MUMBAI: Casbaa‘s fourth quarter update on trends in multichannel TV distribution, audience data and viewership notes that piracy in Asia remains a heavy concern, with signal theft estimated at over $2.1 billion by the end of 2011.
While some markets have seen tangible progress in the fight against piracy, the worst offenders continue to be saddled with year-on-year increases in losses.
Casbaa‘s estimates for 2011 see India experiencing nearly $1.4 billion in losses to piracy of all kinds. Meanwhile the smaller markets of Thailand ($261 million), Taiwan ($136 million) and Pakistan ($125 million) are also being held back by a lack of market transparency and a tolerance of line-tapping and individual homes illegally connecting to cable system.
However, on a positive note, the data also shows a 12 per cent industry growth in the past 12 months in terms of connected homes and an increase in dual subscription homes as channel choices increase.
The economic impact of the growing power of TV is also reflected in double digit annual revenue growth in TV advertising in India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand.
In 2010 India, Japan and China were the leading Asian multichannel TV advertising markets, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the region‘s total.
Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies said, "As we head towards the close of the year it‘s heartening to see multichannel TV in Asia experiencing impressive growth across so many fronts. And while the new data reflects traditional multichannel TV distribution, the industry is also benefiting from new (and legitimate) distribution via broadband, mobile, internet and wireless services."
With more than 420 million non-terrestrial TV connections across the Asia Pacific - multichannel TV is now found in 53 per cent of TV homes in Asia - there are more multichannel TV connections in the region than the rest of the world combined.
As technology evolves, most recent reports show pay TV in all its forms embracing social media while building strong online communities and expanding its reach via new devices and channels as it delivers an intensity of experience and reach that other media struggle to match.
