digital broadcast - september 2012

An ITP Business Publication | SEPTEMBER 2012 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 9 THE BUSINESS OF DIGITAL CONTENT DELIVERY

FROM UP ABOVE

With multibillion dollar investments, the Middle East’ssatellite operators are ready for the big league

New channelsin the Middle East; satellite launches; new satellite earth station

TESTCARDWe speak with the CEO of Ideal Shopping Direct

THE BIGMENA

SURVEYYou tell us what you think about the region’s broadcast industry

TOPTENWhat to see, who to meet and where to go at IBC 2012

www.arabsat.com

Our world. Now sharper than ever with the HDTV portal of the Middle East. Your world. See the difference with the region’s largest satellite operatorWith the reach, power and unmatched capacity of Arabsat’s state-of-the-art satellite fleet, the largest Arab community in the sky now brings you more power to experience the future in incredible detail. No wonder over 90% of free-to-air HD-TV channels in the MENA region are now exclusively broadcasting on Arabsat satellites. Join our premium community today!

www.digitalproductionme.com 03SEPTEMBER 2012

CONTENTS

06UpdateUAE to launch satellite soon; My-HD media to off er MBC HD channels; Al Sharqiya adds new channel; Al Jazeera and Es’hailSat enter MOU.

18AnalysisAn in-depth look at the growing phenomenon of second screens.

57What’s new?A look at the latest products released in the last month.

62DataWhat does the future hold for paid satellite TV? Some hard facts.

64Test cardIn conversation withthe CEO of Ideal Shopping Direct, Mike Hancox.

22IBC PREVIEWTHE TOP TENWhat should you absolutely not miss at IBC 2012 - everything from sessions to speakers is here.

28MENA MARKET THE BIG SURVEY OF 2012How robust is the region’s broadcast market?Our survey answers that and more.

36COVER STORYWRITTEN IN THE STARSAn in-depth look at the satellite industry of the Middle East and some of its biggest players.

36

SEPTEMBER 2012VOLUME 5 / ISSUE 9

18 22575728

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04 www.digitalproductionme.comSEPTEMBER 2012

COMMENT

You know sometimes you wait for something and the anticipation is just too much to take. Well here at Digital Broadcast Middle East, that kind of anticipation usually surrounds a big exhibition and conference. And this time it is one of the biggest ones on the planet! Yes folks, its that time of the year when everyone heads over to Amsterdam for IBC.

We have been talking about

IBC for a while here. We have

done previews and product

focuses talking about some of

the most exciting releases to

look forward to at the show.

But it is a completely different

to actually be there and experi-

ence what is new and exciting

in the field.

As most of you know, IBC is

one of the biggest shows in the

world and that translates to its size - literally. The

exhibition and conference extend over 5 days and

over a wide space. Over 1,300 exhibitors display

their wares to the world and I am sure many of

our readers will be there discussing their new

products and services. While it can be exciting

to visit, you will need a guide to navigate this

gigantic conference if you want to get the most

out of it. So with that in mind we have provided a

Top Ten list of things to do at the exhibition and

conference. Most of those are free to all partici-

pants and most of you should take advantage of

that. Alternatively, you could map your own route

by visiting the exhibition’s website beforehand

and picking out sessions and exhibits that are of

particular interest to you. It is not much different

than visiting a giant amusement park, like Disney

World in Orlando, Fl.

However, one of the most important things

to do at a conference like IBC is to network and

listen to some experts discuss their fortes. You

It is finally here!

Visit us onlineFor the latest news, analysis and reviews from the Middle East content delivery, media management and new media distribution business head to digitalproductionme.com

will get to meet industry experts from around the

world and it will be interesting to see how they

respond when put together to discuss issues that

are common all over the globe. So make sure

to take in some sessions which you think are

interesting and you can relate to. Trust me when I

say that you will not to get to see this kind of intel-

lectual collaboration in many other places.

And remember, all work and no play makes

Jack a dull boy. IBC takes care of your play as well.

So let out the kid in you and

take advantage of some of the

cool toys. With a wide variety

of exciting things to do, you can

take a break from the routine

and business by visiting their

big 3D movie theatre. One of

the hottest topics of discussion,

3D takes center-stage in the

conference sessions. Not to be

outdone, we did a quick recap

of how 3D is faring post the Lon-

don Olympics. And the picture

is not exactly rosy.

