Star India clamps down on pay channels piracy; raids, arrests, equipment seizures in Karnataka, AP, MP

100+ FIRs against pirating networks in last 12 months due to Star India’s anti-piracy campaign

Mumbai, 1 June, 2016: Continuing its no-tolerance stand against illegal transmission/re-transmission of Pay TV Channels by cable operators indulging in piracy of STAR TV Signals, officials of STAR TV filed complaints against cable operators in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, which led to police raids on their premises, arrests and seizures of equipment. The raids were conducted at the control rooms of RST Digital (Karnataka), Ganesh Communication (AP) and Tanishq Communications (MP), who were found indulging in illegal transmission/re-transmission of the Star Pay Channels. (Details of initial investigations and action taken, below)

Over the last 12 months, Star India’s anti-piracy campaign has resulted in 100+ FIRs against pirating networks across the country.

The rampant issue of piracy in India has deprived the broadcast industry of reach as well as revenue worth thousands of crores. It is widely believed that the Piracy menace impacts the Television medium the most with cable operators under-reporting their subscribers as well as indulging in illegal transmission/re-transmission of the Pay Channels, resulting in significant losses to the broadcasters as well as the government exchequer.

While the implementation of Digitally Addressable Systems (DAS) in the country will be a big corrective and preventive step, the implementation of DAS all over the country is yet to be done. In the interim, Star India, since the last few years, has adopted a policy of “zero tolerance” against operators indulging in illegal transmission/re-transmission of the Star Pay Channels.

STAR TV’s proactive steps are expected to reap significant benefits for the entire broadcast industry.

Details on the raids conducted by Star India –

Karnataka

Initial investigations

Star India conducted discreet investigations at Kakarla town and identified that RST digital (located at No.64/8, Simaz Complex, Taluk Office, Karkala, Udupi District, Karnataka, India- 574104), which has a subscriber base of over 2500 households, was indulging in piracy through DTH. The operator was carrying illegal signals of Star India channels Star Plus, Star Sports 1, Life Ok, Suvarna & Asianet, along with Sony, Zee and Colors channels.

RST Digital has monopoly in the Karkala region and so far not allowed any new network to set up a control room in this region. It is rumored to have high connections with the ruling political party in chair.

Action taken

Post the initial investigations, Star India officials filed a First Information Report (FIR no. 135/2016 dated 25.05.2016) against RST Digital at Karkala Police Station, under section 379 of IPC r/w Sections 37,51,63,65,69 of the Copyright Act, which resulted in a raid at the premises of the operator. During the raid, the operator resisted police entry into the control room and arguments were exchanged. Piracy equipment including DTH Set Top Boxes (of Sun Direct), Umbrellas, Amplifier, Modulator, Star Boxes etc. were seized. RST Digital’s owner Vijay Shetty is in remand since 25^th May 2016 and his bail application has been rejected.

Andhra Pradesh

Initial investigations

Star India’s investigations at Rayadurg town in Ananthapur District, AP (on the border of Bellary district, Karnataka) revealed that local cable operator Ganesh Communication, which has a subscriber base of over 10,000 households, was indulging in piracy through DTH. The operator was transmitting illegal signals carrying a total of 15 channels including Star India channels Star Plus, Suvarna and MAA TV along with Sony, Zee and Gemini.

Action taken

Post the initial investigations, Star India officials filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Ganesh Communication at the Rayadurg police station, under section 420 IPC and 63, 69 of the Copyright Act, which resulted in a raid at the premises of the operator. Piracy equipment including DTH Set Top Boxes (of Sun Direct & Videocon), Umbrellas, Amplifier, Modulator etc. were seized. During the raid, the operator resisted the entry of the Police in the control room and arguments were exchanged. The SHO (Mahanandi) then reported the matter to the Deputy Superintendent of Police and entered the control room forcefully, seized the equipment and arrested a Technician. The new owners of the network are well connected and have direct connection through MSO associations as well as ministers in AP government

Before Star India’s action, Sun Network’s Anti-Piracy team tried to conduct a raid on Ganesh Communication but failed.

Madhya Pradesh

Initial investigations

Star India discovered that Tanishq Communications (located at Itarsi town in Hoshangabad District, Madhya Pradesh) was indulging in the illegal transmission of channels such as Star Sports 3, Star Plus and Life Ok, through Area transgression by SV Enterprises, Hoshangabad. Tanishq Communications has a strong subscriber base of over 15,000 households in the state. The proprietor of Tanishq Communication, Mahesh Chouksey is highly influential in the area and also well-connected with the ruling Political party.

Action taken

Star India officials have been pursuing the matter with local police since August 2015 on 25 May 2016 filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Tanishq Communication under section Sec 63 & 65 of Copy right Act, 1957. The officials also met with the Superintendent of Police (SP), Inspector General of Police (IGP) & Director General of Police (DGP), which resulted in a raid at the premises of the operator. Piracy equipment including one Node, one Transmitter, one Channel Mixer were seized, and a Technician was arrested.

