ITV

Tag: pay TV

  • Mumbai leads STB penetration, SEC A early adopters: Tam

    Mumbai leads STB penetration, SEC A early adopters: Tam

    MUMBAI: Of the three metros, Mumbai leads in Cas (conditional access system) adoption with a 25 per cent penetration in set-top boxes (STBs), according to a study by Tam.

    While Mumbai has 139000 subscribers buying STBs on a Cas home of 548000, Delhi has a 14 per cent penetration with 97000 out of 676000 homes opting for boxes.

    Kolkata is a clear laggard with a 10 per cent penetration, indicating significant differences in offtake across the three metros. Out of 409000 homes, 41000 subscribers have gone ahead and bought boxes.

    “Of the 1.63 million homes covered by the Cas footprint, 277000 homes had taken up a STB/DTH connection to access pay channels. Pay TV homes amounted to 17 per cent of the Cas-mandated area,” the study said.

    In the first week of January, Tam commissioned AC Nielsen to conduct a ‘Pay TV Homes’ estimation study in the Cas-mandated zones of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. The fieldwork periods were 12-16 January in Mumbai, 11-15 January in Delhi and 11-16 January in Kolkata. The fieldwork mid-point was 14 January, Tam said.

    Tam further divided the zones into 100 sampling nodes, ensuring “adequate geographical coverage.” It conducted face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The interviewee was the decision maker pertaining to cable subscription. The sample size was 2250 respondents (750 per city).

    According to the study, an additional 198000 homes claimed to have subscribed but are awaiting installation of ‘pay TV services.’The ‘under served’ segments included 109000 (20 per cent awaiting installations) in Mumbai, 43000 (6 per cent) in Delhi and 46000 (11 per cent) in Kolkata.

    “Cumulatively, 475000 homes had subscribed comprising 29 per cent of the Cas-mandated homes,” the study said.

    There are 7.96 million cable homes across the three metros with 1.63 million (approximately 21 per cent) falling under the Cas-mandated zones. Mumbai has 3.25 million cable homes while in Delhi it is 2.61 million and in Kolkata 2.1 million.

    The highest offtake for the boxes is in the SEC A strata of Mumbai. Interestingly, the response by Mumbai’s SEC C is nearly on par with those from SEC A residing in Delhi and Kolkata There is zero demand from SEC D/E in Kolkata. “The offtake levels vary significantly across markets even at a SEC level. The highest offtake is observed in the higher SEC and it declines as one comes down the SEC ladder. Owing to the pre-dominant non-responsive lower SEC, the offtakes seem to have got dampened significantly,” the study pointed out.

    Despite low offtake in Kolkata, consumer awareness appeared to be higher than in Delhi and Mumbai. Consumers residing in Delhi appeared to be the least aware.

    While consumer awareness has significant ground to cover, price remained the pre-dominant reason for subscribers preferring to decide in favour of free-to-air (FTA) channels.
     

  • Star operating profit down 36% in Dec 06 quarter

    Star operating profit down 36% in Dec 06 quarter

    MUMBAI: In the first contraction in profit that Star has had since it began generating profits in early 2003, News Corp’s Asian arm has reported second quarter operating income down 36 per cent from the same period a year ago.

    Though the quarter (up to 31 December 2006) saw growth in subscription revenues, it was more than offset by a decline in advertising revenue at Star Plus.
    On the distribution side, the biggest initiative by Star India during the quarter was the $ 175 million deal with Nimbus to distribute its channels.

    According to Hong Kong-based Media Partners Asia (MPA), operating profit or EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) was down 36 per cent year on year to under $ 30 million. Operating profit in the September 06 quarter was up 8 per cent YoY. MPA estimates for the first half of the year show operating profit down 28 per cent YoY to $41 million, MPA estimates.

    A point of note of course is that the corresponding period in 2005 not only had the second season of KBC on Star Plus but also saw the first season of Nach Baliye on Star One providing a strong push to advertising sales revenues. Still, there is no getting away from the fact that softness in ratings at Star plus is also contributing to revenue declines.

