News

Turner bolsters Southeast Asia Pacific leadership team to drive local business expansion strategy

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HONG KONG (November 8, 2013) – Turner International Asia Pacific has enhanced its sales leadership in Southeast Asia Pacific, announcing two senior appointments for the Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam markets.

A Turner veteran of 14 years, Nadia Hwang has been appointed Executive Director, Sales, Thailand and Vietnam. She will continue to look after pan-regional advertising sales accounts for Turner’s entertainment and kids networks, but will also oversee the Network Content Distribution side of the business for all brands in Thailand and Vietnam.

A new face in the team is Tony Lin, Turner’s new Director of Sales, Taiwan. Based in Taipei, Lin has an impressive resume that spans more than 25 years, with senior roles in both the television and advertising industries in Taiwan. He has had stints at China Television System, Videoland and Ogilvy & Mather. He has an intimate knowledge of programming, content distribution, digital strategy, sales and business development.

In these new roles, both Hwang and Lin will drive all entertainment ad sales as well as distribution revenue in their respective markets, including CNN broadcast sales. They will also work closely with the regional and international leadership teams to develop, evaluate and execute new business opportunities. Hwang and Lin report into Robi Stanton, who herself recently relocated to Singapore as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Southeast Asia Pacific.

“Both of these senior appointments reflect Turner’s new management strategy in the region,” says Sunny Saha, SVP and Managing Director for Turner Southeast Asia Pacific. “We are moving away from a centralized, regional hub approach and are stepping up our presence in individual markets to accelerate growth initiatives on a local level.”

Hwang is the project leader of the partnership between Turner and Major Kantana Group in Bangkok that launched kids’ brand Boomerang this August. Boomerang is already showing strong performance, and was the leading kids’ channel in Thailand for Kids 4-14 and All Individuals (4+) in October 2013#.

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# Nielsen Thailand (CABSAT panel). Average ratings for 6 kids channels, 4-14, 4+: October 2013

About Turner International
Turner Broadcasting System International operates versions of core TBS brands, including CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies, as well as country- and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. It runs Pay- and Free-TV-channels, as well as Internet-based services, and is a commercial partner with various third-party media ventures; it teams with Warner Bros. and HBO to leverage Time Warner’s global reach. TBS operates more than 150 channels showcasing 33 brands in 36 languages in over 200 countries. Turner Broadcasting System International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS), a Time Warner company.

For media enquiries, please contact:
James Moore
Regional Senior Manager, Public Relations
Turner International Asia Pacific, Limited
T: +852 3128 3720
E: james.moore@turner.com

SmartCast is partnering with APT to provide end-to-end services to Bai Ke group

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Bai Ke Hua Ren Tai 百科華人台, Bai Ke Gou Wu Tai 百科購物台

Hong Kong, 21st October 2013 – SmartCast is partnering with APT to provide end-to-end services to the Bai Ke group to launch 2 channels from Hong Kong APT uplink earth station to APSTAR 5 and 7, reaching the Asia Pacific market and as far as Africa.

APT, satellite operator in Hong Kong and listed in Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is working with SmartCast to provide end-to-end linear TV channel playout services, satellite uplink and MCPC broadcast platform to Bai Ke Group in Beijing to launch Bai Ke Hua Ren Tai and Bai Ke Gou Wu Tai.

SmartCast’s CEO, Mr Christian Brenner said: “We are pleased to work with APT to develop the Chinese market and these are the first 2 channels we are serving from Beijing, China. SmartCast’s platform supports multi-lingual and our international staff strength makes us effective in the China market.” APT’s Deputy Director, Mr Ricky Yiu also commented: “APT is delighted to work with SmartCast as their professional support and comprehensive services act as a one-stop-shop solution provider so we can focus on our transponder sales and value-added services.”

Bai Ke Hua Ren Tai soft launched on 1 October 2013 and Bai Ke Gou Wu Tai will be launched on 26 October, 2013.

