BroadcastPro ME June 2019

ISSUE 108 | JUNE 2019

Publication licensed by Dubai Production City

THE POWER OF MANY

MENA industry stakeholders take united stand against piracy

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PROINTRO

GROUP Managing Director Raz Islam raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 4 375 5471 Editorial Director Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 4 375 5472 EDITORIAL Editor

Welcome

Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 55 105 3787 Assistant Editor Rachel Dawson rachel.dawson@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 4 375 5478 Contributing Editor Garima Rawat Sub Editor Aelred Doyle ADVERTISING Group Sales Director Sandip Virk sandip.virk@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 50 929 1845 +44 (0) 773 444 2526 DESIGN Art Director Simon Cobon Designer Percival Manalaysay MARKETING Marketing Manager Sheena Sapsford sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0)4 375 5498 CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION Production Manager Vipin V. Vijay vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0)4 375 5713 Distribution Manager Phinson Mathew George phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0)4 375 5476 DIGITAL SERVICES Mohammad Awais Sadiq Siddiqui

How time flies! BroadcastPro Middle East will be nine this July and SatellitePro seven. I thought this would be a great opportunity to look back on the years gone by.

We started off with just a magazine and a website in 2010; in 2011, we announced the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit and Awards, which has become one of the most attended events for the MENA broadcast industry; our anniversary parties became an excuse to get the industry together for a networking evening; our social media accounts have grown slowly but steadily; we have done exclusive roundtables and speed dating exercises for some of our clients; we have hosted golf days for the industry annually; and more recently, we have managed large-scale events for our clients in other parts of the MENA region.

We have had the exclusive privilege of attending launches and showcases around the world and interviewing some of the biggest names in TV, whether back in 2011 when Canon launched its first video camera in Hollywood, with Martin Scorsese sharing how digital cameras would change the face of filmmaking; more recently, with

David Attenborough at the BBC World Showcase; covering remote production at the Australian Open; or interviewing Oscar-nominee Nadine Labaki.

Being on the judging panel of the much-coveted IBC Innovation Awards since 2013 has been another honour, and an opportunity to see how the industry is innovating globally. It's a role I cherish. To celebrate our milestones and the industry, let’s get together at The Plantation Lounge at Sofitel JBR in Dubai on June 24. Please do register to attend.

Last month, SatellitePro ME had the opportunity to visit the satellite show in Washington, DC for the first time. We travel extensively with the intention of ensuring that the stories from this region travel with us and that MENA becomes an important region for both manufacturers and service providers worldwide.

It’s the reason we will be at ConnecTechAsia in Singapore again this month, as we have been for the last five years.

Vijaya Cherian, Editorial Director

FOUNDER Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015) ISSUE 108 | JUNE 2019

Publication licensed by Dubai Production City

PRINTED BY Printwell Printing Press LLC, Dubai Published by

THE POWER OF MANY

MENA industry stakeholders take united stand against piracy

Licensed by TECOM to registered company,

On this month's cover…

Front row below: Farah Ramadan, Manoj Mathew and Zahra Zayat.

Top row: Robert Lakos, Ahmed Abbas and Frank Poppelsdorf.

Let’s create a vibrant online broadcast community! @BroadcastProME www.facebook.com/BroadcastProME BroadcastProME

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Sponsorship

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Information

Raz Islam +971 50 451 8213 raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com

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Sheena Sapsford +971 4 375 5498 sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com

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PROCONTENTS

Inside this issue 05 NEWS Image Nation Abu Dhabi, MAF and MBC Studios ink deal; Front Row and Rocket Science launch Yalla Yalla; SoundKraft expands portfolio; Image Nation film Rashid & Rajab secures sales agent at Cannes; KSA's Manga Productions collaborates with Japan's Toei Animations; and more

12 MENA ANTI-PIRACY

CONFERENCE: KEYNOTE The first panel at the second edition of the MENA AntiPiracy Conference assessed the impact of piracy on the region's stakeholders

June 2019 FORGING A PRODUCTION ALLIANCE NEWS FROM AROUND MENA

COUNTERING PIRACY IN MENA

12

05 CREATING DISRUPTION WITH TECH

LAWYERS ADDRESS IP CONCERNS

20 ARMED WITH TECHNOLOGY Tech specialists looked at the effectiveness of various solutions in the market to shield media assets

26 SAFEGUARDING

20

26

FIELD TESTING THE BMDPCC4K

KEY ASSETS The lawyers debated policy and the importance of support from authorities to track down illegal players

ASIA'S MEGA TECHNOLOGY EVENT

32 REVIEW: BMD'S POCKET

CINEMA CAMERA 4K Dubai-based filmmaker Yusuf Thakur tests BMD's camera on his wildlife shoots in Africa

36 CONNECTECHASIA 2019

32 NEW LAUNCHES AT BROADCASTASIA

36 PAY TV VS OTT IN MENA: AN ANALYSIS

Ed Barton at Ovum outlines the latest developments in television’s evolution in this Singapore special.

We also bring you some of the new launches at the show

44 A TALE OF TWO MARKETS IHS Markit analyst on trends in MENA pay-TV and OTT sectors

38

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PRONEWS

Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Majid Al Futtaim and MBC Studios ink landmark deal Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Majid Al Futtaim and MBC Studios have entered into a major production partnership for film and TV projects across the Middle East. The partnership will support several projects annually and will have a special focus on Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. The first film supported by the partnership is Three Four Eternity, a vampire family drama produced by Mohamed Hefzy (Clash, Sheikh Jackson). HWJN, currently in development, is a feature film adaptation of a Saudi Arabian novel from author Ibrahim Abbas.

“This partnership will have a significant impact on the scale of the region’s industries,

From left: Khaled El Chidiac; Michael Garin and Peter Smith.

enabling more creatives to bring their ideas to life and deliver the content that audiences want to see. The trio of companies will facilitate the creative process at every step of a project’s development, and this is a major step towards our vision of creating dynamic

content for the Middle East that will not only engage locally, but also play to the rest of the world,” commented Ben Ross, Chief Content Officer at Image Nation.

Majid Al Futtaim will contribute to the partnership through its cinemas arm,

Front Row and Rocket Science team up to launch Yalla Yalla entertainment company in Dubai Middle East film distributor and producer Front Row Filmed Entertainment and international financing, production and sales firm Rocket Science have entered into a joint venture to launch Yalla Yalla, a film and television company targeted at Arabiclanguage entertainment.

Based in Dubai, Yalla Yalla will develop, package, produce and finance TV and film projects for MENA. The team has been actively acquiring remake rights

Gianluca Chakra, MD, Front Row.

as well as developing original content for both theatrical and TV, with the aim of having four feature films and two TV series produced within the first eighteen months.

Rocket Science will

Thorsten Schumacher, CEO, Rocket Science.

leverage its talent, producing and financing relationships in the US and Europe, while Front Row and its partner, Kuwait National Cinema Company, will harness their regional relationships with filmmakers and financiers.

as both an exhibitor and distributor of films.

Peter Smith, Managing Director of MBC Studios, added: “We’re bringing together, for the very first time, a 360-degree Arab film entity that covers all aspects of content creation, including development, production, theatrical exhibition, televising on the Middle East’s leading broadcaster and SVOD platforms, as well as international sales. We want to create premium Arabiclanguage feature film content from across the Middle East to connect with audiences in the region and internationally. This partnership, in essence, creates a fully integrated studio.”

Film piracy giant Egy.best shut down Egy.best, one of the most-visited movie piracy sites in Egypt, shut down last month following a growing number of complaints from original content producers regarding the violation of their intellectual property. In a message on the site’s official Facebook account, which has since been removed, the admins said that several Egyptian ISPs had started to block the site, as a result of which it shut down.

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PRONEWS 8

Dubai Studio City recognises filmmakers at ceremony Dubai Studio City hosted an exclusive felicitation ceremony last month and handed out certificates to all attendees of the third season of its content development workshops. During the ceremony, Dubai Studio City renewed its commitment to the filmmaking community via its platform CineMENA, which is set to organise events to celebrate content creation and nurture local talent in the field.

The content development workshops drew the participation of more than 500 amateur and professional filmmakers and content creators in 2018, and underlined Dubai Studio City’s commitment to the media, film, entertainment and

Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director, Dubai Studio City.

content creation industries.

Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Studio City, said: “These workshops serve as a step forward to CineMENA, a platform that has generated high interest since it was announced late last year. We look forward to supporting the region’s creative talent more effectively with

UBMS to offer Tiffen Company's Steadicam M-2 modular camera The Tiffen Company has debuted its Steadicam M-2 modular camera stabiliser at the Cine Gear Expo, hosted from May 30 to June 1, 2019.

The Steadicam will be available with Dubai-based distributor United Broadcast & Media Solutions (UBMS).

Designed for several camera operating requirements of modern broadcast and cinema applications, it features a sleek new top stage that integrates Steadicam Volt horizontal stabilisation technology for reduced weight and height, and simplified rig design.

its diverse activations when it officially gets underway in Q4 2019.”

Hosted in collaboration with Emirati production house Behind The Scenes, the workshops took place at in5 Media, which supports entrepreneurs and startups in the media domain with production facilities to grow within this field.

Epson appoints NMK Electronics as AV distributor Epson Middle East has appointed Dubai-based distributor NMK Electronics to distribute its Pro AV solutions.

The new deal will see NMK add Epson’s portable, short throw and installation projectors to its product portfolio. With major events in the local market including Expo 2020, NMK foresees the demand for Pro AV solutions growing.

Jeroen van Beem, Director of Sales, Epson MEA, said: “This partnership is strategically important for Epson to grow its channel, so we are pleased to be working with NMK. With the right channel partners, we aim to grow our presence in this market.”

NMK says this agreement will enable it to enhance its offering in the AV market.

SoundKraft invests in Sennheiser ew IEM G4 AV rental company SoundKraft LLC has added Sennheiser’s latest generation ew IEM G4 wireless in-ear monitoring system to its portfolio.

Mithesh Bhatia, owner of SoundKraft, said: “We work closely with a number of international bands and artists. It was the high demand from these customers that prompted our decision to enhance our rental offerings with Sennheiser’s latest IEM

system. While seldom apparent to audiences, IEMs are absolutely critical to live performers.

Because the system is so easy to set up and manage, it is extremely reliable,

allowing artists to focus on their performance.”

SoundKraft has been using Sennheiser equipment for over five years and works closely with Venuetech, the audio manufacturer’s UAE distributor.

