NEWS & VIEWS
January-February 2016
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www.apb-news.com | JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2016 | VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 1
NEWS & VIEWS
W O R L D I N B R I E F
SAPPRFT unveils new
STB operating system
BEIJING – China’s State Adminis-
tration of Press, Publication, Radio,
Film and Television (SAPPRFT)
and the Ministry of Industry and In-
formation Technology have joint-
ly released a new STB operating
system. Called TV OS 2.0, it is
released with SAPPRFT placing
the priority on managing and
monitoring video content; STBs
that do not run on TV OS 2.0 will
reportedly be outlawed.
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CREATION
MANAGEMENT
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DISTRIBUTION
30
Will broadcast IP
gain momentum?
by shawn liew
IoT’s value to rise in 2016
LAS VEGAS – The Consumer
Technology Association (CTA)
has predicted that the Internet
of Things (IoT) will set a record
US$287 billion in retail revenue
this year. With a number of TV
manufacturers announcing IoT
connectivity on their TV sets at
CES 2016, the CTA projected 27
million smartTV units will be sold
this year.
Homing in on 4K
MUMBAI – Indian DTH TV service
Videocon d2h has declared that
4K/UHD content is the future, as
it gears up to offer a plethora of
4K/UHD services in 2016. Saurabh
Dhoot, executive chairman of
Videocon d2h, said that the
company would be focusing on
providing a variety of content as
the demand for 4K/UHD content
continues to increase and evolve.
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Be agile — scan the horizon for
emerging trends impacting the
broadcast industry.
SINGAPORE – The year that was
saw an increasingly number of
broadcasters around the world,
including those in Asia-Pacific,
exploring the possibilities of inte-
grating IP into traditional broadcast
workflows and infrastructures.
While not exactly enjoying main-
stream status yet, 4K/Ultra HD
(UHD) has continued to make
encouraging, if cautious, strides
towards real-world deployment.
Will these technology trends
prevail in 2016 — and what else
lies in store for broadcasters in the
Lunar New Year of the Monkey?
There are several technology
trends and developments that will
have a big impact on Asia-Pacific
broadcasters in 2016, with IP de-
livery and workflow at the fore,
assessed Patrick So, director of Asia
Operations, Magna Systems and
Engineering.
He told APB: “The challenge
is to figure out how simple and
efficient we can make the [IP] work-
flow. From the broadcaster’s point
of view, how can they monetise it?”
So also believes that 4K/UHD
is rolling out across the region
“slowly but surely”, although major
challenges, such as storage and the
practicality of delivery and com-
pression, must first be overcome
before 4K/UHD content can be
effectively broadcast, delivered and
consumed.
He continued: “Leading from
that will be the ever-increasing
importance of MAM, which will
be at the core of the film and TV
industries moving forward. What
are the options and, more critically,
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Future of FTA broadcasting secured – for now
GENEVA – After months of intense lobbying, the
broadcast industry breathed a collective sign of relief
as WRC-15 broadly decided against opening up more
sub-700MHz band spectrum to mobile services.
The ruling ensures that the 470-694MHz band
remains exclusively preserved for terrestrial TV
services in ITU Region 1 (Africa, Middle East and
Europe), while allowing several countries in ITU Re-
gion 3 (Asia) and ITU Region 2 (Americas) to use part
of the 470-698MHz band for International Mobile
Telecommunications (IMT).
Heralding the outcomes of WRC-15, Dr Amal
Punchihewa, director, Technology and Innovation,
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), said: “This
provides certainty on access to spectrum, which will
enable the broadcast industry to complete the transi-
tion to fully digital TV broadcasting in Asia-Pacific in
the coming years.
“We will continue to innovate, and ensure that
everyone has access to the benefits that new digital
services could bring in coming years.”
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X-PLATFORM
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HBO Asia and MDA have announced
a new partnership that aims to
support, grow and develop the drama
production capabilities of Singapore’s
media industry and talents.
HBO Asia, S’pore
MDA to develop
drama production
capabilities
SINGAPORE – HBO Asia and the
Media Development Authority of
Singapore (MDA) have announced
a new partnership that aims to
support, grow and develop the
drama production capabilities of
Singapore’s media industry and
talents.
Over a period of two years,
HBO Asia will train local practi-
tioners and aspiring individuals,
and work with local production
houses and talents to develop and
produce content. HBO Asia will also
leverage local production facilities
for future HBO Asia Original pro-
ductions.
Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO
Asia, said: “With the pedigree of
the HBO brand and our continu-
ing development and production
of original Asian content, HBO
Asia is in a unique position to
impart skills and share knowledge
with local companies and aspir-
ing talents in Singapore to create
premium entertainment for global
audiences.”