DID YOU KNOW?
Wimbledon officials have brought out the big guns in the effort to keep pesky pigeons out of the environs of the All England club as they field a "death squad" armed with air rifles. Wimbledon says it brought out the sharpshooters after a pair of hawks failed to stop the pigeon invasion. The birds are especially irritating if they choose to dive-bomb centre court during the heat of matches. WebIndia123.com, 25th June 2008
DATA BOX
1.7 Billion Mobile Web Users by 2013
Juniper Research Results published on Fierce Wireless, 25th Jun 2008
The number of subscribers using mobile Internet services will rise from 577 million currently, to top 1.7bn by 2013, spurred by demand for collaborative applications known collectively as ‘web 2.0', and greater 2.5/3G penetration. Established mobile players face increasing competition from web-based brands and will have to adapt their commercial strategies to accommodate greater collaboration with other members of the value chain, if future revenue growth in the mobile web 2.0 space is to be achieved.
An Open Mobile Internet
Social networking; User Generated Content (UGC); Instant Messaging (IM); Location Based Services (LBS); Search calls for delivery of the mobile Internet as it was originally conceived - i.e. an open environment in which users are able to share, collaborate and exploit content/information without any one party controlling the value chain.
This marks a fundamental shift for the industry towards the D2C (direct-to consumer) model and places growing pressure on mobile network operators (MNOs) and handset manufacturers in particular, to relinquish some of their control over the value chain, by opening up their networks/devices to third-parties.
New Business Models
"Major web players have already crossed the Rubicon and established themselves in the mobile domain, placing the onus on MNOs and other members of the value chain to form innovative relationships and grab a share of the new revenue streams being created,"
Ian Chard, Juniper Research Analyst and author of the report ‘Mobile Web 2.0: Leveraging ‘Location, IM, Social Web & Search 2008-2013' said: "The mobile web 2.0 market is still nascent and business models remain in a state of flux, so there is still time for players to establish fruitful partnerships that build on their strengths and are reciprocally beneficial. The window of opportunity, however, is closing."
Other findings from the report
* The Far East & China region will be the largest market for mobile web, reaching almost 416 million users by 2013, up from a year-end figure of 190 million users in 2008
* The greatest untapped potential for mobile web lies in South America, while growth will be more measured in markets such as Eastern and Western Europe - where fixed broadband penetration is relatively high
* As with the fixed Internet, many mobile web 2.0 applications will need to be provided at base cost/flat-data rates (or even free of charge), forcing industry players to seek new revenue streams
SPORTS SHORTS
* IEC in Sports, the Stockholm-based sports agency, has won a new contract to continue handling the broadcast rights of the ATP Thailand tennis worldwide, except for south-east Asia, until 2010. The new agreement covers all television rights, as well as new media. IEC represents nine ATP and women's WTA tournaments in the Asia Pacific region. Sportcal, 25th Jun 2008
* Asian satellite operator Measat’s fourth satellite, Measat 3a, has been scheduled to launch on August 21. Constructed by Orbital Sciences Corp, MEASAT-3a will be launched on a LandLaunch Zenith–3SLB launch vehicle. Measat 3a will broadcast from the 91.5 degrees East slot, operating in tandem with Measat 3 at the same location and providing in-orbit satellite redundancy services for key customers. RapidTVnews.com, 25th June 2008
* India’s new digital Headend in the Sky (HITS) service from Subhash Chandra’s Wire & Wireless India Ltd (WWIL) will be a part of the temptation to persuade India’s cable-wallahs to convert to digital transmission. There’s another significant prize for those that convert – instant movies. HITS is talking to movie studios about gaining rights to show the latest movies, Bollywood as well as Hollywood, on its system. The advantage to the studios is they get instant VOD revenue-sharing cash, and most importantly piracy is reduced. Besides WWIL there’s enthusiasm from Incablenet, the Hinduja brothers MSO that supplies about one third of India’s cable homes. Rapid TV News, Asia On Screen, 25th Jun 2008
* What a major breakthrough in the history of Asian Racquetball: The construction for the first and long awaited portable racquetball court in Asia has now started in Korea. The court will be used for the first time next weekend already for a tournament in Korea and will be another great marketing tool to support the positive efforts to promote racquetball in Asia. The court is owned by the Korean Racquetball Federation, but it will also be shipped to Kaohsiung, Taiwan next year for the racquetball competitions at the 2009 World Games, where another (second) court will be built extra for this event. Sport City, 25th Jun 2008
* PCCW’s Richard Li is back in the news, with a grand plan to consolidate the media and telecoms assets of PCCW into one firm, HKT Group Holdings, of which he would sell 45% to new investors and possibly move toward an IPO in a couple of years. PCCW is inviting proposals from investors interested in the stake, with interest already drawn from international players. The proposed deal has already created a storm of publicity, given that Li's previous attempt to sell a stake in PCCW two years ago created a furor and ended in abject failure. Telecom, 23rd Jun 2008
* Singapore is hosting the inaugural Asian Youth Games July 2-9, 2009 which will help prepare the city when to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games August 14-26, 2010. It was confirmed the Games will feature eight sports – track and field, bowling, beach volleyball, three-on-three basketball, sailing shooting, swimming and diving, and table tennis. The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and Ministry of Education will spearhead the organization of the Asian Games. Hosting the Asian Youth Games was part of Singapore’s bid plan submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when it was bidding to stage the Youth Olympics, reports Channel News Asia. Sports City, 25th Jun 2008