Since adding the system to its rental offering, SoundKraft has successfully used the Sennheiser ew IEM G4 for several live concerts and award shows, as well as a number of large-scale weddings.

6 | www.broadcastprome.com | June 2019

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PRONEWS

Image Nation film Rashid & Rajab secures international sales agent at Cannes Image Nation Abu Dhabi’s film Rashid & Rajab has been acquired by international sales agent AGC International in a deal signed at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

The Emirati comedy will now become available to markets and potential audiences worldwide, following its release across the GCC this Eid Al Fitr.

AGC International, the international sales and distribution division of AGC Studios in Hollywood, will provide Rashid & Rajab with a platform to be distributed to exhibitors, broadcasters and streaming platforms globally. The comedy already has MENA distribution by Tanweer Films, with an Eid release date throughout

The crew and cast on the red carpet for the global premiere of Rashid & Rajab.

the GCC and an Egyptian release scheduled for later in the summer.

Shot on location in Dubai, the UAE production is the first live-action feature film from Emirati director Mohammed Saeed Harib.

The film was produced

by Emirati filmmakers Ali Mostafa (The Worthy, From A To B) and Majid Alansari (Zinzana), alongside Breakout Film’s Rami Yasin (Shabab Sheyab).

The deal follows other recent successes from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, with a local series (legal drama Justice) picked up by global streaming platform Netflix as a Netflix Original, and an Academy Award for Best Documentary for its international coproduction Free Solo.

Mediaset to broadcast season 2 of documentary series on ancient Egypt Italian broadcaster Mediaset has launched a new season of a documentary series on ancient Egypt in partnership with the Egyptian Tourism Ministry. This venture is part of the ministry’s strategy to “diversify into new promotion platforms and

modernise techniques of marketing Egypt”, it said in a press statement.

The first season of the documentary series was broadcast on the Freedom Oltre Il Confine (Freedom Beyond the Border) programme, with each episode drawing nearly 1.5m views,

according to Egypt’s Tourism Minister, Rania Al-Mashat. The new season, hosted by presenter Roberto Giacobbo, will feature 13 episodes set in the ancient cities of Luxor and Aswan, the village of Abu Simbel, Sohag, Giza and the ancient site of Saqqara.

Icon Art Production to invest $4m in kit and facilities

Zakir Hussain, CEO, Icon Art Production.

UAE-based Icon Art Production (IAP) will invest approximately $4m over the course of this year to upgrade its facilities and expand its inventory of film, TV and broadcasting equipment. The move follows an increase in demand for local and international production of feature films, TV programmes, music videos, event productions, studios and post-production facilities in Dubai, the company said in a statement.

The investment will involve the expansion of state-of-theart studio facilities for indoor shoots for TVCs, TV programmes and feature films, with a studio size of 15,000sqft, inclusive of all post-production facilities.

Commenting on the investment plan, Zakir Hussain, CEO of IAP, said: “Our team understands the niche requirements of the industry, based on which we design a feasible budget for any type of project to assist directors and producers. This has enabled us to be industry leaders in supporting international filmmakers coming to Dubai from Bollywood and other regional and international film industries.”

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PRONEWS

EFSSR to build 55 new cinemas in Egypt The Egyptian Foundation for Strategic Studies & Research (EFSSR) has announced the launch of a threeyear project titled Cima Masr, which aims to produce eight to 10 original films a year and to construct 55 street cinemas with affordable tickets across 27 governorates, as reported by local dailies.

Commenting on the initiative, Hany Ghoneim, EFSSR founder and Chairman, stated: “The foundation

research conducted by us at EFSSR shows a profound lack of entertainment areas, as 250 film theatres were shut down over the last decade and were replaced by commercial or residential projects.

Our target audience, 15- to 45-year-old Egyptians, represents some 15m citizens, which is around 10% of the population in each governorate, who remain in need of affordable, wellequipped means of

La Liga announces revenue of $5bn

entertainment.

“The information we gathered drove our collective enthusiasm to revive the role of Egyptian cinema in our society, as well as its contribution to the development of the Egyptian identity.”

Construction of the first phase of the three-year project, which will comprise 20 theatres, is scheduled for August 2019, with the grand opening of all 55 components set for Q1 of 2020.

La Liga’s clubs posted a revenue of $5bn, representing growth of 20.6% over the previous season.

Commercial deals and revenue from transfers have been chief annual growth drivers in addition to broadcasting revenues.

For commercial revenue (without ad turnover), the annual increase was 34.1%, amounting to a

turnover of $937m.

Player transfers led to an annual increase of 104.3%.

The audiovisual turnover received by the clubs surpassed the $1.68bn mark for the first time and will recover its central role from the 2019/20 season as a result of the new audiovisual cycle negotiated for the national market and the international agreements that have been signed.

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PRONEWS

KSA’s Manga Productions announces film collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animations Saudi animation studio Manga Productions has teamed up with Japan’s Toei Animation to produce anime film The Journey, based on Saudi folklore. It will cost approximately $10m-15m and will be directed by Shizuno Kobun, whose credits include Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle.

The collaboration will see Manga and Toei cooperating on the pre-production and creation of the story and the character design,

with Japanese and Saudi artists working together, the companies announced in a joint statement. The co-production stems from a pact the two companies made in November 2017, a month before Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year ban on cinemas.

Commenting on the collaboration, Bukhary Essam, CEO of Manga Productions, said: “The Journey is a milestone project for Manga.

What we are doing here with The Journey is representative

of our larger role in creating an ecosystem throughout Saudi Arabia and the Arab world in which young talents are given opportunities and are supported, and highquality work representing our culture is produced.”

Toei Animation Managing Director Shinji Shimizu noted that it was “a great honour to cooperate in making Saudi Arabia’s very first animation film based on the history and culture of ancient Arabia”.

The animation work will

Screen International to host third edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow at CIFF 2019 Screen International will launch the third edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow at Cairo International Film Festival 2019 (CIFF), which will take place from 20-29 November 2019.

The first two editions spotlighted 10 emerging talents from the region, including Moroccan director Alaa Eddine

Aljem, who premiered his first feature, The Unknown Saint, in Cannes Critics’ Week this year.

Other past participants include directors Mounia Akl (Lebanon), Amjad Al-Rasheed (Jordan) and Ayman Al-Shatri (Iraq), all poised to shoot their debut features.

Promising talent from

the MENA region will be shortlisted by Screen International’s Middle East correspondent Melanie Goodfellow over the coming months, ahead of the final list, and recipients will be announced during this year’s festival.

CIFF is one of only 15 festivals granted category A status by FIAPF and is the Arab region’s oldest and only internationally accredited annual film festival. Last year, acclaimed Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy was appointed President, with a mandate to revamp and relaunch the Festival.

be done in Japan and Saudi Arabia. Manga has two branches – one in Riyadh and another in Tokyo – and both will have teams working on this project alongside the Toei team.

Manga Productions is an affiliated company of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘Misk’ Foundation.

Manga will fully finance the relatively low-budget project, its biggest to date, and has retained worldwide distribution rights.

National Geographic announces short film series documenting Sharjah’s biodiversity

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi.

National Geographic Abu Dhabi will release a new short documentary film series focused on Sharjah’s biodiversity, in partnership with Sharjah Government Media Bureau and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.

The series consists of eight episodes of about three minutes each.

Each episode follows Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, and a team of experts as they focus on one aspect of the unique flora and fauna species and habitats of the Emirate.

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PROANTI-PIRACY

PARTNER

SUPPORTED BY

SUPPORTED BY

SUPPORTED BY

Irdeto

Discovery

MBC Group

OSN

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PROANTI-PIRACY

At the second edition of the MENA Anti-Piracy Conference, hosted by BroadcastPro Middle East on April 23 at the Ritz-Carlton JBR, Dubai, piracy was discussed extensively across three key panels – Strategy, Technology and Legal. In each discussion, the business experts, the technology strategists and the lawyers called for out-of-the-box thinking and a radical amendment to our notions about the new-age consumer of television content, if we are to fight pirates. We bring you details of the discussions from some upcoming voices in the industry on their successful business models and modus operandi in a region ravaged by piracy FE ATURED SPONSOR

BROADCAST SPONSOR

TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR

ORGANISED BY

DigiSay

ZEE

U-TO Solutions

CPI Trade Media

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PROANTI-PIRACY

AGENTS OF CHANGE

A strategy-oriented panel aimed at countering piracy in the region

DELEEL TV

Robert Lakos

MBC GROUP

Farah Ramadan

YUPPTV INC

Zahra Zayat

In the last couple of years, the Middle East has been caught up in the biggest piracy storm ever, with content rights stolen from under the noses of broadcast rights owners and the rest of the world watching but remaining tightlipped. Piracy remains a huge concern in the MENA region, costing it more than $500m annually. But piracy last year, in combination with the launch of several OTT services, saw traditional broadcast media suffer exceptional economic losses that compelled media executives to urgently consider collaborative methods to ensure their collective survival.

Addressing this from a strategy point of view was the keynote panel, moderated by Robert Lakos, founder of Deleel TV. This panel brought together Manoj Abraham Mathew, Territory Head MENA, Pakistan and Turkey for Zee Network; Zahra Zayat, VP MENA at YuppTV Inc; Farah Ramadan, Digital Planning Manager at MBC Group; Frank Poppelsdorf, VP Product Management at Irdeto; and Ahmed Abbas, CEO of DigiSay. Lakos chronicled some important moments that saw spikes in piracy in the region, starting with the 1990s when Canal Plus pirate decoders were popular in North Africa; moving on to the digital movement, when pirates took to hacking into the systems of major European CAS providers with very cheap multi-cast decoders that impacted Showtime, OSN and ART; to a third phase where internet keyword sharing was rampant; and to the current period, with illegal streaming the biggest cause of piracy.

He then began the discussion by asking Farah Ramadan how MBC counters piracy in the free-to-air (FTA) and VOD space. Ramadan stated that MBC had managed to take

DIGISAY

Ahmed Abbas

ZEE NETWORK

Manoj Mathew

IRDETO

Frank Poppelsdorf

down 245 pirate channels since 2014 through the Broadcast Antipiracy Coalition. On the digital front, MBC has taken down millions of pirated content with the help of CMS on YouTube and social media partners over the last three years.

She pointed out, however, that pirate sites were not just making money by having advertisements served on their platforms but also lining their pockets off subscriptions.

“We believe in working with Google on this, while also creating awareness among advertisers, asking them not to place ads on pirated sites. I believe we will be able to cumulatively succeed if we cut off their revenue and involve all regulatory and value chain parts of this industry, including government legislation, media agencies, advertisers and telcos.”

