Friday, 14th March 2008

DID YOU KNOW?

Chinese TV to Get "Ugly"

"Ugly Betty" has finally found her way to China. Satcaster Hunan Television, which scored a major hit with its "American Idol" hybrid "Super Girl," has bought the rights to the format, according to local media reports, and will rename it "Invincible Ugly Woman." The Chinese adaptation has a budget of 150 million yuan ($21 million), and shooting is slated to begin next month. It will run for five seasons, or a total of 400 episodes.

Producer Chen Xiaodong said Hunan TV has chosen a Chinese woman with no prior acting experience to play Betty. Chen said the format needed adjustments to suit Chinese auds. Among the team of scribes is Sheng Heyu, who wrote Feng Xiaogang pic "The Banquet." Although there is no confirmation of which version of the telenovela Hunan has acquired, Televisa's TV veep Jose Antonio Baston told journos in a finance conference call last month that the Mexican giant was co-producing "Ugly Betty" with the Chinese. But he refused to identify the co-producing company. Televisa set up an office in China last May and is planning co-productions in Mandarin with pubcaster CCTV -- a strategy that will allow Televisa to skirt Chinese quotas restricting the number of foreign productions local broadcasters can air.


SPORTS SHORTS

* CONCACAF and Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) announced the participants and schedule for the 2008 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship today. The five countries that will participate are Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador Mexico and USA with the tournament scheduled to take place at the Unidad Deportiva Municipal Agustín Flores Contreras in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from 16-20 April. This is the third annual CONCACAF tournament from which two teams will qualify for the 2008 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Marseille, France. Last year, the USA won the CONCACAF crown while Mexico were runners-up. Both qualified for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Rio de Janeiro 2007. Trinidad & Tobago News, 13th Mar 2008

* Meanwhile, South Africa could possibly host the 2011 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup when the 2008 African qualifying tournament takes place at New Beach in Durban from 25 to 30 March. With that in mind, it is crucial that this year's qualifying tournament lives up to the reputation of the 2006 and 2007 events, which were rated by Fifa as two of the best organised beach soccer tournaments held anywhere in the world. South Africa Info, 13th Mar 2008

* StarHub will replace its Cricket Channel with STAR Cricket, a 24-hour network dedicated to cricket action from around the globe, and will add Cricket Extra to its Cricket Group. STAR Cricket is fully packaged by ESPN STAR Sports and airs live and delayed international and regional cricket events, cricket news, archive programming and magazine and reality shows. Cricket Extra will feature occasional simulcast of live cricket events, so viewers can choose which live event to watch. The channel will also serve as a platform to air selected cricket tournaments that are not available on STAR Cricket or Neo Sports. Both channels will be made available on March 17. Worldscreen, 13th Mar 2008

* Cable and satellite platform Sky Perfectv! will launch a new contents channel for cell phone users, in cooperation with telecoms giant NTT DoCoMo, on April 21. Called Sukapa! Keitai TV (Sky Perfectv! Mobile TV), the new service beams contents from various satellite channels to users of mobile devices. Users can enjoy Sky Perfectv! programs, video-on-demand and promotional contents. Among the highlight will be matches of the J-League pro soccer league. Promotional contents will be free of charge, but Sky Perfectv! programs and VOD, users will have to pay either Y315 ($3.06), $5.10 or $10.19, depending on the programming for one month. Variety Asia, 13th Mar 2008

* Stanton Technologies Sdn Bhd, en route to a listing on the Dubai Financial Exchange, has sealed an agreement with two China state-owned agencies, China Potevio Co Ltd and China.com.cn, giving its IPTV solutions and content access to more than half a billion mobile users. Demand for IPTV solutions and content is increasing in the world’s biggest mobile market, which is also seeing growing affluence. This growth is expected to accelerate with the upcoming Beijing Olympics and demand for video clips on the Games. The Star, 14th March 2008

* Genting International, a subsidiary of Genting Malaysia, is bidding for a slice of the thriving online gambling business. It announced that it received an online gaming licence from the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) in the British Channel Islands, and business is expected to commence in late 2Q 2008. The permission to go live is still subject to AGCC's approval of the Internal Control System and the Gambling Equipment. Genting Stanley Alderney, a wholly owned subsidiary of Genting International, holds the license. Marketing Malaysia, 14th Mar 2008

