MUMBAI: While technology and content innovation held the stage during the second day of the Casbaa Convention 2011, the growth prospects for Japan and digital developments in India hallmarked the day‘s debates.
Even though development of the multichannel advertising revenue stream remains a key challenge for international players in Japan, the vice minister of Policy Coordination, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Tetsuo Yamakawa, along with the industry leadership from dominant cable operator J:COM, DTH operator SKY Perfect JSAT and premium movie channel WOWOW made the case for a step change in the prospects for the pay-TV industry in the world‘s third largest economy.
The opportunities created by the potential for digital deployments in India‘s vast cable, satellite and content markets sparked lively discussion, with Jawahar Goel MD of Indian DTH provider Dish TV and Ravi Mansukhani MD of leading cable operator IMCL anticipating a huge increase in localized and value added content. However, each of the Indian speakers recognized that enacting a recent government ordinance on digitisation is just one step in a process.
Envisaging the future for the communications sector technical services provider Globecast Worldwide chairman and CEO Olivier Barberot in Paris, projected a key to success for TV services is to master multiple screens as part of a single experience.
Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies said, "Our industry is at a tipping point at a truly remarkable time in its history. The thirst for content is unanimous across Asia and the challenge of managing innovations in technology and networks to meet this demand is inspiring."
In the concluding stages of the Convention 2011, Casbaa chairman Marcel Fenez announced that Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific president, MD Tom Keaveny had been awarded the prestigious CASBAA Chairman‘s Award for his contributions to the development of Pay-TV in the region and his tireless work explaining the overall value of Pay TV to advertisers.
The Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award from CASBAA, ABU and UNICEF was awarded to Shizuoka Telecasting of Japan for its documentary "Iori and Ibuki ~ Why We Were Born", as the best television programme produced in the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on children‘s rights.
Finally, closing the Casbaa Convention 2011, Richard Li Tzar Kai was awarded Casbaa‘s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for his outstanding contributions to the Asian pay-TV and broadcasting industry, with the founding of STAR TV in 1991 and the 2003 launch of the pioneer IPTV service, now TV, in Hong Kong.