When asked the same question about YuppTV, which has a strong Bollywood offering and therefore serves as a fertile ground for piracy, Zahra Zayat commented that her team quickly preempted certain challenges within that context and addressed them.

“When launching in Kuwait, where the systems are not so robust, we looked at how much the pirates were charging for their service. We decided to charge a similar amount and launched our whole Bollywood package at $11. We did take a hit, but the feedback from customers was that when they invested in pirated packages, there was no guarantee on the quality, the number of channels or the continuity of the broadcast, especially in the case of sports. We as a legal platform were able to guarantee a quality service for the same price as the pirate. We have found that if customers are given a reasonable option, they will opt for a legal

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PROANTI-PIRACY

platform over an illegitimate service.”

In fact, when the cricket season began, YuppTV advertised on pirate sites that were running its content to attract people to its website – a ruse that was successful, she said.

Zayat pointed out that the biggest advantages an OTT platform has over a linear service are “economies of scale” and the ability “to upgrade faster and more efficiently”.

“I do not carry the burden of cost that traditional pay-TV companies carry. Where pay-TV companies offer their content at $40, we can offer it at $15 with a richer portfolio. Where they offer 50 channels, we can offer 250, in addition to 3,000 movies and catch-up and cinema content, transaction EVOD content and so on.

Technology, digital transformation, AI and IoT have disrupted content consumption and have given us the tools to offer a personalised experience to the customer.”

Lakos then queried Abbas on DigiSay’s role in combating piracy.

“We are an MCN; we are one of those companies who partner with YouTube. We realised during our research that pirates have very professionally packaged content; they

“We believe in working with Google on this, while also creating awareness among advertisers, asking them not to place advertisements on pirated sites” Farah Ramadan, Digital Planning Manager, MBC Group rank very high on Google Search; they are really good with SEO and market their products very well. Because they do not have to worry about content acquisition, editorial rights, geo blocking and so on, they focus all their energies on marketing.

We especially examine Arabic, Turkish and Indian content and crawl them every day and look at the data and match it with our customers,” Abbas remarked.

He noted that one of DigiSay’s key research findings was that the most stolen content in the region was Spanish and Turkish, and said that piracy will get worse, as more people are after specific content “scattered across different platforms”.

“People may pay for one or two subscriptions, but the rest of the content they want to see may be secured illegally.

This is why I like OSN’s recent strategy

with Game of Thrones. It was a smart move to allow consumers to watch Game of Thrones for just $3. More services need to start thinking creatively like this.”

Lakos drew a parallel with five years ago, when consumers complained about having to invest in multiple boxes and subscriptions to watch linear content.

“The legal options were neither user friendly nor in the interest of consumers. Several countries tried to come up with legislation to resolve this, but eventually it was the pirates that actually filled this void by offering attractive content on a single platform at a good price point,” Lakos said.

The moderator then queried Manoj Mathew of Zee TV on how the Indian media network had created a pay ecosystem in India. Mathew pointed out that one of the secrets to Zee’s success has been keeping its fingers in both the DTH and cable pies while also keeping costs down for the consumer.

“In India, prior to 2003, cable was controlled by the mafia. Most of the cable operators were pirating our channels, so there was no money coming in from there. The cable operators would declare a million

The keynote panel discussed the need for companies to revisit their business models to counter piracy.

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Zahra Zayat stated that economies of scale and the ability to upgrade faster are the reasons why OTT platforms have an edge over linear services.

subs when they had close to 20m subs. That’s why in India, almost all the broadcasters have an investment in a cable or DTH platform.

“Zee was the first to launch DTH with Dish TV in 2003, at a time when no one believed in the pay model.

Subscription was expensive. There was a notion that people would only watch free content. Sports is very popular in India, especially cricket, and this was available for free on government channels. Then came a new breed of content with dramas, which attracted people to move into cable and later DTH. “We knew that a consumer would pay a certain amount and beyond that, they would pirate the content.

Two years ago, we bought the second largest DTH operator, owned by Videocon, because we knew scaling was also important. Today, we are the second largest DTH operator in the world with 28m subscribers in India.

India has around 110m subscribers across seven DTH operators.”

Mathew pointed out that with OTT entering the fray, the company had to invest less in set-top boxes and this saving was passed on to the customer. “Your monthly subscription in India would be around $4-6. It may not have all the channels, but even our competitors

“Technology, digital transformation, AI and IoT have disrupted content consumption and have given us the tools to offer a personalised experience to the customer” Zahra Zayat, VP MENA, YuppTV Inc

operate at similar pricing points.”

YuppTV’s Zayat agreed with Mathew that technology is a great enabler, adding that the platform tracks the behaviour of its subscribers and targets them with ads that fit their profile and viewing habits: “In the US, for instance, we target subscribers by zip code.”

Lakos then moved on to strategies to contain piracy.

With consumers in the continent devouring Indian content, he asked how Zee manages this.

Mathew commented that the challenges are especially major in hugely pirated markets like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, where pirates buy multiple set-top boxes to create a small headend and charge a small subscription fee to distribute content to consumers in their townships. He says Zee incentivised illegitimate players to move over from the dark side.

“Typically, content owners and platform owners would go raid them and shut them down, but ten others would mushroom in their place. We reached out to them and offered them a special pricing to become a

Frank Poppelsdorf reiterated that operators must invest in good technology and an efficient business strategy to combat piracy.

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Manoj Mathew says pricing plays a crucial role in ensuring that people access legitimate services.

legitimate operator. In this way, we managed successful operations in all these three very difficult markets.”

Frank Poppelsdorf pointed out that to succeed against piracy, an operator must align good technology with proactive services and a very good business model.

“Some pirates are very good at marketing their services and make it attractive or confusing for consumers.

Pirates also don’t operate with the same restrictions as operators, who typically have a managed box with only their own service.”

He also remarked that 2019 will be the year we see more Android TV boxes managed by operators than retail Android TV boxes.

“This is a very real example of how operators are ensuring their boxes are consumer friendly on an Android platform. However, you still need to take steps to ensure proper security on Android TV and consider third-party apps such as Kodi. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has cited that over 70% of the consumers using Kodi will do so for piracy. This is where Irdeto comes in to ensure the security of Android TV for an operator.

“We are ensuring that operators have the highest levels of security on Android TV by providing them services that enable them to monitor and get

“We reached out to them [pirates] and offered them a special pricing to become a legitimate operator. In this way, we managed successful operations in three very difficult markets” Manoj Mathew, Territory Head MENA, Pakistan and Turkey, Zee Network

insight into pirate content sources through a two-way connection.”

He pointed out that it is equally important to measure the level and extent of piracy in a region before responding with appropriate technical or business solutions.

“You can take action by shutting the malicious plug-ins down on your managed Android TV boxes, or you can choose a different pricing model for your service. We work closely with operators in this new world where it is mostly about OTT and being consumer friendly. We have to move with that flow, so staying in a world where you have your own managed STB that is confined and controlled at a very high cost does not work anymore.”

With people moving away from STBs to integrated television sets, IPTVs and so on, Lakos enquired what solutions different countries were exploring.

Citing examples from other regions, Poppelsdorf said: “We have looked at ways to make it easier for consumers to receive their content.

One of the areas where we have been leading is providing a solution for a USB-form factor for CI Plus 2.0.

Farah Ramadan attributed the success of MBC's efforts in ousting millions of pirated services to the availability of CMS on YouTube and support from social media partners.

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They have a long history in Europe, where every single TV has to support CI Plus using PCMCI. That didn’t work with the rest of the world, because it had costs attached to it.

“However, CI Plus has changed the specs for TV to support USB. So this will be available in all their TVs going forward. What it allows you to do is have a very cheap form factor of a USB dongle. It has its limitations in terms of UI control, but there is no security concern as it provides content in a secure manner, with security integrated based on Irdeto Cloaked CA.” In essence, the panellists agreed that all barriers to accessing a legitimate service across different parts of the chain, especially cost, must be kept in mind.

In a concluding question, Lakos asked how the panellists defined winning the battle against piracy, and what their key metrics to that achievement would be.

Ramadan pointed out that MBC had secured small wins by using data to see what content people are watching on pirated sites and trying to cater to that demand.

“As a content buyer, MBC and Shahid started researching the needs of our viewers more – and based on that, we started offering exclusives and first runs.”

However, she expressed reservations about relinquishing full control to the viewer, stating that MBC would provide a much safer,

“We realised during our research that pirates have very professionally packaged content; they rank very high on Google Search... are really good with SEO and market their products very well” Ahmed Abbas, CEO, DigiSay better and more reliable experience to attract and retain its viewers.

Mathew stated that his basic metrics would be “more subscribers, better ARPUs and more money at the top line”.

Poppelsdorf stated that it is important for content owners to differentiate themselves to compete with professional pirates.

“We know how difficult the battle is to eradicate piracy. Professional pirates are relatively easy to find, because they market their products just as extensively as operators do to attract subscribers.

Tracking them is easy. Shutting them down is not. The solution is to identify them and make their lives difficult by ensuring their service is unreliable at crucial moments of broadcast. As an operator, on the other hand, you must ensure that your service offers a reliable and enhanced user experience. The other important thing is deploying technology that enables you to scientifically try, test and measure the methods that will give you the best results.”

Zahra added that with the definition of content having evolved

over the years, service operators need to offer as much flexibility as possible to consumers.

“We have to deliver the right content at a price fit for their pocket and be able to view anytime, anywhere without restrictions. We also need to offer flexible modes of payment to facilitate easy payment on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

People have different capabilities and the more flexible the payment options, the greater the opportunity to win over a subscriber.”

Abbas added that while it is difficult to find one secret ingredient to successfully deter pirates, a collection of different methods will help the cause. But he also pointed out that operators and content owners sometimes deliberately use piracy to hook people on a programme and then get them onto a legitimate service. He cited Game of Thrones, saying that data showed that the pirated version of the series was watched ten times more than a legitimate service.

“I hear that Netflix deliberately protects titles only for a limited period of time and then they leak it out so they can get new subscribers.”

With everyone in the game to hook more subscribers, it seems to be a case of by hook or by crook.

Lakos concluded with a round-up of the key themes discussed such as the need to revisit business models to access a wider consumer base, and ways to collaborate to combat illegal content distribution.