SmartCast GmbH
SmartCast GmbH, a leading broadcast service provider in the European, Arabian and Asian regions. It operates through 36 decentralised playout centres and has more than 70 other signal transfer points. The Network Operations Centre is at the Media Centre in Unterfoehring, near Munich (Germany). SmartCast also conducts a downlink centre in Hong Kong and a software development department in Bangkok.
The full-service provider has a worldwide portfolio which consists of 90 TV playout customers and 53 radio customers.
The broadcast management and the playout are handled by an in-house developed, highlyspecialised software. For the German speaking market, SmartCast has so far enlisted ProSiebenSat.1, AstroTV, as well as Red Bull Media House, Deutsche Telekom, Media Broadcast and the BLM (the Bavarian controlling authority for new media) to its customerbase.
The high-tech broadcast provider, based in Unterfoehring, relies on its own national and international network of playout centres that are renowned for being extremely flexible and expandable.
Technical solutions for the signal transport in DVB quality via public Internet, a web-based MAM system, solutions for mobile TV, the administration and the management of scrambling services, digital recordings and various solutions for radio stations include the product portfolio of the high-tech provider.
www.smartcast.tv

APT Satellite Holdings Limited
Listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, APT Satellite Holdings Limited (“APT Satellite”; or the “Group”) commenced operations in 1992. It currently owns and operates five in-orbit satellites, namely, APSTAR 1, APSTAR 1A, APSTAR 5, APSTAR 6 and APSTAR 7 (“APSTAR Systems”) covering approximately 75% of the world’s population across the Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia regions. It also provides excellent quality “one-stop-shop” transponder services, satellite telecommunications and satellite TV broadcasting and transmission services to broadcasters and telecommunication customers in these regions.
The advanced APSTAR Systems, being supported by comprehensive and high quality services, has become a very important satellite resource in the Asia Pacific region.

Press contact:
SmartCast GmbH
Managing Director
Christian Brenner
Beta-Strasse 7
85774 Munich-Unterfoehring, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 89-411144-111
Email: brenner@smartcast.de

FOX Sports announces Singha Beer as Title Sponsor of New Football Programme

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Series will be shot on location in Asia and is a light-hearted magazine show on the sport

(8 November 2013, Singapore)- Football enthusiasts now have more reason to cheer with a new football TV show that promises to drive fans into a frenzy! ‘Singha Football Crazy’, which premiered on 8 October on FOX Sports and STAR Sports, is sponsored by Singha Beer.

Filmed on location across South East Asia, ‘Singha Football Crazy’ (SFC) is co-hosted by popular Singapore radio DJ Shan Wee and Indonesian star Daniel Mananta and will include episodes from Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Vientiane and Hong Kong. Every episode of SFC will include 30 minutes of fun-filled football madness, bringing fans across the region the best and worst of the beautiful game, all wrapped with a sunny Singha smile.

Airing every Tuesday night, from now until May 2014, SFC will include celebrity guests and hardcore football fans as well as skits, hits, highlights and action, all guaranteed to tickle the football funny bone!

Produced in partnership with Fremantle Asia, Singha Football Crazy is a welcome return to the screen for one of Asia’s best-loved football franchises.

Segments on the weekly show will include:

The News: A satirical take on the weekend’s Barclay’s Premier League action

The Walk of Shame: Pitting two fans and their predictions against each other, with hideous forfeits for the loser. Frantz: Also known as ‘Fan Rants’ where football fanatics across the region share their passionate opinion about the sport. Expect fervent ranting with local slang and perhaps a blooper or two?

Animal Predictions: A win, lose or draw where we put our four (and two) legged friends on the spot.

The Slippery Balls League of Champions: An assault course like no other as punters dribble, dive and slide their way to Singha Football Crazy glory.

“With Singha sponsoring Manchester United and Chelsea FC to resonate with football fans, having them onboard as a title sponsor for a football show is a perfect fit for us.
FOX Sports takes pride in being the right platform to connect with avid sports fans, in this case, football enthusiasts, and we look forward to a great partnership for the next six months and more,” shared Simeon Dawes, Senior Vice President, Advertising Sales & Partnership, Asia Pacific and Middle East of FOX One Stop Media.