    Speaking about Star’s performance during a conference call with analysts after the announcement of News Corp’s results, president & COO Peter Chernin said: “When the third season (of KBC) did finally launch and the numbers were extremely strong, up more than 25 per cent over last year’s premier, which should give us great momentum for the second half of the year and lead to not only higher advertising results but higher ancillary revenues led by phone revenue from additional calls that come in with the show.”

    Chernin also made a mention of the executive roiling that has been going on at Star when he said, “You’ve also read that we made some changes to senior management, changes which we think will strengthen our operations and improve our programming going forward.

    “… I think we have aggressive expectations for Star. Beginning on India, we’d like to see continued growth in our channels. We expect the growth of Tata Sky (in which News Corp holds 20 per cent) to continue. I think the most significant impact digital (DTH, CAS) will have on the company is growth of revenues inside Star as we see additional subscribers and an ability to, you know, get higher declarations of subs from the cable/pay-TV operators. We’ll also see new channel launches there (Tata Sky), and also important new ancillary businesses in the Internet, production and movies, et cetera. So we’re optimistic about Star going forward in India. “

    News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch was equally gung ho about the expectations on the DTH front: “Tata Sky DTH in India at 500,000+ subscribers, will hit 1 million during 1H 07, adding 8,000 subs per day at peak levels, averaging about 5-6,000 per day. I’d just say that Tata Sky is [going] a lot faster than we had budgeted for.”

    Commenting on the expectations from the rest of Asia, Chernin said, “Additionally, we’re also ambitious in other Asian countries, particularly Indonesia, where we’ve recently launched. We recently acquired a television network which we’re optimistic. A very big country. We’re hoping that could be the next India… and also just continuing growth in other territories, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and expanding into others.”

    On the China side, Murdoch was almost diffident when he said: “We don’t do very well in China. We have an interest — we just sold half of it in Phoenix (China Mobile deal, $165 million sale). We’ve got more than our money back [in our] total investment and we’re still there. We brought in a new partner China Mobile [inaudible] relations and we think it will do nicely. And we have our own little channel, XK [Xing Kong], which is produced in Shanghai and distributed through the southeast. That’s pretty much a break-even operation.

    “We are very [inaudible] all I would say there is that nobody and I challenge anyone to argue this, none of the leading American companies or British media companies have made any impact there yet. It’s possible that, I mean there MySpace finds room there… It may be a MySpace China, which we can license, but we’re just feeling our way there. It’s a vast market, but it’s certainly a very, very sensitive one and as we’ve seen what’s happened to Google there, what’s happened to eBay there, even to Yahoo. It is a very difficult market for outsiders.”

  • BabyTV in alliance with Sky

    BabyTV in alliance with Sky

    MUMBAI: UK pay TV platform Sky has formed a deal with BabyTV the channel that target children below the age of three.

    From 5 February 2007 the channel will be available to Sky Digital viewers in the UK that subscribe to the Kids Mix package. In the UK the channel is already available on NTL and Telewest.

    Globally over 50 platforms carry babytv. From the outset, the Baby Channel was envisaged as more than just a television channel. It manifests on all media platforms – television, Internet, DVDs, books – and also in retail and merchandise. The idea is to become a one-stop shop for parents, a single venue where parents can get everything they require, beginning with information.

     

  • [V] to be largest pay-TV music service provider in S’pore

    [V] to be largest pay-TV music service provider in S’pore

    MUMBAI: Channel [V] is set to expand its music offering in Singapore with the addition of two Chinese music services – Channel [V] Taiwan and Channel [V] Mainland China – on StarHub Digital Cable on 1 February.

    With this, [V] will become Singapore’s largest pay-TV music service provider with three music channels: Channel [V] Taiwan, Channel [V] Mainland China and Channel [V] International, which was launched on StarHub last November.

    Catering to the increasing demand for quality Chinese music, youth and lifestyle programmes in the Singapore market, Channel [V] Taiwan and Channel [V] Mainland China will be available on StarHub Digital Cable’s Chinese Plus II package.