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CRIME BUSTERS A tech and ops debate at the MENA Anti-Piracy Conference

DIGISAY

Ahmed Abbas

OSN

Dr Guillaume Forbin

U-TO SOLUTIONS

Sumit Suri

With the threat of piracy evolving alongside the rapid pace of innovation, protection of valuable content has become far more fundamental than ever before. If broadcasters are to combat illegal content distributors, they must rely on advanced mechanisms and create windows of disruption to oust pirates from their position. This was echoed by the tech panellists at the BroadcastPro ME Anti-Piracy Conference last month.

Titled ‘Fighting Back: Using Technology to Shield Media Assets’, the second panel discussion, moderated by Ahmed Abbas of DigiSay, addressed the need to shield media assets using technology. The panellists for this session were Dr Guillaume Forbin, Director of Platform and Content Security at OSN; Sumit Suri, MD & CTO of U-TO Solutions; Dr Naser Refaat, CTO of Rotana Media Group; and Frank Poppelsdorf, VP of Product Management at Irdeto.

Abbas opened the discussion by asking Poppelsdorf to elaborate on how Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and conditional access have been used in a scalable way at Irdeto.

Poppelsdorf said: “We deliver a cardless solution to operators, in order to reduce the logistical costs related to smart cards, but we also ensure maximum security for their content by implementing a dedicated execution environment in the chipset.

Some people think that TEE is secure enough for cardless CA solutions, but in fact this is untrue in common practice.”

According to him, a digital rights management (DRM) system can be secure enough on a TEE because of its two-way connection.

“In such a scenario, the stream is easily traceable.

However, within a DTH or a satellite environment, where there is more than one signal to many streams, providers might struggle to detect piracy if a TEE used by a cardless CA client is breached. Irdeto focuses on ensuring the

ROTANA MEDIA GROUP

Dr Naser Refaat

IRDETO

Frank Poppelsdorf

highest level of security in the hardware of their cardless solution, to protect operators from piracy,” he added.

Abbas then turned to Dr Forbin, asking him to elucidate OSN’s strategy and security approach.

“It’s crucial to deploy state-of-the-art security to make sure STBs, apps or other receiving devices – including third-party distribution devices – are well protected. There are several ways to protect devices and premium content, but adopting a comprehensive approach addressing all distribution end points and investing in the best technology to combat piracy are essential to protect a distribution platform,” he stated.

Forbin added that OSN has created its own solutions to help detect and take down pirated materials.

“The OSN approach includes advanced piracy detection and enforcement tools, usage of the best possible technologies to protect the OSN platform and devices, but also anti-fraud measures to deter pirates from accessing and redistributing OSN premium content.”

When asked to propose the most efficient method for companies to track down pirates, Suri of U-TO Solutions said: “Taking down all the pirates at one go is a Herculean task. It’s about categorising a piece of content as illegal and trying to cause disruption within it. Take for example a live event. If I’m able to cause disruption during a live event and create an inconsistent experience for users, they’re going to want to look for alternatives.”

While disruption remains key for service providers, he stated that there are “ways and means of creating an inconsistent user experience” that compel users to seek a reliable, legitimate service.

“That doesn’t imply making them pay a premium for it – if you can create disruption, you can get users to move to a legal platform.”

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The panel then discussed the effectiveness of blockchain in combating piracy.

Dr Refaat endorsed it, stating that “pirates won’t be able to enter the sub-coding of websites”, but pointed out that blockchain requires “sophisticated integration”. He explained that an STB with a TEE has a separate CPU, RAM and OS for a TEE workload environment which can be fully or partially utilised. Furthermore, TEE systems can be optimally integrated with blockchain DRM systems, and can be used to store an authorised list of members to validate the network’s users’ safety and securely.

“DRM blockchain doesn’t use the CPU of STBs, but TEE. This implies that if a hacker were to use an STB, he would not be able to use the fully combined CPU powers. He will have a bad quality experience. But if his access is TEE authorised, he will

“Taking down all the pirates at one go is a Herculean task. It’s about categorising a piece of content as illegal and trying to cause disruption within it” Sumit Suri, MD & CTO, U-TO Solutions have a quality experience. Unfortunately, some STB manufacturers and integrators don’t maximise the potential of the TEE OS, or use only a part of its RAM or TEE CPU power. Going forward, we can list vendors that use TEE efficiently in the market. It’s going to take some time to build awareness for the big guys to implement such solutions.”

Poppelsdorf commented at this point that in the past, “it was about trying to compromise the link between smart card and chipset, but now we’ve moved to cardless solutions, making it even harder for hackers”.

“Now pirates have largely moved to illegal content distribution on the internet, so we’re focused on finding pirate sources using watermarking technology.”

Citing panellists’ previous points relating to the crucial need to trace the source of pirated content and then employ effective measures, Poppelsdorf said: “To end the cat and mouse chase between provider and pirate, you need to have secure countermeasures in place. The security of STBs today can be at an extremely high level when you have a high-quality conditional access system and a secure execution environment for it. If you put the bar low, then piracy can occur. But beyond having secure STBs, you still need to be active against content redistribution piracy.”

Suri added that the paradigm has shifted from peer-to-peer sites to illegal streaming services, and recommended a multi-tiered

The tech panel discussed the need to strike the right balance between security and costs in order to enable businesses to recover losses attributed to illegal content distribution.

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Frank Poppelsdorf furthered the need for legal service providers to rely on watermarking technology in order to track down pirates.

“In the past, operators often preferred to install security onsite, such as a licensed DRM system in their data centre. We’re now being asked to help operators move such operations into the cloud. From their point of view, it’s the same level of security or more, at a shared cost” Frank Poppelsdorf, VP of Product Management, Irdeto approach to dealing with piracy.

“For us, piracy is not just about identifying content; it’s about going behind the scenes and identifying the source of that piracy and shutting it down at a crucial moment. AI helps build that social profile to track down pirates. If we build common threads across YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion, we can identify the

commonality between them. So when I’m pulling one of them down, I can pull the entire chain down, making sure that I can have a reasonable window of disruption.”

Dr Refaat seconded Suri, stating that AI can play a big role in fighting piracy.

“Presently, there is no DRM platform that will enable us as a technologist to deal with pirates. To fight pirates, we need to rely on metadata, cast a

Sumit Suri highlighted the importance of AI in identifying and taking down illegal content distributors.

wide search net with AI and use blockchain to cause disruption.”

The moderator asked whether the tech industry had a way to identify illegal sources of content, and Dr Refaat said Rotana uses MUSO. “It helps us locate where our online content is available illegally.

If we see a certain illegal platform distributing our content, we take it down. However, this process could be simplified if we had a platform that has metadata that we can easily use to combat piracy,” he pointed out.

“Currently, there is no central platform that deals with the certification and registration process of the legality of films, documentaries, clips and news feeds. If we manage to build a central platform responsible for the ownership and rights certifications, we can take that metadata to the technologists, which will enable them to help us protect data. But such a platform is absent in the Middle East.”

Suri added that metadata plays a key role in this exercise.

“U-TO is steering towards something similar, with our entire focus being content-centric.

Whether it’s trying to work with the marketability of content or detecting where there’s piracy, metadata serves as the starting

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Dr Naser Refaat emphasised the necessity for a central rights registration and ownership certification platform.

point. We use metadata to identify a potential link, then trace our way backwards using fingerprinting to identify an audio-visual match on that, so it’s a tiered process.”

Dr Refaat said this would be most practical if the broadcasters collaborated.

“Ideally, all the studios – Rotana, OSN, MBC and the rest – must register into, say, one rights management system. This would be difficult because for a rights management system, we need a platform based on blockchain, part of which implies the management system will own all the processes. Content studios typically don’t like to share the cost with X, Y, Z. The only way I see everyone coming in is if we have a system that serves as a true central rights registration and ownership certification platform.”

Suri commented that this is “a twostep process that involves creating a sense of responsibility and then allowing contracts to tie itself around”.

From here, the moderator asked the panellists about

balancing cost and ROI. Dr Forbin commented that in terms of piracy detection and enforcement, OSN undertook the work internally, as it needed to protect a large collection of assets that were under threat on several distribution channels, “such as the web, illicit IPTV STBs, social media or pirated FTA channels”.

Dr Guillaume Forbin stressed the crucial need for investment in anti-piracy tools.

“Investing in our own antipiracy tools was a cost-effective way to address piracy. On the platform security side of things, conditional access systems, DRMs or technologies such as watermarking have a cost, but these are key to combating pirates, controlling the OSN distribution network and complying with rights holders’ content protection requirements.”

Poppelsdorf pointed out that the feasibility of investing in security is equally important.

“The main cost burden is usually borne by the operator. In the past,

“Investing in our own anti-piracy tools was a cost-effective way to address piracy. On the platform security side of things, conditional access systems, DRMs or technologies such as watermarking have a cost, but these are key to combating pirates” Dr Guillaume Forbin, Director of Platform and Content Security, OSN www.broadcastprome.com | 23

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operators often preferred to install security on-site, such as a licensed DRM system in their data centre.

We’re now being asked to help operators move such operations into the cloud. From their point of view, it’s the same level of security or more, at a shared cost. Having bespoke OTT services has become too expensive. What we’re providing is a few key security capabilities in the cloud, including multi-DRM management and even watermarking.

You can tick the boxes you want, and you’re basically done in terms of protecting your content.”

He explained that since operators seek to reduce their costs, it's necessary for security service providers to offer complete coverage for the OTT part and for broadcast conditional access. According to him, a trusted security partner can enable operators to outsource non-strategic tasks and save costs.

Commenting on the need for an efficient monitoring system, Suri said: “India is in an enviable position where

“The question to ask is how worthy is the content for protection and the cost of going legal … Netflix has the assets to protect its vast receivable revenue, while smaller MENA platforms don’t” Dr Naser Refaat, CTO, Rotana Media Group they’ve invested in a team consisting of broadcasters and OTT providers to do this work. We operate out of one to a thousand channels in many different countries; we use ten different measures about how things are done. It’s about the value of the content. We operate with our partners to identify and monitor the content. It’s not about monitoring a thousand hours of content; it’s about the hundred where piracy is rampant that need to be monitored. It’s about time we go back and work with operators on a strategy about what is critical. It’s about time we say the infrastructure is created and five to ten people can use the same

infrastructure for cost balance.”

While agreeing that the proposed ways to balance costs raised by his co-panellists were essential, Dr Refaat raised a pertinent regional challenge.

“The question to ask is how worthy is the content for protection and the cost of going legal. Netflix has 118m subscribers in 190 countries, nearly 6,000 movie titles, 1,000 drama series and makes $19bn a year. Rotana has approximately 2,000 movie titles.

