Regulatory framework in Asian markets remains uneven

Hong Kong, 25 October 2005 – The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today announced the results of a Study on Effective Regulation of The Pay-TV Industry in the Asia-Pacific, a first ever examination of the economic impact of regulatory practices across the region.

The study shows a clear relationship between regulatory effectiveness and pay-TV industry investment and growth across the region. While macro economic factors have also helped drive investment and revenue generation, the results of the study demonstrate that an effective regulatory framework is a pre-requisite for a high performing sector.

Most of the regulatory practices in Hong Kong and Japan are consistent with globally established benchmarks evident in the US and the UK. The regulatory environment in these markets has helped boost competition, investment and revenue generation in the pay-TV industry.

Over the past three years, annual industry investment, which encompasses of costs relating to distribution, programming and technology, reached US$438 per pay-TV household in Japan and US$393 and US$390 in Hong Kong and Singapore. (Figures for the UK and US are US$694 and US$757 respectively.)

This compares to only US$89 in Korea and US$162 in Taiwan, markets where the regulatory framework is more rigid. Just US$84 has been invested per year in the Philippines and US$139 in Thailand. Both these markets remain severely depressed by rampant piracy.

“The CASBAA study highlights significant upside in terms of economic growth, investment in infrastructure and content creation that governments can expect from adopting effective regulatory policies,” said Marcel Fenez, Chairman of CASBAA. “The rewards are clear in the markets that have improved their regulatory systems in recent years. Rapid increases in investment and industry development are the principal benefits.”

Simon Twiston Davies, CASBAA CEO, noted that with the increased pace of convergence, effective regulation of the pay TV industry is a vital driver for digital infrastructure deployment. “Governments that give the pay-TV industry room to grow find they gain even greater advantage from the entire digital economy.”

The CASBAA report highlights that regulation of the pay-TV industry has evolved over time in the most advanced economies to a free market framework, with a high level of premium content made available. “This is the wave of the future, said Mr Fenez. Consumers enjoy access to the television programming they want through different means. The industry is encouraging governments to abandon outmoded concepts, and to genuinely ‘regulate for the future’.”

How the Study was Conducted

The evaluation of pay-TV regulation and the construction of a “Regulatory Regime Index” were undertaken by a CASBAA panel of industry experts and senior executives. The evaluation and its findings were reviewed by the CASBAA Board of Directors and CASBAA Council of Governors.

The construction of the “Investment & Sector Value Index” and the relationship between regulation and industry investment and sector value were undertaken by regional research & consulting firm, Media Partners Asia (MPA).

Uneven Regulatory Development

According to CASBAA, the pay-TV market in Asia has entered a phase of rapid growth and significant contribution to the regions economies. Industry revenues are now in excess of US$15 billion annually. In some markets, pay-TVs increasing contribution to economic growth has been facilitated by a favourable evolution of the regulatory environment. However, in other jurisdictions the regulatory framework remains uneven and unfavourable to competition and development, including meeting the demands of technological change and industry investment, as well as creating a level playing field for competitors.

Burgeoning Markets

Critical to the future of pay-TV development in Asia are the two largest potential markets, China and India.

Chinas industry is gradually moving from a free-to-air retransmission model to a genuine pay-TV environment. However, regulatory restrictions and uncertainty remain. Nevertheless, China is focused on accelerating the rollout of digital pay-TV infrastructure and facilitating an environment for greater investment and competition in the pay-TV and broadband industries. It is thus foreseeable that its regulatory framework will evolve over time, with the focus on maximizing investment and growth in the pay-TV industry and overall deployment of digital infrastructure.

In India, the pay-TV industry can be described as vibrant, particularly with regard to investment in programming. Uneven regulation, however, if smoothed, would have a significant impact on the rate of growth and infrastructure investment. The trend, nevertheless, is uncertain, and notable restrictions on distribution, pricing and supply of pay-TV programming have been introduced in recent years.

Reaching the Benchmark

Certain Asian markets including Hong Kong and Japan are nearing global benchmarks for effective regulation with a beneficial impact for both consumers and the industry. Malaysia, Singapore and Australia maintain generally favourable regulatory frameworks, although they are limited in terms of competition and do not provide the widest consumer choice.

Established Markets with Complex Regulations

Taiwan was previously able to attract considerable investment in pay-TV distribution and programming from strategic media and private equity investors but is now in danger of losing its appeal. Regulations remain characterised by overly complex and restrictive practices, involving multiple levels of government. These have undermined incentives to upgrade technology and invest meaningfully in programming content.

