syndicates.”

Industry sources reported that the premises in the Secunderabad area raided by police contained equipment for intercepting more than a hundred TV channels. These were streamed free to customers overseas who purchased Jadoo TV boxes costing between US$250 and $300. CASBAA Chief Policy Officer John Medeiros pointed out that the boxes are cleverly designed to maintain “deniability” for copyright violations, and foist the responsibility onto ostensible “users” in far-flung parts of the world.

“This is a great example of piracy masquerading as “user-generated content” said Medeiros, “but the good police work in India has unveiled the business end of this syndicate, where the content was being stolen.”

The arrests highlight a worldwide problem of narrow laws that make it possible for international piracy syndicates to avoid prosecution. “Governments need to take a stand against these scams,” said Medeiros. “It’s going to take serious attention to updating and tightening old-style copyright laws that no longer suit the digital age.”

“Now all those consumers who paid for a Jadoo box having been assured they could watch Indian content have been left holding the bag,” said Medeiros. CASBAA continues to warn consumers everywhere that dodgy TV boxes are a bad deal for consumers, and their broadcasts are susceptible to interruption at any time.

“If you’re seeing a deal that is too good to be true,” Medeiros said, “it’s not likely to last.” There are plenty of legal sources for high-quality Indian content, said CASBAA, and consumers should contact their local pay-TV suppliers to learn about them. Indian content is also available legally over the Internet through new and growing OTT platforms.

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, 2 July 2014 – CASBAA’s highly anticipated annual multichannel TV industry convention will take place from October 27-30, 2014 at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. A popular stop on the Asia Pacific broadcasting calendar, this year’s event will explore the theme “Beyond the Box.”

Reflecting the evolution of the television industry, this year’s CASBAA Convention theme looks at what the future holds for broadcasting – while never losing sight of the core business of linear TV.

“At its most basic level, “the box” refers to the traditional television set that sits in the living room – or, more likely today, is mounted on a wall,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, CASBAA. “Linear TV is still a major industry driver in the Asia Pacific, but we are seeing the proliferation of new technologies and new platforms that are providing consumers with innovative viewing options “beyond the box.”

“In order to take advantage of these new opportunities, it is imperative to explore different business models and strategies that will encompass these alternate revenue streams,” added Slaughter. “In short, it is time to start thinking outside of the box!”

Key topics to be covered at the major sessions during the convention will include developments in over-the-top (OTT) TV services, opportunities for members in the mobile broadcasting space, as well as ultra-high-definition “4K” television, and innovation in transmission and broadcast technology and its implications for the industry. Sports issues – including rights, exclusivity and licensing – and broadcast news will also be major subjects explored at this year’s event.

On hand to tackle these issues will be a world class roster of respected industry thought leaders including Jon Feltheimer, CEO, Lionsgate; Victor Koo, Chairman & CEO, Youku Tudou; Andrew Rashbass, Chief Executive of Reuters, Thomson Reuters; Tom Mockridge, CEO, Virgin Media; Peter Limbourg, Director General, Duetsche Welle; Barry Cupples, Global CEO, Investment, OMG; David Haslingden, CEO, NHNZ; Jim Samples, President, International, Scripps; Sam Blackman, CEO, Elemental Technologies; Dr. Justin Chuang, VP & Group Director, Communications Technologies Group, ASTRI; and, many others.

Outside the Main Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt, where plenary sessions take place, there will be plenty of opportunities for members and delegates to get together at the newly revamped exhibition space which will feature display booths and networking lounges.

Sponsors for the CASBAA Convention 2014 include ABS, APT Satellite, ARRIS, AsiaSat, Australia News Channel, Bloomberg, Conax, Deutsche Welle, Elemental Technologies, FRANCE 24, InvestHK, Irdeto, ITV, MEASAT, now TV, Playboy Plus Entertainment, PwC, SES, Time Warner, TrueVisions and TV5MONDE.

For further information about the CASBAA Convention 2014, please visit www.casbaaconvention.com.

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

—

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, 25 June 2014 – Hong Kong Customs’ successful raids last week on suppliers of a pirate TV box service should serve as a warning to all potential consumers of unauthorized TV services, said Asia’s pay-TV association, CASBAA. “Buying a dodgy TV box is a bad deal for consumers,” said CASBAA’s Chief Policy Officer John Medeiros. “The content is being illegally supplied and the signal is subject to interruption at any time.”

