Free Korean TV shows on Viu app, just launched in Singapore

15 Jan, 2016 – Korean content from the four major broadcasters – SBS, KBS, MBC and CJ E&M – will be available here for free on a new streaming service, Viu.

Korean programmes such as popular game show Running Man will be available with subtitles in English or Chinese, as soon as eight hours from its premiere in Korea.

Other titles available include the upcoming KBS drama Descendants Of The Sun and SBS hit drama My Love From The Star (2013).

15 January 2016

Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending Jan 15th. Curated by CASBAA, News Views keeps you in the loop. We always value your feedback, so tell us what you think!

Brought to you by:

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

At the risk of changing this newsletter’s name from “News Views” to "Netflix Views”, we’ve got to acknowledge that since they flipped the switch on (almost) every market in the region last week, we’ve been talking about very little else, actually. Hot off the presses is the company’s announcement that it will stop allowing subscribers to access the service via VPNs, proxies or “unblockers” (Variety says it’s going to “..bring the hammer down…” which seems a bit hyperbolic), but it will remain to be seen how effective that will be. Meantime, John has put together a pretty comprehensive overview of how Netflix’s “Gotcha!” launch has been received in various territories here in Asia… take it away, Mr. Medeiros!

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

So, what does it mean to launch a service in 130 countries? They sit in Silicon Valley, open the gusher, and the sweet crude flows all through the global network, just like that? Maybe that happens (for a while) in a technical sense, but in a commercial sense you still need access to customers and to their payments and the governments that you’re flipping off might have something to say about that. Here’s a short summary of some reactions around our region:
Hong Kong: Even in this relatively uncensored international city, it was immediately noted that Netflix’s content offering was not absolutely compelling, as local consumers enjoy a mix that includes local content, (“much Netflix content is ‘niche’ given ordinary Hong Kong people’s tastes”) and besides that, the good bits were lacking from the library, as series like “Orange is the New Black” had already been exclusively licensed to other distributors.

India: Reaction was rather subdued, as most noted that compared to India’s low prices for content, Netflix’s rates seemed very high, and could “alienate the middle class which is the main category driving consumption.” And at least one local provider lowered its prices, accentuating the problem for Netflix.

Indonesia: The film censorship board had fun binge-watching the movies on Netflix and then said they should be blocked. The Minister of Communications didn’t address the censorship issue, but said Netflix had to open an office, get a license and pay taxes.

Malaysia of course is known for its strict content controls, and there, the responsible Minister said even if Netflix doesn’t require a license, they have to follow the content codes (and the government is mulling requiring them to get a license, too). Meanwhile one eager content censor offered a candid view: “We’ve got to start blocking Netflix now, he said, “before people start to like these shows.” Another worry also cropped up: if a lot of people start watching Netflix, bandwidth demand could overwhelm existing internet infrastructure.

In Singapore, it took only one day for the local media to zero in on the “Tilted Playing Field” problem posed by “outdated” media laws that “subject local…content distributors to far stricter regulations than overseas players that provide content online.” Singapore-based media journal “Content Asia” had a GREAT commentary on this, in their most recent e-newsletter. Janine Stein justly decried “a situation where companies on the ground are held to local standards and Netflix is given free reign with its 0000 default pin code.” Janine admits it’s not easy for governments to balance conflicting agendas as the world changes around us, but she hit out at some regulators for “effectively giving the finger to programmers (and platforms) in the region who have followed the rules, been respectful, paid their taxes, created jobs, trained people, and contributed on the ground in so many ways.” (Music to my ears!)

In Thailand, the Bangkok Post noted the local language problem, quoting an industry exec as saying not only in Thailand but all around ASEAN “a one-size-fits-all approach would not meet the needs of everyone in emerging markets”

And in Vietnam, the reaction was No No No No No! (Netflix didn’t bother to try, in China, so Vietnam gets the Dr. No award this time.)

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

I was in Las Vegas last week at CES, where amidst all the drones and kitted-out cars, Virtual Reality was the theme that kept coming forward (and causing grown men to cry, apparently). Queues for VR demos were everywhere, with people willing to stand for more than an hour to try a rig out, and willing to lose their lunches in the process. And despite the fact that VR is just barely past the "Trough of Disillusionment” on Gartner’s hype curve, many of the online players in particular are getting stuck into the technology, with Hulu planning to roll out products and services this spring, and Google reportedly getting ready to make some big bets too. And while there are still plenty of skeptics out there who think VR is just the latest fad (think: “3DTV”), there are others who are thinking very deeply about the new technology: “… the most fascinating idea—but it’s deeply philosophical and very disturbing—is whether we do live in a virtual reality all the time anyway, in some sort of virtual ambiguity.” Who else, but Werner Herzog…?