Korea, with a well-developed pay-TV network infrastructure, is a potential high growth market but progress remains curtailed by restrictive retransmission policies, programming quotas and the lack of a level playing field for competition between terrestrial and pay-TV platforms. Regulation is evolving, as most recently indicated by an increased limit on foreign investment in pay-TV distribution platforms. “This has helped unlock investment from international private equity firms, especially in the area of cable and satellite distribution infrastructure, which, in turn has helped promote greater consolidation and scale in the market,” said Mr Twiston Davies.

Underdeveloped Markets, Hindered by Weak Regulation

The Philippines and Thailand are both moving to improve their frameworks but progress has been slow, if not non-existent. A common problem to both countries is the existence of massive pay-TV signal piracy on a commercial scale. Intellectual Property rights enforcement has been weak.

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, AsiaSat, Astro, Bloomberg Television, China Entertainment Television, CSG Systems, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC, HBO Asia, IBM, 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, Anytime, Arianespace, Asian Food Channel, BBC World, Celestial Movies, CSM, ESPN Star Sports, Harmonic, Irdeto, MEASAT, National Geographic, Nagravision, Tom Group, PanAmSat, Paul Weiss, Scientific Atlanta, Synovate and Time Warner.

Manila, Philippines, September 23, 2005 — The National Bureau of Investigation, acting on complaints filed by the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), successfully raided two cable operators in Cotobato City and Butuan City in Mindanao on September 21.

Armed with search warrants, NBI operatives raided the offices and head-ends of Maguindanao Skycable and Z-Energy CATV Network for illegally transmitting copyrighted programming from major broadcasting organizations.

The complaints which stimulated the NBI action were filed by CASBAA, the industry association of 110 global and regional companies which make up the Asian pay-TV industry.

CASBAA promotes multi-channel television by cable, satellite and broadband networks and is focusing intensively on the worsening intellectual property problem in the Philippines and other Asian countries.

It was reported that the two Mindanao companies had been under intensive NBI surveillance for several months and were documented to have been engaged in the illegal airing of popular channels like CNN, AXN, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, ESPN, STAR Sports, STAR World, STAR Movies, HBO Asia, MTV and the National Geographic Channel.

During the raid, the NBI seized satellite TV receivers, decoder boxes, smart cards and other equipment used by the cable operators to make the illegal transmissions.

“Cable pirates steal pay-TV channels and resell them at a significant profit. This illegal practice unfairly undermines legitimate local cable and satellite providers who have properly obtained licenses from the program owners,” said CASBAA CEO Simon Twiston Davies. “And it creates a big hole in government revenues, in terms of foregone license fees and taxes. Last year that loss was estimated at about Ps2.1 billion.”

CASBAA said this is the beginning of a high-impact campaign against signal pirates in the Philippines. “This enforcement initiative adds the Philippines to the list of Southeast Asian countries where CASBAA and its members are taking action to stop signal theft, which is so damaging to growth prospects for the Philippines industry,” said Mr. Twiston Davies.

CASBAA disclosed that signal piracy has reached epidemic proportions in the Philippines and that the number of illegal cable connections now threatens to exceed the number of legal ones. CASBAA estimated last year that there were 880,000 authorized cable TV subscriptions in the Philippines, and more than 650,000 illegal ones. This year the situation has deteriorated.

“Cable and satellite TV piracy is a crime engaged in by shrewd businessmen who want to profit without paying for the product they resell. Millions of unsuspecting Filipinos fall prey to these malpractices,” said Mr. Twiston Davies. “Filipino consumers pay good money for the programs which have actually been stolen, and they are unfortunately the first to suffer when the deceitful operators are caught.”

CASBAA is working closely with other stakeholders in the local industry who use legitimate programming as well as with government agencies like the National Telecommunications Commission and the Intellectual Property Office to curb signal theft. CASBAA was represented by their lawyers, the Villaraza & Angangco Law Offices, in filing their complaints.