Frequently, artful sales approaches imply to consumers that the services on the box could be legal, and that they will last indefinitely. Consumers may even be told they are buying a year-long subscription. In fact, said CASBAA, there is no guarantee of quality or continuity for programs supplied via pirate media boxes. “Apart from the usual signal quality uncertainties of internet transmission, the content stream can be terminated suddenly,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter, “whether by law enforcement action – as in the recent Hong Kong case – or through the upstream intervention of content owners.”

In the Hong Kong case, Customs authorities raided four residential premises, a warehouse and a commercial electronics stall, arresting nine people who are suspected to have conspired with others to operate an illegal “circumvention business” to access pay-TV content illegally and distribute it around the world via the internet, for payment.

“We congratulate Customs on this enforcement action,” said Medeiros. “They uncovered a criminal fact pattern and acted upon it decisively.” But he said there is an important lesson for consumers as well as potential criminals: “Dodgy boxes give dodgy results,” said Medeiros. “They are bad for consumers and bad for the creative industries. Only the criminal syndicates reap benefits — until they get caught.” As the boxes are a growing problem, industry players expect to work diligently with enforcement agencies to combat their supply and use.

CASBAA urged consumers to acquire their TV from legal sources, and noted that purchasing and using some boxes could even engage the consumer in illegal acts, depending on the internal workings of the box. The best guarantee of legality is subscribing to authorized TV services that provide high-quality program signals. Holders of authorized pay-TV licenses in Hong Kong are Hong Kong Cable TV, PCCW/now TV, and TVB Network Vision.

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, 23 June 2014 – Top industry experts gathered in Singapore for the annual CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2014, recently concluded on June 16 at the Shangri-La Singapore. Over 230 speakers, delegates and media were on hand to explore how the satellite industry will be “Remaining Relevant in a Time of Transition.”

“With a speaker pool drawn from the biggest and most trusted names in the industry, our attendees experienced the best of the business at the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2014,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, CASBAA. “And despite the ever changing multichannel TV landscape, CASBAA remains committed to supporting the satellite industry to foster continued growth and expansion in the region.”

Delivering the opening keynote address, Karim Michel Sabbagh, President & CEO, SES, gave a resounding call for greater collaboration within the satellite industry to meet market challenges, where other players in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry are actively looking for new market opportunities, and to meet regulatory and spectrum challenges, where terrestrial industries are looking to increase their bandwidth at the expense of satellite.

On a customer basis, Sabbagh said that more cooperation was needed to meet the demands of customers who are increasingly global: “Whether you are global, regional, or local, your ambition is to serve your customers around the world.” To that end, Sabbagh suggested that not only more collaboration was needed within the satellite industry, but also with other service providers in ICT.

Innovation and why innovation is important to the satellite industry was one of the key messages during the “Satellite Leadership Round Table” later in the day.

While the general consensus was that there was a good amount of innovation taking place, there wasn’t enough innovation from satellite companies themselves.

“TV broadcasting demand for satellites will remain the bedrock for most Asian markets that rely on the technology to meet their entertainment needs,” said Thomas Choi, Founder & CEO, ABS. “While we may see a 2-3% growth, we need to look for the next wave of innovation which could require better compensation to attract the best and the brightest to our industry. If we don’t innovate, we will be wiped out.”

With the steady growth of DTH and a large and growing middle class in the Asia Pacific region, satellites remain a cost effective way of getting television signals to the consumer.

Bill Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat took an optimistic viewpoint of the future of the market and mentioned there were great opportunities for the industry with Asia growing strongly. “We need to take advantage of the technology and skill sets we already have but, to stimulate innovation, we need to look at our human resources and attract younger talent.”

Throughout the day, various panels explored issues top of mind in the satellite industry.

The next couple of years will see a number of new projects in the market, with some highly innovative technology solutions, together with some existing operators extending their reach into the Asia Pacific region. The “New Markets, New Technologies and New Operators” panel

examined what challenges they will face and potential project game-changers for the satellite market.

In the “Launch Market Update” session, panelists debated on FAA forecasts suggesting that 2014-15 will be a bumper year for satellite launches and discussed trends in pricing and market segmentation.