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Another company that put on a great presentation at CES was YouTube. And the digital video story cannot be written without them. Robert Kyncl’s (Chief Business Officer) keynote can be seen (or quickly read) and goes over his predictions about digital video from 2012. He is spookily on track to nailing them all.

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

Controversy in Australia over the latest Australia Day Lamb ad, where Australian diaspora are “extracted” from situations around the world to ensure they can have lamb on the barbie on January 26th. No word from the Danish Royal family but inevitably, the ad has received complaints, including vegans who branded the ad discriminatory and the campaign has received the most complaints for any ad in Australian history. The Australian Advertising Standards Bureau is set to rule on the case next week and could force the ad to be withdrawn, but with Australia Day just around the corner the complaints have raised the profile of the campaign so either way the ad can be judged a success.

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the US case where cable ISP Cox Communications was being sued for not seriously applying a policy to stem repeat infringement by its customers. (Cox is not a part of the “Copyright Alert System,” also known as the “six strikes” system, for notifying and reprimanding serial pirate downloaders.) Well, now the jury has returned a verdict: Cox was found guilty of contributing to infringement and was fined US$25 million. Hollywood Reporter said the decision “could make it more likely that in the future, copyright pirates are kicked off the Internet.” (Well, until they come back, at least…..) And TorrentFreak commented “it is now likely that … major ISPs will be scrambling to have very clear repeat infringer processes committed to paper and have their employees follow them to the letter.” Sounds like a good outcome to me. (But there will, inevitably be an appeal.)

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

After spending mega bucks on Free basics campaign in India, Facebook is still not certain which way the coin will turn. Not only FB and regulator TRAI are fighting over number of responses against and for Free Basics and differential pricing; the latter being opposed by many, including CASBAA member Star India. While Net neutrality, reportedly, got a thumbs up (what else?) from Indians, FB is being panned by internet advocacy organisations for being "disingenuous" in its plans to bring "digital equality for all Indians." But here’s an original critique of the issue, put forward by an independent think-tank, Observer Research Foundation, which among other things, wants some sort of must-provide obligation put on the Internet. Ugh!!

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant

Two thirds of Southeast Asian children aged 6-14 would rather only use the internet than watch any television. This is according to a study by SuperAwesome involving 1,800 kids aged 6-14 in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Other findings: Asked whether they would rather only use the internet or only watch TV, 66 per cent of kids said the former. The smartphone is the most popular device on which kids access the internet. Using different screened devices at the same time – multi-screening – is common. And YouTube is by far the most popular website.

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Al Jazeera America has announced it will be closing down its US-based operations, a move that could lead to layoffs for up to 700 journalists in a dozen bureaux across the country. The company cites “…the economic challenges in the US media marketplace…” as the main reason it has struggled to build an audience, although others are less forgiving: “…it set out to prove that a hard-news cable network with an Arabic name…could connect with American viewers. It failed miserably.” But Al Jazeera’s Dohar headquarters has a slightly different lead for the story, saying the company will “…expand its existing international digital services to broaden its multi-platform presence in the United States.”

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

The third phase of digitisation is complete (deadline over on Dec 31, 2015). No, wait, probably it’s not. The deadline is being extended by various courts despite federal government (read MIB) stating beginning of last quarter 2015 there would be no extension. If an average consumer of cable TV in India is confused, he’s not to be blamed. Equally confused is MIB, which is, according to media reports, burning midnight oil to find ways to counter court orders. Amidst this confusion head of Siti Cable, one of the three largest MSOs, is for broadcasters blacking out signals in non-digitised areas.

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

From an Asian perspective, with our TV/video markets developed at varying degrees of maturity, predictions for American media are always interesting. Either the prediction already came true or it may do a number of years down the road. Either way, the following are applicable and worth the read. Watch This Space: Big Change For Media In 2016: Prediction 1 – "More players will enter the OTT space”. Come on, that’s a gimme, can’t argue there. Five Streaming Video Predictions for 2016. Prediction 2 – "YouTube and Facebook will continue to square off, and it will probably result in a split decision.” Sorry, this is a heavy-weight title fight. 2016 will only see us through round 2.