Where’s the comparison? Netflix has the assets to protect its vast receivable revenue, while smaller MENA platforms don’t. Only if this market is legally regulated with a proper blockchained central registration and rights certification platform can we genuinely increase our security measures,” he commented.

The discussion concluded with Abbas summing up some of the protection strategies for key media assets, tools to disrupt pirates and new ways to harness technology to manage security efficiently.- Rachel Dawson

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PLAYING

BY THE RULES A legal strategy on countering piracy in the MENA region

GOWLING WLG

Jon Parker

OSN

Addy Verma

NAIK NAIK & COMPANY

Ameet Naik

As global demand for content continues to boom, piracy remains a perilous problem for the industry. Our legal panel brought together high-profile lawyers representing media houses from the UAE, Egypt, India and the UK to address some of the key issues that plague the industry.

Titled ‘The Rule Book: Combating Piracy with Legal Experts’, the discussion, moderated by Jon Parker, Partner/Head of IP at Gowling WLG, addressed the threats faced by businesses and the counter measures the industry must initiate to render piracy ineffective.

The panellists were Addy Verma, Senior Legal Counsel at OSN; Ameet Naik, founder and Managing Partner of Naik Naik & Company; Nicki Schroeder, Senior Director Global Anti-Piracy at Discovery, Inc; and Walid Abdel Mohsen, Senior Legal Counsel at Rotana Media Group.

Jon Parker began by highlighting some positive developments in the industry in terms of sentences handed out to criminals in the UK for the sale of illegal set-top boxes (STBs). He also highlighted significant wins regionally, where OSN had again secured a jail term for a person selling illegal STBs, as well as the closure of their business.

Parker first asked OSN’s Addy Verma to share his observations on developments in the region in the last 12 months.

“We’ve seen further progress from both a legal and business point of view, whether it is in the courts or the way the law has been interpreted over the last

DISCOVERY, INC

Nicki Schroeder

ROTANA MEDIA GROUP

Walid Abdel Mohsen

12 months,” Verma acknowledged. “Content owners have invested more in content protection activities.

Collaboration between owners has improved, because everyone is impacted at some point or the other.

“In this region, people are not used to paying for content. There’s a diverse population, especially in the GCC, that come from different countries and have different ways of accessing the content they like.

“We don’t want to go to the courts in the first instance.

We consider other options such as administrative enforcement, where we create awareness without initiating a criminal complaint. We resort to criminal action when we identify a pirate who has committed a technological breach or uses their activities to make money.”

In some cases, cracking down on pirates can be a complicated process with above-normal costs involved in safeguarding assets, Verma explained.

“Back in 2014, a subscriber pirated a popular movie from our platform and uploaded it on a pirate torrent website for monetary gains. Our initial challenge was to identify the pirate and ensure that identification would hold good before the courts. There were cross-border issues as well as challenges to establish jurisdiction. The evidence was dynamic, and interpretation of the laws was untested in that territory. However, in the end, we were successful in obtaining judgment against the pirate.

“The UAE is making efforts to establish specialised IP courts which provide for expert witnesses to review

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The legal panel discussed the need for collaboration among courts, lawyers, tech experts, coalition groups and regulatory authorities as a pre-emptive measure against piracy in MENA.

complaints and evidence. Over the years, we’ve seen more of this kind of action across the region, whether it be Jordan, Egypt, the UAE or Kuwait.

The courts have interpreted the law in the right spirit.”

Parker then turned to Ameet Naik, whose company reportedly represents some of the highestprofile players in Bollywood, and asked him how India, which ranks fifth globally for online piracy, has addressed this menace.

Before responding to the query, Naik set the stage by sharing some statistics with the attendees.

“India is a country of 1bn people; the penetration is huge and the average viewer online is between the age of 15 and 25.

Therefore, India ranks #5 in online piracy. The country produces 400 mainstream films and 400 regional films annually, and it appears that broadband will soon be free in the country. Despite these issues, we see a big change coming to

“In this region, people are not used to paying for content. There’s a diverse population, especially in the GCC, that come from different countries and have different ways of accessing the content they like” Addy Verma, Senior Legal Counsel, OSN India, which started with the Indian music industry, whose revenue loss was colossal at approximately $670m every year. Now, the OTT players are following suit,” Naik stated.

Naik pointed to three fundamental changes taking place within the Indian context, from an industry, legislative and judicial point of view, and explained that India is witnessing the coming together of these three critical elements.

“From an industry perspective, we have the Broadcasting Federation in India, and the Television and

Producers Guild – I represent both entities. Both are collaborating as guilds should in every country.

These players have come out with strong regulations and have the ability to admonish people.

“The second is statute. I was part of a select committee of the Parliament in 2012 in India, where we brought about a change to the certification act. A change to the copyright act is on the anvil, with the ability to take both civil and criminal action against offenders.

“The third is judicial intervention. We were recently about to get a dynamic injunction, where we were allowed not just to block a website but block any recurrence of it without having to file a fresh case. This is where the judiciary has an all-important role to play in outsmarting piracy.”

Naik acknowledged that the legal system is indeed dealing with clever pirates, but they could pre-empt their moves and bring laws to counter that.

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Nicki Schroeder highlighted the role of static and dynamic injunctions, adding that the latter was particularly useful during live streaming events.

With Avengers: Endgame on the threshold of being released during our conference, Naik pointed out that teams across the globe should remain vigilant to ensure that the movie was not pirated.

“There are jurisdictions, where there were going to be 24-hour screenings for a film, so when you understand the appetite for a particular content, you must take anticipatory action. Even Hollywood studios out of India in different jurisdictions went out and got protection early on. My advice is to go to the courts and engage lawyers if necessary and come together as an industry. More importantly, get the regulator on

your side. The Telecom Regulatory Authority in India has played a vital role in mitigating piracy. Content is universal. All regions want content but protecting that content is the mantra.”

In terms of IP injunctions and copyright orders, there have been some notable wins in court across the world, Nicki Schroeder

of Discovery observed.

“What I have seen over the course of the last three months is a number of significant criminal enforcement actions in the Netherlands, the US, the UK, Spain, South Korea, Germany, Thailand and China. All of that is very encouraging. In terms of criminal enforcement, there are a range of options in the region, including administrative action by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

In some parts of the region, there is also the option of site-blocking injunctions.”

She distinguished between static and dynamic injunctions, explaining that the latter can be amended if the URL changes and are very useful for live streaming of content, particularly live streaming of sporting events.

“I think there are 30 or 31 countries where it’s possible to get a dynamic injunction or static injunctions. Thinking Addy Verma stressed the importance of working with coalitions as this helps to bring best practices to the region.

“We don’t want to go to the courts in the first instance. We consider other options such as administrative enforcement, where we create awareness without initiating a criminal complaint” Addy Verma, Senior Legal Counsel, OSN

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Walid Abdel Mohsen shared how content has been regulated effectively to some extent in Egypt.

“Today, the Egyptian Chamber of Cinema is instituted as the one source responsible for the authentication of movies, while the Ministry of Culture oversees the authentication of Arabic content. So, pirates cannot escape with… fake licences” Walid Abdel Mohsen, Senior Legal Counsel, Rotana Media Group about the political arena and changes in legislation, Article 17 of the EU Copyright Directive is something that’s been debated at length in Europe over the past months,” she remarked.

The panellists agreed that the area most affected by technology is the legal dimension, and Parker asked Mohsen of Rotana to share his views on the authentication and licensing processes in Egypt, in terms of proving ownership of data.

“In the past, asset authentication was the main problem in the MENA countries. In Egypt, for example, we had a lot of places dealing with authentication processes.

Today, the Egyptian Chamber of Cinema is instituted as the one source responsible for the authentication of movies, while the Ministry of Culture oversees the authentication of Arabic content.

So pirates cannot escape with any fake licences, as the regulation in the country is now streamlined.

For Arabic-language movies being brought into Egypt, UAE authorities have an agreement with the Chamber of Cinema, which I think is a good step in our fight against piracy,” Mohsen said.

The panel discussed the need for

collaboration among various entities and rights holders, as a measure to reduce the cost of protecting assets and prosecuting pirates.

Verma pointed out here that “the idea behind forming coalitions is to overcome challenges, which primarily relate to documentation and proving ownership of being a licensee”.

“There’s always the issue of

jurisdiction, which might be a limiting factor for us to act against pirates situated across the globe.

However, we have taken down several illegal content providers’ sites via forms available on Facebook, YouTube, etc. Some of the coalitions we are part of include IPTV Taskforce and Asian Pacific American Media Ameet Naik stated that when the industry works closely with the legislative and judicial bodies, there will be greater success against piracy.

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Jon Parker asked the panellists to propose effective legal ways in which businesses can deal with piracy.

Coalition (APAMC). Through Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA), we work with Interpol and Europol, where we deal with issues not based in this region.

It’s important to work within coalitions because this helps to engage everyone in bringing best practices to this region.”

Schroeder agreed: “From an enforcement point of view, working within coalitions such as the Movie Pictures Association (MPA) IPTV Taskforce has enabled rights holders to mitigate costs.

“Some sorts of work we do with rights coalitions involve landscaping work and research.

For example, the Internet and Television Association (NCTA), which Discovery is a part of, has done a huge amount of work in terms of research behind why people consume pirated content, what are the drivers of demand, what kind of things you can do to stop credential sharing, how to structure your service to make it less attractive, and also what kind of measures we can apply to take pirates down. The third piece of work we try to do as a coalition of rights holders is to work with governments and in the political sphere.”

Mohsen cited an experience where a content provider was unaware that he had bought pirated content.

“Our primary aim is to spread awareness about IP rights in the region. In Tunisia, theatres have been closed down because of rampant piracy. Now people don’t visit cinemas; they prefer to take pirated CDs from street vendors and watch it at home. Coalitions must work with countries such as Tunisia where the public have no awareness about copyright infringements,” he remarked.

Parker then steered the team from collaboration to the role of strategic business

models to counter piracy.

Schroeder rightly pointed out that “pirates and illegal providers are not playing by the same rules as content owners” and that “perhaps the best way to differentiate from pirates is by keeping to what legitimate services are best at – ensuring safe viewing and reliable service”.