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ABOUT CASBAA
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia is an industry association dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel television via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific region. CASBAA represents some 110 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than 3 billion people. Member organizations include ABC Asia Pacific, ABN AMRO, AsiaSat, ASTRO (Malaysia), Bloomberg Television, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC, HBO Asia, IBM, MTV Networks Asia Pacific, Nokia, NOW Broadband TV, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sony Pictures Television International, STAR Group, Turner International Asia Pacific, UBC (Thailand), Walt Disney Television International, Zone Vision, Asian Food Channel, BBC World, China Entertainment Television, CNBC Asia, Dream ESPN STAR Sports, Harmonic, Indovision, Juniper Networks, Kabelvision, PanAmSat, SkyCable, TimeWarner, Anytime and TVBI.

Bangkok, September 22, 2005 — The Royal Thai Governments Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and regional pay-TV industry body, the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), yesterday staged a high-level workshop on Intellectual Property Rights protection in Bangkok Thailand.

Opened by Boonaris Suwanapool, Deputy Director General of the DIP and co-hosted by Simon Twiston Davies, the CEO of CASBAA, the one-day forum attracted speakers from the US, Europe, Hong Kong and Singapore. Invited delegates included Thai IP Court officials, officials from the Attorney Generals office, the Royal Thai Police, the Department of Customs and other officials and industry executives with responsibility for creating and enforcing vital intellectual property rights within Thailand.

Those presenting at the seminar included senior executives drawn from broadcasters Time Warner and ESPN STAR Sports, European security firm Irdeto, the Motion Picture Association of America (representing the seven major Hollywood studios), global Intellectual Property Rights legal experts, Herbert Smith and CASBAA (representing 110 pay-TV related companies operating in the Asia Pacific).

“One issue highlighted during todays forum was that while Asias pay-TV market is growing rapidly, and making substantial economic contributions, Thailand hasnt been benefiting as much as it should,” said Mr Twiston Davies. “The meeting was in general agreement that this can change with newly pro-active approaches.”

Meanwhile, it was claimed that among middle-income Asian countries Thailand remains the market with the worst piracy problem. Three out of every four households connected to Thai pay-TV systems are estimated to be tapping into pirated pay-TV programming. “In the end, this damages everyones interests because every level of the value chain is a victim of theft,” said Mr Twiston Davies.

According to industry estimates, the cost of piracy to the community in Thailand is high – to the industry and to the government, which loses at least 2.5 billion baht in taxes, fees and revenues every year, with the problem growing at a rate of about 20% per year.

Speakers at the seminar generally agreed that while Thailand has made some incremental strides in the battle against Intellectual Property Rights theft there is need to create a modern, competitive industry, regulated on a level playing field.

Participants in the seminar looked forward to more effective law enforcement and increasingly severe penalties for pirate cable operators.

“The development of effective regulatory agencies will hugely benefit Thailand, a country with proven media sophistication and clear economic achievements,” said Mr Twiston Davies.

“Its great to have so many of the stakeholders in Thailands pay-TV industry working together at a seminar like this,” said Marcel Fenez, Chairman, CASBAA. “With the support of the likes of the Department of Intellectual Property and representatives of the IP courts standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the legitimate industry, progress has been made today.”

ENDS

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 television 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 3 billion people.

Members include ABC Asia Pacific, ABN AMRO, AETN, ASTRO, Bloomberg Television, CSG Systems, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC (Taiwan), AsiaSat, HBO Asia, IBM, MTV Networks Asia, Nokia, now Broadband TV (PCCW), PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sony Pictures Television International, STAR, Sun Microsystems, Turner International Asia Pacific, UBC, Walt Disney Television International, Zone Vision, Shin Satellite, Asian Food Channel, Channel NewsAsia, Celestial Movies, Anytime, TVBI, China Entertainment Television, Cosmedia and TV5.

CONTACT CASBAA:

Rebecca Kennedy

Communications, CASBAA

802 Wilson House, 19-27 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: 852-2854 9913 Email : pr@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, April 22, 2005 – The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today announced seven new memberships of CASBAA, Asias leading regional multi-channel television trade body, signed by pay-TV content, technology and service providers.

The new members include three Patron Memberships taken out by Sun Microsystems, Nokia and broadcaster AETN (The History Channel).

The four CASBAA Corporate Memberships signed in the first quarter of 2005 were Playboy TV International, Two Way TV, Sky News Australia and Zieland Productions.

“The participation of Nokia and Sun Microsystems at the highest level of the Association underlines the changing nature of our businesses,” said Simon Twiston Davies, the CASBAA CEO.

“Such participation demonstrates how mainstream telecoms and technology companies see clear benefit in partnering with the traditional cable and satellite TV industry. Such memberships are an unequivocal vote of confidence in the future of Asias pay-TV market,” said Mr Twiston Davies.