The day ended with an informative look at the future of the industry, exploring investment decisions the satellite industry needs to make in the short term taking into consideration the significant uncertainties about C-band spectrum and the future of linear and non-linear content delivery.

Along with the world class roster of speakers, the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2014 also recognizes the generous contributions of Supporting Sponsor SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation and Sponsors Arianespace, AsiaSat, Eutelsat, Marsh, MEASAT, MHI Launch Services, Newtec, SES, SpaceX, SSL and Thuraya.

For more information about the event, please visit http://www.casbaa.com/events/events-calendar/details/435-casbaa-satellite-industry-forum-2014.

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

—

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com

Singapore, 16 June 2014 – CASBAA today welcomed issuance of the first authoritative study of the extent to which satellite C-band services provide socio-economic benefits to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The study found that “C-band is extensively used for communication networks, often of critical importance to these countries’ economy, society or security.”

Paris-based technology consultancy Euroconsult examined the situation on-the-ground in three markets representative of the diverse economies of southern Asia and the Pacific, and found that – in addition to the hundreds of millions of consumers who rely on C-band television streams – the banking and finance, energy production, and government sectors were particularly dependent on satellite networks using C-band spectrum, which is prized for its reliability and scope of coverage.

The markets selected for the study were India (a huge, continental rapidly-industrializing nation), Indonesia (a very populous archipelagic nation) and Papua New Guinea (the largest of the Pacific Island nations).

“C-band communications are perceived in some other parts of the world to be of declining importance,” said CASBAA’s Chief Policy Officer John Medeiros. “But that has never been true in Asia, where conditions are fundamentally different than in North America or Europe, and Euroconsult’s report spells it out in black and white. In particular, C-band communications are part of the bedrock of daily life and economic activity in tropical Asia.”

Key Asian uses of C-band networks described in Euroconsult’s report included:

• All three countries use C-band networks as the lynchpin of their disaster emergency communications, in particular as part of extremely time-sensitive systems being deployed to warn coastal populations of impending tsunamis.
• India has made C-band communications a key part of its security operations, with over 7,000 C-band antennas deployed by security forces to defend the country and keep the peace.
• In Papua New Guinea the reliability of C-band communications is essential to providing essential real-time monitoring of wells and pipelines to guarantee safe and reliable LNG production.
• Indonesia’s financial industry uses C-band communications to service the country’s far-flung regions and improve rural connectivity. 75,000 ATMs use C-band to dispense a daily volume of more than US$400 million, and one Indonesian bank recently announced plans to procure its own satellite “to reach people in all corners of the country in support of the financial inclusion program.” Government is also using C-band to deliver essential e-services around the country, including providing the entire population with biometric identity cards.
• Finally, huge numbers of Asians depend on C-band for their information and entertainment. In the countries studied as well as others in tropical Asia, as many as 30 million individual consumer households are estimated to watch TV through their own C-band dishes. Several hundred million other consumers subscribe to cable or Ku-band satellite television services whose content is delivered by C-band. (Cable connections in Asia are in the neighborhood of 350 million, according to sources cited in the report, and around 2,375 TV channel signals are transmitted on C-band – up enormously from around 950 in 2005.)

The report notes that C-band communications benefit from two physical characteristics that make it so central to Asia’s environment: resistance to “rain fade” and availability of wide beams. “There is simply no substitute that can equal the coverage and the reliability of C-band satellite beams,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter. As a result, billions of dollars have been invested in 60 C-band satellites over Asia, providing almost half (47%) of the total satellite capacity used in the region. Euroconsult estimates the annual value of the C-band capacity market in Asia at US$800 million annually.

“Over the next few months, the international community will be making key decisions on spectrum priorities,” said Medeiros. “Asian governments need to sit up and take notice of the huge contribution by satellite C-band communications to their populations and their economies.”

Copies of the full report can be downloaded from www.casbaa.com/CBandAssessment.

# # #

About CASBAA

Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery across geographic markets throughout the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA and its members reach nearly 470 million connections within a regional footprint ranging from China to Australasia, Japan to Pakistan. The CASBAA mission is to promote the growth of multichannel TV and video content via industry information, networking exchanges and events while promoting global best practices. To view the full list of CASBAA members please visit here.

www.casbaa.com

—

For enquiries, please contact:

Desmond Chung
Associate Director, PR & Communications, CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929-1712
Email: desmond@casbaa.com