Babyfirst launches in China in dual language – Exclusively distributed by HBO Asia

SINGAPORE, MAY 31, 2016 – HBO Asia, the sole distributor of BabyFirst in Asia, announced today the signing of an exclusive multi-year deal for the top baby and toddler network’s content to be available on You+ Kids, a new children’s video on demand service on Beijing You Peng Technology Co., Ltd (Youpeng)’s interactive TV platform. BabyFirst’s content on You+ Kids will be available from mid June this year, in high-definition and dual language options: Mandarin or English audio with Chinese subtitles.

Since 2009, HBO Asia has inked deals with multiple affiliates, growing the BabyFirst footprint across eight Asian territories; in Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines and Singapore.

“It’s a proud moment for us to see Youpeng launch BabyFirst’ programming in China,” said Guy Oranim, CEO, BabyFirst. “Youpeng is an established and innovative TV operator as well as a great partner that truly appreciates the importance of offering quality children’s content for all families and embraces our multicultural approach to babies education.” He adds, “We are also very delighted with our collaboration with HBO Asia which is a wonderful partner and extremely helpful in getting BabyFirst new distribution opportunities in Asia Pacific since 2009.”

Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia, added, “Our strong presence in 23 Asian territories and deep knowledge of the region puts HBO Asia in a unique position to connect our partners, benefitting 40 million families across China on Youpeng’s leading interactive platform with BabyFirst’s award-winning selection of localised early childhood education programmes.” He continues, “This is an extension of HBO Asia’s brand promise to bring the best programming to audiences through the biggest operators in the region.”

Youpeng’s Chairman and CEO, Colin Shao said: “Families have always been Youpeng’s focus and early childhood education is extremely important to Chinese parents. For this reason, Youpeng spent a lot of effort searching for quality content recommended by experts in the field, and found this with BabyFirst, the reputable and trusted brand in early childhood development programmes. Through working with HBO Asia and BabyFirst to localise the programming, we hope to provide the best curated child development content platform to kids and parents all across China.”

A recipient of the iParenting Media Award for one of the “Greatest Products of the Year”, a Dr Tay Best Products winner for the “Best Play and Learn Vocation Products” and the US International Film and Video “Gold Camera” award for educational children’s programming, BabyFirst offers a safe, positive and commercial-free learning environment, tailored to benefit developmental needs of children up to three years. The network’s evolving and interactive programmes are supervised by leading experts in child psychology and development, early childhood education and children’s programming.

Through BabyFirst’s “Joy” colouring system, the content will be categorised and programmed to target all aspects of child development, including logic, language, numbers and imagination. They are further adjusted to suit the Chinese family, providing a guided and delightful viewing experience for children.

All BabyFirst content on You+ Kids will be carefully curated from a vast library of over 4000 episodes. With every title translated and dubbed in Mandarin, parents have complete control over their children’s viewing experience, with the flexibility to play whichever programme they want, whenever they want to, in their language of choice.

You+ Kids will be available extensively through Youpeng’s affiliated telecom operators, cable operators, SmartTV and set top box manufacturers, reaching over 40 million households in China.

About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia with six 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits, Cinemax and Red by HBO, internet streaming platform, HBO GO, subscription video on demand service, HBO On Demand, and in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang). HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

About BabyFirst

BabyFirst is the leading commercial–free 24/7 network for young children and their parents. Working closely with an extensive network of renowned authorities in every area of early childhood psychology and education, BabyFirst is a trusted age appropriate network throughout the world. BabyFirst is currently available to more than 100 million households in more than 35 countries including the top 5 U.S. satellite and cable operators: DirecTV, Dish Network, Time-Warner, Comcast and Charter. BabyFirst is committed to creating a commercial-free, nurturing and interactive environment by offering an ever-changing line-up of quality child developmental content.

About Beijing You Peng Technology

Founded in 2006, Beijing You Peng Technology is China’s leading Interactive TV company. The company’s core product, “Youpeng Cloud”, provides Interactive TV cloud services to IPTV, digital cable and Internet TV platforms, including technology solutions and platform operations, product configuration and customisation, content aggregation, customer acquisition, CRM and value-added services. With a team of over 800 people and 18 branch offices across China’s key markets, Youpeng Cloud provides services to 46 provincial telecom companies, 12 cable operators and 5 SmartTV manufacturers, including Skyworth, Hisense, TCL, Konka, Changhong, covering 40 million households in China.

CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2016: Seizing New Growth Opportunities Amidst Technological and Economic Changes

SINGAPORE, 31 MAY 2016 – The emergence of new technologies in the satellite industry, including the arrival of HTS GSO and NGSO systems, is prompting the industry to embrace a substantial shift – from offering one-size-fits-all capacity to creating value propositions better tailored to customers’ fast-growing, diverse demand and the price pressures in dynamic economic circumstances.

This was a key focus at CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2016, attended by close to 200 industry leaders yesterday at Pan Pacific Singapore. Nine high-level panels discussed a wide range of topics – from the latest strategies in the challenging market landscape, the rise in NGSO systems, to developments in the launch market and perspectives on airline communications, broadband and enterprise solutions.

Demand for superior value proposition

In the Asia Pacific Satellite Leadership Roundtable, key industry leaders agreed that despite cyclical downturns in industries like oil and gas, there is still immense market potential in Asia. “These are cyclical forces that don’t fundamentally lead to long-term decline in demand,” said Mr. Jean-François Fenech, CEO of Eutelsat Asia. “Usage in data is continuing to pick up.”