According to CASBAA, The History Channels Patron Membership of CASBAA and the Corporate Memberships taken out by Playboy TV and Sky News Australia point to the increasing demand for quality niche programming across the entire Asia Pacific. The membership of Zieland TV, a New Zealand-based supplier of educational television content and services, also highlights the growth potential for relevant pay-TV programming.

No less important, is the CASBAA participation of interactive TV specialist Two Way TV, a Sydney-based listed company, said Mr Twiston Davies.

“Digital and interactive television is the clear future of our industry. Services provided by Two Way TV and video-on-demand provider Anytime TV (which joined CASBAA in Q4 2004) are offering new opportunities for improving ARPU for cable, satellite and broadband pay-TV operators and content creators alike.”

New CASBAA Patron Members Sun Microsystems, Nokia and The History Channel took up their seats on the CASBAA Council of Governors in March.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Ms Rebecca KENNEDY

Communications, CASBAA

Tel: (852) 2854 9913

Email: pr@casbaa.com

ABOUT CASBAA
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia is an industry-based advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel television via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA represents some 120 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than 3 billion people. Member organisations include ABN AMRO, AsiaSat, ASTRO, Bloomberg Television, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC, Galaxy, HBO Asia, The History Channel, IBM, 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, Anytime, BBC Prime. Freshfields, HSBC, Irdeto Access, Loral Skynet, Mindshare, and TOM Group.

Hong Kong & Singapore, June 21, 2005 — The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today announced the appointment of John Medeiros as Vice President for Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs.

Mr. Medeiros will be responsible for oversight of the Association’s anti-piracy and regulatory activities across an Asia Pacific footprint covering 14 markets. He reports to CASBAA Chief Executive Officer Simon Twiston Davies. This new post is part of a significant expansion of the Association’s campaigns to counter piracy of pay-TV broadcasts and to advocate modern regulatory practices for the broadcasting industry.

Mr. Medeiros joins CASBAA following an extensive career with the US government, most recently as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore and Deputy U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong. With a dozen years experience in Asia, Mr. Medeiros responsibilities have included assisting media and telecommunications companies to overcome regulatory and anti-competitive barriers, such as piracy.

Mr. Medeiros most recent achievements include work on market access issues and on persuading regional governments to substantially upgrade law enforcement work, including copyright enforcement and co-operation against organised crime.

“The appointment of such an experienced executive as John Medeiros as our VP for Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs further highlights CASBAAs commitment to representing the pay-TV industrys interests at the highest level possible. Johns experience in Asia made him the best possible candidate for this new CASBAA role,” said Marcel Fenez, Chairman, CASBAA.

“Given the range of underlying regulatory, market access and copyright issues faced by our member companies in jurisdictions such as Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, South Korea and India, this appointment is a significant step for the industry and the Association.”

ENDS

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 television via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA represents some 120 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than 3 billion people. Members include ABN AMRO, AETN, AsiaSat, ASTRO, Bloomberg Television, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC (Taiwan), Galaxy, HBO Asia, IBM, MTV Networks Asia Pacific, Nokia, now Broadband (PCCW), PricewaterhouseCoopers, STAR Group, Sony Pictures Television International, STAR Group, Sun Microsystems, Turner International Asia Pacific, UBC (Thailand), Walt Disney Television International, CNBC Asia, BBC World, ESPN STAR Sports, HSBC, Juniper Networks, National Geographic, NDS, Mediacorp News, Nagravision, PanAmSat, Starhub, Boeing Satellite Systems and Synovate.

CONTACT:

Rebecca Kennedy

Communications Manager, CASBAA

802 Wilson House, 19-27 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: 852-2854 9913 Email : pr@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, May 17, 2005 – The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) will hold the fifth annual CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum in Singapore on Monday June 13, 2005. The CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum traditionally acts as a curtain-raiser for the CommunicAsia trade show in Singapore.

The Keynote speaker for this years CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum is Mr Cheng Guangren, the President of Sinosat, the exclusive provider of DTH services within China. The issues that will be addressed at the one-day forum include the impact of new satellite applications such as Digital Mobile Satellite and the development of high definition TV services via satellite within the Asia Pacific.

“We believe this will be an outstanding event during a stand-out year for the satellite and communications industries. With the undeniable pick-up in economic activity and the ever-increasing demand for content services, the satellite industry is clearly benefiting,” said CASBAA CEO, Simon Twiston Davies.