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

The Vietnam government has announced it is gearing up to launch three satellites over the next five years. The new satellites will be used for remote sensing – collecting and transmitting data about the Earth’s surface, helping scientists forecast climate change and natural disasters. The Deputy Minister of Information and Communications said the satellite communication sector has strongly grown in Vietnam with two operational telecom satellites and a remote sensing satellite currently in operation.

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant

Korean internet users claiming to watch TV content and movies on-line via TV has grown significantly in two years. Despite the growing trend, Ovum’s senior analyst for TV and OTT video, doesn’t envisage the end of traditional TV distribution. He says “Nothing happens overnight. Contrary to popular perceptions, consumer habits actually change remarkably slowly."

Yegee Chun

Regulatory Assistant

Tech giants unveiled several impressive displays at CES 2016. Among them were a transformable module TV and a transparent OLED screen by Samsung, and Panasonic’s invisible display. LG presented its 8K Super Ultra-High Definition TV, as well as a flexible, bendable HD screen that could revolutionize mobile or on-the-go viewing in the near future.

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

Sports all set to get more exciting ( and, probably, more moneyed) in India from later this month. Disney’s ESPN re-enters after a three-year cool-off period with a new partner, Sony beginning with non-live programming. It’d be interesting to watch how ESPN’s former partner Star reacts having poured in billions of dollars in sporting products.

Some additional links you might be interested in:

Member News

Singtel & Netflix Offer Free Promo

15 Jan, 2016 – Singtel has entered into an exclusive tie-up with Netflix to give customers promotional offers to access TV shows and movies on the streaming service.

Singtel customers can get up to nine months’ worth of complimentary Netflix subscriptions if they re-contract or sign up for Singtel’s mobile plan and/or Fibre Entertainment Bundle+ from January 22 to July 22. The promo also gives customers the convenience of watching Netflix through Singtel TV set-top boxes from April.

PCCW Global and Telstra sign IPX multi-service interconnection agreement

HKT (SEHK: 6823) – HONG KONG, January 14, 2016 – PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, and Telstra International Limited, the international arm of Telstra, Australia’s leading tier one telecommunications and information services company, have signed an IPX multi-service interconnection agreement.

The interconnection agreement enables PCCW Global and Telstra to expand their relationship in new market segments, whilst improving their existing portfolio and mutually benefiting their mobile and multinational customers.

Mobile operators connected to PCCW Global IPX can enjoy access to its MobileXchange service suite, which includes VoIPX, VoLTE, LTE roaming, GRX, SCCP and cloud-based applications such as Unified Communication-as-a-Service, Security-as-a-Service, OTT solutions and more, giving operators unprecedented potential to differentiate themselves in both roaming and domestic services.

Spanning over five continents and with coverage in more than 3,000 cities and 140 countries, PCCW Global network is one of the largest in the world supporting GSMA standardized services and cloud-based applications, enabling new revenue streams for connected operators.

Mr. Emmanuel Bain, PCCW Global’s Head of Voice Business, said, “Our collaboration with Telstra is key to the development of new initiatives for the region. Australia and Hong Kong being leading LTE markets, IPX will be critical to support mobile data growth and quality expectations from the subscribers.”

Australia is a well-developed market, and subscribers are very tech savvy. End-users are seeking for new services, applications and superior telecommunications experiences which IPX can deliver.

Ms. Ellie Sweeney, Executive Director, Global Wholesale, Telstra, said, “Working with PCCW Global will give us the scalability to grow with the demand and the opportunity to expand into new areas.”

The recent expansion of PCCW Global IPX’s reach reflects the value PCCW Global has brought to the market and establishes the company as a global provider for mobile operators.

– # –

TVB to launch fee-based online TV service against Netflix

8 Jan, 2016 – Television Broadcasts Ltd. is expanding to fee-based TV services with the launch an online TV platform in March.

The network’s myTV Super service, which will air programs via a set-top box, will feature its existing line-up of five free-to-watch channels, 13 fee-based channels and an interactive Disney channel, Ming Pao Daily reported.

Subscribers will be able to watch existing programs on-demand with a monthly fee similar to those of Netflix, which has just announced its service fees in Hong Kong earlier this week.

