CHUM Limited has signed an agreement with RadioScape to develop a digital radio receiver for its proposed CHUM Subscription Radio Canada (CSRC). CHUM’s application for a broadcasting licence for a national multi-channel terrestrial subscription radio system, CSRC, is currently before the CRTC.
Under the terms of the agreement, CHUM Limited and RadioScape will work together to specify the digital radio receiver and broadcast infrastructure solutions needed to deploy subscription radio services. If a licence is granted to CHUM, RadioScape will supply broadcasting and receiving technology and equipment to be used by CSRC.
“RadioScape is a respected global DAB broadcast service and receiver technology provider that supports the world’s largest digital radio networks,” said Paul Ski, Executive Vice President Radio, CHUM Limited. “We are pleased to be able to leverage RadioScape’s extensive expertise in this area to provide consumers with a truly Canadian owned and operated subscription digital radio service. CSRC will deliver the best possible content while promoting and supporting the Canadian music industry.”
“We are delighted to be given the opportunity to work with CHUM on the deployment of CSRC in Canada,” said John Hall, CEO of RadioScape. “Our expertise in Software Defined Radio solutions for receivers and broadcast infrastructure means that incorporating the enhancements for subscription radio services is a straightforward exercise. The flexibility of our platforms means that companies can easily add new capabilities that exploit the power and success of radio’s evolution into the digital domain.”
CHUM filed its application for CSRC to the CRTC in February 2004. If approved, CSRC, a Canadian owned, controlled and operated terrestrial based subscription radio service, will deliver 50 growing to 100 channels of unique content, all with CRTC prescribed levels of Canadian Content, for a monthly fee of $9.95. The channels will feature a diverse mix of programming developed by and for Canadian audiences, where Canadian artists feature prominently. Channels will include contemporary and niche music formats, francophone, multilingual and ethnic programming, and content from around the world.
Leading satellite services provider GlobeCast extends its global fibre network to Japan as a result of a deal struck with Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI. Japanese and international broadcasters can now backhaul their ad-hoc or permanent video feeds to Japan, or distribute them from Tokyo to the rest of the world, via GlobeCasts global fibre network.
The Tokyo point-of-presence (PoP) is linked via a fully redundant fibre optic link from Tokyo directly to GlobeCasts Los Angeles teleport, the West Coast access to GlobeCasts global fibre network. In addition to Tokyo and Los Angeles, GlobeCasts fibre network includes 9 other points-of-presence: New York, Washington D.C., Miami, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Singapore and Sydney. The interconnection between the points-of-presence and GlobeCasts 15 teleports and technical operations centres allows the operator to offer customers hybrid satellite/fibre solutions satisfying all possible video or multimedia transmission requirements
The new circuit can move video between Tokyo and the rest of the world using dedicated 8 Mbps and 18 Mbps routes. Higher bandwidth circuits can also be provided. KDDI supplies GlobeCast with the Tokyo PoP, the Tokyo-Los Angeles link as well as connectivity with all Japanese broadcasters and international bureaux installed in Tokyo. Other GlobeCast services offered with this new link include 24/7 booking and monitoring, video standards conversion and HDTV transmissions.
The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) and CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets (CLSA) announced on 26 October the results of CLSAs independent assessment of the cost of pay-TV piracy in the Asia-Pacific region for 2004, conducted in collaboration with CASBAA and its member organizations.
The cost of pay television piracy in the Asia-Pacific region is predicted to rise 11 percent from US$874 million, as estimated in 2003, to US$970 million as estimated in 2004. The report reveals the impact of piracy across all sectors of the Asia-Pacific pay-TV industry, from platform operators to independent suppliers of programming.
This is the second annual Asia-Pacific Cost of Pay-TV Piracy Report covering all forms of cable and satellite pay-TV piracy and spanning Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The report highlights the impact of unlicensed pay television operators and illegal system subscribers on regional economies.
The cost to governments in lost taxes, license fees and other revenues is estimated to be at least US$152 million, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, who contributed to the report.
The cost of piracy in India (US$565 million) continues to dominate regional piracy numbers, contributing 58 percent of total revenue leakage. The Philippines (US$70 million) suffered a dramatic surge of 345 percent in net revenues lost to the industry driven primarily by a jump in the number of detected unauthorized cable subscribers as compared with the 2003 Report. The loss in Indonesia (US$21 million) soared by 183 percent.