Another upside for the satellite industry is the gradual deregulation of the Asia Pacific market which is encouraging operator consolidation along with a new understanding by the investment community as to the benefits that satcoms can deliver for investors, said Mr Twiston Davies.

Besides covering potential drivers for bandwidth-rich video services and the possible onset of private equity investment in the Asian satellite sector, CASBAAs June 13 conference will also examine how manufacturers are addressing cost efficiency and guaranteed performance. In addition, the conference will encompass a high-powered CEO forum where “Satellites on the Move” for the Asian satellite industry will be debated.

“The CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum has become the premier forum in Asia for satellite market strategy discussion,” said William Wade, Deputy, CEO of AsiaSat and Chairman of CASBAAs Satellite Industry Committee. “This year we expect in excess of 200 high-end decision makers to participate.”

Confirmed speakers include CEOs and leading representatives from companies in Asia, North America and Europe including ILS, ESPN STAR Sports, AsiaSat, Thuraya, Mabuhay, KDB SkyLife, Measat, ViaSat, Orbital Communications, Tandberg and AON Explorer.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Ms Rebecca KENNEDY

Communications, CASBAA

Tel: (852) 2854 9913

Email: pr@casbaa.com

ABOUT CASBAA
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia is an industry-based advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel television via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA represents some 120 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than 3 billion people. Member organisations include ABN AMRO, AsiaSat, ASTRO, Bloomberg Television, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC, Galaxy, HBO Asia, The History Channel, IBM, 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, Anytime, BBC Prime. Freshfields, HSBC, Irdeto Access, Loral Skynet, Mindshare, and TOM Group.

Hong Kong, January 14, 2005 — China’s State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) answered questions on its ground breaking new rules for investment in, and deployment of, commercial broadcast services and film & television production in China during a three-hour, closed door CASBAA seminar in Hong Kong on January 13th.

The four person SARFT delegation, led by Mr Ren Qian, vice director of SARFT’s Department of Broadcasting Affairs Supervision, made it plain the objective of the China regulator is to commercialize China’s television market. SARFT wants to encourage foreign investment, the creation of new and compelling content and the development of a robust and economically viable pay-TV environment within China. internet usage statistics

Mr Ren and the SARFT team reiterated that programming Joint Ventures, comprising up to 49 per cent of foreign capital, will be permitted. The market needs to benefit from international experience and technologies to createe a global competitive industry within China. domain map

The unprecedented Jan 13th exchange of information and views between SARFT and CASBAA members, highlighted the great strides that are expected from China’s pay-TV market in 2005 and reassured industry leaders that industry progress is a top priority for the regulator.

During the detailed discussions through the seminar Mr Ren emphasised that under CEPA (Closer Economic Partnership Agreement) joint productions between mainland companies and Hong Kong and Macau companies could be considered as domestic productions.

The SARFT delegation addressed four recent new rules governing overseas investment in domestic joint-venture productions for pay-TV and other television and film distribution:

Regulation 41

“The Provisions on the Administration of Chinese-Foreign Cooperation in Television Drama Production”

Regulation 42

“The Provisions on the Administration of Importing and Broadcasting Foreign Television Programs”

Regulation 43

“The Interim Provisions on the Qualifications for the Operations and Entry of Film Enterprises.”

Regulation 44

“The Interim Provisions on the Administration of Radio and Television Program Production and Operation Enterprises in the Form of Chinese-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures or Cooperative Joint Ventures”

Members of the SARFT delegation were:

• Mr Ren Qian, Deputy Director-General, Broadcasting Affairs Supervision Dept, SARFT (Delegation leader)

• Mr Li Bin, Director, International Programming Div., Foreign Affairs Dept, SARFT

• Mr Jin Bei Ning, Director, Capital Operation Div., Planning & Finance Dept, SARFT

• Ms Zhong Ming Lan, Director, Marketing Management Dept, Film Bureau, SARFT

Hong Kong, April 14th, 2005 — The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today welcomed newly invigorated government approaches to pay-TV signal theft in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Malaysia.

In Hong Kong, telecoms regulator the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) and the Hong Kong Customs Department have undertaken a series of raids on traders in unauthorized pay-TV equipment which should result in criminal prosecutions of multiple vendors. In late March, the Hong Kong Customs Department seized 30 pay-TV decoders designed to decrypt satellite signals only licensed for the Philippines that could allow unscrupulous public venues in Hong Kong to profit while refusing to pay licensing fees in Hong Kong.

