July 11, 2012 – Singapore has ruled out retail rate regulation for sporting events, but, in the meantime, other ongoing regulatory initiatives (including cross-carriage implementation and antisiphoning rules) are affecting use of sports rights in the nation.
No competition concerns in pay TV sector: Yaacob Ibrahim
SINGAPORE (July 9, 2012): Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said Singapore has no competition concerns in the pay TV sector which require intervention in retail prices at the moment.
In a written reply to a question from MP for Nee Soon GRC Er Dr Lee Bee Wah on whether the Ministry would consider regulating the charges for paid sports channels to make them affordable to the public, Dr Yaacob said MDA is aware that consumers are concerned about the rising cost of sports TV channels, but it is also mindful of potential unintended consequences to price regulation.
Read more: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1212567/1/.html
Singapore Sets Cross-Carriage Rules
Singapore’s Media Development Authority announced July 1 that it would require pay-TV retailers in the country to implement on August 1 the “cross-carriage” scheme for any pay-TV content sold on an exclusive basis. The system is going ahead despite continued objections from content providers, and warnings of implementation difficulties by the major pay-TV retailers. However, the transition will be eased by the fact that very little content will actually be “cross-carried;” few, if any, exclusive carriage agreements are being signed in Singapore. (In its submission to MDA, CASBAA had warned that with little content actually being cross carried “the risk of unmet expectations and consumer complaints remains very high.”) Meanwhile, local press reports, as usual, focused on the impact of the measures on negotiations for sports rights.
MDA’s latest Press Release and “Closing Note” on the consultation process, as well as all 10 of the submissions made in the most recent round of consultations, can all be accessed through this web page:
http://www.mda.gov.sg/Reports/ConsultationReports/Pages/CrossCarriageMeasure.aspx