October 08, 2012: The decision that was into consideration has been finally arrived at , with the Multi System Operators(MSO)and the broadcasters agreeing to switch off genre-wise analogue signals of television channels in phases ahead of the November 1st digitization deadline.

The consent of the broadcasters would not violate the earlier Tdsat ruling in favour of ESPN Star Sports that stated that the MSOs could not switch off analogue delivery of popular channels before 1 November.

It is however still not clear, if all the broadcasters are in agreement with this decision.Earlier, sports broadcaster ESPN, which is now telecasting the T20 World Cup, had moved the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT) alleging that MSOs had stopped re-transmission of signals of its channels.

http://www.mediamughals.com/News/1/1/Article/10814/Genre-wise_pulling_of_TV_channels_agreed_upon_by_MSO%27s.htm

October 10, 2012 – Yes, the Indian broadcast industry poses to positively move ahead with the government mandated digitisation in the next couple of months. And yet, the mindset of the core stakeholders in this advancement is still to undergo a sea change. Yes, digitisation is slowly but steadily finding acceptance amongst the core players, but even as it does so, can digitisation truly improve ARPUs and thus change the mindset of these core stakeholders?

These were some of the few questions to which the industry experts expected to seek an answer on the second day of TV.NXT, an annual event organised by afaqs!, during the panel discussion, ‘Digitisation begins, What Now?’

Moderated by Aravind Venugopal of Media Partners Asia, the panel comprised Dinyar Contractor of Satellite and Cable TV; Anuj Gandhi of Indiacast; Anil Khera of Videocon DTH; R C Venkatesh of Dish TV India; Anjan Mitra of CASBAA; and Pankaj Krishna of Chrome Data Analytics and Media.

Read more at Afaqs!

(October 9, 2012) – The broadcasting committee of the national watchdog yesterday gave the nod to amended draft regulations for radio and TV broadcasting licences that would demand lower fees than originally proposed.

Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) panel, said broadcasters with annual revenue of less than Bt5 million would pay a fee of 1.5 per cent of gross revenue, while those with higher income would pay 1.5 per cent on the first Bt5 million and 2 per cent on revenue above that amount.

In the original draft, the fee was to be a flat 2 per cent of gross revenue.

Read more at The Nation

(October 9, 2012) – A PANEL has been formed to examine Singapore’s fast-changing media landscape, in the light of developments such as Internet broadcasting services.

It is aiming to ensure that Singapore’s media policy and licensing framework remain relevant and adequate in the digital era.

Called the Media Convergence Review Panel, it will look into the impact digital media content regulation, piracy, copyright and licensing have on current policies and laws, said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts.

While digital media content has led to innovative digital media services and products, it has also raised issues.

Read more at Straits Times

Police bust multi-million ringgit IPTV syndicate

BUTTERWORTH, October 5, 2012: Police detained 12 individuals and busted a first of its kind illegal Internet Pay Television (IPTV) syndicate in Malaysia on Thursday.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crimes Investigation Department, deputy director 11, Datuk Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusuf said Friday that nine men and three women, between 28 and 40, were arrested in a joint operation with the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission and CyberSecurity Malaysia, in five separate raids in Penang, Kedah and Perlis.

Read more at The Star

Related story (in Bahasa Malaysia): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CXI99_15dM&feature=player_embedded

29 September 2012, MUMBAI: Decks have been cleared for implementing digitisation in the four metros within the deadline period of 31 October as the four national multi-system operators (MSOs) have announced the much awaited channel packages to sell to their cable TV subscribers.

Hathway Cable & Datacom, Den Networks, Digicable, and Zeel-owned Siti Cable (earlier WWIL) have announced the channel packages and their rates to the consumers who will need to transition to an era away from analogue cable where they were served a fixed bouquet of channels and had to pay one rate. The new prices are exclusive of taxes.

Hathway has three packages with Basic package having 135 channels for Rs 160, Medium package offering 198 channels for Rs 220 and Premium package with 242 channels for Rs 275.

http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k12/sep/sep308.php

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) Next Media Group said Monday it has signed a deal to sell its TV arm to the chairman of ERA Communications Co., a local cable and satellite TV company, and plans to axe hundreds of jobs in the process. Next Media Group Executive Director Cassian Cheung said in an internal statement to company employees that the group has signed a memorandum of understanding with ERA Chairman Lien Tai-sheng to sell Next TV Broadcasting Ltd. to Lien.

http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=2037766

2/10/2012: The broadcasting committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday approved a digital plan to grant four licences for commercial high-definition (HD) channels next March.

Committee chairman Col Natee Sukonrat said the panel also agreed to issue 20 licences for commercial standard-definition channels.

Under the master plan governing digital broadcasting, the NBTC will issue 12 licences for public channels by year-end and another 12 for community purposes next year.

The committee previously approved the 2012-16 draft roadmap taking the broadcast industry into the digital era.

There are 60 digital terrestrial TV channels divided into three groups: 36 channels for commercial TV and 12 each for public and community service.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/315033/four-hd-licences-up-for-bid

02 Oct 12: Ms Koh Lin-Net will take over starting 1 November.

In a release, Media Development Authority announced Ms Koh Lin-Net’s appointment as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with effect from 1 November 2012. Ms Koh succeeds Mr Aubeck Kam, who will relinquish his appointment on 31 October 2012.

Ms Koh is currently the Deputy Secretary (Trade) at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, a post she has held since 2008. As Deputy Secretary, she is responsible for Singapore’s trade and economic relations in the bilateral and multi-lateral spheres, including the negotiation and the implementation of free trade agreements with Singapore’s key trading partners.

http://sbr.com.sg/media-marketing/people/media-development-authority-appoints-koh-lin-net-ceo

October 05, 2012: The US is lending $118 million in order for Vietnam to fund an extra communications satellite. The satellite, Vinasat-2, is already in orbit, having been launched in May.  The cash is coming from The Export-Import Bank of the US, and will go to satellite builder Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

The craft is being operated by state-owned Vietnam’s Post & Telecommunications Group (VNPT), and they are looking to use the new satellite to cope with growing demand from telecommunications and TV broadcasters.

http://advanced-television.com/2012/10/02/vietnam-us-satellite-loan-approved/