“We need to find ways to differentiate the legal offers from the pirate offers in a way that doesn’t come down to price and range of content, because that’s not a level playing field. As legitimate content owners and broadcasters, we are constrained by regulatory compliance issues and geographical limitations of the law. On a commercial basis, we are never going to be able to compete with pirated services in

“We need to find ways to differentiate the legal offers from the pirate offers in a way that doesn’t come down to price and range of content, because that’s not a level playing field” Nicki Schroeder, Senior Director Global Anti-Piracy, Discovery, Inc

terms of price, because they are not paying for content. We must aim to differentiate our services in terms of the integrity of content, the reliability of service, ensuring cyber safety and so on,” she noted.

Naik pointed out here that the middleman poses a huge threat at the last mile.

“Business houses need to ensure their content remains sanitised, and the challenge is often at the last mile. In the Indian regime, every broadcaster started aggregating content to mitigate this. They learned that by taking the middleman out, they can contain some of this.”

Verma pointed out at this stage that legitimate content providers and distributors must identify their target audience.

“This is how pirates function: they identify the demand of their target audiences and tailor their services. Based on research, we sold our commercial subscriptions at discounted rates to audiences in labour camps. Over time, the way they consume content has changed; now they want an IPTV decoder and apps. There’s a lot of scope for all types of business models if we succeed

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in maintaining exclusivity.”

Mohsen added that one of the big concerns still is convincing judges that content theft is just as big a crime as stealing anything else.

“I once worked on a copyright case where we had a judge who thought he couldn’t punish someone for pirating movies. He said he can put him behind bars if he stole a bicycle, but how can he put someone in prison for pirating a movie? Nowadays, we coordinate with the Egyptian Governor and have a new IP law including 45 articles and prison sentences. This is a small win, but more needs to be done.”

Everyone agreed that things were changing, with courts and judges becoming more aware of the situation.

Parker concluded the discussion by asking each

“Business houses need to ensure their content remains sanitised, and the challenge is often at the last mile” Ameet Naik, founder and Managing Partner, Naik Naik & Company member to share how they could better enforce their clients’ rights.

“There’s a need to extend the ambit of administrative actions. Currently, in the UAE and Kuwait, we’ve worked on an administrative process for site blocking. We are now trying to extend that to cyber laws,” Verma said.

“We believe safeguarding content should be any content owner’s top priority, just like revenue generation.

Have a dedicated cell of people who do only this,” Naik recommended.

“We need to find ways to persuade viewers that these pirate services

are not interchangeable with the legal offer and that it’s not a victimless crime,” said Schroeder.

Mohsen concluded that the focus should be on educating content providers. “If you manage to protect the first release of a piece of content, you may have saved it from piracy. Nilesat recently proposed to movie producers in Egypt to broadcast their movies via satellite to protect their content. Most producers refused on grounds of cost, but they could potentially incur even bigger losses.”

The panellists concluded by agreeing that a multi-pronged strategy with content providers collaborating with courts, lawyers, tech experts, coalition groups and regulatory authorities, is required to institute stricter rules to fight piracy. - Rachel Dawson

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BLACK IS BACK

After six months playing around with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, Yusuf Thakur tells Garima Rawat his first experiences of using the much-anticipated camera. Read on to find out if it made the cut…

Dubai-based filmmaker Yusuf Thakur, who has been filming wildlife across the world since 2003, was thrilled to be the first in the Middle East to receive the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. From his six months using the camera, Thakur has many lessons to offer on getting the best value and utility from it. He shares his journey of hits and misses, and what really makes it tick.

Blackmagic recently released version 2 of the camera with the new Blackmagic Camera 6.2 update, which added support for Blackmagic RAW (BRAW). BRAW allows filmmakers to record for a longer duration and change parameters such as exposure and saturation. BRAW offers a record time of more than two hours of 4K DCI footage on a single 500GB SSD card.

Version 2 differs from its predecessor only in the recording format. The earlier variant sported Cinema DNG, while the new version offers BRAW. The Cinema DNG format was not as popular among users, which is probably why Blackmagic needed to introduce the BRAW update.

Thakur gives us his take.

“The original camera released with Cinema DNG as its RAW recording format. It’s container-based and cumbersome, unlike a single video. The good thing about it is that in a still frame, the latitude to grade is so vast, and you can use anything from Photoshop to a high-end grading software," he says.

“I have shot extensively now on BRAW and I am more impressed with what this can do. BRAW offers recording in RAW, and in post-production, there is so much scope to grade and work with the footage. BRAW is user-friendly and allows ample data to be recorded, which can be stored on internal and external drives. Cinema DNG, by comparison, is not an easy format for beginners and you need a lot of practice and patience to work with it.”

All good things come to those who wait, and the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is just that for photographers and filmmakers, says Thakur.

“You get a super bright five-inch screen and two in-built microphones, while the external buttons have been designed to offer quick and seamless access to all functions. The image quality and BRAW recording features let you shoot images that rival professional digital film cameras costing tens of thousands more. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K version 2 is no longer a pocket camera, but it is the only camera in the form factor that does internal 4K RAW recording.

“As a filmmaker, this is really important to me. This is what sets the Blackmagic camera apart from everything out there in the market. It’s no longer pocket; it is in a DSLR form factor and is unique in its design.”

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema

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Yusuf Thakur, a Dubaibased filmmaker reviews the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K.

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Camera ticks many boxes for filmmakers, and scores highest in its ability to record RAW internally, as well as its affordability and portability.

“Wildlife filming is already quite challenging for filmmakers and weight is an additional concern.

Earlier, I filmed with cameras that alone weighed around 15kg. This camera has made it possible for me to be truly mobile. Now my whole kit is no more than 20kg, which includes a tripod, batteries, a small jib arm, a slider and so on,” says Thakur.

“A camera that weighs less is also easier to carry on international flights, especially with the growing limitations on weight by flight carriers. This camera offers me more space to carry other essentials. The camera body is quite compact and lightweight, which makes it favourable to travel with.

“At $1,400, this camera is a steal because it can record RAW and comes in a compact form factor with an in-built five-inch viewfinder. The camera works very well with my style of working, with the modularity of the filming system. I have invested in a couple of these cameras, and thanks to its

“The BRAW recording feature let you shoot images that rival professional digital film cameras costing tens of thousands more” Yusuf Thakur, filmmaker portable design and affordable price, I can leave it behind in a country if I am going to return for a shoot and can’t carry it with me. Similarly, for dangerous shoots, this is my preferred camera as the risk is relatively low.”

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera sports a 4/3 size sensor with 13 stops of dynamic range. Its dual native ISO feature offers filmmakers good performance in low-light conditions. The external controls offer convenient access to basic shooting

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K has a dual native ISO feature which offers filmmakers good performance in varying light conditions.

functionalities. The most dramatic aspect is the five-inch monitor, which differentiates it from others in its league. The large screen offers filmmakers a good chance to frame shots and focus on the right object. The camera offers recording on standard SD/UHS-II or CFast 2.0 cards in Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) and ProRes, at up to 120 frames per second.

Calling it a complete unit for filming, Thakur explains: “The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera has an MFT lens mount, built-in microphones, mini XLR input, full-sized HDMI, 3D LUT support, Bluetooth, USB-C expansion port and other features that make it a complete unit. The camera lets you check framing and focus, capture audio and record files without having to carry around extra monitors, microphones, recorders and cables. You don’t have to use add-ons and build this camera to shoot. You can just power it on and start recording.

“This camera is apt for documentary-style shoots, as the filmmaker doesn’t need to carry the add-ons separately. The scratch mic offered on the camera captures ambient sound. The only problem is that it captures all the sound and you will need a separate mic if you need to capture just one specific sound.”

Battery performance is another aspect that has critics complaining.

The camera allegedly drains out faster and doesn’t offer a lot of recording time. However, Thakur

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The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is lightweight, which makes it a viable option for wildlife photographers.

has devised his own way of using batteries that make them last longer. He shares his hack.

“It is quite evident that a fiveinch monitor and RAW recording capabilities put a lot of strain on the camera battery. The solution lies in exploring ways to power the camera.

Blackmagic offers several options to power this camera. You can power it through a USB cable. The only catch is that you can’t simultaneously record on an external USB SSD. The other option is to use a V-mount battery. The battery I use has a USB and D-Tap output, and I can power up and charge the camera plus use

an additional monitor. The 130W battery helps run the camera for around four hours continuously and can last for a full day of shooting. The same battery runs the RED for under one-and-a-half hours.

“Many first-time filmmakers buy this camera and complain about battery life. While this camera may deliver on some aspects, if they shoot RAW, they will need to work in post-production to achieve the desired result. Those looking for instant options may have to look elsewhere, as this may not be the ideal choice. For those who have tinkered with a variety of cameras and can benchmark the performance of this camera, I would not hesitate to say that this camera turns Red to Black!

“I have used cameras from Red and they are in their own bracket. Both companies have proprietary codecs.

BRAW is easier to use in terms of playback and editing. The biggest differentiator for Blackmagic here is that you don’t need any additional accessories to shoot. Take the camera and the lens, and you are good to go.

“A camera that can record RAW

and comes in such a compact form factor at the current price makes it a real champion in the industry. The lightweight body, coupled with its capabilities, makes it a worthy addition to our product portfolio.”

Pros • Compact all-in-one body • RAW recoding format • Lightweight and easy to use

Cons • Non-articulating monitor • Monitor difficult to use outdoors • Only one USB port

Wishlist • A 6K or 8K version • Articulating monitor • Canon or Nikon lens mounts

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is a compact video camera that’s able to capture movie-quality footage at a variety of resolutions and frame rates.

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RECASTING TRADITIONAL TV’S ROLE IN THE AGE OF ONLINE AND MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT ConnecTechAsia2019 Summit speaker Ed Barton, Chief Analyst – TV and Entertainment, Ovum, outlines the next step in television’s evolution

From the live black-and-white broadcast of Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon to ultra-high definition content, television has stood the test of time, often co-opting inventions that at some point threatened disruption, such as the proliferation of VHS, cable networks and the internet.

Yet despite its enduring dominance, television’s viability is at a critical juncture due to the rise of overthe-top (OTT) video platforms that stream content directly to audiences via the public internet.

Last year, OTT streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime overtook pay-TV subscriptions in the UK for the first time, with average daily broadcast TV viewership continuing its decline, down 38 minutes since 2012.

Additionally, OTT’s unabated growth saw its revenue total $13bn in 2018 in APAC, and it is projected to more than double to $32bn by 2024, increasing by $4bn in 2019 alone.

In the present era, as audience expectations continue to evolve, traditional television as we know it faces severe challenges unless it reinvents itself… once again.