‘Singha Football Crazy’ airs every Tuesday on FOX Sports (StarHub CH 208 and Singtel mio TV CH 114) and STAR Sports (Starhub CH 209 and Singtel mio TV 115).

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Media Contact
For more information, please contact
Strategic Public Relations Group, SPRG
Deborah Dayani Nanayakara
+65 6325 8275/ 9758 4071
deborah.dayani@sprg.com.sg

Nicole Su
+65 6325 8267 / 9297 4611
nicole.su@sprg.com.sg

CinemaWorld chose SmartCast’s managed TV channel playout service

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CinemaWorld chose SmartCast’s managed TV channel playout service to power their linear Pay TV channel and manage VOD file delivery

Munich, Germany 23rd October 2013 – SmartCast today announced that it is providing managed TV channel playout services to CinemaWorld Pay TV linear channels and a portal to manage VOD file delivery.

CinemaWorld, the leading premium movie Pay Channel operator based in Singapore, will migrate to the SmartCast managed TV playout platform from 1 January 2014. SmartCast will operate the new playout centre from ST Teleport, where the signal will be uplinked to ApSTAR 5.

SmartCast will also handle all the VOD file transcoding and delivery in SmartMAM, the Media Asset Management portal, and increase efficiency and productivity of the TV channel operation.

The CEO of CinemaWorld, Ms Suarina Chua said: “After evaluating different solutions provided by various service providers, we decided on SmartCast because of its rich features, quality delivery, flexibility and user-friendliness. The ability to control all key services and access information and feedback all in one portal is a huge plus. Smartcast meets our growing needs and requirements perfectly.” Mr Christian Brenner, CEO of SmartCast said: “We are very happy and proud to start the server CinemaWorld now. SmartCast’s growth the last 12 month especially in Asia shows that our super flexible Managed Playout Services is the right answer to the current tasks in the Media Industry. Having 15 software developers gives us the strength of tailor-made solutions for our clients in the best way.

SmartCast GmbH
SmartCast GmbH, a leading broadcast service provider in the European, Arabian and Asian regions. It operates through 36 decentralised playout centres and has more than 70 other signal transfer points. The Network Operations Centre is at the Media Centre in CinemaWorld choose SmartCast’s managed TV channel playout service to power linear Pay TV channel and manage VOD file delivery Unterfoehring, near Munich (Germany). SmartCast also conducts a downlink centre in Hong Kong and a software development department in Bangkok.
The full-service provider has a worldwide portfolio which consists of 90 TV playout customers and 53 radio customers.
The broadcast management and the playout are handled by an in-house developed, highlyspecialised software. For the German speaking market, SmartCast has so far enlisted ProSiebenSat.1, AstroTV, as well as Red Bull Media House, Deutsche Telekom, Media Broadcast and the BLM (the Bavarian controlling authority for new media) to its customerbase.
The high-tech broadcast provider, based in Unterfoehring, relies on its own national and international network of playout centres that are renowned for being extremely flexible and expandable.
Technical solutions for the signal transport in DVB quality via public Internet, a web-based MAM system, solutions for mobile TV, the administration and the management of scrambling services, digital recordings and various solutions for radio stations include the product portfolio of the high-tech provider.
www.smartcast.tv

CinemaWorld
Launched in March 2012, CinemaWorld is the first and only pan-Asia international movie service showcasing award-winning movies, box office hits and critics’ favorites from around the world. The movies are shown in their original languages and subtitled in local languages. Cinemaworld is currently available in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and China.

Press contact:
SmartCast GmbH
Managing Director
Christian Brenner
Beta-Strasse 7
85774 Munich-Unterfoehring, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 89-411144-111
Email: brenner@smartcast.de

Inmarsat plc Interim Management Statement 2013

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07 November 2013 – London, UK: Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT.L), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today provided the following information for the three months ended 30 September 2013.

