"Nobody that wants to be successful here can stay on one platform,” says Tokyo-based Peter Bullard, president Viacom International Japan K.K. “We want to move beyond cable and satellite TV, particularly in Japan.” Despite having only 6.4 million pay-TV subscribers, Bullard says MTV Japan is one of that network’s top 5 strongest markets in the world. “It may look like a low base, but it proves that quality viewers can show a significant return – and … [Read more...] about Viacom’s ‘Flux-able’ strategy for Japan
Asian content
The Mouse goes Mobile
According to figures from the Yankee Group, global mobile data service revenues are set to rise from US$24 billion in 2006, to $129 billion in 2010. With Asia Pacific and Japan accounting for the majority of that figure, Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) is pursuing an aggressive mobile strategy in the region. Aiming for distribution in all the markets under his remit, which does not include China or India, Orrell-Jones says Vietnam will complete coverage that already extends across 11 markets … [Read more...] about The Mouse goes Mobile
Aussie networks slug it out over sports rights
Sports-mad Australians (that means most of the male population, if not as many females) have to subscribe to pay television to watch the English Premier League and Aussie A-League soccer, Super 14 rugby games, domestic cricket and assorted other contests. But hundreds of spectacles, including the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, Melbourne Cup horse race, Australian Rules Football and Wimbledon, by law, have traditionally been quarantined for free-to-air television and available to pay TV only if … [Read more...] about Aussie networks slug it out over sports rights
Cricket proves a money spinner in India
With the passage of time, commercial deals involving the Indian cricket team have witnessed exponential growth. But none so astronomical as the US$612 million committed by Nimbus Communications Limited to The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as part of the four-year deal for global media rights for Indian cricket (on Indian soil) until March 2010. The BCCI also signed a $219 million five-year global media rights deal with Zee Telefilms for one-day matches featuring India at neutral … [Read more...] about Cricket proves a money spinner in India
The Rights Stuff
When Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel) officially announced November 2006 that it had submitted a bid for the broadcast rights to the English Premier League (EPL) matches from August 2007 to May 2010, it was assumed optimism was high in the SingTel camp. The statement from director corporate communications Peter Heng that, “Our intention is to offer Pay TV services to deliver High Definition content over SingTel’s telecommunications network,” was interpreted as a show … [Read more...] about The Rights Stuff