A crowded marketplace While the television has grown to become a mainstay in most households around the world, its reign in the living room is being challenged by a number of technology trends across content, business models, networks and devices that are forcing traditional television players to re-examine their role in the modern household.

One key trend is the ubiquity of high-speed internet, as well as the rise of OTT and mobile video platforms which are fundamentally changing the way people watch content. This has had a profound impact on audience viewership and preference.

Compared to the traditional pay-TV model offering a bundle of channels at a relatively high price for long commitment periods, online and mobile audiences enjoy the freedom to pick and choose from a variety of services, often at low to no cost with availability across multiple devices.

While television broadcasters have been quick to adopt OTT and other video-on-demand (VOD) platforms, many have struggled to compete effectively against the native digital video platforms. The most successful broadcasters are using online

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ConnecTechAsia will host three specialised shows – BroadcastAsia, CommunicAsia and NXTAsia from 18-20 June, 2019 at Suntec and Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

and mobile television to amplify their traditional offerings and to cater to the evolving demands of audiences and advertisers. These include offering previous seasons of shows online in the lead-up to the start of a new series on TV, and targeted, cross-platform campaigns across broadcast, OTT and mobile for a single campaign buy.

Remaining competitive in today’s landscape demands more than just the newest technologies or the best content, but a strategy that addresses the varying demands of audiences around the world and across all age demographics.

Television’s new era New technologies such as 5G mobile networks and artificial intelligence (AI) are also offering possibilities for the revival of traditional television.

With its exceptional bandwidth, low latency and high data speeds, 5G enables innovation of video in multiple areas. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) elevate the viewing experience to provide a more immersive, 360-degree viewpoint that gives audiences a greater degree of control over the entire experience.

For broadcasters, AI can help

ConnecTechAsia will bring together 1,800 exhibitors, 200 thought leaders and an estimated 40,000 attendees.

“OTT’s unabated growth saw its revenue total $13bn in 2018 in APAC, and it is projected to more than double to $32bn by 2024, increasing by $4bn in 2019 alone” Ed Barton, Chief Analyst – TV and Entertainment, Ovum automate existing workflows, driving down operating expenses while enabling innovation and efficiencies in audience insight, content recommendation and predictive analytics. Though still in its infancy, we are already seeing it at work with content recommendations, ad targeting, automatic captioning

and subtitling, scheduling and even AI newscasters.

While these evolving technologies provide interesting possibilities for traditional television, it is crucial that broadcasters themselves augment their offerings by ensuring the quality of the viewing experience is maintained across online and mobile devices, focusing on the content which is critical to their audiences, and working with partners to address gaps in the content and service proposition.

With Disney+, Disney’s directto-consumer streaming service, set to enter the market later this year, traditional television players will need to consider their competitive positioning. Picking your battles and leveraging deep understanding of the viewing needs and habits of local audiences will be critical to surviving in an increasingly competitive OTT landscape, which we expect will drive the consolidation, or exit, of smaller players.

Amid these new technologies, industry changes and evolution of audience taste, television at its core must retain its focus on the critical factor: making shows which people want to watch. The allure of good content – whether premium dramas, live sports or relevant local news – will always be the principal driver for audiences.

Traditional television players have survived many threats in the past by maintaining this focus and co-opting the best technological innovations, and they must evolve and adapt once more in response to perhaps the most robust set of challenges they have ever faced.

For more on how television broadcasters, pay-TV and OTT players can navigate a digital-first age, and what future audiences will be like, join us for the ‘Digital-First Dialogue: Reinventing Television’s Ambition for the Modern Age’ panel at the ConnecTechAsia2019 Summit, on Day 2 (19 June) at Suntec Singapore.

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More control with G&D's IP matrix switching system

Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) GmbH will be presenting KVM technologies for broadcast professionals at BroadcastAsia, which will run from 18-20 June 2019 in Singapore. G&D will demonstrate how to efficiently deploy large, distributed IT installations to achieve a high degree of flexibility and scalability for TV stations, post-producers or OB vans.

A key focus will be the new ControlCenter-IP. This all-new 1GB KVM-over-IP matrix switching system offers pixelperfect video transmission and ultra-low latency. The system enables highly scalable and flexible distributed switching of computer signals via standard IP-based networks and over existing network infrastructures.

G&D’s new KVM-over-IP matrix switching system offers broadcasters platformindependent operation and extensive interoperability. The full IP-based system consists of the ControlCenter-IP and the recently released IP extenders that form a powerful matrix to transmit KVM-over-IP. By using standard 1GB network components, existing or new

IT structures can now be implemented and scaled easily with added design flexibility. Just as network infrastructure takes over the transport of IP packets, the ControlCenter-IP contributes the system management logic.

The new G&D system for KVM-over-IP extends real 4K over IP and promises pixelperfect video transmission for DisplayPort 1.2 signals for resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 @ 60Hz. In addition to solutions for DP 1.2, the company also offers modules for DVI single and dual link, as well as DP 1.1 with support for all common resolutions.

All use G&D’s technologies for minimising latency while still providing lossless images.

G&D will also present its extensive classic KVM portfolio.

The KVM matrix switches, ControlCenter-Digital and ControlCenter-Compact create the backbone of the computer infrastructure by allowing flexible, distributed access of producers to outsourced computers – remote, pixel-perfect and free of latency and delay.

Vitec sheds more light with Gemini 1x1 Soft LED The new Gemini 1x1 Soft from Litepanels will make its APAC debut at BroadcastAsia2019.

Gemini 1x1 Soft is an all-in-one, cine-quality LED light that is easy to transport and quick to rig in the studio or on location. The new LED offers the highly accurate full-spectrum white light associated with all Litepanels fixtures and — as a full RGBWW light — delivers every colour in the 360° colour wheel and plus/minus green adjustment all in a single, lightweight, and easy-tocontrol fixture. Gemini 1x1 Soft builds on a foundation of day-light-to-tungsten light, reportedly providing accurate white light together with flexible and precise colour adjustment. These features make Gemini 1x1 Soft ideal for lighting talent and rendering skin tones, giving users the ability to match a broad range of ambient lighting

conditions quickly and easily.

Weighing in at just 11.7 pounds (5.31 kilograms), and with a maximum draw of just 200W, Gemini 1x1 Soft is an agile light for on-the-go filmmakers. The compact power supply ensures that Gemini is fast and easy to rig with fewer cables, and users can instantly switch the light from AC power to battery power — using V-Mount, Gold Mount, or XLR output batteries — while retaining similar lighting intensity.

Dave Dougall, VP of Sales, EMEA and APAC — Vitec Production Solutions said: "The Gemini 1x1 allows independent filmmakers and smaller studios to have access to the same high-end functionality and feature set traditionally reserved for large production houses with big budgets.”

Stand: 6J2-08

Stand: 4G3-07

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Etere to demo better end-to-end management

x-dream-distribution and ModernTV partner

Etere will demonstrate its latest solutions in the Etere Media Enterprise Resource Planning (MERP) framework. These solutions enable the management of end-to-end broadcasting and media workflows of companies.

Etere MERP solutions includes Etere’s MAM digital content management solution, which

x-dream-distribution GmbH has partnered with ModernTV to showcase its IPTV/OTT solutions at BroadcastAsia 2019.

ModernTV’s primary solution provides a complete endto-end ecosystem for pay-TV operators offering IPTV/ OTT services. x-dreamdistribution CEO and Managing Director Jutta Schoenhaar said: “We are happy to have ModernTV on board and bring their products to BroadcastAsia 2019. We like ModernTV’s enthusiastic approach and their solution fulfilling all customer needs for building IPTV in one ecosystem.

As a software distribution and integration company, we are looking for the best solutions

is designed to streamline the process of ingesting, indexing, storage and retrieval of digital assets. As an endto-end software solution, this MAM solution optimises assets through a centralised management of digital content.

Stand: 6F4-01

for our customers in the payTV industry, and ModernTV is definitely one of them.”

ModernTV’s complete end-to-end solution includes a Customer Management System, Device Management System, Content Management, and Analytics & Statistics.

Stand: 4F2-10 - 4F2-20

AVIWEST to showcase Pro3 series, AIR series, MojoPro app at BroadcastAsia this year AVIWEST will be demonstrating its latest live video contribution and distribution technology, including the Pro3 series, AIR series, HE 4000K 4K UHD HEVC live encoder and MojoPro app, at BroadcastAsia 2019.

AVIWEST will demonstrate its Pro3 series, which includes an integrated H.265/HEVC hardware encoder and is 5G-compliant. With up to 12 network links (eight cellular modems, Wi-Fi and Ethernet) and a custom antenna array, plus AVIWEST SafeStreams Technology, the new Pro3 series allows broadcasters to deliver videos while consuming less data.

The company will also showcase the AIR Series, which combines hardware encoders

and supports 5G networks for video production. The uplink system includes up to six network links (four cellular modems, one internal Wi-Fi, one Ethernet), a three-hour internal battery and AVIWEST’s SafeStreams Technology,

allowing broadcasters to stream live video, store and forward recorded content under varied network conditions.

AVIWEST will also showcase the HE4000 4K UHD HEVC live encoder, which supports real-time delivery of UHD and

HD content over unmanaged IP networks. The half 1-RU encoder combines 10-bit and 4:2:2 HEVC encoding with the SafeStreams Technology for delivery of live video content over IP at low latencies and bit rates.

The company will showcase AVIWEST’s recent Quad CellLink, an external 3G/4G LTE cellular transmission solution that embeds four last-generation 3G/4G LTE cellular modems with their SIM cards. It can be mounted on a tripod or directly on the roof of a vehicle. Together with the HE4000 encoder, it supports broadcasters in critical conditions for live video transmission over bonded cellular networks.

Stand: 4F1-01

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Leader heads to the front with new 4K IP- and 8K-compatible products Leader Electronics will display the new LV5900 8K waveform monitor and a new 8K option for the LT4610 sync generator. It will also introduce a new 4K IP-compatible option for the LV5600 waveform monitor and additional options for the LV5600 and LV7600.

The new LV5900 8K waveform monitor provides full support for SMPTE ST208212 in 8192 × 4320 and 7680 × 4320 resolution, plus 12G-SDI quad link. Features include an 8K colour bar and test pattern generation, as well as a fourinput simultaneous display of HD video from HD to 3G-SDI and 4K video. The audio interface

is compatible with MADI. The LT4610SER24, a new 8K option for the Leader LT4610 sync generator, provides 12G-SDI 8K pattern generation when integrated with the established LT4610SER02 expansion option.