    “We are delighted to expand our partnership with StarHub by launching Channel [V] Taiwan and Channel [V] Mainland China on the platform,” said Star executive vice president content, Ross Crowley. “It underscores our commitment to bringing more exciting entertainment choice for viewers across the region. Starting from tomorrow, Singapore viewers will be able to tune in to the hottest Chinese music events and most talked-about youth and lifestyle programmes that have been thrilling audiences in Taiwan and mainland China.”

  • Space Systems/Loral wins contract to build satellites for Echostar & Intelsat

    Space Systems/Loral wins contract to build satellites for Echostar & Intelsat

    MUMBAI: Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications and provider of high-power commercial satellites, has announced that it has been awarded a contract to manufacture a new direct broadcast satellite (DBS) for EchoStar Orbital Corporation II, a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications Corporation. EchoStar XIV will provide expanded services and flexibility for Dish Network’s more than 13 million direct-to-home (DTH) television subscribers.

    “Our long-term relationship with EchoStar is an endorsement of the performance, reliability and service that our company provides,” said Space Systems/Loral president John Celli. “With an ever-increasing amount of programming options, it is an exciting time for the DTH industry and Space Systems/Loral is well positioned to help EchoStar meet its growing demand for advanced services.”

    There are currently three SS/L-built satellites on orbit in the EchoStar fleet.

    “As the fastest-growing pay-TV provider in the nation and an innovator in advanced services such as HDTV, we need the power and capacity that a satellite from Space Systems/Loral can provide,” said EchoStar vice president of Space Programs Rohan Zaveri.

    In addition, the company has also recently announced that Intelsat Corporation has awarded SS/L a contract to manufacture Intelsat 14, a new, high-power C- and Ku-band fixed satellite service (FSS) satellite.

    “This contract underscores our long-standing relationship with Intelsat,” said Celli. “This new project provides SS/L the opportunity to demonstrate our success in combining heritage, space-proven satellite technology with new innovation. We are pleased to be awarded the contract for this important new member of Intelsat’s global fleet.”

    Intelsat 14, to be located at 45 degrees West longitude, will be the 44th Space Systems/Loral satellite built over the past four decades for Intelsat, the world’s largest fixed satellite services operator. The satellite will carry 40 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders across four different beams, covering the Americas, Europe and Africa, informs an official release.

    Intelsat 14 will have a design life of 15 years and will replace the PAS-1R satellite when the new satellite is delivered in 2009. Intelsat 14 is the first satellite awarded to SS/L in 2007. The company received seven satellite awards in 2006 from a wide variety of customers, including FSS operators, direct-to-home and satellite radio service providers.

  • StarHub, Visiware to bring triple play gaming to Asia

    StarHub, Visiware to bring triple play gaming to Asia

    MUMBAI: Singapore based pay-TV operator StarHub and French company Visiware, provider of interactive TV games channels, announced the launch of Playin’TV Triple Play -the first triple-play gaming offer in Asia that will be made available to customers of StarHub from 1 February 2007.

    Games like Sudoku or Carrot Mania on Ice are some of the interactive games that customers can subscribe to through StarHub’s mobile platform and the Internet for free due to Visiware’s Playin’Code technology.

    This means that they will be able to enjoy the games anytime, anywhere, on any of StarHub’s media platforms -TV, mobile and online. They can pick up from where they ended a game, without having to start from scratch. The company is also exploring ways to enhance the Playin’TV service by incorporating contests, real-time leaderboards and multiplayer games that will allow gamers to pit their skills against other players.

    StarHub vice president Cable TV services Patrick Lim said, “StarHub’s advantage as a fully integrated information, communications and entertainment provider is its ability to offer customers access to a converged suite of services across different product lines. We have consistently worked to incorporate new technologies that allow us to present our customers more breadth and depth in content applications, and Playin’TV Triple Play is an example of the fruit of such efforts. Customers can certainly expect more of such innovations from StarHub.”

    “We are delighted that Playin’TV Triple Play is now making its entry into the Asian market. StarHub’s efficient and advanced network provides us with the opportunity to effectively deploy true triple-play content, to allow fans of Playin’TV to enjoy the games even when they’re on-the-go,” said Visiware executive chairman Laurant Weill.