Panellists highlighted long-term fundamentals for sustained growth in video and broadband data connectivity, which lead to continued investments in growth across the region. These are manifested in initiatives to enhance satellite efficiency and launch new ones to expand capacity.

Amidst intense competition in the industry, the second panel “Is the NGSO Revolution Coming?” discusses the arrival of the NGSO systems as a new alternative for delivering the optimal experience in the most cost-effective manner. Mr. Mark Rigolle, CEO of LeoSat Enterprises, said: “Satellites are now better than terrestrial solutions. Our focus is to be the fastest, most secure network, do it better than fibre and do it better than what satellites have so far been able to do.”

However, beyond debates on seemingly competing technologies – between NGSO and GSO, Ku and Ka bands, terrestrial and satellite – the discussion called for the industry to take a more customer-focused approach. “You want to offer end-to-end services; you don’t want to merely sell bandwidth and MHz. Ultimately, what your customers care about are the end benefits,” said Mr. Stéphane Chenard, Senior Associate Consultant, Euroconsult.

Featuring updates from leaders in the launch market, the third panel underlined the need to focus on the economic calculus of satellite launches and not just the technology. Mr. Jacques Breton, Senior Vice President, Sales & Business Development, Arianespace, said half of the company’s backlog comprises NGSO, but also added: “We are agnostic on any orbit; for us, it’s about providing the appropriate vehicles and solutions at the appropriate cost.”

The discussion on cost is especially pertinent with the advent of new innovations that claim to offer greater efficiency and lower costs, unlocking industry-disrupting possibilities that make space more accessible.

“We have been successful in changing the cost paradigm,” said Mr. Jonathan Hofeller, Vice President of Commercial Sales, SpaceX. “We will continue to see smaller satellites and newer constellations come online that couldn’t afford to previously. For small satellites, we have tapped on third party ride-share missions.”

In addition, the panel cited reusability and automation as measures that are being adopted for enhancing efficiency.

Aeronautical applications in ongoing evolution

The fourth panel featured an exciting discussion on whether satellite applications in aeronautics and in-flight connectivity are merely a flash in the pan, especially given the challenges in monetising this service proposition. Panellists agreed that there is no singular model, as airlines integrate connectivity in different ways – from ‘freemium’ offering to pay-as-you-go amongst low-cost carriers.

The panel also highlighted the fact that besides passenger and consumer connectivity, the aeronautics sector generates demand for satellite applications in aircraft operations. Even as antenna and satellite technology evolves, airlines are demanding options that are readily available to support their capabilities.

Towards World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) ’19

In a rallying call, Mr. Gonzalo de Dios, Associate General Counsel, Intelsat emphasised that in the aftermath of WRC ’15, the industry needs to advocate for a vision of the critical role that satellite will play in an ever-connected world through close coordination between service providers, end users, and customers at domestic and regional levels. “This is about connectivity on a global level and the imperative to serve underrepresented areas."

Continued optimism amidst price pressures

While demand for satellite capacity is rapidly increasing, pricing remains low. Panellists in the “The Customer is Always Right – Sometimes” discussion tackled growing customer expectations by advocating for more aggressive business models to attract and retain customers. They also identified video as an emerging opportunity for huge growth potential.

Mr. Vaibhav Magow, Regional Director, Asia-Pacific, Hughes Network Systems, LLC, said: “The industry is opening up many market segments that were not available to us in the past. With new technological developments, we are now starting to gain back a space in the traditional telecommunications world and fight back through innovation. That’s a really strong reason to be optimistic."

Meanwhile, panellists on the “CEO Panel – The Sharp End” responded to falling transponder prices by stressing the need for businesses to increase flexibility and quality of their services to remain competitive in the market. Mr Steve Collar, CEO of O3b Networks, said falling prices offer opportunities for the industry to innovate and deliver solutions that are more relevant to customers, and urged the satellite business to transform from a scarce, niche industry into a more accessible one.

Indonesia as a growth market

At the session “Focus on Indonesia”, panellists said weak economic fundamentals and the gap between rising operational costs and consumers’ ability to pay are key challenges for the satellite industry in Indonesia. Nevertheless, the fragmented archipelago heavily relies on satellite services, and demand for bandwidth in Indonesia has quadrupled in the last five years, said Mr. Henry Mulya, Sales Director, Asia Pacific, SES.

The way forward for the satellite industry

To close, CEOs of leading satellite businesses discussed the way forward for the satellite industry and the challenges it currently faces. Acknowledging the harsh stock market perceptions of the industry, the key business leaders emphasized that the business realities point towards long-term growth that can be accomplished through continuous innovation.

Summing up the day’s discussions, Mr. Paul Brown-Kenyon, Chairman, CASBAA Satellite Industry Committee and CEO of MEASAT said: “We are at an important transformational place, and the world is changing dramatically. The amount of money we pay for data today is the same as five years ago, but the data we consume is ten times more. I think our business would change, and the role we play in the communications sector would change."

