special report DTT
Speaking out:
David Astley,
secretary general
of the Asia-Pacific
Broadcasting Union
(ABU) (left); Ross
Biggam, director
general of the
Association of
Commercial
Television in
Europe (centre);
and Mike
Dallimore, vice
president of
international
business
development for
Broadcast Australia
(right).
colour TV when it was introduced. It
Ross Biggam, director general of the
Searching for synergy
will be essential for maintaining
Association of Commercial Television
market share.”
in Europe, has been observing the
Broadcast Australia’s Dallimore agrees
Dallimore concedes that the cost of
digital transition in Europe for almost a
that pay TV is a promising top-up
digital transmission is significant, but
decade now, and cites one of the
option for broadcasters, subject to an
suggests this can be eased by
Dallimore
most notable success stories as
appropriate regulatory environment.
infrastructure sharing. Recent studies
concedes
leading Finnish broadcaster, MTV3.
“Ideally, you would need a small mass
by his company show that the total
that the
Finland is leading the way as a digital
of pay TV services available,” he said.
capex can be reduced by around 40%
nation, with all analogue cable,
“One option could be the allocation of
for two broadcasters sharing common cost of
satellite and terrestrial services
a whole shared multiplex for
RF infrastructure, with greater savings
digital
switched off in February 2008.
subscription services; or for a single
achieved through a shared multiplex.
transmission
“When faced with the government’s
pay TV service to be offered within
Moreover, there are ongoing opex
is significant,
decision to go digital, MTV3 managed
each MUX. If the content is good
efficiencies as well.
but suggests
to seize the opportunity and turn it
enough, the audience will pay.”
“It depends on the preparedness of
around to their advantage in two
this can be
David Astley’s view is that pay TV is
broadcasters to cooperate,” Dallimore
significant ways,” Biggam said.
a completely different business model,
said. “Infrastructure sharing is not
eased by “Firstly, it enabled them to deliver
requiring its own investment and
common in most parts of Asia, where
infrastructure
more than one channel, which has
viability decisions. “In many countries,
broadcasters often compete on
sharing.
allowed them to offer special interest
cross-media ownership restrictions
coverage instead of content. But this
Recent
programming; secondly, it gave them
would prevent a FTA broadcaster also
mentality is going to have to change
studies by
a route into pay TV.”
operating a pay TV service; but, where
in a digital broadcast environment,
Special interest (or thematic)
it is permitted, there could be
where the protection ratios between his company
channels, such as movies and sports,
operational synergies,” he said.
services must be met to prevent
show that
have traditionally been a stalwart of
Introducing hybrid pay/free
interference. In an environment
the total
subscription cable and satellite
terrestrial services is just one option
where coverage is legislated and
capex can
services, and are proven audience -
available to broadcasters who need to
competition is on the basis of content
be reduced
and advertiser - drawcards. Moreover,
compete with the growing number of
alone, there are huge cost benefits to
the ability to broadcast more than one
by around
video viewing platforms. It illustrates
using a common network.”
channel opens up opportunities for
how the enhanced functionality and
40% for two cross-promoting and cross-scheduling.
flexibility of digital can lead to
Imagination pays
broadcasters
According to Biggam, the challenge
completely new sources of revenue
sharing
for terrestrial broadcasters, which
than were available in the days of
Given the inevitability of the transition
common RF
conventionally provide free-to-air
analogue only.
to digital broadcasting - and the
infra-
(FTA) services, is competing for the
An alternative new revenue-earner
increased need to compete on the
necessary content rights. This is where
is to sell-off part of the MUX to niche
basis of content - the onus is on the structure,
the ‘pay TV’ element comes in.
players and speciality groups. Both
broadcasters to make the most of it.
with greater
“In Finland, MTV3 have used some
Dallimore and Astley see the rise of
In fact, said Dallimore, although the
savings
of their capacity to provide special
so-called ‘narrowcasting’ as a key
timeline and approach in most
achieved
interest channels, including a sports
element of the new digital paradigm.
countries has been significantly
through a
channel, and here they have
“The very name ‘broadcasting’ is
influenced by governments seeking
introduced a subscription element for
shared
probably becoming inappropriate to
the ‘digital dividend’, the transition is
major sports events such as Formula
describe the industry we are in, given
now gaining momentum among
multiplex. One racing. The launch of this service
the fragmentation that is occurring,”
broadcasters, who are keen to get
has been phenomenally successful,”
Astley said.
something out of it as well: “There are
Biggam said. “This example alone
It is nevertheless still the battle for
many more benefits if you start to
demonstrates the viability of pay TV as
audience that lies at the heart of the
make full use of your imagination and
a top-up option for terrestrial
terrestrial TV business challenge - and
the capabilities of the platform.”
broadcasters.”
here again the functionality of the
18 l ibe l september/october 2009 l www.ibeweb.com
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