    Playin’TV, a 24-hour interactive games channel, was launched on StarHub Digital Cable in August last year.

  • StarHub launches HDTV in Singapore

    StarHub launches HDTV in Singapore

    MUMBAI: Singapore, through pay TV platform StarHub, is the first country in Southeast Asia to launch High Definition Television (HDTV).

    This launch follows StarHub’s successful HDTV trial that kicked off with the 2006 Fifa World Cup on 10 June 2006 and ended at the close of the year. During this trial, 1000 StarHub Digital Cable customers enjoyed all 64 World Cup matches as well as quality programmes from Discovery and National Geographic Channel in full high-definition (HD) splendour.

    With HDTV, StarHub says that viewers can expect up to four times greater picture clarity. The 16:9 screen ratio will also provide a panoramic view that can be up to 33 per cent more than what they can enjoy on the standard 4:3 TV screen. As many HD programmes contain Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, viewers with a Dolby Digital Home Theatre system can also be treated to superior audio quality, not unlike the quality available at the cinemas.

    In addition to an enhanced audio and visual experience, customers using the HD set-top box will also enjoy all innovative features that users of StarHub’s digital set-top box currently have access to. These include the Onscreen TV Guide, Programme Alert, Auto-Tune, Video Mosaic, Info Bar, Quick Surf, Chat, access to Demand TV and complimentary FunZone games.

    StarHub president and CEO Terry Clontz says, “We are very excited about our HDTV launch, and are proud that we are the first operator in Southeast Asia to introduce the service.

    “StarHub is constantly enhancing its customers’ TV viewing experience. Our introductions of Digital Cable in 2004, Demand TV in 2005 and Smart TV in 2006 are examples of how we give customers more control over what they watch, and when they watch their favourite programmes. And who knows, maybe someday we can even give customers choice on where they can view their favourite programmes too. ”

    With StarHub’s launch of its HDTV service, a new content group named “HD Plus” will be introduced. HD Plus, with a subscription fee of $15 comprises two new HD channels – Discovery HD and National Geographic Channel (NGC) HD.

    Clontz adds, “Discovery and National Geographic Channel are longtime content partners of StarHub, and both are very well-known for their production of high-quality programmes. We know that our customers will be delighted with the quality of the content, and with the superior viewing experience that HDTV brings.”

    Discovery HD Channel showcases on the channel include science, world culture, natural history, wildlife, engineering, travel and lifestyle.

    Discovery Asia MD, executive VP Tom Keaveny says, “Discovery is once again happy to be pioneering HD. We were the first international HD channel to launch in Japan in 2005, and with this launch in Singapore, Discovery HD is now available in 15 international markets and over nine million households. Discovery is committed to providing our viewers with the highest quality content available and Discovery HD will deliver an audio and visual experience that is richer, deeper and more expansive than ever before”.

    NGC HD takes viewers into the heart of the action from science, the modern world and investigations to lost cultures and natural history, National Geographic Channel in high definition will bring viewers unique insights, groundbreaking new findings and unforgettable television experience.

    NGC International executive VP, group MD– Asia PacificWard Platt said, “Today is a heartwarming moment as we witness the launch of the brand new National Geographic Channel HD in Singapore. We congratulate Singapore and StarHub for being the most innovative country and the first operator in Southeast Asia to launch a commercial high-definition television service. Singapore viewers can now truly enjoy National Geographic Channel’s unsurpassed quality programming and compelling stories in stunning visuals and cinematic surround sound.”

    Consumers must subscribe to a minimum of three Basic Groups and HD Plus, and own StarHub’s HD set-top box and a HD-ready TV set in order to enjoy StarHub’s new HDTV service.

  • BBC Entertainment enters Malaysia on DTH platform Astro

    BBC Entertainment enters Malaysia on DTH platform Astro

    MUMBAI: BBC Global Channels Asia has announced that Astro, Malaysia’s direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV platform will add BBC Entertainment to its pay-TV line-up.

    Astro will now be home to BBC Entertainment’s line up of drama, comedy and entertainment programming from the UK. These will include Doctor Who, Footballers’ Wives, Waking the Dead and comedies including Extras, Suburban Shootout and My Family.