So have fun and network

at IBC and tell us what you

thought was your favority moment of the confer-

ence and exhition. Where did you learn the most

and what was the most innovative product on

the floor. I look forward to receiving your com-

ments and suggestions.

Ruchi [email protected]

Find out how. Visit www.avid.com/news

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© 2012 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice. Avid, and the Avid logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

with Avid integrated news Imagine Achieve


THE BRIEFING

Twenty-two Emirati engineers from the Emirates Institute for Ad-

vanced Science and Technology (EIAST), based in South Korea,

are in the fi nal stages of testing the second advanced imaging sat-

ellite DubaiSat-2.

It is expected to be launched in the last quarter of 2012 from

Yasny Cosmodrome in north Russia. Salem Al Marri, project

manager of the space programme at EIAST, said that the satellite

would be “basically completed” in “less than a month”.

DubaiSat-1, which was launched in 2009, has been able to send

Tests on latest UAE satelliteEIAST engineers are in the fi nal stages of testing DubaiSat-2 in South Korea

BROADCAST

back images four times a day to

EIAST’s listening station in Al

Khawaneej, Dubai.

On the other hand, Duba-

iSat-2 will have a much higher

resolution camera, off ering

images of one metre per pixel,

comparable with those off ered

by Google Earth and will be

used by UAE authorities for

town planning.

The two satellites will be

joined in 2015 by a third EIAST

satellite, DubaiSat-3. The third

satellite, now being designed,

will be built entirely by Emirati

engineers on UAE soil. Duba-

iSat-1 and 2 were built with the

cooperation of the South Ko-

rean company Satrec1.

“The UAE engineers have

acquired experience and

knowledge that will enable

them to initiate UAE projects

to serve the country in the fi eld

of space and satellite manufac-

turing,” added EIAST Director

of Space Images Department,

Omran Anwar Sharaf.

The UAE engineers have acquired experi-ence and knowledge that will enable them to initiate UAE projects.

OMRAN ANWAR SHARAFDirector, EIAST Space Images

RESEARCH

EM assembly of satellite

Worldwide share of broadband homesBroadband connections have changed the way

people communicate. It has also deeply affected

the worldwide cable and TV markets as more

people are opting to watch video over the internet.

This graphic looks at the worldwide distribution of

broadband subscribers. As expected, Asia has a big

share of the market, while some of the underdevel-

oped nations lag behind. The growth of broadband

and the market forces that will shape the future of

this industry, including adoption, have been issues

debated by many experts. Source: Parks Associates

Africa

2011

Asia/ Pacifi c

Western Europe

North America

Eastern & Central

EuropeLatin

America

Middle East/ Central Asia

Coming 2013

Satellite Highlights

www.absatel l i te.com


THE BRIEFING

SEPTEMBER 2012

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MBC HD channels on o� er by My-HD Media The long-term agreement with will cover seven HD channels

BROADCAST

Dubai-based satellite TV platform, My-HD Me-

dia, entered into a strategic long-term partner-

ship with MBC Group to distribute all 7 MBC HD

channels to satellite TV households. Viewers

who purchase My-HD approved receivers or

viewing cards will receive MBC 1, MBC 2, MBC

4, MBC Action, MBC Drama, MBC MAX, and Al

Arabiya News Channel, for free, in High Defi ni-

tion available on both Nilesat and Yahsat.

My-HD is the fi rst satellite TV platform to of-

fer all MBC HD channels on a large number of

leading HD Digital receiver brands, including

nearly one million Humax HD receivers in the

GCC, NHE in Kuwait, Dansat in Saudi Arabia, Lo-

tus in Algeria and Tevicom in Morocco.

“As MBC expands its HD off ering, we antici-

pate more viewers will upgrade their SD receiv-

ers for approved HD receivers,” Sam Barnett,

MBC Group CEO said. “And as they do so, we

anticipate reducing our SD channels. Ultimately

the market is moving to an HD environment –

but we do want to ensure that consumers don’t

purchase non-approved HD satellite receivers

which will not be able to receive our channels.”

Dubai-based Al-Sharqiya Television launched Al-Sharqiya Drama, a new channel showcasing Arabic, Turk-ish and Western programmes on the fi rst day of the holy month of Rama-dan. The new channel can be viewed on two satellites including Nilesat 102 and Hotbird 9.

