Thursday, 14th June 2007

HEADLINES OF THE DAY

At the Sudirman Cup in Glasgow

Source: Gamesbid.com, 13th Jun 2007
Reuters reports badminton officials breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday as on-court temperatures were more comfortable than they were the day before. It seems that on Monday night at the Scotstoun Leisure Court in Glasgow, eight km from the centre of the city, although the outside temperature was a pleasant 23C indoors it was more of a steam bath. Tournament referee Keith Hawthorne blamed it on the “extraordinary hot weather”. He told Reuters Tuesday, “I couldn’t put the blowers on in the hall because it affected the speed of the shuttle. I tried testing the shuttle in the evening session with the blowers on and it was a good foot faster from one end to the other”.

Source: The Jakarta Post, 13th Jun 2007
Even though he received the advantage of a disputed umpiring decision, Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat supports development of instant replay for major badminton events, including the Sudirman Cup. The incident took place Monday during a singles match between the Indonesian and Park Sung-hwan of South Korea. The score was 6-4 in the first game when Taufik smashed and scored but the screen showed the score as 8-4, before changing to 9-4. Park challenged the score but there was no replay to show what had happened. The referee, Michaela Bencova, using a touch-pad computer to keep score, did not acknowledge protests from the Korean's coaches. Park's protests cost him a yellow card and Taufik won the match 21-12, 24-22.

Source: The Star Malaysia, 14th Jun 2007
Malaysia kept alive their hopes of making it to the semi-finals of the Sudirman Cup (world mixed team) championships by beating Thailand 3-2 in a Group A tie at the Scotstown International Sports Arena in Glasgow on Tuesday. But their fate to advance is no longer in their hands. Whether they achieve their target of a top four finish in Division One will depend on the outcome of the tie between England and Thailand today. Malaysia are not expected to beat defending champions China in their final group tie, which will be played earlier in the day. But they have a chance to advance on countback if Thailand turn the tables on England.

Source: BBC Sports, 14th Jun 2007
Denmark missed out on a place in the Sudirman Cup mixed team badminton championships semi-finals in Glasgow despite beating Korea 3-2. The European champions went into the tie knowing they had to win 5-0 to join Indonesia in the last four. But their narrow triumph allowed three-time champions Korea to go through in second place. Indonesia won the group to avoid holders and five-time winners China in the semi-finals. They will meet England if they can beat Thailand in their Division 1A match on Thursday.

Source: Deepika Global, 14th Jun 2007
Indian shuttlers recorded their second win in the Sudirman Cup world mix team event with a 5-0 thrashing of New Zealand in a Division III tie here. India, who beat Finland 4-1 in their first group rubber, were the overwhelming winners against the Kiwis at the Scotstoun International Sports Arena yesterday. Clubbed in Group B of Division III along with Finland, New Zealand and Scotland, India now tops the group with nine wins and one loss. They will play Scotland in their last round robin group match tomorrow.


SPORTS SHORTS

* Jochen Lösch leaves Sportfive on 1 July 2007 for Latin American company, Traffic Sport Marketing. Lösch was President of the Sportfive office based in Rio de Janeiro from 2000 to 2004 where he was responsible for the entire sports business market in north and Latin America. In 2004, Lösch was Vice President TV Rights in the Hamburg head office responsible for all non-European TV-business. In his new role at Traffic, he will take the lead in international business from July. Among the rights held by Traffic are for the Copa America and markets all the Brazilian World Cup 2010 Qualification matches. No successor for Lösch has yet been appointed at Sportfive. Source: Translated from unknown source, 13th Jun 2007

* 4 billion people are expected to watch the 2008 Beijing Olympics on television. Ma Guoli, chief executive of Beijing Olympic Broadcasting, said: 'The figure will be 1 billion more than the 2004 Athens Olympics.' The IOC received $2.5 billion from sale of broadcasting rights for the 2006 winter and 2008 summer games. In March, the IOC issued a tender for internet and mobile rights in China having already sold TV rights to state broadcaster CCTV whose internet platform, CCTV.com, is among the bidders for the new media contract, along sohu.com and sina.com. Source: Sportcal, The Hindu, Supersport SA, 13th Jun 2007

* Pakistan is set to host two events of the Asian Football Confederation in the later half of 2007. The AFC President’s Cup, featuring league champions of 8 countries, will take place in September followed by the AFC Under-19 Championship in October and November. Both events will be staged in the city of Lahore. Pakistan had been in danger of losing the President’s Cup, which was postponed in May because of visa problems. Participating countries are Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Chinese Taipei and Bhutan. Source: Sportcal, 13th Jun 2007