=== END ===

About CASBAA

CASBAA is the Asia Pacific region’s largest non-profit media association, serving the multi-channel audio-visual content creation and distribution industry. Established in 1991, CASBAA has grown with the industry to include digital multichannel television, content, platforms, advertising, and video delivery. Encompassing some 500 million connections within a footprint across the region, CASBAA works to be the authoritative voice for multichannel TV; promoting even-handed and market-friendly regulation, IP protection and revenue growth for subscription and advertising, while promoting global best practices. For more information, visit www.casbaa.com

Media Contacts

Cynthia Wong

Director, Member Relations & Marketing, CASBAA

Cynthia@casbaa.com

+852 3929 1711

27 May, 2016

Welcome to News Views, CASBAA’s news round-up culled from sources across the industry for the week ending May 27th. Curated by CASBAA, News Views keeps you in the loop. We always value your feedback, so tell us what you think!

Brought to you by:

Christopher Slaughter CEO	Nothing strange about a reported proposal by China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) to gain more control over the country’s online video providers by having state-owned enterprises take up ownership stakes in them; no, that’s not strange, and the idea even has a curious command-economy logic to it. However, what was strange was reading about it in the South China Morning Post, which is now owned by Alibaba. Yes, the same Alibaba that last month finalised its purchase of top streaming site Youku Tudou.
Kevin Jennings Vice President, Programme	The European Commission has announced approval of a proposal to extend broadcast regulations into the OTT sector. The proposal to reform the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and extend a number of regulations to online video platforms will ultimately see online platforms required to take a more active approach to taking down harmful content. The move comes on the back of calls from telecom operators for a ‘level playing field’ with OTT providers in terms of comparable services to be subject to comparable regulations, and is being seen as a broadly progressive move.
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	Of course, that’s not the only change in the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. This report nicely summarizes five focus areas. Another of the biggest novelties is a requirement that OTT providers like Netflix and Amazon maintain European works as 20% of their available catalogues. (European broadcasters will still have a 50%-of-broadcast-time local content requirement.) The new online local content rules push the big OTT operators in the direction they are moving anyway….investing in more European content.
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	Meanwhile, in Canada, a think-tank published a critique of the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) “protect and subsidize” approach to broadcast regulation. The author says there’s no evidence that “protect and subsidize” policies for entertainment programming help Canadians feel their national identity more strongly. And he notes that “the exemption (from national programming requirements) enjoyed by … (OTT) programming services … is a regulatory asymmetry that provides an inefficient implicit subsidy to OTT services.” He argues for deregulation of traditional broadcasting, not more regulation for OTT, saying “the CRTC cannot impose the same antiquated regulations used for traditional broadcast to online programming without seriously restricting access to internet programs.” Hear, hear!
Mark Lay Vice President, Singapore	Contrary to earlier research, sports fans just might pay for OTT games. OTT sports has been a bit of a holdout for (domestically delivered) live games, probably because the rights are worth so much from the existing channel partners. This hasn’t stopped NBC Sports Digital from launching of a new technology service called Playmaker Media, “designed to convince leagues and teams to use NBC to stream their events”. And OTT delivery is perfect for any VR Sports experience, as Eurosport is providing for the French Open. But OTT delivered LIVE VR sports is really where the money is at. “The NBA has 300 million fans in China. 99.9% of them will never get to a game. If they can figure out a way to monetize this rabid user base through VR that’s found money for them.”
Christopher Slaughter CEO	In case you wondered who first coined the phrase “Content Is King”, it was legendary dealmaker and industry titan Sumner Redstone, who celebrates his 93rd birthday today. Its easy to lose sight of the man’s importance, what with all the rather waggish Game of Thrones anaologies being bandied about as the current boardroom drama unfolds at Viacom (and honestly, who hasn’t been keeping tabs on it?). Redstone was a pivotal figure in the development of the modern industry, and his legacy will be much greater than the current plethora of tabloidized headlines. Of course, that is… if he ever actually shuffles off this mortal coil.
Anjan Mitra Executive Director, India	Indian broadcast sector carriage regulator, TRAI, earlier this week during a media interaction said it’s initiating a comprehensive review of existing regulatory framework governing the broadcasting and cable services sector, but stopped short of fully elaborating on them. At least from the media reports it seems so — unless it’s proven journalists failed to probe the “review process” and liberalisation that the regulator hinted at. Thankfully, TRAI admits it’s under-debate interoperable STB regime is fraught with “technological difficulties” and it has sought help from experts. We have also been told TRAI will come out with a consultation paper on internet-based telephone service soon. But what about the almost decade-old price freeze on TV channels, mobile TV and much talked-about light-touch regulations? The media reports were mum on those issues.
John Medeiros Chief Policy Officer	Censorship updates: In India, Fashion TV got a stern warning over a show aired 18 months ago. FTV told the government they now have an Asian feed which will be different, and less racy, than their European feed. Separately, the activities of the “Censor Board” (CBFC) have come in for considerable argument, with one writer urging the CBFC to “let the film industry be,” and another suggested the Censor Board’s role should be transformed from cutting films to just rating them. Finally in India, a worrisome novelty: censorship of TV channels by state politicians, without any legal authority. Over in Indonesia, the censors at KPI in Jakarta have been worrying about obscene lyrics in indigenous “Dangdut” music. And now KPI is urging its regional offices to increase their vigilance, too. (Censors, censors, everywhere!) Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the censors at the MTRCB get a big round of applause, because while they were out looking for inappropriate content, they actually hit out at display of pirated films, too! Bravo for that.
Anjan Mitra Executive Director, India	A free Internet (aka Net Neutrality in India) activist caustically observed in an opinion piece in Times of India that a third consultation process on net neutrality since March last year highlights how much pressure TRAI is under from the telecom lobby when it banned differential pricing. Times’ sister publication Economic Times in an editorial earlier chastised Telecoms Secretary for suggesting high spectrum price should not matter to telcos, adding that TRAI must ensure an open internet and low spectrum costs are at core of net neutrality. The irony (of adequate price tag for scarce commodity like spectrum) and predicament (of TRAI) cannot — and should not — be missed here.
Mark Lay Vice President, Singapore	The old telly, big-screen, boob-tube (call it what you like) is getting a makeover. And I’m not talking 4K or HDR, which apparently have a “massive sales surge”. Most of our TV’s have a tuner in them that we never use and a cable/satellite set-top that we use a lot. (Some of us even have a Mac mini a Chromecast and a Roku 4 hooked up to ours.) The latest advancement for all the new 4K TV sets is to have ethernet/wifi and a serious streaming user interface built into them. Different TV manufacturers are going with different camps. Android TV is now in Sony, Sharp and soon to be RCA sets. Roku is offered in Haier, HiSense, Insignia, Sharp and TCL. While Samsung, Panasonic and LG all have their proprietary(ish) OS’s. Whoa, what to choose? It may not matter either way, as we may all just be casting our programming choices to our TV’s from our phone and tablets.
Christopher Slaughter CEO	Okay, consider the source, but Vice’s Shane Smith is predicting a “media blood-bath” over the next twelve months. (My favourite part of that article is the note that Smith’s comments were “…slightly edited for clarity.”) Somewhat relates is viral grindhouse Buzzfeed’s plans to jump into video news, since apparently it has figured out a way “…to do it so it’s not boring,” while remaining consistent with its editorial guidelines (which reassuringly include such diktats as: “Information… should come from a verified source.”). And in case you’re wondering about this whole “New Media vs Old Media” thing, an excellent cross-ownership breakdown by Bloomberg Gadfly: “New Media Shares Old Media’s Roof”.
Jane Buckthought Advertising Consultant	Some 41% of senior marketing professionals in Asia Pacific say they have already adopted programmatic buying into their media buying processes, a new industry report has revealed. These are some of the key findings from a survey of 300 senior marketing decision-makers by Forrester Consulting on behalf of MediaMath, the global tech firm.
Kevin Jennings Vice President, Programme	BitTorrent, the company behind the oft maligned peer to peer file sharing protocol, is planning to launch a live streaming TV service. The company claims it will have better performance than existing services that broadcast live channels over the Internet. BitTorrent Live is billed as a “multichannel, live and linear video streaming platform” based on a peer-to-peer live video streaming protocol that BitTorrent has been developing for a few years. The service will offer both free and paid options. The company said it will be available on Apple TV, iOS, Android, and Mac.