The third of Al-Shar-qiya Television’s bou-quet of channels broad-casts 24 hours a day focusing primarily on soap operas and drama. The other pan-Arab broad-

Al-Sharqiya adds channelcaster’s channels include general entertainment Al-Sharqiya TV and news channel Al-Sharqiya News.

Some of the series produced by Al-Sharqiya Television include ‘Sa-

lima Basha’ and ‘Al Dars Al Aw-wal’. Turkish series Jinan

or ‘Canan’ and Yaqout or ‘Zehirli Sarmasik’ will be dubbed into Arabic as well. Other shows in-clude a comedy series, ‘Firqat Naji Atallah’, fea-

turing one of the most famous Arab comedians

Adil Emam.

AsiaSat 5 addsDubai channelsSatellite operator AsiaSat

signed a contract with Dubai

Media Incorporated (DMI)

to broadcast ‘Dubai TV’ and

‘Dubai Sports’ free-to-air

satellite channels throughout

the Asia-Pacifi c region.

The channels will be added

to the existing bouquet of over

40 Middle Eastern TV and

radio programmes on AsiaSat

5 and will be available on the

C-band.

‘YahClick’ to launchin fi ve marketsYahsat has launched its Yah-

Click “broadband everyone”

satellite service in fi ve key

markets.

From August 2012, the

YahClick service has been

available in Iraq, Afghanistan,

South Africa, Nigeria, and

Angola. YahClick will be

operational across most of its

coverage area spanning a total

of 28 markets, in South West

Asia, Africa and the Middle

East, including the GCC states,

by October 2012.

FAST FACT

50%Asia-Pacifi c’s

share of the 220 million set-top boxes by 2013

Source: ABI Research.

Cli� Nelson,

CEO of My-HD

and Sam Barnett,

CEO of MBC Group.

Ahmad Abdullah Al Shaikh,

Managing Director of Dubai Media Inc.


THE BRIEFING

Qatar’s Es’hailSat enters MOUThe Memorandum will aide Al Jazeera in extending its reach to new areas

BUSINESS

Qatari satellite company Es’hailSat and Al

Jazeera Networks signed a Memorandum

of Understanding (MOU) to promote clos-

er co-operation between the two compa-

nies regarding the strategic satellite infra-

structure required by Al Jazeera.

Within the framework of the MOU,

Es’hailSat will provide independent and

strategic satellite solutions to meet Al

Jazeera’s requirements for broadcast in-

dependence and sustainability, includ-

ing the provision of satellite capacity and

the development of orbital positions and

ground services to support future expan-

sion opportunities in new markets.

The agreement was signed in Doha by

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Al Thani, Direc-

tor General of Aljazeera Media Network

and Ali Al Kuwari, Es’hailSat’s CEO.

“We are delighted to be able to work

with Al Jazeera Networks on the develop-

ment of satellite services over the long

term and to support their evolving stra-

tegic interests including satellite radio,

ground services, news gathering and oth-

er ancillary communications services,” Ali

Al Kuwari, the CEO of Es’hailSat said.

With the first satellite – Es’hail 1 – un-

der construction and future satellites

planned, Es’hailSat can provide the nec-

essary capacity to enable its customers to

substantially increase their communica-

tions capability, particularly in broadcast-

ing in HD and 3D.

Sky to create content distribution armSky acquired Parthenon Media Group to sell its commissioned content in the international market. It says the new in-house model will help generate additional revenues that can then be ploughed back into the UK’s creative economy. Sophie Turner Laing, Sky’s MD of Enter-tainment, News and Broadcast Operations, will lead the new function.

Globecomm exports European teleportGlobecomm’s teleport in Biddin-ghuizen, Netherlands completed installation of a new nine-metre antenna offering access to Intel-sat’s IS-17 satellite. The IS-17 of-fers global C and Ku-band beams serving northern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Ocean. The large, powerful antenna has capacity for many more customers need-ing service in this region.

Turkish operator launches OTT service Turkish pay TV provider D-Smart has launched a new over-the-top service in partnership with KIT digital, who designed and configured the software solution at the heart of the OTT service based on its Cosmos video platform. KIT digital will partner with a local systems in-tegrator to complete the imple-mentation. D-Smart is Turkey’s second largest DTH platform.