Inmarsat plc – Highlights

  • Total revenues $306.9m (2012: $325.9m)
  • Total active terminals up 8%
  • Solid MSS subscriber growth
  • Strong growth in XpressLink, major contract win in October
  • Global Xpress first launch scheduled for December
  • Fourth Inmarsat-5 satellite ordered
  • Strategic partnership with ORBCOMM

Inmarsat Group Limited – Third Quarter Highlights

  • Inmarsat Global MSS revenues $187.6m up 0.5% (2012: $186.7m)
  • Inmarsat Solutions revenues $188.3m (2012: $205.9m)
  • Total EBITDA $168.7m up 3.6% (2012: $162.8m)

Rupert Pearce, Inmarsat’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The third quarter results continue to show that we are on target to achieve our objectives for the full year. Our MSS subscriber growth remains solid and we had a record quarter for our maritime XpressLink service, demonstrating the growing market interest and potential demand for GX.

Read more at Inmarsat

Outdoor Channel Asia HD selects SmartCast

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Outdoor Channel Asia HD selects SmartCast as linear TV playout and media asset management service provider

Munich/Singapore, 21 October 2013 – SmartCast, one of the leading providers of decentral television playout centres, has been selected by Multi Channels Asia (MCA)
as playout and media asset management service provider for Outdoor Channel Asia HD.

SmartCast will provide integrated services from content ingest and quality control to traffic, scheduling and playout, as well as media asset management. Outdoor Channel HD SmartCast’s test signal will launch on 1 November 2013, while the full service roll-out will go live on 1 December 2013.

Christian Brenner, the CEO of SmartCast, mentions: “We are excited to welcome Outdoor Channel among our growing customer base in Asia. The solution with several tailor-made features that we are providing for Outdoor Channel lays the foundation for efficiency and flexibility in delivering its high quality content.”

Gregg Creevey, Managing Director of MCA, adds: “As a company we are always looking to innovate. We have reached a stage in the growth of Outdoor Channel in Asia where our scheduling needs has become more complex and the need for additional flexibility to continue our geographic expansion. SmartCast provides us with that flexibility and enables us to efficiently manage our increasingly customized Asia schedule.”

SmartCast GmbH
SmartCast GmbH, a leading broadcast service provider in the European, Arabian and Asian regions. It operates through 36 decentralised playout centres and has more than 70 other signal transfer points. The Network Operations Centre is at the Media Centre in Unterfoehring, near Munich (Germany). SmartCast also conducts a downlink centre in Hong Kong and a software development department in Bangkok.
The full-service provider has a worldwide portfolio which consists of 90 TV playout customers and 53 radio customers.
The broadcast management and the playout are handled by an in-house developed, highlyspecialised software. For the German speaking market, SmartCast has so far enlisted ProSiebenSat.1, AstroTV, as well as Red Bull Media House, Deutsche Telekom, Media Broadcast and the BLM (the Bavarian controlling authority for new media) to its customerbase.
The high-tech broadcast provider, based in Unterfoehring, relies on its own national and international network of playout centres that are renowned for being extremely flexible and expandable.
Technical solutions for the signal transport in DVB quality via public Internet, a web-based MAM system, solutions for mobile TV, the administration and the management of scrambling services, digital recordings and various solutions for radio stations include the product portfolio of the high-tech provider.
www.smartcast.tv

Outdoor Channel
Launched in 1994, Outdoor Channel is the World Leader In Outdoor Entertainment. The channel features traditional and contemporary outdoor sports such as fishing, off-road, water sports, safari and more. Whether out on the ocean or on top of a mountain, Outdoor Channel covers a broad range of outdoor activities that thrill, inspire and entertain. Outdoor Channel is available in more than 60 million households worldwide. In Asia, Outdoor Channel is owned and operated (under license) by Multi Channels Asia and is available in 14 countries to more than 5 million households.

Press contact:
SmartCast GmbH
Managing Director
Christian Brenner
Beta-Strasse 7
85774 Munich-Unterfoehring, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 89-411144-111
Email: brenner@smartcast.de

Internet Pirates Steal the Treasure of the Talented

Let’s not try to fool ourselves, illegal downloading is just plain theft

AUSTRALIANS love good movies and TV shows, but are we loving them to death?