Some additional links you might be interested in:

Member News

Philippe Lin appointed CEO of Eutelsat China office

Paris, Singapore, 30 May 2016 – Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) announces that Philippe Lin has been appointed CEO of the Group’s China office.

Philippe will leverage his extensive commercial and institutional experience to steer the development of Eutelsat’s activities in China. He joins Eutelsat from Airbus China after 15 years as Vice-President and Chief Representative. Prior to Airbus he held executive appointments at Total, both in Beijing and in Paris. He began his career in China working amongst others for China’s Council for Promotion of International Trade.

Philippe is a French national, a graduate of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, France’s Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) and Canada’s Ecole Nationale d’Administration Publique.

About Eutelsat Communications

Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world’s leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 40 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies.

Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location.

Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service.

For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com

Press
Vanessa O’Connor Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 voconnor@eutelsat.com
Marie-Sophie Ecuer Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com
Violaine du Boucher Tel: + 33 1 53 98 37 91 vduboucher@eutelsat.com

Investors and analysts
Joanna Darlington Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30 jdarlington@eutelsat.com
Cédric Pugni Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35 30 cpugni@eutelsat.com

Hotstar set to cross 100 million viewers mark for the VIVO IPL 2016

More than 80 million viewers for IPL to date; on track to exceed the 100 million target for the tournament
Tournament reach double’s that of last year’s tournament at the same stage
Total watch time up 275% from 2014

Mumbai, 26 May 2016: With more than 80 million viewers for the Vivo Indian Premier League 2016 to date, Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform, is on course to cross the 100 million mark in this year’s edition. The tournament’s reach on Hotstar has doubled in comparison to last year at the same stage and the total watch time is up 275% from 2014, with 95% of all consumption coming from the top 10 cities.

Ajit Mohan, CEO – Hotstar, says, “We are delighted at the growth we have seen on the IPL viewership on Hotstar over the last two tournaments. Hotstar has become the primary screen for IPL for the urban affluent and the young cricket fans. With more than double the reach of last year, we are well set to exceed the 100 million target we had set for ourselves for this year.”