Sheikh Ahmed

Bin Jassim Al Thani


THE BRIEFING

SEPTEMBER 2012

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Sky News Arabia gets new earth stationParadigm installed the new satellite station in Abu Dhabi

BUSINESS

Paradigm Communication Systems completed

Sky News Arabia’s new state-of-the-art satellite

earth station in Abu Dhabi. Designed and built

by Paradigm, completion of this earth station

means that Sky News Arabia is now ready to sup-

port satellite contribution and interchange of

news over C, Ku and Ka-bands.

The delivery encompassed the network de-

sign and layout of the antenna farm, installation,

testing and commissioning of a multitude of an-

tennas systems from 1.5m through to fully mo-

torized 4m tracking antennas, RF subsystems,

as well as a fully managed extensive and

fl exible L-band infrastructure.

“The primary requirement

for the Sky News Arabia satel-

lite system was fl exibility. This

multiband contribution hub

was designed from the outset

to support visibility of every suit-

able satellite in that region,” comments

Ulf Sandberg, managing director of

Paradigm. “Paradigm delivered a

complete system including sup-

port for planned satellites for

the next fi ve years, the earth

station is multi band compliant

from the outset.”

Salam Media Cast opens UK offi ceSalam Media Cast UK, will be

the fi rst of a number of offi ces

the integrated broadcast-

ing solutions provider plans

to open in new geographic

locations. The offi ce will be

headed by Niels Thomas as

managing director. He was

formerly head of sales for

North Europe at Sony and has

worked at Omeon, Thomson

and Grass Valley.

Sky-Stream selectstwo Eutelsat satellites

Dubai-based Sky-Stream

selected capacity on two

satellites operated by Eutelsat

Communications to respond

to connectivity demands from

customers engaged in the

marine and oil & gas sectors.

Sky-Stream has contracted for

a total of 70 MHz of bandwidth.

Their combined footprint pro-

vides coverage across Europe

and the Mediterranean Basin,

the Middle East and Africa.

Using an Automatic Beam

Switching feature, Sky-Stream

will use EUTELSAT 3C to

extend its current Middle

East Ku band coverage to the

Mediterranean for the luxury

yacht market.

Conformance really is key to end-user adop-tion, as poor-ly delivered content and applications can lead to negative user perception.KEITH POTTERCEO of Digital TV Labs.

QUOTES OF THE MONTH

Our focus is now taking the success from the Olympics and

taking it to fall TV and other

kinds of pro-gramming,

primar-ily sports,

news and kids.MATT STRAUSS

Senior vice president,

Comcast.

FAST FACT

54%Rise in on-demand

TV revenues by 2017Source: Digital TV Research Ltd.

Sky News Arabia in Abu Dhabi.

Niels Thomas


THE BRIEFING

SEPTEMBER 2012

UP

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SEPTEMBER 1-4Films TawashThe four-day Arabic

workshop is hosted by the

Doha Film Institute’s Gulf

Development Unit for aspir-

ing fi lmmakers. Emirati

fi lmmaker, Abdullah Hassan

Ahmed, will show one of his

short fi lms each day, sharing

his skills and knowledge in

fi lm-making.

www.dohafi lminstitute.

com/blog/fi lms-tawash-

workshop

SEPTEMBER 6-11IBCProbably the biggest event in

the broadcast and satellite

world, IBC has been one that

Digital Broadcast has closely

followed. Check out our

feature on the top 10 things

to do at the conference on

page 22.

www.ibc.org

SEPTEMBER 12-15Bengalaru Space Expo It will provide a platform for

space agencies, specialists,

entrepreneurs and space

industry heavyweights to

display their visions to the

decision makers.

www.bsxindia.com

SEPTEMBER 25-27APSCC 2012 Satellite Conference & ExhibitionAt the conference in Seoul,

South Korea, participants

will be able to reach the

highly targeted selection of

satellite professionals. The

event will also feature people

from the Northeast Asian

satellite industry.

http://www.apscc.or.kr/

sub3_2.asp

DPC holds talks about Arabic programmingThe series organized by the DPC looked at Arab dramas

COMMUNITY

Ramadan Majlis, organized by Dubai Press Club

(DPC), examined emerging trends in the Arab

drama landscape during its concluding session.