* MTV Networks Asia has struck a mobile licensing deal with the telco Cambodia Advance Communications (CADCOMMS) to provide MTV and Nickelodeon content on a 3G platform to mobile subscribers in Cambodia. This partnership represents MTV Networks Asia’s first foray into the provision of mobile content in Cambodia. Introduced under the brand ‘qb,’ video content will be provided to mobile subscribers in mobile television and VOD formats. Subscribers will be able to choose from an extensive menu of short video clips or, alternatively, watch MTV and Nickelodeon offerings on a continuous loop on their mobile phones. Viewers will be able to watch programs such as MTV’s Pimp my Ride and Room 401 and Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Worldscreen, 13th Mar 2008

* Cable TV, the official new media broadcaster of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has pledged that the Games' coverage will touch every corner of Hong Kong "round-the-clock". The 2008 event is the first in the Games' history that new media rights have been granted and Benjamin Tong, Cable TV's executive director, expects the platform's flexibility to reap a huge audience in the territory. He said: "The interactive capability of the new media gives viewers control over what they want to watch, as well as where and when they want to watch. This kind of flexibility is not offered by linear conventional television broadcast." I-Cable programming of the Beijing Olympics will be delivered through at least four channels, including its official Olympics platform at 2008.I-Cable.com . Football Insider, Marketing-interactive.com, 13th Mar 2008

* Airtel, one of India’s popular mobile service operators, gets ready to launch in Sri Lanka, it has appointed Madison Media Sri Lanka as its AOR in that country. Madison Media is the AOR for Airtel in India and also the AOR for other Bharti Group companies such as Bharti AXA Life Insurance, Bharti AXA Mutual Fund, Bharti DTH and Bharti Retail. Airtel called for a pitch and evaluated two agencies in Sri Lanka, MindShare and Madison, and ultimately selected the latter. Agency Faqs!, 14th Mar 2008

* The first fruits of NBC Universal’s investment in Indian broadcaster NDTV are becoming apparent with NBCU planning to launch at least two of its channels in the sub-Continent. Up for launch by the end of 2008 are the Sci-Fi and Universal Channels, according to local reports. NDTV is itself expanding, both domestically and internationally. The broadcaster has plans to offer its recently-launched Hindi general entertainment channel NDTV Imagine outside of India by next year, in territories including the UK and USA and the Middle East. A new lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times, will also launch in India in the coming months, with international expansion for that service also planned. Rapid TV News, 13th Mar 2008

* Orascom Telecom, fourth biggest Arab mobile phone operator, will launch North Korea's first mobile phone service in May, aiming to sign up 100,000 subscribers initially. Reuters quoted CEO Naguib Sawiris as saying that the service would start in three major cities in the reclusive communist state and the company would then assess the impact. The report further quoted Sawiris saying that of the $400 million the company plans to invest in North Korea over the next three years, about $200 million would probably come in the first year, with $100 million in each of the two subsequent years. Orascom Telecom is flush with cash after selling off its interests in Iraq for $920 million and shares in Hutchison Telecommunications International for $761 million. The company had hoped to gain access to the Chinese and Malaysian markets but the prospects in those countries did not now look good. telecomasia.net, 14th Mar 2008

* International Games Broadcast Services (IGBS), the newly-named company born out of Doha Asian Games Broadcast Services (DAGBS), was awarded the host broadcast contract for the 1st Asian Beach Games Bali 2008. The 1st Asian Beach Games will take place in Bali, Indonesia, in October 2008. Forty-five nations will participate in seventeen different sports, ranging from beach handball, sailing and surfing to triathlon. This event represents a first contract for IGBS, the 50/50 joint-venture in which resources of the parent-companies, HBS and IMG Media, are to be pooled again. Bali 2008 will be followed by Oman 2010, Haiyang 2012 and Baraclay 2014. sportbusiness.com, 13th Mar 2008

* FIFA has revealed that seven nations have made bids for the 2011 editions of the Under-20 and Under-17 World Cups. The announcement was made as the organising committees for the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups met in Zurich on Tuesday to review the preparations for the events due to take place in Nigeria and Egypt, respectively, in 2009. The Czech Republic, Colombia, Mozambique, Portugal and Venezuela have all put their names forward for the 2011 edition of the Under-20 World Cup. The Czech Republic is also in the running for the Under-17 event, along with Iran and Mexico. Football Insider, 13th Mar 2008

* UEFA president Michel Platini is confident the Spanish national team will take its place at Euro 2008 despite FIFA's threats of a possible international ban hanging over the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). FIFA president Sepp Blatter declared last month that government interference in the administration of football in Spain could result in the national team and Primera División clubs being excluded from international competition. The Spanish government has ordered the RFEF and other non-Olympic federations to hold presidential elections before the Beijing Games. The RFEF lost its appeal to the courts against the government's ruling, but the federation then insisted it would not obey the mandate following a vote on the subject by the RFEF's general assembly earlier this month. Football Insider, 13th Mar 2008

