Singapore
July 4, 2011
Singapore Sets Cross-Carriage Rules
Singapore’s Media Development Authority announced July 1 that it would require pay-TV retailers in the country to implement on August 1 the “cross-carriage” scheme for any pay-TV content sold on an exclusive basis. The system is going ahead despite continued objections from content providers, and warnings of implementation difficulties by the major pay-TV retailers. However, the transition will be eased by the fact that very little content will actually be “cross-carried;” few, if any, exclusive carriage agreements are being signed in Singapore. (In its submission to MDA, CASBAA had warned that with little content actually being cross carried “the risk of unmet expectations and consumer complaints remains very high.”) Meanwhile, local press reports, as usual, focused on the impact of the measures on negotiations for sports rights.
MDA’s latest Press Release and “Closing Note” on the consultation process, as well as all 10 of the submissions made in the most recent round of consultations, can all be accessed through this web page:
http://www.mda.gov.sg/Reports/ConsultationReports/Pages/CrossCarriageMeasure.aspx
April 19, 2011
CASBAA Submission on Implementation of Cross Carriage in Singapore
In its response to MDA’s “Third Consultation” paper on cross-carriage, CASBAA suggested that MDA should exercise “restraint” in implementation of a cross-carriage system, and warned against a system where the regulator evaluates every wholesale pay-TV contract on non-transparent criteria. CASBAA also suggested that an alternative “Open Access” system providing the means for content providers to voluntarily seek cross-carriage of content would be far preferable to MDA’s proposed mandatory cross-carriage system, and would be equally effective in dealing with content “fragmentation” across various platforms.
January 18, 2011
Dangers of A La Carte Regulation
Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper published an Op-Ed column by an Asia-based consultant, talking about the perils of mandating by regulation the break-up of pay-TV bundles and market-determined commercial offerings. The article is an unusually clear discussion of some of the key issues affecting the pay-TV industry, and is worth a read by industry insiders as well as laymen. Download the text of the article here.
October 4, 2010
CASBAA strongly opposes MDA Cross Carriage Plan
CASBAA told Singapore’s MDA that international content companies believe the planned mandatory “cross-carriage” regime in Singapore was a flawed scheme that violated internationally-recognized intellectual property rights, and would not meet the expectations of Singapore consumers.
July 20, 2010
Service Industry Coalition Objects to Distortion on US Rules
The Washington-based Coalition of Service Industries wrote to Singapore’s MDA expressing concern over “mischaracterization” of US FCC policy on exclusive TV content. Far from being a precedent for MDA’s cross-carriage system, the Coalition wrote, “U.S. policy for television programming is not to tell those who create and distribute content with whom they should enter into contracts, or what the terms and conditions of those contracts should be – including exclusivity.” The Coalition urged Singapore to reconsider cross-carriage, which it said was “an overly broad move that would limit the rights of all content owners to contract for the supply of their products in the manner of their choosing.” The Coalition posted the letter on their website, and it can be downloaded here.
October 20, 2009
Singapore Debating Content Exclusivity
Singapore’s “Today” newspaper published an excellent summary of the debate underway about content exclusivity in the island republic, in the wake of signature of the contract for English football for 2010-2013. Acting Minister Lui Tuck Yew told Singapore’s Parliament that the state had traditionally ensured that essential services are available for a fair price, but Premier League football has not been defined as essential. “Although I'm sure some consumers may disagree,” said the Minister, “...essentially, it is entertainment". Read the article here.
July 31, 2008
CASBAA refutes Singapore sports claim
A widely read Singapore newspaper column called for new controls on pay-TV services thanks to rising consumer prices for sports content. "Consumers enjoy a far greater range of television content options today than at any point in history," said CASBAA in its published response, "and competitive forces are going to continue to increase those options - as long as the government stays its regulatory hand..."
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