Titled ‘New Trends in Arab Drama Production’,

the evening drew the participation of experts,

producers and local artists from the Arab dra-

ma and television production industry.

Ibrahim Ustadi of Dubai Media Incorpo-

rated moderated the discussion that drew rich

insights from Jamal Al Sharif, Director of Dubai

Media City and Dubai Studio City; Abdullah Al

Ajlah, Director of Production and Purchases of

Drama in Dubai Media Incorporated; Emirati

artist and producer Ahmed Al Jasimi; Emi-

rati writer and author Jamal

Salem; Fadi Ismail, General

Manager of O3 Productions,

MBC group. All panelists

agreed on the need to evenly

distribute Arab drama produc-

tions throughout the year in

order to reduce overcrowd-

ing during the Holy Month of

Ramadan.

Tropfest Arabia, the Arabic version of the world’s largest short fi lm festival, has announced its panel of celebrity judges. This is the second year of Trop-fest Arabia, which will take place on 26th October 2012 on the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Emirati animator and chairman of Lammtara, Mohammed Saeed Harib will be on the panel, joined by Kuwaiti fi lm producer and director Amer Al Zuhair, Jordanian actress and produc-er Seba Mubarak, Syrian actress and fi lmmaker Kinda Alloush, Egyptian writer and director Amr Salama, Leb-anese musician and composer Khaled Mouzanar, and Saudi Arabia’s fi rst fe-male fi lmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour.

The deadline for entry is closing on

Tropfest Arabia’s judging panelThursday 6th September. Shortlisted fi nalists will be announced Sunday 30th September, and the winner an-nounced Friday 26th October.

Workshop in Cairo, Egypt.

Experts at the event hosted by the Dubai Press Club.


THE BRIEFING

SCENE CHANGE

KIT DIGITALMark Christie has been ap-

pointed as the chief technology

offi cer of KIT Digital. In his new

role he will continue to consoli-

date the company’s technology

centers around the world, with

a particular focus on leveraging

resources in Prague and Milan

to further develop the Cosmos

video platform.

PILAT MEDIADamien Thomson joined Pilat

Media as general manager of

Australasia. Thomson will be

based in Sydney and as part of

the new role will manage all op-

erations throughout the Asia-

Pacifi c region, including direct

sales for Pilat Media’s fl agship

Integrated Broadcast Manage-

ment System (IBMS).

SNELLSnell appointed Andrey Ve-

lichko as the head of sales for

CIS and the Baltic region, a po-

sition that includes leadership

of Snell’s Moscow offi ce and

primary responsibility for sup-

porting and further developing

Snell business. Velichko will

defi ne and implement account

plans and sales strategies.

ATG BROADCAST MIDDLE EAST

Mir Zaheer Ali Khan has

joined ATG Broadcast as head

of its Middle East operations

from IVSM Systems, where he

worked as a product special-

ist and technical support of-

fi cer. Prior to that, he worked

as head of graphics for virtual

studio at Al Dafrah TV.


ONLINE

NASA’s Spacewalks Enjoy the fi nal frontier live with NASA’s astronauts

AROUND THE WEB

Astronauts and cosmonauts will perform two spacewalks outside the International

Space Station this month, both to be broadcast live via NASA Television.

Coverage of the fi rst will begin at 10 a.m. EDT, Monday, 20 August. It will feature

Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko

of the Russian Federal Space Agency in Russian Orlan spacesuits. They will fl oat out-

side the Pirs docking compartment airlock for a six and a half hour spacewalk to re-

locate a cargo boom from Pirs to

the Zarya module, complete the

installation of micrometeoroid

debris shields on the Zvezda ser-

vice module and deploy a small

science satellite.

Coverage of the second walk

will begin at 7 a.m., Thursday, 30

August. That will feature NASA

Flight Engineer Sunita Williams

and Japan Aerospace Explora-

tion Agency Flight Engineer Aki-

hiko Hoshide. It will be a six and

a half hour excursion designed

to replace a faulty power relay

unit on the station’s truss.

How do you compete with Apple TV?Apple plans to launch a new generation of its Apple TV, turning the device into a fully-fl edged cable or satellite set-top box, the Wall Street Journal reported. The device will fea-ture an internet-based PVR, ac-cess to full season, on-demand TV shows, and an icon-based user interface as well as a ‘start again’ feature.

