(Sept 18, 2014) Christopher Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has made clear how China – and the world – needs to make greater efforts to protect creative content. Delivering a keynote speech at the World International Copyright Organization (WIPO) Copyright Forum, the former US Senator brought up the importance and impact of the Beijing Treaty, which regulates copyright for audiovisual performances and expands performers’ rights.

Read more at Advanced Television

(Sept 18, 2014) Doha-based beIN Sports has added a third channel to its existing pair of sports channels, which mostly carry soccer matches. Its channel 3 will carry rugby, basketball, handball, athletics, judo and volleyball.

Read more at Advanced Television

(Sept 18, 2014) Disney is turning to OTT to reach 20 to 30 year-olds as pay-TV growth slackens, Ben Pyne, president of global distribution at Disney Media Networks told the CTAM EuroSummit.

Read more at Advanced Television

South Africa’s entertainment and media market is expected to grow by 10.2% compounded annually (CAGR) from 2014 – 2018

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, September 18, 2014/ — Increased Internet access will generate more consumer spend than any other media product or service in the next five years in the South African entertainment and media industry, according to a report issued by PwC today (http://www.pwc.com). South Africa’s entertainment and media market is expected to grow by 10.2% compounded annually (CAGR) from 2014 – 2018 to a value of R190.4bn. By far the largest segment will be the Internet. Combined revenues from Internet access and Internet advertising will account for an estimated R71.6bn in 2018, accounting for 37.6% of total revenues, according to PwC’s South African Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2014-2018 (‘The Outlook’).

Vicki Myburgh, Entertainment & Media Industries Leader for PwC South Africa, says: “Growth in the South African entertainment and media industry is largely being driven by the Internet and by consumers’ love of new technology, in particular mobile technology, such as smartphones and tablets, as well as applications powered by data analytics and cloud services. Technology is increasingly being driven by consumers’ needs and expectations.”

The fifth edition of PwC’s ‘South African Entertainment and Media Outlook’ presents annual historical data for 2009-2013 and provides annual forecasts for 2014-2018 in 12 entertainment and media segments.

The Outlook includes historical and forecast data on the Internet, television, filmed entertainment, radio, recorded music, consumer magazine publishing, newspaper publishing, consumer and educational book publishing, business-to-business publishing, out-of-home advertising, video games, and sports. It gives a detailed breakdown of these sectors.

The Outlook also includes detailed information for South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya in each of the 12 industry segments.

Aside from the Internet, The Outlook predicts that the fastest growth will be seen in video games and radio, which will enjoy growth rates at 9% and 8.2% respectively. “Video games has made the greatest transition to digital, largely due to the popularity of mobile gaming, but also because of the increased potential for digital distribution of console games,” adds Myburgh. The study projects that 27% of console revenues are forecast to be digital in 2018.

The slowest growing segment in the E&M industry will be the music industry, according to the survey. Annual revenue is forecast to grow marginally by a CAGR of 0.5% to remain relatively flat at R2.18bn in 2018.

Television is the second-largest segment, with combined revenues from TV subscriptions and advertising projected to reach R39.6bn in 2018. The study shows that advertising accounted for 38% of revenue in the E&M industry in 2013, although this share is expected to fall to 33% in 2018, largely due to internet access increasing its market share significantly over the same period.

The strongest drivers of growth in the sports segment will come from sponsorships and media rights. South Africa will see total sports revenues of an estimated R20.5bn in 2018, up from R14.8bn, and rising at a CAGR of 6.7%.

End-user spending, consisting of spending by consumers and other end-users on products and services produced by the entertainment and media industry, will rise at 12% CAGR over the next five years from R72.8bn in 2013 to reach an estimated R128.1bn. Although there is a significant change in the way consumers spend their money, digital revenues in other segments remain relatively small. Nevertheless digital is on the rise both in terms of consumers and advertising revenues. The study also shows that revenue in the film industry is expected to grow by a 7.1% CAGR over the next five years to reach R3.4 billion in 2018. Electronic home video is also catching on rapidly in the film segment. Far less digital take-up is being seen in the magazine, newspaper and book segments, with digital revenues for each forecast to be under 7% of the total, even in 2018. Although consumers may be browsing newspapers and magazine-style websites online, monetising these consumers presents much more difficulty for E&M businesses.

Nigeria

Nigeria’s entertainment and media revenues will reach an estimated US$8.5bn in 2018, more than doubling from the 2013 figure of US$4.0bn at a CAGR of 16.1%. This represents one of the fastest growth rates in the world. The Internet will be the key driver for Nigeria, where the number of mobile Internet subscribers is forecast to surge from 7.7 million in 2013 to 50.4 million in 2018.