I am ashamed to say that if the figures from the final episode of the television series Breaking Bad are correct, then per capita Australians are the highest illegal downloaders of pirated material in the world.

And let’s not try to lay the blame on the lack of availability of legal content; the episode was available for download on iTunes for the price of a cup of coffee a few hours after it was televised in the US.

To save Australia’s creative talent we urgently need national legislative reform to stop online piracy, which is eating away at our creative industries.

As the outgoing chairman of the National Association of Cinema Operators, during the past three years I have had the privilege of getting to know the hard-working Australians who produce, distribute and exhibit the movies we all enjoy. My involvement with the cinema industry has also brought me face to face with the damaging effects of content theft, illegal downloading and copyright infringement.

I recently opened the Australian International Movie Convention and found myself in full agreement with an old University of Queensland law school colleague and now Attorney-General, George Brandis. He commented in his keynote address that an ”effective legal framework of protection and enforcement of copyright is fundamental to sustaining today’s creative content industry and, importantly, the cultural development of our nation”.

As Australia becomes increasingly dependent on the ”knowledge economy”, we have to protect and support the 900,000 people who work within our copyright industry from the scourge that is eating away at their jobs — intellectual property theft.

Let me strip away the well-honed myths about the piracy websites Australians visit to download such illegal content.

To begin with, illegal downloading is just online theft; it is that simple.

Second, research from the University of Ballarat found the most profitable advertising on piracy websites comes from the sex industry, gambling and malware ads. This very lucrative advertising provides the financial incentive for overseas criminals to operate these websites and become abhorrently wealthy.

These operators are not concerned about freedom of speech or protecting the ”freedom of the internet”, nor are they in the business to promote innovation. It’s all about money. The 2009 criminal trial of The Pirate Bay found that the site’s overheads were an estimated $110,000, yet the owners made more than $1.4 million from advertising revenues alone. An illegal profit margin of 1272 per cent — which would make it more profitable than drug-dealing.

Australia’s creative industry supports a “free and open internet”, that is, an internet that is politically and economically free, operating as part of a competitive free market but where people have rights. The creative industry is also utterly committed to and supportive of free speech. In fact, it is dependent on it.

However, there is a marked difference between a free and open internet on the one hand and artists and industry employees being forced to work for free because of online theft. Creative Australians are entitled to protect and profit from their skills; after all it is their intellectual property.

An internet where individuals can freeload by taking the creation or product of others without permission or payment will result in dire economic and social consequences. Australia will lose tomorrow’s creative brains, together with our talented actors and singers.

If online piracy is allowed to control distribution of content, creative Australian businesses will be destroyed and jobs will be lost.

Respecting the rule of law online will not break the internet, stifle innovation, limit free speech or deter the free flow of information. Yet disrespecting and ignoring the rule of law will take away the incentive for investment and innovation that are key pillars of economic growth and progress.

We cannot stand by and watch value being eroded from this important industry. The creative industry’s ability to use the internet to get a reasonable return on its substantial ongoing investment impacts the opportunities to continue releasing quality entertainment content. Like any other business, if a product doesn’t produce a return on its investment — in this case as a result of rampant piracy — fewer investors will be prepared to risk funding movies such as the next Red Dog or the next Sapphires; nor will the next Sam Worthington or Mia Wasikowska be discovered.

As access to online pirated content became easier, sadly an expectation of getting something for nothing came with it; it’s an unfortunate by-product of the internet era that has started to devalue entertainment products.

Defining commercial entertainment as merely ”information” is both a first step in devaluing such products, as well as a convenient excuse to rationalise online theft.
Unfortunately, when it comes to protecting our $93 billion copyright industry, its $7bn in exports and the 900,000 people the industry employs, Australia is falling behind.