* A new digital TV industry alliance in China was reportedly formed on June 8 in Beijing, with participating parties covering 135 institutions and enterprises in the DTV field, according to the China-based website Sina.com. Members of the alliance include Tsinghua University and the Haier Group, the website noted. The alliance projects 650 billion yuan (US$84.8 million) of revenues to come from China's DTV industry, the website added. Source: Digi Times, 13th Jun 2007

* Shanghai's 3G mobile phone services launch, originally scheduled for October, will be delayed until Q1 of 2008, state media reported. Datang Mobile, which is building the networks for the service, will begin construction in October. China Mobile will test the system until year's end. Datang Mobile will build 1,200 to 1,500 TD-SCDMA (domestic 3G standard) base stations in Shanghai, according to Yang Guiliang, Datang Mobile's senior vice president. To prepare for the launch, China Mobile will buy two million TD-SCDMA phones in October. Source: China Economic Review, 14th Jun 2007

* The content revolution is starting to gain momentum in less developed markets with Spice Nepal (SPNL) in Nepal and Applifone in Cambodia signing deals to use Celltick's LiveScreen Media to turn the mobile handset into a personal, targeted, billboard for content. The platform bypasses issues of search and discovery allowing subscribers to ‘find and buy’ content in 2 clicks rather than the industry average of 12-15. Content teaser messages are interactive and include news, sports results, TV and celebrity gossip as well as weather reports. Source: Celltick, 12th Jun 2007


MORE NEWS

India/Rights: Nimbus Signs Deal with Sun, Sab TV for Offshore ODIs

Nimbus has sub-licensed rights for the upcoming offshore six one-dayers to Sun Group and SET India, marking the first time a 6-channel and 5-language live cricket TV broadcast in India. The matches, including 3 ODIs between India and South Africa and one with Pakistan, will telecast on Sab TV with commentary in Hindi, Sun News (Tamil), Gemini News (Telugu) and Udaya Varthalugu (Kannada). Neo Sports will show it with commentary in English.

In addition, as per the Sports Act 2007, the five India matches of the series will also be broadcast live on Doordarshan. The Summer Series, including the Future Cup and the Future Friendship Cup, features 5 India matches (3 against South Africa and one each against Pakistan and Ireland).

The ODIs will kick off on 23 June with India playing Ireland. Nimbus earlier agreed to pay $ 6.05 million per match for the series after Zee cancelled the deal for offshore matches that it had with the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India). The fee that Nimbus and BCCI agreed upon was a significant reduction from the average of $ 8.77 million per match that Zee had committed to pay for the same property.

Nimbus had acquired media rights for the 4 India matches in the Summer Series from the BCCI and 2 Ireland matches from the Irish cricket Union. Ad sales are handled by Nimbus. The event is expected to boost subscription for Sab TV and the Sun language channels. For Kalanithi Maran, this is a victory of sorts. In the India-Bangladesh cricket series, the telecast was on rival channels Raj TV (Tamil) and Vissa TV (Telugu). And Sun is not going to telecast the matches on its entertainment channels. Source: Indian Television, Business Standard, DNA India, Exchange4Media, 13th Jun 2007

Hong Kong/Broadcaster: It’s Now on PCs

Hong Kong’s PCCW has unveiled another way for consumers to receive its IPTV service, Now TV – to the PC. In an almost regressive move, the company has launched its “eye”, a piece of software for its HKT Telephone subscribers to watch TV on their PCs, as well as more mundane activities such as paying bills and buying tickets, listening to music, home shopping and playing games. The service costs HK$128 (US$16).

PCCW consumer group managing director Tom Chan said: “Every household will be able to benefit from our unique quadruple-play advantage, which makes PCCW's world-class content available to customers via our fixed-line eye, Netvigator broadband, now TV, and mobile platforms."

The service starts with just some content available on Now TV IPTV service, including Premier League football, the Now Business News Channel, CNN International and Cartoon Network. There are also some 60,000 song selections. Gambling is also a key part of the applications. At launch, customers are able to use Hong Kong Jockey Club racing, football and Mark Six information. Source: Rapid TV News, 13th Jun 2007

Mid-East/General: Dubai ‘Ordered’ to be Production Centre

Few can doubt the very real progress being made by Dubai, in the UAE, as it builds its TV production base. And now Dubai’s ruler has “ordered” that Dubai becomes the centre for Arab drama production. “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai has ordered Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI) to focus on making Dubai the centre of Arab drama production,” said a statement on June 13.

And the statement – or Royal Decree – is not without substance. Dubai has already “invested” billions of dollars in up-market real estate schemes, which when tied into attractive tax-breaks, have already dramatically boosted local production. The Dubai Media City development is significantly over-subscribed, and Dubai Studio City is well on its way to matching this effort.