Ever since its launch, Hotstar has become the preferred destination and a habit amongst the millennial in large cities where users have access to broadband data; in fact, when cricket is on, it has become the primary screen for the urban young.

Hotstar has invested heavily in creating a world-class streaming experience. Users on Hotstar have access to live scores and match data integrated into the experience. The persistent efforts to reinvent consistently and stay fresh to maintain engagement levels among the 18 to 24 year has been the driving force behind the ever-rising popularity of the platform.

Hotstar made the Vivo IPL 2016 an even more enjoyable experience for its viewers, with a complete content package including pre and post show programming with the best anchors and commentators in the country. Two wrap around shows – Cricket Live and One Tip One Hand, along with The Boundary Riders (a Video Blog) have been popular programming additions, along with Hotstar’s presence at the IPL Fan Park.

Cricket Live

Cricket Live is a one-hour exclusive show hosted by Jatin Sapru featuring the expert panel of David Hussey, Bret Lee, Mohd. Kaif, Aakash Chopra, Deep Das Gupta and Shoaib Akthar. The show is a detailed analysis on the games played in the Vivo IPL 2016 and focused purely on the cricket part of the game and not entertainment. It also brings alive all the inside scoops for all the franchises, covering their strategy, behind-the-scenes action and what’s happening in the camp, including player secrets and more.

One Tip One Hand

One Tip One Hand hosted by Cyrus Sahukar and Varun Thakur, is a weekly analysis of the Vivo IPL 2016 games, and features on Hotstar every Saturday. The show analyses the game with a bit of banter and humour along with a star-studded line-up of experts.

The Boundary Riders

Three Vloggers scour the length and breadth of the nation in search of stories that introduce fans to the unseen world around the Vivo IPL 2016 calendar and match cities. This video log (Vlog) serves as a platform for the Vloggers to share their stories. As a collective of stories, this blog demonstrates how the Vivo IPL 2016 touches and affects the lives of millions of Indians every year in a positive and uplifting way. The Vloggers also engage the players in fun activities together with pop quiz where the cricketer questions the Vlogger, and sometimes also lets the Vlogger experience a batting or bowling with the player and much more.

About Hotstar:

Hotstar is India’s largest premium streaming platform with more than 85,000 hours of drama and movies in 8 languages, and coverage of every major global sporting event. Launched in February 2015, it has been downloaded by more than 65 million users and has attracted followers on the back of a highly evolved video streaming technology and high attention to quality of experience across devices and platforms.

Soon after its launch, Hotstar raced on to become one of the fastest adopted new apps anywhere in the world. Hotstar offers most of its content free of cost and recently introduced a pay wall that provides some of the most popular international TV series and films for a monthly subscription fee of Rs. 199.

Hotstar is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store for mobile and tablet applications and can be accessed at www.hotstar.com

DISCOVERY STRENGTHENS ASIA PACIFIC OUTFIT WITH KEY APPOINTMENTS IN INNOVATION AND STRATEGY GROUPS

– Entrepreneur and digital maverick, Winradit Kasidit Kolasastraseni and experienced strategist and telecom professional Karan Paul join regional management team –

Singapore, 26 May 2016 – Discovery Communications has appointed Winradit Kasidit Kolasastraseni to the new position of Senior Vice President, Innovation – Asia Pacific, and named Karan Paul as Vice President, Strategy – Asia Pacific, taking over the portfolio of Helen Whittle who has relocated to New Zealand. Both Kolasastraseni and Paul will be based in Singapore and report to Arthur Bastings, President and Managing Director of Discovery Networks Asia Pacific. Whittle continues as Vice President, Strategy, with a focus on Discovery’s Pacific businesses and Special Projects, reporting to Bastings.

Commenting on the appointments, Bastings said, “As we evolve our business from a traditional linear pay-tv to a true convergent media and entertainment business, adding diversity to our leadership and enhancing our skillset is critical. Winradit and Karan bring with them strong non-linear and ICT experience, and I am very excited to have them on board as we continue to evolve our product and business portfolio.”

Kolasastraseni will focus on the evolution of Discovery to a progressive digitally native product and services company. Key initiatives will include the incubation of new digital businesses; extensions of existing brands into online communities; and a strong push into big data and analytics. Kolasastraseni is no stranger to the industry, having founded Thailand’s premium OTT service PrimeTime Entertainment. During his stewardship as CEO, PrimeTime amassed over 2 million registered users within a year of its launch. Kolasastraseni was also the CEO and founder of technology and media companies Ploenjit Media and Fly Digital Media in Thailand. Prior to this, he was with Microsoft Thailand, SAS Software, Total Access Communication, Huasheng Industry, Cisco Systems, Samart Internet, and Point Asia Dot Com. Kolasastraseni holds a BS in Information Technology from Assumption University, Bangkok.