MOST VIEWED EDITOR’S CHOICE SPOT POLL1. The Frame announces funding

for UAE fi lm projects2. Al Sharqiya launches new channel3. MBC Shahid catch up app tops

iPad charts in region

South Korean artist Song Ho jun created his satellite for $440 from discarded electronics and it will launch later this year.

DIY Satellite!

Did you watch the Olympics opening ceremony in 3D?

I started, but switched to 2D

28%

The online home of:

NASA’s Spacewalks NASA’s Spacewalks NASA’s Spacewalks

Astronauts perform repairs

outside the space station.

72%No – I don’t have the

equipment

© 2012 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice. Avid, the Avid logo, and ISIS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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analysis

HOW Many is TOO Many?Nearly half of all 16-24 year olds use messaging, email, Facebook or Twitter to discuss what they are viewing on TV, according to a new report from Deloitte. The rise of ‘second screening’ – the use of other screens, such as laptops, smartphones and tablets while watching TV – is a source of excitement and concern for many in the TV and technology industry, the report notes.

With all the visual stimulation around us, you

would think that operators would be think-

ing about reducing their presence to just

a few screens. But it seems that they don’t

want to miss out on a growing trend. Sec-

ond screens have slowly become ubiquitous in our society in the

form of tablets and smartphones. In fact multi-tasking can now be

termed “multi-screening” with the number of devices people en-

gage with at the same time.

Sports broadcasters, to stem the flight of the TV audience away

from watching the main screen to the second screen, are offering

alternative content to the main program. They present content re-

lated to the main program, such as unseen moments, alternative

information, soundtrack, and characters. Further, proposed new

technology allows the viewer to see different camera angles while

watching the game. TV2, Denmark’s largest commercial

TV channel, synchronized its second screen service

to live events of the Giro d’Italia 2012 bicycling. And

in the U.S., HDNet Fights utilizes a second screen

service to synchronize to live MMA broadcasts,

where viewers on smartphones and tablets can

get stats, vote on fights and rounds, chat, win priz-

es, and see how fellow second screen users voted

to win fights.

According to the survey report by Deloitte, major-

ity of the 16-24 year olds use communication tools such as

messaging, email, Facebook, or Twitter to discuss what they are

watching on TV. The vast majority of over 55s (79%) never talk

about what they’re watching on TV on the internet.

However, despite the abundance of apps that allow users to

interact with the show di-

rectly, there is a “muted ap-

petite” for interaction with

TV programmes. Only one in

10 people browse the

internet for infor-

mation about

the TV pro-

gramme they

are watching.

Some viewers

(40%) like be-

ing able to send

their comments in

to a live programme.

On the other hand, Deloitte

reports that 68% would not

want the websites for prod-

ucts, personalities or adverts

that have just been shown on

television, to automatically ap-

pear on their computer, tablet,

or smartphone.

Paul Lee, director of tech-

nology, media and telecommu-

nications research at Deloitte,

commented: “Second screen-

ing’s impact is far greater in

driving conversations about

a programme, as opposed to

interaction with it. Second

screening may well end up

with a similar status as eating

in front of the TV: an everyday

experience for some; abso-

lutely unthinkable for others.

One thing is certain: it is here

for good.

fast fact

40%Viewers who like to send in comments

about a show

Multitasking

as well as

“multiscreening”

www.digitalproductionme.com 019SEPTEMBER 2012 SEPTEMBER 2012

ANALYSIS

WH

AT

’S O

N S

EC

ON

D S

CR

EE

NS

“Browsing the web whilst

watching television is under-

taken “frequently” by a third

of the sample. This might be a

brand new technology-enabled

distraction or it might simply

represent the swapping of an

analogue distraction for a digi-

tal one. Browsing while watch-

ing television typically means

fl itting between a preferred

set of websites, often compris-

ing news, sports, e-commerce.

Time spent on these may be a

substitute for reading newspa-

pers and magazines, or looking

through catalogues.”

This means that invest-

ments in second screen con-

tent are likely to reduce re-

sources for the fi rst screen

and actual television content.