“We are extremely pleased with these initiatives by OFTA and Hong Kong Customs to address what the industry and the government believe are highly corrosive activities damaging to the community at large,” said Marcel Fenez, the Chairman of CASBAA.

“If pay-TV piracy is not controlled the entire media value chain is damaged and investment in vitally important domestic pay-TV programming, as well as in international programming, will dry up.”

CASBAA today also commended a newly proactive stance being taken by the Philippines pay-TV and telecoms regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

The NTC recently announced its intention to create an Intellectual Property Unit in cooperation with a second Philippines regulator, the Intellectual Property Office, to address all issues of content piracy.

Last week it was revealed that the NTC is aggressively fighting a court case directly challenging its jurisdiction over pay-TV signal theft in the Philippines. Government officials believe the case could well move to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the courts in Malaysia have also demonstrated their commitment to fighting pay-TV piracy by passing deterrent sentences on pirate traders in pay-TV equipment and services. Last week a dealer in illegally cloned Smart Cards was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on four charges of possession of cards designed to unlawfully access Malaysias ASTRO “Direct To Home” satellite pay-TV service. (It should be noted that since the cloning of the smart cards ASTRO has significantly upgraded its security to assist the Malaysian authorities.)

“These initiatives, combined, demonstrate that the authorities in multiple jurisdictions are becoming more and more aware of the issues surrounding intellectual property theft,” said Mr Fenez. “Actions like these not only improve the investment climate for the entertainment industry and for all industries with technology or expertise to protect, but also fight criminal gangs. We need to constantly reiterate that the act of purchasing unauthorized pay-TV services puts money into the hands of Organized Crime.”

In Hong Kong CASBAA, working with its member channels and distribution platforms, is undertaking civil actions in the courts against public venues (clubs and bars) screening unauthorized pay-TV services.

“When governments and the industry work together there is a real hope that these illegal activities can be brought under control,” said Mr Fenez. “We warmly endorse these government initiatives in Malaysia, the Philippines and Hong Kong.”

END

For further information, please contact:

Ms Rebecca KENNEDY

Communications Manager, CASBAA

Tel: (852) 2854 9913 Email: pr@casbaa.com

About CASBAA – www.casbaa.com

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) is an industry-based advocacy group dedicated to the promotion of multi-channel television via cable, satellite, broadband and wireless video networks across the Asia-Pacific. CASBAA represents some 120 Asia-based corporations, which in turn serve more than 3 billion people. Member organisations include Hong Kong Cable Television, now Broadband TV, TVB Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting (exTV), Hong Kong Broadband Network, ASTRO, Discovery Networks Asia, ESPN STAR Sports, HBO Asia, STAR Group, Sony Pictures Television International, Turner International Asia-Pacific, AETN International, EMC, BBC Prime, BBC World, CNBC Asia, MTV Networks Asia-Pacific, Time Warner, Walt Disney Television International, ABC Asia Pacific, AsiaSat, Bloomberg Television, UBC, IBM, ABN AMRO, Boeing Space Systems, Celestial Pictures, Crown Media, Lockheed Martin, Macau Cable Television, Nokia TVBI, MediaCorp and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Hong Kong, July 13, 2005 — The real impact of IPTV, the relationship between industry investment and government regulation, the deployment of new wireless and broadband technologies and the implications for the pay-TV advertising model will be highlighted during the CASBAA Convention 2005 when the regions leading cable operators, satellite platform operators, broadcasters, broadband video and wireless providers meet in Hong Kong, October 25th-28th.

To be staged at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts, the Convention 2005 theme ‘Creativity in a Digital World’ promises to deliver delegates to the heart of the digital revolution where creativity in business models, technology and content is critical to success.

“The year 2005 has already proved a benchmark for our industry,” said Marcel Fenez, Chairman of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA). “This is an important time for those with a core stake in the Asia-Pacific pay-TV market to come together, what with the unrivalled opportunities that are still opening up in China and India and the excitement of the genuine convergence of content with carriage,”

The CASBAA Convention is the one time in Asia Pacific calendar where pay-TV decision-makers meet market dynamics head on; where broadcast and studio executives, specialists on technology and industry regulation exchange views and information during high-powered interactive debates.

