29-08-2012: Despite a dazzling array of alternatives to pay-TV services, people are simply not cord-cutting and are instead increasingly getting more from their services, notably making more use of social TV, according to the first data from Ericsson ConsumerLab’s TV & Video Consumer Trend Report.

The survey—based on data collected in Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK and the US—found fundamentally that even though viewing behaviours and demands are changing, only 7% of consumers indicate a willingness to reduce their TV subscriptions in the future.

Instead of looking to cut out TV services, viewers are actually more willing pay more for an enhanced viewing experience: 41% of consumers say they are willing to pay for TV and video content in HD. More than half of consumers want to be able to choose their own TV and video content, with on demand capability the most popular of the ‘would pay for’ services.

(30 August 2012) NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) has directed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to hold on to its commitment of not implementing regulation of advertisement on television channels till its further orders.

The commitment that the Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) Regulations, 2012 dated 14 May 2012 will not be implemented till 30 August was given by Trai during a Tdsat hearing on July 17.

Broadcasters had moved Tdsat challenging the authority of Trai to implement the provision in the Cable Act that restricts the total advertisements in an hour to 12 minutes.

Read more: http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/headlines/y2k12/aug/augmam150.php

Related story: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/trai-may-amend-circular-on-regulating-advertisement-tdsat/articleshow/16009121.cms

Cords not being cut as Ericsson reveals social TV finding louder voice

29-08-2012: Despite a dazzling array of alternatives to pay-TV services, people are simply not cord-cutting and are instead increasingly getting more from their services, notably making more use of social TV, according to the first data from Ericsson ConsumerLab’s TV & Video Consumer Trend Report.

The survey—based on data collected in Brazil, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK and the US—found fundamentally that even though viewing behaviours and demands are changing, only 7% of consumers indicate a willingness to reduce their TV subscriptions in the future.

Read more: http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2012082923794/cords-not-being-cut-as-ericsson-reveals-social-tv-finding-louder-voice.html?utm_source=newsletter_778&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rapid-tv-news-current-edition-2908#ixzz24zcmlc6P

August 29, 2012 – KT SkyLife said Wednesday that it will take all legal measures to overturn a ruling by the nation’s telecom regulator that its dish convergence solutions (DCS) service is illegal.

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced that the broadcaster’s latest service transgressed its business boundaries established by the law. DCS technology transmits digital broadcasting through the Web, without a disk-shaped antenna.

KT SkyLife launched the DCS service on July 4, which prompted protests from cables businesses who claimed that it was too similar to Internet protocol television.

Read more: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2012/08/123_118588.html

August 28, 2012: Revenues for the delivery of TV Everywhere and OTT video platforms worldwide is expected to reach $2.1 billion this year, growing to more than $4 billion in 2017, according to ABI Research.

ABI Research’s Video Delivery Hardware and Platforms report says that TV Everywhere and OTT video, including Comcast Xfinity, HBO GO, Netflix, the BBC iPlayer and Sky Go, are growing rapidly. Online video platforms (OVPs), managed video platforms (MVPs), content management systems (CMSs) and content deliver networks (CDNs) are making this possible and are also growing at impressive rates. The CDN Akamai leads the video deliver market, having taken in about $475 million last year. KIT Digital leads the market for CMSs, with nearly $175 million in revenues for the deliver of video from media and entertainment companies. Brightcove is the largest OVP, with $64 million in media and entertainment revenues last year. Synacor leads the MVPs market, with an estimated $91 million in 2011 revenues.

Read more: http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/2012-8-28-abi-research-video-delivery-market

August 29, 2012 – The top cable companies added about 330,000 subscribers, representing 118% as many additions as in 2Q 2011, according to Leichtman Research Group. The report found that MSOs continued to dominate the broadband market during the quarter despite a decline in overall sector growth. The analysts noted that cable companies control 57% of the broadband space in the U.S., with nearly 11 million more subscribers than their telecom rivals.

Read more: http://www.leichtmanresearch.com/press/081412release.html

(27 August 2012) NEW DELHI: Sports broadcasters are also being brought under the ambit of the Trai regulation that allows only 12 minutes of advertisements per hour, prompting a strong reaction from the stakeholders as it would severely upset their business models that are under pressure from high acquisition costs and severe subscription revenue leakages due to under-reporting of subscribers by cable TV operators.

In a draft amendment to the regulation The Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) Regulations, 2012, the regulator has withdrawn the leeway granted in the case of live broadcast of a sporting event.

In the regulations notified on 14 May 2012, sports broadcasters were allowed to carry advertisements during the breaks in the sporting action. The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) had in June stayed the implementation of the cap on advertisement on an appeal filed by broadcasters.

Read more: http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k12/aug/aug223.php

Related story: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/marketing/article3828427.ece?ref=wl_banking

August 25, 2012 — China will promote the application and industrialization of its self-developed audio-video coding standard, or AVS+ standard, in broadcasting and television, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said Friday.

The implementation fo the AVS+ standard will meet increased demand for new broadcasting technologies, such as high-definition TV and 3D TV, SARFT said.

Read more: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2012-08/25/content_15705591.htm

TV piracy ‘rampant’ in the Pacific, says industry insider

24/08/2012 – The development of legitimate television services in the Pacific is being hampered by rampant piracy, a veteran television executive says.

Fiji-based consultant Ken Clark told Radio Australia commercial pay TV operators were using digital set-top boxes to import signals intended for legitimate Australian addresses.

“They package it all up with a bunch of others [programs] – some of which are legitimate – and charge the customers for it,” he said.

Read more: http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=19401784625036a0035513e6c8c451

August 23, 2012 – The bitter AMC carriage dispute with Charlie Ergen’s Dish Network is no nearer resolution, and looks like being even more difficult to resolve following a slew of ‘Zombie’ ads carried by AMC to highlight their ratings hit ‘The Walking Dead’ and attempting to put pressure on Dish Network to reinstate AMC’s channels.

Read more: http://advanced-television.com/index.php/2012/08/23/amc-attacks-dish-with-zombie-ads/