IN MY VIEW
‘We should be looking at opening up platforms to diversify the
opportunities for
new channels’ David Treadway
PLAYOUT FREE THE EPG
The dominance of a few key players is challenging the entry of new channels. We should be fighting to open up platforms for the benefit of the industry, audiences and advertisers, says David Treadway
S
ky is an innovator and should be
applauded for opening up and developing the multichannel television market, where it has led the industry in the
creation of choice. However, its tight grip on the standard definition (SD) electronic programme guide (EPG) is an example of a sole custodian controlling a route to market for new channels getting to air. Its control means that, effectively, the SD platform is closed to all unless a channel has the cash to acquire an EPG. This restriction has created an unofficial
‘grey’ market for EPGs where premium posi- tions can change hands for several hundred thousand pounds. Earlier this year, Film24 pulled out of the market and created an oppor- tunity for Sony to purchase the EPG and launch its own branded offering on Sky chan- nel 157. Surely, with players such as Sony
14 | Broadcast TECH | March/April 2012
launching an SD service, it shows that there is still a market for new, quality programming on the Sky SD platform. SD EPGs are not always available – they
tend to come on the market only when an existing channel closes or moves to HD. But currently, this is the only way to get on air, unless a channel has the wherewithal to launch in HD. We all understand that the future is HD but new entrants, particularly niche channels or those developing an audience proposition, don’t have the resources to launch in HD and are therefore being denied the opportunity to launch at all. Neither Ofcom nor the DCMS seems partic- ularly concerned at this situation and both appear content to accept Sky’s argument that a relatively small number of older, capacity limited set-top-boxes force it to keep the SD EPG list closed. In a similar fashion, Arqiva is the gate-
keeper to terrestrial broadcast delivery. This is
a direct result of market consolidation – nothing wrong with that – but we are left with a monopoly transmission provider with faint and only specific regulatory restrictions placed upon it. Although there are early signs of a competi-
tive delivery opportunity developing in Lon- don for DAB, television is the sole preserve of Arqiva and, as a result, there is a total and complete absence of choice for channels and content owners wishing to reach an audience via terrestrial transmission. I have a lot of time and respect for both Sky and Arqiva but the regulations that guide us as distribution and delivery suppliers seem oddly relaxed when it comes to the dominant players in their respective areas of the market. Surely we should be looking at opening up platforms to further enhance and diversify the opportunities for new channels, advertisers and audiences. ➤ David Treadway is managing director of WRN Broadcast
www.broadcastnow.co.uk/techfacils
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