* The IOC has issued sweeping restrictions to non-rights holding media for the Beijing 2008 Games. These regulations represent a marked increase in rights protection from the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Non-rights holders are forbidden from distributing online audio or video of sporting action, interviews with athletes or the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The rules enforce heavy restrictions upon all from of multimedia in and around the field of play. There is also a requirement that non-rights holders must remove games related content from media sites by August 7th the day before the commencement of the Games. Sport Business, 25th Jun 2008
* The Fédération Internationale de Hockey Association (FIH) has launched a new YouTube service at www.youtube.com/WorldHockey . The site allows visitors to watch full-length coverage of all matches at the WorldHockey Champions Trophy, currently taking place in the Netherlands. Following the Champions Trophy, additional FIH content will be available on the site; highlights, player interviews and the Federation's monthly magazine show, 'ABN AMRO WorldHockey'. The YouTube site is designed to complement the FIH's free-of-charge live streaming offerings at www.worldhockey.tv. Sports Insider, 25th Jun 2008
* Infront Sports & Media inked a 3-year agreement with the World Curling Federation (WCF) from 2008-2011. Infront's title will be "Official Marketing Partner of the World Curling Federation". Their role covers exploitation of all media and marketing rights on a worldwide basis, except in territories where existing agreements are in place. The production of the broadcast and new media signal for worldwide distribution will continue to be handled by the WCF. The deal covers Championship events including the annual Men's and Women's World Curling Championships and the annual European Curling Championship. The deal means the Swiss-based sports marketing group has official partnerships with six of the seven Olympic Winter Sports. Sport Business, Sports City, Sportcal, 25th Jun 2008
MORE NEWS
Asia/Rights: Rive Gauche Licenses to 7 Broadcasters
Los Angeles-based Rive Gauche Television has licensed the television broadcast rights of some of their reality and documentary shows to seven broadcasters in Asia. The announcement was made by Riche Gauche Television SVP international sales Dorothy Crompton.
The shows licensed to the broadcasters are:
* Media Corp (Singapore) has acquired Video Zonkers Season 1, Real Strange, Whacked Out Sports Seasons 1 & 2, and Is That A Nail In Your Head?.
* AXN (Pan Asia) has acquired Video Zonkers Season 2.
* Solar (Philippines) has secured Whacked Out Sports.
* Leland Ling (China) has purchased Sports Disasters Seasons 2-6, Outrageous Home Videos, and Anatomy of a Giant.
* Henry Advertising (China) has acquired Dino Lab.
* Trans TV (Indonesia) has secured Great Streets, Sports Disasters Seasons Two-Five, Ultimate Ten and World’s Most.
* PT Cakrawala (Indonesia) has acquired King of Crash, Sports Disasters Season 6, Ultimate Ten, World’s Most Dangerous Sports Events, What Were They Thinking?, and When Good Times Go Bad. Worldscreen, 25th Jun 2008
India/Broadcaster: Trai Rejects ESPN's Price Contentions
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has rejected sports broadcaster ESPN's contentions, seeking to allow it to make mandatory for DTH operators to offer its channels in the entry level pay tier, while working out pricing on a mutually agreeable basis. ESPN, involved in legal spat with DTH operator Tata Sky, had asked Trai through its new Reference Interconnect Offer (ROI) its intention to make it compulsory for DTH operators to take all three channels — Star Sports, ESPN and Star Cricket — collectively in their base package.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has also directed sports broadcaster ESPN to modify its Reference Interconnect Offer within 15 days and offer to Direct to Home (DTH) operators the same bouquets which are being offered for non-CAS cable distribution.
In its eight-page order, Trai said ESPN should offer to the DTH operators the bouquets/ channels at 50 per cent of the rates at which such bouquets/channels are being offered for non-CAS cable distribution, that is, non-addressable platforms so as to comply with the norms laid down by the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) in letter and spirit. SPN was also asked not to impose conditions in its revised RIO dated 15 May, 2008; and to submit to the Authority a report of compliance with the directions, along with a copy of its modified RIO.
Tdsat had on 31 March last year and its judgment of 14 July, 2006, said that the rates for DTH platforms were to be 50 per cent of the rates at which the bouquets/channels are being offered for non-CAS cable distribution and to protect the interests of service providers and consumers of the broadcasting sector and cable sector. The Regulator also said the order was necessary to promote and ensure orderly growth of the broadcasting sector and cable sector. Trai rejected the contentions of ESPN seeking permission to offer its channels in the entry level pay tier on a mutually agreeable basis.
"Various factors, including high cost of content, reduced demand for a sports channel when there are no sporting events, mandatory sharing of content with the national broadcaster and time limit to advertisements are the factors which are generally taken into consideration while arriving at non-CAS prices of the sports channel," TRAI said. Therefore, these factors do not necessitate any special treatment for a sports channel, it added in its directive to the broadcaster. Indiantelevision.com, 25th June 2008
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