Paul will partner with Bastings and the General Managers of Discovery’s five newly-formed APAC market clusters on all strategy matters as the company seeks to adopt a unique and differentiated approach for each of its businesses. Paul comes to Discovery from Singtel, where he was Director, Group Projects & Consulting. He led the group’s in-house consulting team and advised senior management and the various business units on areas including partnership models and content bundling. He was previously with Value Partners Management Consulting in Singapore, PwC in India, and Absolutdata Analytics in India and San Francisco. Paul holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

DOWNLOADABLE PROFILE PHOTOS

Winradit Kasidit Kolasastraseni

Karan Paul

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About Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific

Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, a division of the number-one pay-TV programmer Discovery Communications, is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its portfolio of 15 brands. From survival to natural history, wonders of science to extreme jobs, motoring to travel and lifestyle, and the latest engineering marvels to live sporting events, each channel offers distinct must-watch programming to engage viewers across the region. The network’s 15 brands reach 695 million cumulative subscribers in 38 countries and territories with programming customised in 14 languages and dialects. For more information, please visit www.asia.discovery.com.

Contact:

Magdalene Ng
magdalene_ng@discovery.com
DID: (65) 6510 7563

– OR –

Charmaine Huet
charmaine_huet@discovery.com
DID: (65) 6510 7545

Top Japanese star Dean Fujioka headlines GEM’s first-ever original production

SINGAPORE, 25 May 2016 — GEM, the channel that brings the hottest dramas such as Goodbye Ghosts! and The Most Difficult Romance within a week of their Japan telecast, is set to air its first-ever original production We are Asia: Dean Fujioka & Friends. Headlined by dashing actor-musician Dean Fujioka, the series is set for a global premiere on 19 June at 8.30pm/7.30pm (JKT/BKK).

GEM, which is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Television Networks and Nippon TV, is uniquely positioned to bring together the best entertainment from Japan and the rest of Asia. Shot on location across 4 Asian cities including Japan, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Indonesia, We are Asia will feature the inimitable beauty, tradition and essence of Asia and its myriad cultures.

In this 5 episode documentary-style entertainment program, viewers will be taken on a cultural journey alongside Dean Fujioka and his celebrity friends: up-and-coming actor Shuhei Nomura, rock band WEAVER, and video projection dance sensation Siro-A.

Through the lens of these Japanese stars, audiences will be treated to a rare opportunity to witness the fusion of different cultures that springs from the exchange of knowledge between the local populace and the artistes.

Each episode of the program marks a step in a larger journey leading up to a spectacular finale stage, set against the magnificent backdrop of a World Heritage Site in Indonesia. In a never-before-seen collaboration, viewers will be awed by the harmonious melding of cultures as Dean and WEAVER take to the stage with a gamelan orchestra, joined by Siro-A as well as a specially choreographed projection of Shuhei Nomura and the children they met on their expedition. Performed live in front of an audience of 300 children from an Indonesian orphanage, the finale promises to put a smile not just on their faces, but also that of viewers from all around the world!

The global premiere of We are Asia: Dean Fujioka & Friends is set on 19 June, airing every Sunday at 8.30pm/7.30pm (JKT/BKK), first and exclusively on GEM, the glittering jewel of Asian entertainment.

# # #

For further information:

GEM Media Networks Asia/ Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia
Timothy Oh
Tel: +65 9006 5979
Email: timothy_oh@spe.sony.com

About GEM

GEM is the latest Asian entertainment channel from Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, the broadcaster of Asia’s leading cable channels AXN, ONE, Animax and Sony Channel Asia.

GEM promises to be the glittering jewel of Asian general entertainment. The channel features first-run and exclusive dramas, comedies and variety entertainment shows from Japan as well as other Asian territories including South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This also includes selected prime time dramas within the same week of broadcast in Japan.

Spanning across period, contemporary, action, comedy, family and romance genres, GEM is anchored by a wide range of Asian drama with the most compelling stories, the greatest characters and the brightest stars to keep audiences returning for more. The channel also boasts variety programs that spotlight the latest entertainment buzz around popular celebrities in the region, to complement its drama offerings.

See www.gemtvasia.com for more regional websites.

CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2016 – Critical issues in critical times

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Hong Kong, 26 May 2016 – The CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2016, (May 30th at the Pan Pacific, Singapore) has taken on a new importance as the Asia Pacific satellite industry enters perhaps its most challenging technological and commercial phase in more than two decades.

Long-promised technologies such as High Throughput Satellites, Electric Propulsion, In-flight Connectivity, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, new compression technologies, the evolution of Micro Satellites and the implications of Reusable Launch Vehicles all challenge the satellite sector’s long-established business models.

The CASBAA Forum’s packed schedule of keynotes, interviews, panels and short presentations has been designed to reflect the critical issues raised by the new environment. Satellite operators, their suppliers, their clients and even the investors from across the Asia Pacific and around the world all face the same challenges as the new technologies and changing business patterns force down transponder pricing.

For those attending the conference there will be a wealth of new information and a range of occasionally controversial opinions supported by hard facts and authoritative forecasts.

“In 2015, 96 companies were represented at the CASBAA Forum, with half of our 210 delegates coming from Asia with much of the balance coming from the US and Europe. This year the delegate profile is changing yet again, and becoming even more global,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO, CASBAA.

“In the meantime, as traditional satellite customers have come to expect lower capacity pricing for broadcast services, the customer base for mobile satellite backhaul satellite, reinvigorated maritime and aeronautical VSAT customers are creating a new energy as they enter the market,” added Slaughter.