Full text available at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/internet-pirates-steal-the-treasure-of-the-talented/story-e6frg6zo-1226756027922#mm-premium?sv=bffa3878bfd5fe9d928fcd24900af4a2
PETER BEATTIE
9 November 2013
The Australian
© 2013 News Limited. All rights reserved.

Peter Beattie is the outgoing Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Cinema Operators-Australasia (NACO). He was Premier of the state of Queensland from 1998 to 2007.

S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere puts FOX in the #1 position in Singapore & Malaysia

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MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. PREMIERE PUTS FOX IN THE #1 POSITION IN SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA
The premiere places FOX as the top Cable Channel in Singapore and top Western General Entertainment Cable Channel in Malaysia.

Hong Kong, 8 November, 2013 – FOX International Channels’ (FIC) latest acquisition from Disney Media Distribution (DMD), the US hit series Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., premiered in Asia on 4 November, 2013 at 9:50pm (HKT/SGT) on FOX, the network’s flagship general entertainment channel. The premiere broke a ratings record for FOX, as the highest-rated program ever on the channel in Singapore. The show’s stellar performance also secured FOX the top slot in Singapore as the #1 Cable Channel and in Malaysia as the #1 Western General Entertainment Cable Channel among all viewers in their respective timeslots.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. opened to 12.1 million viewers in the US making it the highest-rated drama premiere in almost four years. The launch of the hit show was equally well-received in Singapore, with a superb 1.50 rating among all viewers. The show was particularly popular among younger viewers, achieving an incredible 6.07 cable rating among men aged 15–24 and a 3.44 cable rating among women in the same age bracket, crowning FOX as the #1 cable channel in time slot among these young viewers respectively. In Malaysia, the show’s premiere was also a smash hit, boosting the timeslot 5 times higher than the year-to-date average among adults 15-49. It was especially popular among female viewers aged 25-34, making FOX the #1 Western General Entertainment Cable Channel in its timeslot amongst this demographic group, in addition to adults 15-49 and all viewers.

“Following its incredibly successful launch in the US, we are thrilled with the equally overwhelming reception of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Asia”, said Joon Lee, Executive Vice President of Content and Communications, Asia Pacific and the Middle East at FIC, adding that “It is FIC’s objective to pack our channel line-ups with the very best content available and thanks to our great partnership with Disney Media Distribution, we are pleased to have been the first pay-TV network to bring Marvel’s acclaimed live action series to viewers across Asia.”

Singapore: Kantar Media, Singapore. Nov 4, 2013. Target: 4+ with cable/satellite
Malaysia: AGB Nielsen Media Research. Nov 4, 2013. Target: 4+ with Astro.

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About FOX
FOX brings excitement, drama and humor into your home. Renowned for providing the absolute best in US entertainment, FOX delivers the newest and most innovative US TV series as well as classic hits in a variety of styles and genres – from comedy, drama and action to science fiction, animation and reality. FOX targets bold and urban viewers who demand the very best in US entertainment. It is a rapidly growing channel in Asia and is dedicated to further cultivating the market through locally-appropriate promotions.

About FOX International Channels
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports, movie and lifestyle channels across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, in 48 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.6 billion cumulative households worldwide.

In Asia, FIC operates or distributes 30+ channel brands, including the FOX, STAR and National Geographic brands, with over 100 feeds across 14 markets. As the leading pay-TV network in the region, we reach more than 550 million cumulative subscribers across Asia Pacific and the Middle East with offices in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Australia, New Zealand and the UAE. For more information, please visit www.foxinternationalchannels.com.

This press release was issued on behalf of FOX International Channels Asia by Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic). For further information, please contact:

FOX International Channels 
Kelly Jang
Director, Pan Regional Trade Marketing & PR
DID: +852 2621 8875
kelly.jang@fox.com

Tactic Public Relations Limited (Tactic)
Kristen Gallagher
Tactic – Hong Kong
DID: +852 2114 4345
FAX: +852 2114 0880
kristen.gallagher@tacticpr.com.hk

Diana Low
Tactic – Singapore
DID: +65 6325 8264
FAX: +65 6325 8262
diana.low@tacticpr.com.sg