Leader’s LV5600-SER06 is

a new 4K IPcompatible option for the LV5600 waveform monitor. Option LV7600-SER06 is its equivalent for the LV7600 rasteriser.

Both options provide full conformance with the SMPTE 2110 standard for transmitting 4K content in a non-compressed format at up to 25GB per second.

ST 2110-20 audio, ST2110-40 auxiliary data and ST2059 PTP sync specifications are all fully supported.

Another new option for the LV5600 and LV7600 is the LV5600-SER32/LV7600-SER32 25G IP test signal generator option. Supporting transmission

standards of IP corresponding to SMPTE ST 2110-20/30/31 and /40, the video signal can generate test patterns of HD through to UHDTV (3840 x 2160). Stress testing of network infrastructure is possible through the addition of packet errors and packet jitter.

The LV5600-SER30/LV7600SER30 is another new function for the LV5600 waveform monitor and LV7600 rasteriser. This feature is designed for camera noise measurement, displaying the video noise included in the luminance channel or RGB components of an SDI source.

Masayoshi Ishihara from Leader’s APAC office and Umesh Tyagi, Country Manager for its India and MEA office, will be at the show to meet attendees.

Stand: 4R4-06

Pixel Power to display the creative power of graphics in Singapore Pixel Power will be showcasing CREATE, an app for building graphics templates, and StreamMaster PRODUCE, which fulfils and delivers graphics in real time, alongside its full range of creation and playout automation systems designed for services on linear, OTT and VoD. These new products add to the solution set, which is based on Pixel Power’s technology platforms, namely StreamMaster Media Processing and Gallium Workflow Orchestration. These platforms are constructed using a flexible function-block architecture, allowing solutions to be compiled which precisely meet the needs of each individual user while providing the optimum use of processing

power for maximum efficiency.

The architecture is completely virtualisable and can be implemented in dedicated appliances in the machine room, in a corporate data centre or in the cloud. This allows the creation of systems that precisely suit

the needs of the user, right up to full premium channel playout in the cloud. It also means that they can be reconfigured should those needs change, for instance to add 4K or HDR ultra HD. Pixel Power systems draw on modules from the two core

platforms, StreamMaster and Gallium, to create solutions that are tailored to requirements with new pricing models to suit user preferences for capital or operational expenditure.

Gallium PLAYOUT multi-channel automation is an integrated scalable scheduling, asset management and automation system that provides the intelligence for complete channel playout, channel-in-a-box or enterprise-standard automated transmission. Gallium FACTORY is a file-based content packaging solution that automatically generates clips, promos or trailers through the use of graphics templates, eliminating unproductive manual work.

Stand: 4T3-01

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Adder makes a mark with dual-head 4K IP KVM matrix

Adder Technology will unveil the ALIF4000, the world’s first dual-head high-performance 4K IP KVM matrix over a single fibre connection at BroadcastAsia.

Delivering pixel-perfect picture quality, audio and USB to single or dual 4K screens, the ALIF4000 is designed for the broadcast industry, in particular VFX, post-production and colour grading applications, as well as air traffic control and healthcare organisations.

The ADDERLink INFINITY 4000 Series (ALIF4000) is fully compatible with the existing ADDERLink INFINITY range. It can be phased into an existing network without disruption,

downtime or the costly need to rip and replace. By introducing the ALIF4000, customers can add 4K functionality into their infrastructure at a time that is right for them and their business.

Alongside the ALIF4000, Adder will demonstrate the new ADDERLink ipeps+ and the world’s smallest IP KVM transmitter, the ADDERLink INFINITY 100T (ALIF100T) Series. The ALIF100T is a space-saving transmitter designed for compact production environments, and seamlessly integrates with the rest of the ADDERLink INFINITY range.

Appear TV to bring the X factor to BroadcastAsia Appear TV will be showcasing updates to its multi-functional X-Series platform. The X10 and X20 support digital video broadcasting satellite (DVBS2x) systems and digital satellite newsgathering (DSNG) with a new S2x contribution modulator and demodulator.

The company will also highlight how its X20 platform is suitable for low-latency video-assisted referee (VAR) applications.

The X-Series (X10/X20) offers the complete spectrum of encoding codecs and helps broadcasters adopt the many benefits of an IP-centric operation in their own timeframe.

The modulator also has an RF

input that can be connected to a back-up transponder, which can then be routed to the main output in case of a hardware failure on the main transponder.

The X10 and X20 can each output two transponders featuring switchable L-band or Intermediate Frequency (IF) with 72 MBaud bandwidth.

In addition to the new modulator, the X-Series also features an update in its hardware design for its DVBS2x contribution demodulator, a platform that supports the DVB-S2x DSNG and professional services profiles.

Stand: 1M2-01

Stand: 6E3-04

Interra Systems announces seamless control with QC, monitoring & classification solutions Interra Systems will demonstrate its content quality control (QC), monitoring and classification solutions for the media industry. Its solutions can be deployed in the cloud, on-premises or a combination of both.

Designed to simplify content management, improve efficiencies and provide seamless audiovideo quality on every device, these solutions allow content creators and distributors to respond to the increase of video streaming through a pragmatic approach best suited for their organisation.

The company’s BATON ABR QC and ORION-OTT perform deep QC checks and monitor

VOD and live content from ingest to distribution points.

By carrying out exhaustive checks at pre- and posttranscode stages, along with comprehensive, deliveryspecific checks and monitoring, this solution assures QoE for every stream on every device.

Interra Systems will also demonstrate its ORIONOTT solution, which can monitor many streams for ABR compliance and audiovideo quality checks in real time. The solution suite supports closed captions, ad verification/compliance and

DRM on both Windows and Linux operating systems.

Providing an aggregated view and status collected by ORION and ORION-OTT monitoring points, ORION Central Manager gives unprecedented visibility and power for proactive monitoring. It offers a real-time view of linear and OTT services, alerts and QoE information for each video, ensuring fast and efficient resolution of issues.

When complemented by the company’s BATON for QC and ORION for 24/7 linear workflow monitoring, BATON ABR and ORION-OTT product suites provide broadcasters with a total solution for streaming superior quality services.

Stand: 4T3-06

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24 June 2019 P

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AE

2019 ANNIVERSARY EVENT CELEBRATING WOMEN IN MEDIA As BroadcastPro ME marks its ninth anniversary, we celebrate the women who have been outstanding in the broadcast industry. At our popular annual networking event, we will host key female broadcast executives and their male colleagues.

SPONSORSHIP Raz Islam raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com

REGISTRATIONS Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com

SPonSoRS & PARTnERS FEATURED SPONSOR

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FEATURED SPONSOR

FEATURED SPONSOR

FEATURED SPONSOR

MEDIA PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNER

ORGANISED BY

FEATURED SPONSOR

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PROGUEST

"IHS Markit estimates BeIN’s lost revenues to be on the scale of $600m, solely from home subscriptions, from mid-2017 to the end of 2018"

Pay TV and OTT in MENA: A Tale of Two Markets The pay-TV and over-the-top (OTT) subscription markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have followed divergent paths during the last two years. The first, heavily affected by piracy and the blockade of BeIN Media, is struggling to return to normality, while the second is clearly on a growth spree.

The regional pay-TV market is still trying to recover from the two big developments of 2017: the blockade of BeIN Media in KSA, Egypt and Bahrain, and the launch of pirate TV network BeoutQ. The blockade deprived BeIN of access to its largest and third-largest markets, KSA and Egypt. Between 2010 and 2016, the MENA pay-TV market had the highest regional growth rate globally, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17%.

This pattern was reversed in 2017 as a result of the blockade. In 2018, market subscriptions grew around 6%, reaching 4.5m people, up from 4.2m in 2017. This growth was mainly IPTV operators.

While subscriptions grew in 2018 relative to 2017, overall revenues fell 8%, for two main reasons. First, the 2017 figures were artificially inflated because BeIN Media was receiving revenues until the end of summer 2017 in the countries that imposed the blockade. Second, 2018 was the first full year where the slashing of package pricing by OSN took full effect.

Piracy remains a major threat, amplified in 2017 by the launch of BeoutQ and the lack of a robust regulatory framework. The blockade

has cost BeIN 45% of its subscriber base. IHS Markit estimates BeIN’s lost revenues to be on the scale of $600m, solely from home subscriptions, from mid-2017 to the end of 2018.

One of the most interesting developments is the recent change in KSA’s media business strategy.

The country wants to implement a media policy that is more outwardlooking and addresses the future challenges of the sector.

The MENA OTT subscription video market continues to grow impressively.

Paid subscriptions are set to rise to over 2m by mid-2019, having reached 1.75m in 2018. Revenues have also reached a record height of nearly $140m. Such figures represent growth of over 40% year-on-year and will continue to rise, reaching 4.75m paid subscribers and around $400m in revenue by the end of 2023.

The market is led by three providers – Lionsgate-owned Starz Play Arabia, MBC’s Shahid Plus and Netflix – which together claimed more than 75% of subscriptions and revenues in 2018.

Starz Play remains in the lead as it continues its aggressive expansion strategy in MENA. At the forefront of this strategy are the partnerships it has entered with local operators for distribution and direct-carrier billing. In 2018, more than 20 such deals existed across the region between Starz Play and providers ranging from trans-regional telcos, Orange, Vodafone and Zain to local Saudi electronics retailer eXtra.

Starz Play has seen unprecedented user base growth in the region, thanks

to these deals. However, converting this vast user base into paying customers will depend on future investment in content, especially as other services deploy their content options.

The gap between Starz Play Arabia and Netflix narrowed in 2018, with the two providers separated by just 5% in paid subscriber market share, and revenue share level at over 30% each. This competition is set to continue as Netflix begins to localise properly, now providing local currency payment options in its two strongest markets, the UAE and KSA, as well as establishing local distribution deals with regional pay-TV operator OSN and local providers in the UAE. This, on top of the launch of Netflix’s first original Arabic series, Jinn, the recently announced second series of Al Rawabi School for Girls and the third, Paranormal, will help propel Netflix into more homes around the region, including outside the Gulf states.

However, many services have lost market share. Longstanding local provider Icflix has fallen from a near 40% subscriber market share four years ago to less than 5% in 2018.

Recent entrant iflix has also struggled to gain traction following its market entrance with Zain in 2018. Pay-TV provider OSN’s WAVO, set to emulate the success of British TV provider Sky’s virtual pay-TV service Now TV, has seen slow adoption in the Middle East, with just 35,000 subscribers after more than a year of operation.

Constantinos Papavassilopoulos is Associate Director at IHS Markit Technology

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