Which is not to say the Decree is easily responded to, other than to admit that when “Sheikh Mo” says something, it tends to get done. However, for Dubai, despite the glitz and glamour, to start rivalling Cairo, Beirut, Damascus and the other important regional production centres it will need to expand not just its facilities but its craft skills. And these other cities are relatively inexpensive in comparison to Dubai.

Ahmed Al Shaikh, Managing Director of DMI, on Monday this week hosted the first stage of his efforts, a celebrity event in Dubai to announce Dubai TV’s Ramadan line-up for this year. The holy month of Ramadan is the Arab world’s Christmas, New Year and Thanksgiving all rolled into one, and when each of the rival broadcasters brings out its TV big guns. Source: Rapid TV News, 13th Jun 2007

Elsewhere/Rights: A Good Year for IAAF Golden League TV Sales

The IAAF said its international TV sales for the IAAF Golden League and “Athletix”, the official IAAF TV Magazine are up from 2006 with over 60 TV contracts now concluded, ensuring that the 2007 edition of the IAAF Golden League will be seen in excess of 150 countries worldwide. Although the IAAF Golden League was already visible in the key markets in 2006, this year sees improved coverage in territories such as the USA and Italy. In 2008, there is also a groundbreaking agreement in the Middle East that will ensure global terrestrial coverage for the first time.

TV sales for Athletix for 2007, its second ever season, are up by more than 40% compared to 2006. With coverage now expected in more than 50 territories, the new series of Athletix is already making a major impact with track and field fans around the world. The IAAF’s TV rights sale are handled by its commercial partner IMG/TWI. The IAAF Golden League 2007, which consists of the six top athletics meetings in the world, starts on Friday 15 June. Source: Sport Business, 13th Jun 2007

Elsewhere/New Media: IRB Eases Rules on WC Internet Coverage

The International Rugby Board today made concessions in a dispute over 'news access' coverage of this year's Rugby World Cup in France, agreeing to allow broadcasters who do not hold rights to provide content from events associated with the tournament on their websites. Until now, only rights holders had been permitted to offer coverage of training sessions, press conferences and player interviews on an 'on demand' basis on the internet.

However, the IRB has now ruled that non-rights holders can now make available up to three minutes per day of non-live audio-visual footage from these events on non-match days on the web. They will still be prevented from providing coverage of matches and match-day press conferences in this way.

The change follows complaints from news organisations in Australia and New Zealand, including Fairfax Media, News Ltd and APN, which, with the support of the World Association of Newspapers, were refusing to sign tournament accreditation policies in protest of the news access rules. Broadcasters who do not have rights to the World Cup are already entitled to provide limited coverage of match highlights and other related footage in regularly scheduled news programmes although there has been criticism from some quarters of the length of the clips allowed.

RWCL said today that it would not be making any further changes to the news access regulations for the tournament, which runs from September 7 to October 20. Source: Sportcal, 13th Jun 2007


ARTICLES, COMMENTS & OPINIONS

Olympics to Spur Media Investment Growth
Source: Marketing Interactive, 14th Jun 2007

As China provides more and more growth for global giants and as local Chinese companies increase focus on brand-building, GroupM China estimates media investment will increase 19% this year with the Beijing Olympics accelerating media investment growth to 29% in 2008, according to an annual study on media forecasts conducted by the agency.

The study revealed that Olympic-based content will be a big draw for advertisers with TV as the dominant medium accounting for more than 70% of all spends. FMCG categories will continue to be the mainstay of television particularly the growing beverage sector. Automobiles and mobile phones will also form a big component.

New media formats such as IPTV, pay channels and mobile marketing are likely to get a big boost from Beijing 2008 due to greater ad and subscription revenue as consumers may be more willing to pay for Olympics related content. Reflecting the shift from traditional passive viewing behaviour to allowing consumers the individualization of viewing choices and media consumption in the digital space, internet and other digital media spends are likely to double in the next two years from US$1.07bn (HK$8.4bn) to US$2.2bn (HK$17.2bn).

Newspaper's share of total spend will decrease from 15% now to 11% by the end of 2008 while spend growth for magazines are expected to rise from 22% in 2007 to 28% in 2008. Overall ratecard inflation will remain heavy at 15% this year, though this will vary by different markets. Estimates on TV inflation next year vary but the agency predicts 25%-30%.

"China is becoming increasingly important in the global economy. This is the first of an annual study specially commissioned to help our marketers navigate this increasingly crucial market," Bessie Lee, CEO for GroupM China said.