Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending Dec 5th. Curated by CASBAA, News Views keeps you in the loop. We always value your feedback, so tell us what you think!
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Christopher SlaughterCEO |
Another of China’s online video giants, Tencent, has inked a deal with HBO to distribute its content on an exclusive basis. That is, of course, after the programmes have been approved by China’s censors, and that might prove difficult.
Meanwhile, Chinese hotel, cinema, and department store conglomerate Dalian Wanda is reportedly in talks to buy a stake in Lions Gate Entertainment. Last we heard, it was Alibaba that was sniffing around, but with Wanda getting ready for a multi-billion dollar listing on the Hong Kong stock market, founder Wang Jianlin needs to find something to do with his money. |
John MedeirosChief Policy Officer |
This will produce some interesting hiccups: It seems that a controlling interest in Taiwan-based DTH platform Dish HD is being acquired by a PRC-controlled company. The deal notes that the article is “pending regulatory approval,” which begs the question of how Taiwan’s regulatory authorities will regard this acquisition. They tend to look askance at mainland investments in Taiwan media. (Of course, THAT begs the question of whether Dish HD is really Taiwan media, and how many viewers they have inside Taiwan, versus…….elsewhere.) |
Mark LayVice President, Singapore |
In the ongoing online anti-piracy campaign, some progress is being made in the UK, as “The High Court has ordered the biggest batch yet of piracy websites to be blocked”. “It brings the tally of blocked sites providing access to copyright-infringing content to 93 since the first restrictions began in 2012.” |
Jane BuckthoughtAdvertising Consultant |
CASBAA’s annual report containing the latest regional data and statistics, Asia Pacific Multichannel TV Advertising 2015, was officially released during the CASBAA Convention this year and has garnered its fair share of publicity this week! |
Michael SteelRegulatory Assistant |
China’s primary media regulator SAPPRFT has beautifully demonstrated why the Asian giant’s media industry fails to compete on the global market. Excessive regulations on trivial matters (like this most recent ban on puns!) curb the creative potential of over a fifth of the world’s population. If China wants to grow its creative industries and improve its soft power on the global stage, it had better reconsider its priorities. |
Christopher SlaughterCEO |
It’s been a couple weeks, but we haven’t forgotten about that whole Comcast-Time Warner Cable thing. For that matter, neither has the FCC in the US, which has restarted the clock on its 180-day review of the deal. As if on cue, the cleverly-named “Stop Mega Comcast Coalition” announced its formation on the same day; no prizes for guessing what THEIR purpose in life is. |
John MedeirosChief Policy Officer |
You’ve heard about retransmission disputes in the USA, where content owners pull their stuff off pay-TV platforms when the two sides can’t agree on compensation payments. Now here’s one for the broadband age, appropriately from Korea where broadband penetration is so high: content owners pulling their clips off Youtube because the video goliath won’t pay them enough of its ad revenue. |
Mark LayVice President, Singapore |
Looks like Discovery and Foxtel are teaming up to take a bid at the broadcast market in Australia. But they may have to pay more than initially offered. |
John MedeirosChief Policy Officer |
The impending arrival of Netflix has already shaken up Australia’s media sector, and I found this ABC report to be an interesting snapshot of how the changes are being seen by industry players as well as consumers. (If you like linear consumption of your news, be sure to watch the video version, which includes a great line about competition in the industry and the rush to get the first-available content: “When you’re fresh meat, you kill, and throw them something fresher.” ) |
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