    The channel will replace BBC Prime that was aired on several Asian platforms, BBC Entertainment was launched last October in Hong Kong (via NOW), Thailand (UBC), Korea (Skylife) and Singapore (StarHub).
     

  • New Golf Launchpad edition offers unique gaming experience

    New Golf Launchpad edition offers unique gaming experience

    MUMBAI: Electric Spin, creators of the Golf Launchpad series of golf simulators, and digital pay-TV technology solutions provider NDS have announced the Golf Launchpad/XTV Experience.

    The new set-top box edition of the golf simulator allows users to play along with their favorite golfers during televised tournaments. The new gaming experience will be demonstrated at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show.

    Golf Launchpad/XTV Experience combines Electric Spin’s golf simulation technology with NDS’s interactive TV technology to create a virtual golf experience. While watching a PGA tour event on television, viewers can use the Golf Launchpad/XTV Experience to virtually play and compete with their own clubs, on the same course, in real time.

    “There are millions of XTVReady set-top boxes in the market today,” said NDS Vice President of Interactive TV Jesper Knuttson. “This opens up a whole new market for interactive sports simulation on TV. Together with Electric~Spin, we are changing the way viewers can interact and experience digital television.”

    “If you have ever wanted to play side-by-side with your favorite tour player, this is your chance,” said Electric~Spin President Anees Munshi. “This product will profoundly change the way people interact with their television programming.”

    Golf Launchpad/XTV Experience is expected to go on sale in the US in June 2007.
     

  • NDS, CyberLink to deliver TV entertainment to PCs

    NDS, CyberLink to deliver TV entertainment to PCs

    MUMBAI: NDS, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, and CyberLink, a world leader in digital home software solutions, have partnered to integrate NDS VideoGuard PC technology with CyberLink’s PowerCinema home entertainment solution for PCs.

    PowerCinema supports full TV services including live broadcast channels, digital video recording (DVR) functions, Electronic Program Guides (EPGs), secure content downloads, on-demand services, and Video-on Demand (VOD). By integrating the NDS VideoGuard® technology, PowerCinema enables operators to expand their services to PC owners, and extend their market reach.

    The VideoGuard PC solution uses hardware-based security and a USB VideoGuard Key™ to provide a secure way of extending content usage rights beyond the set-top box. The VideoGuard PC solution ensures that you can extend your existing services such as broadcast TV and VOD to PCs. It also maintains secure storage for the ultimate solution of content protection convergence.

    “Our partnership with such a ubiquitous PC technology as CyberLink PowerCinema presents a win-win situation for our pay-TV operator customers, PC vendors, and consumers”, said Joseph Deutsch, Vice President of Product Marketing, NDS. “Because VideoGuard combines CA and DRM to protect TV services as well as the licensing and content rights, operators can rely on secure content transfer between DVRs, PCs, and Portable Media Players (PMPs). Users can therefore enjoy their high-definition content on their PCs along with the flexibility to move it to PMP devices or CDs without compromising the content owner’s rights.”

    Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink added: “CyberLink PowerCinema offers a complete TV solution for enjoying high-definition digital TV from satellite, cable and IPTV service providers. By working with NDS to integrate VideoGuard PC, we now support the world’s leading conditional access technology for premium pay-TV content. This collaboration delivers an extremely valuable solution for PC companies and pay-TV operators who can now expand TV’s reach onto a new PC platform within the digital home.”

    “We are delighted to integrate VideoGuard PC into PowerCinema” continued Chang. “We have decided to partner with NDS, a company that has the industry’s best track record for conditional access and digital rights management. This ensures that pay-TV operators will see our “Cyberlink inside” PCs as a natural extension to their network and provide subscribers the freedom to enjoy the best services and content beyond the living room”.

    This solution for the PC market follows NDS’s earlier integration of VideoGuard Mobile and Electronic Service Guide (ESG) with CyberLink’s Mobile DTV player, enabling any pay-TV operator to provide a true end-to-end secure multi-platform, multi-network service.