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after stopping for one weekend because of concerns about the legality of their businesses. However, Macau Cable TV still admits the possibility of “taking legal procedures” against these companies. The question of the broadcasts’ legality depends on
Ref’s indecision is fi nal T
he providers of public antenna broadcasts resumed relaying English Premier League matches last month,
the interpretation of the difference between terrestrial and cable television broadcasting. Government-owned TV station TDM, which bought the
rights to terrestrial broadcasts of Premier League games, says its contract allows public antenna broadcasters to relay the football matches, while Macau Cable TV has the exclusive rights to paid cable TV broadcasts. Although TDM is a terrestrial broadcaster, most viewers
receive terrestrial broadcasts through public antenna services that use unlicensed local cable networks. They charge much less than Macau Cable TV and include relays of Hong Kong, mainland and foreign channels in their services. In reply to a Macau Business enquiry, the chief
commercial offi cer of Macau Cable TV, John Chiang, confi rmed that the exclusive rights of his company cover only paid cable television. “They [TDM] have free TV, don’t charge anything. They transmit it on air. This is their right. There is no problem. We are not against TDM,” he said. At issue is the practice of the public antenna services
relaying TDM’s signal through unlicensed local cable networks. “We just want local public antenna providers not to use their cable networks. This is our right,” Mr Chiang said. Indirectly, the government has backed the public
antenna service providers, invoking the need to protect the public interest by allowing people to watch TDM programmes. The public antenna service providers argue they are
not broadcasting the matches but providing the technical means for TDM programming to reach people’s homes.
“It’s a small community in terms of
media industry,” he notes, which means fewer potential customers among whom to split the technology costs. However, he assures the company is “looking at more innovative, cost-friendly prices”. Besides the hitch with television
content, CTM also faces a “lack of clar- ity in the regulatory framework”, says Aguinaldo Wahnon, the company’s vice-president of
legal and regulatory
matters. “It’s an old legal framework and it doesn’t give the necessary guarantees to investors.” Mr Wahnon says there are grey are-
as in the legislation about the regulation of Internet protocol television that make investment riskier. From a technological standpoint “we see a business opportunity”, Mr
Shaw notes. He argues that CTM has strong support from investors, adding that Portugal Telecom, one of the com- pany’s major shareholders, already has experience in this area.
Timing is everything The government is aware of CTM’s moves. “The government was impressed with the technology showed but pointed out the timing,” comments Mr Wahnon, referring to Macau Cable TV’s exclusive concession that runs out in April 2014. In a written reply to questions from
Macau Business, the Bureau of Tel- ecommunications Regulation said the Internet was a liberalised service in Macau, while paid cable TV services were still the exclusive preserve of the concessionaire.
The bureau did not rule out the
possibility of a bundled television, In- ternet and phone service but it did not say when that might be possible. “A con- verged service is yet to emerge with full liberalisation of the markets and market- driven demand for convergence,” the bu- reau said. When asked about the possibility
of Macau Cable TV’s contract being re- vised or cancelled to enable that to hap- pen, the bureau simply stated: “The con- cession contract can be fi nished at any time within the concession period given various circumstances. The government will not preclude the possibility of early fi nishing of the contract if necessary, but due consideration will be given to the market development and the evaluation of other alternatives.”
OCTOBER 2010
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