Television in the form of advertising and subscriptions and licence fees, will also become a US$1 billion-plus market in 2018, while the market will grow steadily.

Kenya

Kenya recorded US$1.7bn in entertainment and media revenues in 2013, and this is forecast to rise to US$3.1bn in 2018. Once again, it is Internet access that is driving growth Television and radio will account for combined US$1 billion-plus of revenues at the end of the forecast period.

PwC Africa Connectivity Index

The objective of the PwC Country Connectivity Index is to measure the state of connectivity for all markets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with a population of over 10 million. The findings presented in the Index highlights those markets that offer the greatest potential for the future consumption of entertainment and media services because of their relative maturity in terms of connectivity.

As the most mature of Africa’s markets, it should be no surprise that South Africa tops the Index as it offers significant potential as a strong entertainment and media market. Although South Africa scores highly (83%) across current connectivity and quality of connectivity, there is still room for improvement. Mobile broadband services are still expensive for consumers with almost 0.5% of a South African consumer’s average GDP per capita going towards mobile broadband services.

Kenya (75%) also performs well in the rankings with the continued rise in its international bandwidth usages.

Although broadband penetration may be high – as in the case of Nigeria- this does not necessarily mean that a country scores highly. At 0.6% of the average GDP per capita in Nigeria, the cost of mobile broadband services is too high.

The next wave of growth markets in SSA

Highlighted below are three snapshots of SSA markets with a particular focus on their TV and broadband markets and assessment of the scope for growth in their entertainment and media sectors.

Angola

Much of the media in Angola is government-controlled. Deregulating the media is a gradual process and the handful of emerging ‘private’ radio and newspaper operations are mostly bankrolled – so limiting their independence. Among TV households, pay-TV penetration is high at 75%. TV currently comprises 28% of advertising spend, a figures that is likely to drop by two percentage points over the next five years. Angola is comparatively well connected, with about one in ten Angolans able to access the Internet by way of a mobile network and two percent of households also able to access fixed broadband services. However, international bandwidth is still scarce. If the country’s Internet market is to be better penetrated, greater infrastructure investment will be required.

Ghana

A relatively mature TV and Internet infrastructure in Ghana assists in making it a market in which consumers are more receptive to advertising. At the end of 2013, 58% of households had access to a TV set, according to the study. The leading four terrestrial channels comprised 96% of audience time and 12% of TV households were digital. In spite of a decline in 2011, total advertising revenues are now on the rise again with total spend reaching GHS245.6 million (US$73.3 million) in 2012. Ghana scores well in the Connectivity Index. The Government appears committed to supporting growth plans for broadband services which are relatively affordable compared to other markets in the continent.

Tanzania

As at the end of 2013, 13% of Tanzanian households had access to a TV set, according to independent analyst and consultancy firm Ovum. This number has dropped slightly in the last two years as a result of the state’s decision to proceed with an analogue terrestrial switch-off before the public was ready, leading to many households actually losing their access.

Ovum forecasts another fall in TV adoption in 2015 when national analogue switch-off takes place, but the numbers of those with access to TV will rise again to one in five of the population in 2019.Radio dominates the advertising sector in Tanzania, contributing just over 50% of revenues, with TV accounting for about 30%. Of the three markets covered in our studies, Tanzania ranks highest. The Government has embraced competition and the role of the private sector in improving economic and social development.

Myburgh concludes: “The future may well be digital in South Africa, as with the rest of the world – many of its products and services can already be delivered in digital form. But we believe that progress in the South African E&M market will be gradual and that there are still plenty of opportunities for ‘old’ and ‘traditional’ media yet.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).

Contacts

Vicki Myburgh: Entertainment & Media Industries Leader for PwC South Africa
Office: + 27 11 797 4305
Email: vicky.myburgh@za.pwc.com

OR

Sunet Liebenberg: Senior Manager, PwC
Office: + 27 11 797 5310
Email: sunet.liebenberg@za.pwc.com

OR

Lindiwe Magana: Media Relations Manager, PwC
Office: + 27 11 797 5042
Email: lindiwe.magana@za.pwc.com

About PwC
PwC (http://www.pwc.com ) firms help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 184,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at http://www.pwc.com.

SOURCE
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)

FOX Sports now holds exclusive rights to 3 out of the 4 tennis Grand Slams in the region.