* Kalle Sauerland of Kentaro, the Switzerland-based sports agency, is to take over leadership of the company’s German office after the departure of managing director Marco Schindelhauer. It is understood that Kentaro will seek to drive further international growth by recruiting additional staff in Germany, although it is not yet known in which capacity. The agency also distributed rights in Germany for the German soccer team’s away Euro 2008 qualifying match in Ireland and selected ties from the Uefa Cup, European soccer’s second-tier tournament. Sportcal, 13th Mar 2008

* A broadcast tender for the LNH, French handball's top-tier men’s league, will be launched on Friday, with the number of packages on offer increased from two to three for the 2008-to-2011 period. The first package on offer is for live coverage of the top league match each matchday, the second for the other games and the third for a magazine show. Alain Smadja, the LNH president, would not divulge how much the LNH is hoping to generate from the new league tender but is hoping for a ‘significant increase’ on the current deal, worth in the region of €600,000 ($935,617) a year. Sportcal, 13th Mar 2008


MORE NEWS

China/New Media: Reforms Target High-Tech Industries Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service

China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII), which oversees many of the country's high-technology industries, including the telecommunication sector, will be combined with other government organizations into a single body, according to China's state-owned media. The official Xinhua News Agency described the new body as a "super ministry," incorporating the current MII, some parts of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the State Council Informatization Office (SCITO), most of the Commission of Science and Technology for National Defense (COSTIND), and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration.

The shakeup is part of a government restructuring plan announced during China's National People's Congress (NPC) this week. The new organization will be called the Ministry of Industry and Information, and is one of five super-ministries created by the plan. The reforms aim to eliminate overlapping responsibilities within China's vast bureaucracy and improve efficiency, Xinhua said. Whether or not the new ministry can achieve those goals will only be determined by the passage of time, but observers are optimistic.

"One thing is clear, decision-making will be faster," said Bryan Wang, Springboard Research's country manager for Greater China. The new ministry should streamline the Chinese government's decision-making process and eliminate some of the bureaucratic rivalries that hampered policy decisions in the past, he said. That will clear the way for important policy changes to take effect, including the long-awaited restructuring of China's state-owned telecommunications carriers, Wang said. Once that restructuring is complete, China is expected to finally issue licenses for 3G (third-generation) mobile services.

Plans to restructure the telecommunications industry are widely expected to create three operators that combine both fixed-line and mobile operations. The country's largest mobile operator, China Mobile, is expected to be combined with China Railway Communications, a small fixed-line provider set up by the Ministry of Railways. The other mobile operator, China United Communications (China Unicom) will be split into two parts. The operator's GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) mobile network will go to fixed-line carrier China Network Communications Group (China Netcom), which will likely change its name to China Unicom. China Unicom's CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) network will be merged with China Telecommunications Group (China Telecom), another fixed-line operator. Yahoo, 13th Mar 2008

India/New Media: Entry of MVNOs Seen Lowering Prices

India's expected permission for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) will remove a strong entry barrier in the telecom services segment and enable asset-light companies to set up shop in the world's fastest growing mobile market, experts said. It will boost handset sales and also help new service providers, which have recently got license, to utilise their capacity better and enter service circles for which they don't have licence.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to allow MVNOs, removing a legal bottleneck that led to a controversy involving the entry of Richard Branson's Virgin brand in a tie-up with Tata Teleservices. All operators in India now operate on their own network. A Mumbai-based analyst said MVNOs would spruce things up for the newcomers to the mobile telephony market in India. MVNOs, such as Virgin Mobile and BT in the UK, would help them gain valuable market experience. Many new licensees believe MVNOs will add efficiency in their roll-out plans. While none of the new entrants would comment officially as they await spectrum, some of them expect that this model would bring in additional revenues and contribute towards the creation of sizeable capital value.

Also, some of the new entrants have been granted licenses only for a few circles and can now expand to the rest of India using this model. With the coming of MVNOs, the mobile market would see more bundling of handset with operators looking to tap into niche markets, Indian Cellular Association national president Pankaj Mahendroo said. "It would also lead to improved sales volumes for high-end product categories like music phones and internet-enabled phones," he added. In fact, India is all set for a target of 100-million handsets by the end of this year and MVNOs would add substantially to this number. telecomasia.net, 14th Mar 2008

India/New Media: TRAI for Immediate Measures to Boost Broadband Growth

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has told the Government that India may miss the broadband bus if immediate measures are not taken to boost the usage of high speed Internet in the country.The recent report of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) lists India at the bottom of 34 countries in which countries have been ranked based on the broadband penetration. India is not only below developed countries such as the US and the UK but also far below even smaller countries such as Denmark and Iceland. China adds 3.32 million broadband connections in a quarter whereas India adds just 0.08 million. TRAI said that it has been suggesting measures to boost broadband growth in India but the Government has not taken any action on the same.