Star English has much to cheer at Golden Globes

11 Jan, 2016 – Star India’s English entertainment bouquet, consisting of Star World, Star World Premiere HD and FX, is known for showcasing the best and latest in English entertainment from across the world. Star India remains the first choice for premium urban audiences seeking quality English entertainment. Cast from some of its leading and critically acclaimed shows like Taraji P Henson (Empire), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Maura Tierney (The Affair), Lady Gaga (American Horror Story – Hotel) and Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) have struck gold at the 2016 Golden Globe awards this year.

The leading lady from Empire, Taraji P Henson, won her first Golden Globe for best actress in a television series drama for her groundbreaking role as Cookie. Taraji’s character is the heart of the series and provides unforgettable catchphrases, heartbreaking line readings, and natural comedy in a tour de force performance that makes you miss her every second she’s not on screen. Empire Season 2 is currently airing on FX and FX HD every Sunday at 10 pm.

More channels, regional acquisitions on Sony’s India menu

13 Jan, 2016 – Having identified India as a major market for growth for its television broadcast business, Sony is seeking to tap diverse regions of the country by expanding its offerings with a variety of contents and is evaluating acquisition of some regional channels.

The company’s arm Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), formerly Multi Screen Media, which yesterday announced launch of two sports channels in partnership with ESPN, plans to add two more, besides widening digital content as the parent backs new investments in the country.

OTT operator Yupp TV adds news channel Deutsche Welle

13 Jan, 2016 – YuppTV who provide converged OTT live TV and video on-demand solutions picks Germany’s premier international news channel Deutsche Welle (DW) in English for viewers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.

YuppTV continuously enriches and enhances viewers experience with 5000 hours of new on-demand content being added to YuppTV platform every day. The company’s vision is to make it seamless for broadcasters to deliver news, information and entertainment in as many countries as possible across the world. With this endeavor, YuppTV has been able to accomplish its goal of being one of the world’s fastest growing OTT content players.

DW has been a trusted source of reliable, unbiased news and information for more than 60 years. Viewers of YuppTV will now be able to enjoy news, features and award-winning documentaries covering topics from breaking news to science, politics, arts, culture and sports.

LeEco (formerly Letv) Introduces New Brand and Logo to Reflect Global Ambition

(January 13, 2016 – Hong Kong) LeEco (formerly Letv) premiered its new brand and logo during the “Global Brand Upgrade” press conference under the theme of “A New Eco World”. The company unveiled its new brand logo for the Le Ecosystem and its seven sub-ecosystems.

The new logo consists of the letters “L” and “E”, conveying the quintessence of the LeEco world with its simple and elegant design. The four strokes which comprise “LE” each represent one of the four tiers of the Le Ecosystem – Platform, Content, Device and Application. The dot formed by the overlapping of two strokes symbolizes the pivot of the entire ecosystem: EUI and Le Fans. The connection and interaction between the letters “L” and “E” expresses the LeEco spirit of constant disruption, breaking boundaries and eco synergy. The three colors of blue, red, green and grey represent the integration of technology, culture and the Internet within the Le Ecosystem.

The current upgrade of the Le Ecosystem brand means that LeEco is looking beyond the Chinese domestic market to compete with global Fortune 500 giants and is ready to make disruptive changes on the global scale.

The word “TV” has been eliminated from all sub-ecosystem logos, showing that LeEco has fully grown from a video website in 2004 into a full-featured “eco world” integrating Platform, Content, Device and Application.

LeEco also announced the name change of Letv.com to Le.com, the adoption of its new global top-level domain “le.com”. Besides, it announced the global strategies of Le Vision Pictures and Le Cloud in 2016, opening a new chapter in Le Ecosystem’s development as it fully gears up for global expansion.

“Letv is where we started, but LeEco is our future,” said Ablikim Ablimit, Le Holdings’ Vice President of Strategy, “We will create a more beautiful eco world with new value for our users. And our brand-new logo will bring users into this exciting world.”

After the full implementation of LeEco’s seven sub-ecosystems in 2015, LeEco’s strategic focus in 2016 will be on globalization, global open ecosystem, and achieving perfect synergy among the sub-ecosystems, according to Le Holdings’ Vice President of Strategy Ablikim Ablimit.