Hong Kong (US$25 million loss) has suffered a 66 percent increase in revenues lost to pirated cable subscribers, but the piracy cost associated with satellite overspill has fallen by 16%, due in part to industry de-liberalization efforts (reported subscribers in Hong Kong have jumped 58% year on year), and in part through the success of anti-piracy measures undertaken by CASBAA on behalf of its members during the past 12 months.
Thailands loss (US$141 million) is up 23 percent year on year. The report concludes that 1.1 million subscribers access unlicensed pay television services in Thailand. Singapore and Vietnam experienced worsening situations, while Taiwans signal theft figures remain similar to 2003. Early indications suggest that efforts to counter a breach in the systems designed to counteract piracy in Malaysia during the third quarter of 2004 have been successful, providing a standout example for other regional markets. South Korea is the only market with no material piracy reported. Australia and China are not covered by the survey in 2004.
Yet again the results are alarming,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of CASBAA. Pay-TV piracy in Asia-Pacific is not a matter of small-time individuals who make a part-time living from trading in pay-TV decoders and smart cards. The culprits have direct links to, and funding from, organized-crime syndicates investing large sums of money in breaking encryption systems and collecting illicit cable subscriptions. These characters are often involved in drug running and prostitution. In some markets these guys have relationships with terrorists. The offenders are far from nice people and the perception that pay-TV theft and the theft of other types of intellectual property rights is a victimless crime must be clearly rebutted,” added Mr. Twiston Davies.
The report clearly demonstrates the severity of the cost of piracy around the region, said Simon Dewhurst, Director and Head of Media & Entertainment Investment Banking at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. The governance and protection of intellectual property rights will play an increasingly important role in economic growth across Asia, and will continue to form one of the criteria used by the international investment community to determine which markets receive foreign direct investment. Government ministers must realize that pay-TV piracy presents a direct and high profile attack on efforts to promote a robust approach to intellectual property rights protection.
CLSA noted that the global pay-TV industry is larger than the global recording and filmed entertainment industries combined in terms of revenue. It is vital that all industry participants in Asia join forces to address the problems and overcome the challenges of piracy.
Piracy continues to undermine growth and investment across the regional pay-TV industry, in spite of the fact that the sector is expected to grow by up to 10 percent in 2005, emphasized Mr. Twiston Davies. That is why CASBAAs top priority is to stamp out pay-TV piracy. We will continue our work with governments, regulators, law enforcement bodies and industry players across Asia-Pacific to combat the problem, enact laws, and develop educational programmes that promote a vibrant multi-channel TV environment.
The second Asia-Pacific Cost of Pay-TV Piracy Report will be released at the CASBAA Convention 2004 held from 27-29 October 2004 in Hong Kong.
Megahertz Broadcast Systems, in conjunction with its partner company, Mideast Data Ltd, Doha, has won a major contract to build three turnkey Master Control areas and satellite upgrades for the Al Jazeera Sports Channel in Doha, Qatar.
Megahertz beat strong international competition to win the Al Jazeera contract, which was officially put out to tender earlier this year. The Al Jazeera Sports Channel was impressed by the companys highly competitive offer, the versatility of the equipment specified and the flexibility of Megahertz system solutions.
Each of the three Master Control areas will be equipped with sophisticated systems that incorporate a Thomson GVG Saturn, Pinnacle Thunder, DecoCast and Miranda Imagestore. The outputs from each area will be connected via fibre optic cables to an encoding area, where they will be encoded using Tandberg equipment. Megahertz is also supplying Al Jazeera with custom-built control room furniture, which will be designed and manufactured at the companys cabinet making facilities in the UK.
The project, which is currently underway, will be completed by the end of the year. Steve Hope, Megahertz Project Manager, says: The time frame for this project is particularly tight because all three of the Master Control areas have to be on-air ready by mid-November in order to fit in with Al Jazeeras broadcast requirements.
The Al Jazeera Sports Channel, a division of Al Jazeera News, was launched last year and has exclusive rights to a range of major international events, including the French Open Tennis Tournament. It also has broadcast rights to next year’s Australian Tennis Open.
Join the world’s news broadcasters on Portugal’s Algarve coast for two days of debate and discussion, plus the INSI General Assembly on Wednesday 17 November.