18 SEPTEMBER 2014, SINGAPORE – FOX Sports, FOX International Channels’ sports network, hits another winner to confirm its place as THE home of premier sporting action after securing exclusive broadcast rights (cable, satellite and terrestrial) and multi-media rights with The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) to The Championships, Wimbledon for another six years, from 2015 – 2020 in Asia*. The announcement of the deal today at the Sports Matters conference, held in Singapore, adds Wimbledon to a stellar list of the world’s top tennis events already airing on the FOX Sports network, including the Australian Open and the French Open.

In addition to serving up LIVE coverage of the entire two-week showpiece from Wimbledon, in standard and high definition, fans will also be able to catch the action LIVE and on-demand on FOX Sports Play at www.foxplayasia.com or via the iOS and Android apps. Subscribers to FOX Sports Mobile, may also follow the action streamed LIVE to their mobile phones. Extensive highlights are also available on the 24/7 sports news channel, FOX Sports News.

Viewers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand will also be able to access commentary in Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai respectively, in addition to English.

“We are pleased to continue our strong relationship with the AELTC as we build on the strength of Wimbledon and offer our fans the best in grand slam tennis,” said Zubin Gandevia, President of Asia Pacific and Middle East at FOX International Channels.

“We are delighted to build on our strong partnership with FOX Sports for a further 6 years. Delivering live output across all platforms of all the action, plus telling the Wimbledon narrative to a growing pan-Asian audience is a high priority for The Championships,” added Mick Desmond, Commercial Director, AELTC.
The broadcast deal will thrill tennis fans in Asia, who have enjoyed watching legendary players like Pete Sampras and Martina Navratilova, to current stars like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, to young upstarts like Eugenie Bouchard and Milos Raonic, as well as new stars, grace the courts at the famous SW19 sporting jewel.

*territories include Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, Guam, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

-END-

About FOX International Channels

FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. FIC develops, produces and distributes 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, sports, factual and movie channels in 45 languages across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions reach over 1.725 billion cumulative households worldwide. In addition, FIC acquires, develops, produces and co-produces scripted and non-scripted programming for its linear and digital platforms including the Golden Globes nominated hit series The Walking Dead, The Bridge and Da Vinci’s Demons.

In Asia Pacific and the Middle East, FIC’s portfolio includes 30+ channel brands across all genres on both linear and non-linear platforms, including FOX Sports, FOX, National Geographic Channel, and SCM (formerly STAR Chinese Movies). As the region’s leading broadcaster, FIC reaches more than 580 million cumulative homes with offices in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia and the UAE.

For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

About FOX Sports

FIC Sports networks includes FOX Sports, the channel that delivers some of the most compelling LIVE sport events from around the world, including the flagship sports news show FOX Sports Central; FOX Sports 2, the channel for fans of ball and racquet sports; FOX Sports 3, for fans of adrenaline-pumping sports action; FOX Sports News the first 24/7 sports news channel; FOX Sports Play, the broadband network providing LIVE and on-demand sports properties and additional exclusive content; FOX Sports Mobile, the mobile application that allows fans to access on-demand, premium world-class mobile sports content and www.foxsportsasia.com, the online destination for comprehensive sports content.

For further information, please contact:

Paul Tan
Director, Marketing (Sports)
FOX International Channels
DID: +65 6809 3364 (Singapore)
Email: paul.tan@fox.com

Kelly Jang
Director, Trade Marketing
FOX International Channels
DID: +852 2621 8875 (Singapore)
Email: kelly.jang@fox.com

BBC Earth’s new digital home brings something amazing every day to global audiences

Singapore 17th September 2014 – BBC Earth – the BBC Worldwide factual brand behind global blockbusters such as Planet Earth, Walking with Dinosaurs and Blue Planet – today launches its new digital home on BBC.com. The stunning site captures BBC Earth’s passion for adventure and exploration bringing visitors a visual feast of incredible imagery, world class videos and stories that will offer fans a new perspective on the world.

From the depths of the ocean to the outer reaches of the universe visitors to the new section will be able to explore ten content strands including a mix of newly commissioned content as well as awe inspiring moments from the BBC’s Natural History Unit archives, which will be housed in the Amazing Moments section and will offer hundreds of clips, launching with 25, including Attack Of The Praying Mantis with new clips to be published daily. Other key strands include: Discoveries a section dedicated to uncovering fascinating stories such as Are Dolphins Cleverer Dogs, to Strange & Beautiful, which explores topics including The Twisted World of Sexual Organs to A Colourful Life, home to specially commissioned short films exploring the beauty of nature through colour. First to launch will be Life in White dedicated to the beauty of nature’s polar ice caps and nature’s use of the colour.