DoT had set a target of 9 million subscribers by 2007. This has not been met by far as there are just about 3 million broadband users at present. The telecom regulator issued another set of recommendations on Wednesday reiterating the suggestions made earlier. It said that the last mile local loop owned by the State owned BSNL and MTNL should be opened up for franchisees to offer broadband services. BSNL and MTNL were supposed to provide 1.5 million broadband connections by the end of 2005 whereas actually they could provide only 0.5 million by 2005.

“Even at the end of March 2007, BSNL and MTNL together have provided just 1.45 million broadband connections using DSL technology. As such the available copper loop to provide broadband connections have not been effectively utilised,” TRAI said. The regulator also urged DoT to expedite decision regarding mechanism and pricing of spectrum for 3G and Broadband Wireless Access. “Spectrum for 3G and WiMAX should be made available at the earliest to boost the deployment of broadband using these technologies,” the regulator said. TRAI has said that the Government should expedite the action on allowing resellers for international bandwidth as it will reduce Internet cost. TheHinduBusinessLine.com, 13th Mar 2008

General/Rights: Champions League Broadcast Rights Fees Set For Big Rise

The cost of the UK broadcasting rights for the UEFA Champions League is expected to rise by more than 25%. UEFA's deadline for bids for the rights passed yesterday with the BBC, ITV, Sky and Setanta all understood to be in the running. Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool earned between £15 million and £27 million from their share of TV rights, sponsorship cash and prize money last season. The current ITV and Sky deals are understood to be worth just under £90 million per year, and it is thought that the successful bidders will have to pay around £125 million to clinch the next deal, which is to run from 2009 to 2012.

However, Dan Jones, partner in the Deloitte's Sports Business Group, said any extra disparity between the Champions League clubs and the rest of the Barclays Premier League will be offset by the huge value of the domestic top flight broadcast contracts. The current Premier League deals run until 2010 and are worth £2.2 billion. "It does mean that the gap between those in the Champions League and the rest will grow, but the extent of that will be very much offset by the increase in Premier League rights which is spread across all 20 clubs," said Jones. "I don't expect it to make a massive difference to our domestic market because there is already a gap, and that should not change dramatically.

"Jones said the real differences would be seen in clubs whose domestic broadcast rights were not as valuable. "For the likes of Turkey, Scotland and the Netherlands, the Champions League is a much bigger proportion of their revenue," he said. Jones believes UEFA will try to keep their policy of having one free-to-air broadcaster - ITV and BBC - and one pay-TV channel - Sky or Setanta. The BBC, however, will have to persuade UEFA that it can overcome the hurdle of not carrying advertising from UEFA's partners - currently ITV and Sky show the adverts at the beginning and end of each break. It has been suggested that the BBC may have to pay an extra £10 million if it does not carry advertising, and still promise to ensure sponsors' logos are prominently displayed. Football Insider, Sportbusiness.com , Brand Republic, 13th Mar 2008

Asia/General: Aussie Clubs Arrive In Asia

English clubs have been making waves and history by providing four of the eight quarter-finalists in the European Champions League. It is an impressive statistic. Until 2009 at the earliest, it is physically impossible for any Asian nation to repeat the same feat, it is two entrants per country, though the home of the champs get one more.

If there is a comparison to be made, if there is an Asian equivalent of England, it is South Korea. As it is in the World Cup, the Land of the Morning Calm is easily the most successful in continental competitions. Five different K-League clubs have been crowned Asian champions a total of seven times. Japan and Saudi Arabia are next with four titles each.

Since the quarter-final stage was introduced into the champions league format in 2004, there has never been a last eight without Korean representation. In three of the four years, there have been two. It is an impressive statistic. While it is probably premature with just one match of the 2008 Asian Champions league group stage completed, after all Liverpool drew one and lost two of their first three group stage games last Autumn, but with both Chunnam Dragons and Pohang Steelers crashing 2-0 at the hands of Australian clubs, early signs are not promising for Korean fans. Only one team progresses and few more mistakes can be made.