Among the global industry’s most senior executives speaking at the CASBAA Satellite Forum 2016 delegates will get to meet:

Mitsutoshi Akao, Executive Officer, Deputy Group President Space & Satellite Business Group, SKY Perfect JSAT
David Ball, Industry Consultant
Christopher Baugh, President , Northern Sky Research (NSR)
Pierre-Jean Beylier, CEO, SpeedCast
Jacques Breton, Senior VP, Sales and Business Development, Arianespace
Paul Brown Kenyon, CEO, MEASAT
Susan Bull, Partner, COMSYS
Steve Collar, CEO, O3b Networks
Thomas Choi, Co-Founder & CEO, ABS
Richard Currier, Senior VP, Business Development, SSL
Gonzalo de Dios, Associate General Counsel, Intelsat
Peter de Selding, Paris Bureau Chief, Space News
Jean-François Fenech, CEO, Eutelsat Asia
Todd Hill, Senior Director, GCS Satellite Services, Panasonic
David Hochner, Deputy CEO, RR Media
Huang Baozhong, EVP, APT Satellite
Jonathan Hofeller, VP of Commercial Sales, SpaceX
Ferdinand Kayser, CCO, SES
Sandeep Kumar, Head of Satellite Sales-International, Telstra
Joshua Marks, SVP, Operations Solutions, Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE)
Vaibhav Magow, Regional Director, Asia-Pacific, Hughes Network Systems, LLC
Deepak Mathur, Senior VP, Commercial, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, SES
Theodore A. “Ted” McFarland, Director of Business Development, Commercial Satellite Business Unit , Orbital ATK
Henry Mulya, Sales Director, Asia Pacific, SES
Ryo Nakamura, Director, Deputy GM, Business Development Department, Space Systems Division, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Dara Panahy, Partner, Milbank
Johanes Indri Prijatmodjo, General Manager Satellite System ,
Pasifik Satelit Nusantara
Andrew Jordan, Executive VP, Strategic Projects, Eutelsat
Kurt Riegelman, SVP, Intelsat
Mark Rigolle, CEO, LeoSat Enterprises
Suleman Tampubolon, GM, Telkom Satellite
Serge Van Herck, CEO & Chairman, Newtec
William Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat
Joanne Wheeler, Partner, Bird & Bird
Paul Sheridan, Vice President, Optus Satellite

The CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2016 also recognizes the generous support of the sponsors for this year’s event:

ABS, APSTAR, AsiaSat, Boeing Satellite Systems, Eutelsat, Hughes Network Systems, Ideal Group, Intelsat, Marsh, MEASAT, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Newtec, SES, SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, SpaceX, SSL.

For more information about the event, please visit

http://www.casbaa.com/event/sif

# # #

About CASBAA:

For enquiries, please contact:

Cynthia Wong
Director of Member Relations & Marketing
Email: cynthia@casbaa.com

Star India launches Star Utsav Movies, India’s first ‘Truly Rural’ Hindi Movies Channel on 28th May

Star India launches Star Utsav Movies, India’s first ‘Truly Rural’ Hindi Movies Channel on 28th May

Mumbai, 25 May 2016: India’s biggest broadcaster, Star India, has announced the launch date of its much awaited free to air (FTA) Hindi Movies channel, Star Utsav Movies, which will be an exclusive offering for the Rural Market.

Hemal Jhaveri, General Manager – Star Gold, Movies OK, Star GOLD HD and Star Utsav Movies said, “We are excited to announce the launch of Star Utsav Movies on 28th May, India’s first ‘Truly Rural’ Hindi movie channel. With the advent of BARC, rural markets took the center stage with more than half of the TV viewership coming from the heartland. Our analysis indicated that there was a clear need gap in this category since 25% of the total viewership came from movies, but the Hindi movie genre share is a miniscule 5 %. This is because of the non-availability of good content from the existing hindi movie channels in the FTA space. An extensive research study undertaken to unravel the rural psyche shed light on the key usage and behavior patterns which has been the cornerstone for all acquisition, programming and marketing inputs on this new channel offering. What made this research unique and accurate was the fact that it was tailor made to each respondent surveyed basis their viewing behavior which was captured on close circuit cameras positioned in their homes.

Star Utsav Movies stands apart as a truly rural offering from the network because it has been designed with the rural viewer in mind. The insights from research gave us a rich perspective on triggers that dictate his approach towards life and his entertainment needs. ‘Har Din Utsav’ as a promise is an indication of our endeavor to give our viewers a reason to celebrate every day with the biggest and best stars on the channel” Jhaveri said.

To drive reach and awareness for the new channel, a multi-media launch campaign has already kick-started. We will leverage the might of Star India Network to rapidly build awareness. Besides a comprehensive high impact TV plan, the promotion also includes a high octane radio plan besides unique brand experiences for viewers on ground across villages in key markets.

“The rural markets are the last important frontier and we believe Star Utsav Movies will empower both the consumers and advertisers alike,” Jhaveri said.
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Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

John Medeiros

Chief Policy Officer

Anjan Mitra

Executive Director, India

Mark Lay

Vice President, Singapore

Christopher Slaughter

CEO

Jane Buckthought

Advertising Consultant

Kevin Jennings

Vice President, Programme