Matt Walker, former news editor at New Scientist and editor of BBC Food and BBC Nature, has taken up the reins as Editor working alongside a number of BBC Earth’s network of experts in science and nature.

Matt Walker, Editor for BBC Earth on BBC.com said: “BBC Earth offers a different perspective on the world and we want to celebrate all the wonders of the natural world from your back garden to the farthest star. We share a never ending curiosity with our audience and being digital allows us to interact more closely with them. We want people to share their own content with us and their network through social media and show us what inspires them. Our mission is to bring visitors to BBC Earth something amazing every single day and we have an incredible wealth of content to offer from mind bending stories to stunning photography and film that will change the way you think about our universe.”

Matt added: “Like our other non-news sections BBC Earth hopes to attract new visitors to BBC.com which is increasingly becoming the go to site for a wealth of new and topic led content.”

Jo Sermon, Director of BBC Earth commented: “The launch of BBC Earth on BBC.com is an opportunity for us to transform our relationship with audiences and give people a place to connect with our content beyond the television. Its home for the huge breadth and range of content that BBC Earth encompasses and we can be immediate in sharing new stories. Audiences will be able to explore their world and discover its wonders whenever and wherever they want and there will always be something new to excite them.”

“We are very much looking forward to the launch of BBC Earth on BBC.com in Asia. lt provides yet an added dimension to the brand, and perfectly complements our existing BBC Earth on BBC Knowledge programming strand which can be viewed every Thursday evening on the channel throughout Asia. We are confident that BBC Earth on BBC.com will allow our audiences to connect even deeper with the brand, inspiring and entertaining them at the same time,” said David Weiland, EVP, BBC Worldwide Asia.

BBC Earth builds on the existing portfolio of specialist sections BBC Autos, BBC Capital, BBC Culture, BBC Future and BBC Travel, commissioned for BBC.com. Each of these bespoke sections seeks to offer visitors to BBC.com a deeper understanding of the story behind the headlines, across a plethora of topics and from a wealth of specialists. To date the non-news sections have attracted an average of 6.8 million unique users contributing to the 76 million unique users BBC.com attracts on a monthly basis across mobile and desktop.

-Ends-

For more information please contact:
Jeanne Leong
Director, Communications
BBC Worldwide Asia
Tel:65 6849 5292/ +65 83881832
Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com

About BBC Earth. BBC Earth is a global factual brand which seeks to inspire audiences in the UK and worldwide with the most incredible sights, stories and characters from the natural world. Commercially and internationally the brand is managed by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC. Since launch the brand has grown across multiple platforms including branded blocks on television, live events, social media, visitor attractions, theatrical releases for cinema and giant screen films and online on BBC.com. From 2015 the BBC Earth brand will launch new channels internationally that will be dedicated to bringing audiences premium factual content.

About BBC Worldwide. BBC Worldwide is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Its vision is to build the BBC’s brands, audiences, commercial returns and reputation across the world. This is achieved through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also champions British creativity globally.

In 2013/14, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £157.4m and headline sales of £1,042.3m and returned £173.8m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview
bbcworldwide.com
twitter.com/bbcwpress

About BBC Advertising. BBC Advertising sells advertising and sponsorship solutions on behalf of BBC Worldwide’s commercial portfolio across broadcast, online and mobile platforms globally.

(Sept 16, 2014) “We recall that, at WPP Stream India in February 2014, the renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur metaphorically referred to digital marketing as Shiv Tandava. We whole-heartedly agree with Kapur’s viewpoint,” is how the GroupM opened and launched its India Digital Playbook.

The Playbook seeks to guide brand advertisers on the fast evolving digital media space in India.

Read more at Indiantelevision.com

(Sept 16, 2014) Findings from a recent Viacom study – Getting With the Program: TV’s Funnels, Paths and Hurdles – exploring how audiences discover, watch and become fans of TV shows, reveal that the proliferation of devices and sources is having a positive impact on viewership and fandom.

Additionally, multi-screen viewers (those who used multiple screens and sources) demonstrate a preference for live TV and stronger network loyalty compared to single-screeners (those who only used one screen).

Read more at Advanced Television

SNL Kagan gives you the latest numbers and their implications as advertisers vie for the mobile audience.

Mobile is getting hotter by the minute. The latest figures show a decline in desktop viewing of online videos for major broadcast networks. The shift to video watching on mobile devices is in full swing. Mobile and online advertising are driving new VC funding.

Download the latest SNL Kagan report on the up-and-coming mobile advertising trend that will drive revenue in this growing field.

With SNL Kagan, you’ll always have the right answers on any Media & Communications sector.