The victories of Adelaide, who won at the home of a club that has twice been Asian champion, and Melbourne over Korean opposition really announced the arrival of Australian clubs on the continental scene. In 2007, Aussie clubs came to the party and enjoyed a dance or two but now, they are bringing the music, ordering the kegs and starting to turn heads.

Last year was Australia’s first ever attempt in the continental competition and while Sydney and Adelaide failed to progress, they did enough to suggest that more was to come. While talking to people at both Adelaide and Melbourne in recent weeks, the enthusiasm of the A-League clubs has been as refreshing as their professionalism. Sure, having no domestic competition to think about helps focus but Adelaide and Melbourne are excited to be in the champions league and are doing all they can to win it.

With Japanese clubs starting to shine in the competition also, standards are rising. That was much of the point of allowing Australia into the Asian Football Confederation in the first place. It is great for the game in the region and it is up to some of the old hands, like those in Korea, to respond. Clubs and fans in Korea and Japan have often complained about too many games against weak opposition in the competition. There are still a few problems as Kashima Antlers' 9-1 win in Thailand demonstrated but the situation is improving.

The last time a South-east Asian nation visited Gamba Osaka in the competition, there were reports of players shopping and sightseeing in the Kansai city on the afternoon of the game –Vietnam's Da Nang was thrashed 15-0 a few hours later. Last night, Chonburi FC had their fun on the pitch at the Banpaku Stadium, and only a last-minute equalizer prevented the Thais from going home with three points and countless plaudits. Times are changing and if that means a more open, professional and exciting Asian Champions League then few could complain about that. Goal.com, 13th Mar 2008

General/New Media: Computer Replacing TV as Primary Entertainment Source

Disney president and CEO Bob Iger expressed a very bullish take on new media at the McGraw-Hill Media Summit Wednesday morning in New York, chastising media executives for their skittish view of the multiple-platform approach to delivering content. “Brand managers look at technology with a deep-rooted aversion,” he said. “People take a protectionist view of it, but we’re projecting the brand versus protecting the brand.”

Speaking at McGraw-Hill headquarters, Iger spoke of using technology to “completely change the perception” of the Disney brand when he took over in 2005. He forecasted $1 billion in digital revenue for Disney this year, up from $750 million in 2007. Iger also mentioned revamping Disney’s Web presence overseas, in markets such as China and Australia, and beefing up social media, such as Disney’s kids-friendly Club Penguin virtual world and an upcoming interactive platform centered around hit film Cars. He said Disney may again venture into the branded-cell-phone arena after missteps with ESPN and Disney phones. “It’s about embracing the consumer and using technology to do so,” he added.

Iger stressed how social media was far from a Gen X or Gen Y fad, but in fact a part of everyday life for children. He said the computer will soon supplant the television as children’s screen of choice. “In the years ahead, broadband on the computer will be the primary source of entertainment for kids,” he said. “It’s just as important to them as the TV set now.”

The Disney boss gave himself middling marks for his own performance in social media: He lamented having but two Facebook “friends” but said his Club Penguin igloo -- which sees participants accumulate gear based on game performance -- was outfitted with a wide-screen TV, a fireplace and even a basketball hoop. “I’ve never been to an igloo with a basketball hoop,” Iger deadpanned to interviewer John Byrne of Business Week.

Iger expressed satisfaction with Disney’s iTunes sales -- he said the company has sold around 4 million movies and 40 million-50 million TV episodes through iTunes during their 18-month partnership and the sales had not cannibalized Disney’s traditional media revenues. Iger also plugged the traditional media model that has made home runs out of Disney fare like Hannah Montana and High School Musical. “It’s still a very powerful medium,” he said. “We denigrate it by calling it ‘old.’”

He lamented the effect the writers' strike had not only on the entertainment business, but its support businesses in Southern California, and was optimistic about working out an agreement with the actors’ unions. “I hope the actors see fit to agree to terms that are similar to the writers’ and directors’ terms,” he said. Iger, who said Disney was not interested in acquiring AOL if it’s made available, believes Disney’s favorable balance sheet and cash flow position it for acquisitions. “We have the wherewithal to buy something if there’s shareholder value or strategic value in it,” he said, “but we don’t feel the necessity [to make an acquisition].”

In closing, Iger credited his mentors -- including Tom Murphy, Roone Arledge and Michael Eisner -- for shaping his management strategy. He cited Murphy for his ethics, Arledge for his perfectionism and Eisner for marrying “creative genius” with a CEO’s head for business. “I’ve been a lucky guy,” Iger said with a smile. Broadcastingcable.com, 13th Mar 2008