LeEco’s strategic goal of globalization is to not only make its products available in major global markets but also bring its entire ecosystem to major regions and countries of the world, and provide the ultimate experience and superior value to users in those countries and regions. LeEco’s strategic priorities in this regard are countries and regions with huge potential for breakthrough innovation or with high-speed growth such as the U.S. and India. Meanwhile, it will also keep on expanding in Southeast Asia markets including Hong Kong.

– END –

About LeEco
Founded in November 2004 by Jia Yueting, Le Holdings is committed to creating the “Le Ecosystem,” a next-generation Internet engine that is vertically-integrated to offer an online platform complete with content, device and application. Le Holdings is engaged in a rich array of businesses, spanning from Internet TV, video production and distribution, smart gadgets and large-screen applications to e-commerce and Internet-based electric vehicles. Le Holdings comprises a number of subsidiaries, including Le.com, Le Vision Pictures, Le Holdings, Le Finance and Le Mobile. In 2014, the aggregate sales of Le Holdings amounted to approximately RMB 10 billion.

Le.com made history on August 12, 2010 when it was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, making it the world’s first IPO company in the sector. Le.com was also the first video company listed on China’s A-share market. Prolific as well as successful, Le.com currently offers more than 100,000 episodes of TV dramas and over 5,000 movie titles. In addition, the site draws an estimated 250 million page views per day, 350 million users per month, 100 million daily content viewers on mobile devices, and 10 million daily content viewers on large-screen TVs.

LeEco Hong Kong, as the headquarters of Asia Pacific region, was officially set up in August 2014, marking an important milestone of the company’s expansion in the overseas market. The company provides Hong Kong with an established vertically integrated ecosystem of “Platform + Content + Terminal + Application”. LeEco has held 13 online flash sales in Hong Kong, with thousands of smart devices sold on every occasion. Currently, LeEco Hong Kong offers various sales channels for users, including online pre-ordering services and 1,800+ offline outlets in Hong Kong and Macau. As the only entertainment platform with over 1,500 hours of 4K programs in Hong Kong, LeEco has always been committed to providing rich and diverse online content including movies, dramas, variety shows and concerts to its fans.

New Sherlock Special Scores Big in Box Offices in Asia

(Singapore, Wednesday, 13 January 2016) … Sherlock: The Abominable Bride is a hit in cinemas in Asia, rising to the top of the box office when it launched earlier in January.

The one-off 90 minute special set in Victorian London, Sherlock: The Abominable Bride stars Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) and Martin Freeman (The Hobbit). Both return as the well-loved Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the acclaimed modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories.

The special was released in more than 6,000 cinema screens in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and has already been seen by over five million people in these countries. It took number one spots in China, Hong Kong and South Korea for English language releases. When it premiered in China on 4 January, the special took the number one English language release spot in the box office for four days, from 4th to 7th January. In Hong Kong, it was number one from 2nd to 6th January, and in Korea, Sherlock over took Star Wars: The Force Awakens in its opening week.

In China it has raked in more than USD19 million (RMB 124 million), while in South Korea, it has taken over US$7 million (KRW 9,090,645,000).

“We know that Sherlock has a sizeable fan base in Asia, so in conjunction with Hartswood Films we decided to release the one-off special in cinemas, to give Asian fans of the show the opportunity to be part of the global event – and to watch it on the big screen,” said David Weiland, EVP, Asia, BBC Worldwide. “We are very pleased at how well Sherlock has done in cinemas here and will continue to look for new and innovative ways to bring more global events to our fans here.”

Sherlock is written and created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock is produced by Sue Vertue and the executive producers are Beryl Vertue, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat for Hartswood Films, Bethan Jones for BBC Cymru Wales, and Rebecca Eaton for Masterpiece. Sherlock: The Abominable Bride aired on BBC One in the UK on 1 January 2016.
– Ends ̶
For more information, please contact:

For BBC Worldwide:
Jeanne Leong
BBC Worldwide
Tel: +65 6849 5292
Email: Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com

Gladys Sim
BBC Worldwide
Tel: +65 6849 5292
Email: Gladys.Sim@bbc.com

Notes to editors:
About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Its vision is to build the BBC’s brands, audiences, commercial returns and reputation across the world. This is achieved through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also champions British creativity globally.

In 2014/15, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £138.6m and headline sales of £1,001.8m and returned a record £226.5m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview

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