During CASBAA 2005:

We launch the innovative CASBAA Technology Showcase, an entire day dedicated to the next generation back-end technical solutions that will support the business models of second half of this decade.

We celebrate the power of pay-TV with the CASBAA Advertising Forum where the worlds of on-line, off-line multi-channel advertising and the product placement opportunity go head-to-head.

We unveil the CASBAA Investment vs Regulation Scorecard (tktk)

We once again grasp the nettle of pay-TV revenue leakage and with the CASBAA Pay-TV Piracy Estimates 2005/2006 when solutions and remedies will be presented for the industry and the community at large

We underline the importance of the Asian mega markets, India and China, with half-day Forums that will dissect truth from wishful thinking, and the prospects for real growth.

Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of CASBAA, said this years line-up of speakers and topics extends the Asia Pacific pay TVs industrys horizons into new territory.

“With the focus on the key areas of technology, content, advertising and the China and India markets, we examine the central issues of the day, Mr Twiston Davies said. The CASBAA Convention 2005 is all about approaching the new convergence technologies as platforms for delivery of multi-channel content and how our businesses can be regulated for growth.”

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ENQUIRIES
Ms Rebecca Kennedy

Communications Manager

Tel: (852) 2854 9913

Fax: (852) 2854 9530

Email: pr@casbaa.com

Hong Kong, December 12th, 2005 — The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today announced results of 2005 Annual General Meeting elections in Singapore to the CASBAA Council of Governors, the CASBAA Board of Directors and the chairmanship for 2006/2007.

Marcel Fenez, Asia Pacific Leader, Entertainment and Media Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, was re-elected for a two-year term as Chairman of the Association, while James Ross, Media Marketing Director for Bloomberg Television and Ian Carroll, Senior VP and GM, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, were elected for two-year terms to the CASBAA Board of Directors.

Re-elected to the CASBAA Board were Michelle Guthrie, CEO of STAR Group, Francois Theron, COO of UBC and Alexander Brown, President and CEO of CNBC Asia. Remaining on the CASBAA Board of Directors 2006 for the second year of two-year terms are Peter Jackson, CEO of AsiaSat, William Pfeiffer, CEO of Celestial Pictures, and Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia.

The following were elected to the CASBAA Council of Governors, the Associations most senior advisory body: Ted McFarland, VP Asia Pacific of ILS, Stephen Ng, Chairman, President and CEO of Hong Kong Cable Television, Jamie Davis, Managing Director of ESPN STAR Sports, Anthony Tse, GM Corporate Development of TOM Group, Paul Brown-Kenyon, COO of Measat, Sue Taylor, VP and GM Asia Pacific of NDS, Steve Garton, Director of Media Research at Synovate, Andrew Jordan, MD of Loft Communications, David Ball, VP Asia Pacific of PanAmSat, Mark Patterson, CEO North Asia of GroupM and Yong Lum Sung, COO of StarHub.

Stepping down from the CASBAA Board of Directors was Steve Marcopoto, President of Turner International Asia Pacific.

“CASBAA would particularly like to thank Steve for his long-term contributions to the Association during his years of service to the industry,” said Mr Fenez. “At the same time, we will benefit greatly from the commitment of our new Board Members Ian Carroll and James Ross.

“And our Council of Governors continues to grow in terms of senior industry-wide representation, with new input from the research, satellite communications and software solutions sectors.”

In the past 12 months CASBAA has continued to improve its credibility as a clear voice for the industry, said Mr Fenez. The Association has not only published groundbreaking studies on both the benefits of effective regulation and the cost of pay-TV piracy but has significantly enhanced the dialogue with governments and regulators across the region.

For 2006, CASBAAs priorities will remain the fight against pay-TV piracy, the promotion of pay-TV advertising and fostering industry development and new technologies across multiple markets.

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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, AsiaSat, Astro, Bloomberg Television, China Entertainment Television, CSG Systems, Discovery Networks Asia, EMC, HBO Asia, IBM, 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, Anytime, Arianespace, Asian Food Channel, BBC Prime, Celestial Movies, CSM, ESPN Star Sports, Harmonic, Irdeto, MEASAT, MindShare, National Geographic, NDS, Tom Group, PanAmSat, Paul Weiss, Synovate and Time Warner.

CONTACT
Rebecca Kennedy / Katie Wong

Communications, CASBAA

Tel: +852 2854 9913

Fax: +852 2854 9530

Email: pr@casbaa.com