euro news_news 25/02/2016 18:35 Page 6
Analyst: Pay-TV prices increasingly competitive
A
new comparison of pay-TV
service prices covering 31 of the
OECD countries shows
significant price variations
between countries and
providers.
According to the report,
Pay-TV prices in OECD
countries, November 2015,
from the Teligen division of
Strategy Analytics, there are
significant differences in
pay-TV prices even between
providers in the same
country. There have also
been wide changes in prices
since the previous update in
May 2015.
“Technology is
increasingly disrupting the
pay-TV market with the
success of watch-on-demand
applications such as Netflix
particularly with younger
generations,” advised
Teligen benchmarking
consultant Eduard Bouffenie.
“As a result, pay-TV
providers are getting
increasingly more
competitive on prices but
also more flexible on services.”
The firm reviewed the prices and
J
Analytics through a number of client
studies in recent years. When selecting
the most basic set of user requirements,
without specific requirements for content
or technical capabilities like HD or
recording, the ten
countries with lowest
prices are Poland, Finland,
Estonia, Sweden, Germany,
Switzerland, Austria, Czech
Republic, Luxembourg and
Hungary.
For the most basic
requirements the average
monthly price across the
31 countries is US$ 18.17
(€16.66) a month including
tax. This does not include
the TV Licence fee found in
many countries. An
analysis of the average of
cheapest offers across
providers in each country
shows that Finland,
Sweden, Estonia, Mexico
and Poland have the five
lowest average prices
among the study countries.
“The study also shows
interesting indications of
the countries where prices
are most aligned,
suggesting well developed
competition,” added Teligen director
Halvor Sannæs.
James Murdoch to chair Sky
ames Murdoch
is to become
chairman of Sky,
succeeding Nick Ferguson,
chairman since 2012, who
will step down from the Sky
Board at the end of April
after 12 years as a Director.
Murdoch previously served
as chairman of the former
BSkyB from 2007 to 2012,
but resigned in the wake of
the phone-hacking scandal
at the News of the World
newspaper which lead to
News Corp dropping its
plans to take over the 61%
of BSkyB it did not own.
The move has increased
speculation that 21st Century
Fox will make a fresh bid to
acquire the remaining shares
in the pay-TV operator that it
doesn’t already own.
Murdoch revealed in October
14 EUROMEDIA
contents of over 1,700 pay-TV offers in
31 of the OECD countries, using a
methodology established by Strategy
2015 that at some stage the
company intended to take
full control
of Sky,
some four
years after
it was
forced to
drop its
plans.
“The
entire
Board
offers its
warmest thanks to Nick for
his leadership as Chairman
and the major contribution
he has made to Sky over
many years,” said Jeremy
Darroch, Sky’s CEO. “We’re
delighted that James
Murdoch has agreed to step
into the role of chairman.
James’ deep knowledge of
the
international
media
industry and
his passion
for
supporting
Sky’s
ongoing
success will
make an
even greater
contribution to our business
in the future.”
Ferguson led the Board
during a period of strong
growth for the company,
including the transaction to
bring together the Sky
businesses across Europe.
Murdoch has been a
director of the
company since
February 2003 and previously
served as chief executive
from November 2003 to
2007 and as chairman from
2007 to 2012.
Murdoch said he looked
forward to working with the
Board and management as
they continue to deliver a
great service for Sky’s
customers and create value
for all shareholders over the
years to come.
Not all investors are
happy, Royal London Asset
Management, which owns
£50m (€66m) of Sky shares,
believes Murdoch’s
reappointment is
“inappropriate” and a conflict
of interest as he runs Sky’s
big