As part of its annual review of various countries’ intellectual property policies and practices, the USTR asked for information. CASBAA made a submission noting that protection for intellectual property in the broadcasting business remains unacceptably weak in certain Asian countries, and especially in Thailand and the Philippines, where commercial-scale piracy of entire content bouquets content is rife in the cable TV business, and intellectual property laws and treaties are unenforced. CASBAA also noted growing production of circumvention equipment and services from China as a major problem. Dowload the submission here.
Blog Archives
Westin Hotel hit with lawsuit for allegedly providing HBO, ESPN without a contract
Westin Hotel is embroiled in a suit over allegedly providing channels such as HBO and ESPN to guests without having obtained the necessary authorization. The Taiwanese agent for these channels claims that Westin never signed a contract with it to broadcast the networks publicly. But the hotel claims that it is contracted to an alternate agent and that it’s the other agent that needs to take responsibility. See full article here.
Dangers of A La Carte Regulation
Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper published an Op-Ed column by an Asia-based consultant, talking about the perils of mandating by regulation the break-up of pay-TV bundles and market-determined commercial offerings. The article is an unusually clear discussion of some of the key issues affecting the pay-TV industry, and is worth a read by industry insiders as well as laymen. Download the text of the article here.
Amendment seeks to end cable TV monopoly
Taiwan’s National Communications Commission is proposing legislation to bring about more competition in the cable-TV industry. NCC is asking the Legislative Yuan to revise the Cable Television Act to allow redefinition of the island’s 50+ service areas for cable TV, and elimination of the current monopoly enjoyed within service areas by individual cable providers. This would allow cable MSOs to compete against each other, subject to a national cap of one-third of the total number of subscriptions.
Pending enactment of legislative changes, the NCC is seeking to impose some changes through conditions attached to approval of licenses and transfers of ownership of cable groups. A recent article in the English-language Taipei Times outlined some of the issues. Members can find the article here.
Bangladesh TV Industry: Players and Malpractices
A recently published article described the players in the Bangladesh TV industry, and also accused them of failure to follow tax laws and other regulatory rules.
The article can be found here.
World Broadcasting Unions push WIPO Broadcasting Treaty
A coalition of global broadcasting unions (including the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union – ABU) made a strong push to re-start the negotiating process for a Broadcasting Treaty, at the just-concluded semi-annual meeting of WIPO’s Standing Committee on Copyrights. The broadcasting organizations told the international gathering that “Adequate (copyright) protection must include effective judicial remedies against digital piracy and other misappropriation of broadcasters’ expertise, resources, and effort….” In response, the WIPO Committee asked member countries to submit new proposals for treaty language, to be considered at the next meeting in June 2011. For more information please contact feedback@casbaa.com.
CASBAA strongly opposes MDA Cross Carriage Plan
CASBAA told Singapore’s MDA that international content companies believe the planned mandatory “cross-carriage” regime in Singapore was a flawed scheme that violated internationally-recognized intellectual property rights, and would not meet the expectations of Singapore consumers.
Briefing on Hong Kong’s new Communications Authority
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CASBAA Briefing Paper – Regulation of Exclusive Carriage Contracts in the Asia-Pacific
Exclusive carriage of TV programming on specific broadcast distribution platforms is a well-accepted practice in almost all parts of the world. An updated CASBAA briefing paper clarifies the current situation with regard to regulation of TV exclusivity by governments across Asia and elsewhere in the world.
What’s Up with WiMax?
CASBAA published an update report entitled “What’s Up with WiMax?” for member companies on the prospects for actual and potential interference between broadband wireless systems and Asian satellite transmission systems in the C-band. The report notes that spectrum pressures for broadband will be highest in large countries with underserved rural areas, including Australia, China and India. Download the update paper here.