And the second screen content

does not get the same amount

of viewership as the all impor-

tant fi rst screen. The key then

is to strike a balance and real-

ize that there won’t be a second

screen without the fi rst one.

Lee concluded: “The chal-

lenge for second screen con-

tent today is that it is likely to

be relatively expensive as we

are still in an experimental,

bespoke phase. Every pound

spent on second screen con-

tent may be a pound diverted

from the fi rst screen; in or-

der to justify the investment

content creators need to get

the balance right between all

screens.

“In time, creating offi cial

second screen experiences

should become more formu-

laic and more easily reduced

to a template. The more stan-

dardised second screen con-

tent becomes, the easier it

should be to attain a positive

return on investment.”

Second screening may well end up with a similar status as eating in front of the TV: an everyday experience for some; absolutely unthinkable for others. One thing is certain: it is here for good.

PAUL LEEDirector of technology,

media and telecommunications

research, Deloitte.

Activities undertaken while watching television

Source: Deloitte/GfK

Sample: All respondents answering this module (2000 nationally representative)

Participate in the programme I am watching by playing along,

voting, sending in a message or piece of content

Browse the internet for info about the programme I am watching

Browse the internet for general information

Communicate with others via the internet about the programme I

am watching by messaging, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter etc.

Communicate with others via the internet about general things by

messaging, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter etc.

Text/message with others who are watching the programme

Talk on the phone

Talk to other people in the room

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never


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Further, the company has entered into a part-

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This will feature the “Simple R” which is the

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And to demonstrate their commitment to the

Middle East, Broadcast Solutions has appointed

Munzer Rushdi to its team.

“After 31 years in the region working with

Broadcast and 22 years at DMI I wanted to move

on to the supplier side of the industry” says Mr

Rushdi. “I had several opportunities but eventually

I chose to join Broadcast Solutions because I

found them to be a mature but still very innovative

international System Integrator.”

Dubai’sNew PlayerBroadcast Solutions is making its mark felt in theregion by adding to its team in Dubai and expanding their presence at IBC 2012. They are also furthering their interests by establishing partnerships.

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IBC 2012

What do you do when attending one of the biggest technology shows in Europe and Asia? If you are confused, here is Digital Broadcast Middle East’s

guide to what to see, where to go and who to listen to at IBC 2012. These events will give you a well-

rounded picture of the current state of the broadcast industry while providing a view of the future.

THETOPTEN

Touted as the biggest broadcasting event in the world, you are sure to meet

people from around the globe at IBC. The event presents a golden opportu-

nity to meet potential clients from as far as Australia, or as close as Abu Dha-

bi. It also introduces the visitor to cutting-edge technology and the

people behind it. The conference brings together over 50,000

visitors from 160 countries as well as over 1,300 exhibitors in a

variety of fi elds including mobile video, automated playout,

stereo 3D and cloud production. The host of activities in

the 14 exhibition halls and series of talks gives everyone an

opportunity to meet with their target audience while learning some-

thing new about other businesses in the world.

Besides geographical variation, the attendees also represent a

variation in business size, purchasing power, core business activity and

job titles, to cover a wide spectrum. Regardless of how small or big your

company and your goals are, IBC will have someone interesting for you. So put

on your business suit and network with people you wouldn’t usually meet.

Network with the world

FAST FACT

1300Number of

exhibitors atIBC 2011

Source: IBC

Feature sponsor

www.digitalproductionme.com

FACT

ber oftors at2011

ce: IBC


IBC 2012

Along with the exhibitors, the IBC conference forms the largest

portion of the event in Amsterdam.

We think the Connected Television Debate will be particu-

larly interesting with participants like informitv’s William Cooper,

zeebox’s Anthony Rose and Media Native’s David Brennan. The

discussion on next generation cable

and wireless networks will also have

a lot of new views. Also in light of the

recent Olympic Games, there is a

session devoted to the successes

and failures in technology at the Games in

London. Participants in this forum rep-

resent some of the biggest networks,

including BBC’s Barbara Slater and

NBC’s Darryl Jefferson.

The IBC conferenceIBC continuesto be one of the most important events in the broadcast industry and is at the top of our list every year. We consistentlysee high-quality visitors in decision-making positions across all markets and regions.

DAVE FREDERICKVP of Marketing, Harmonic Inc.

Feature sponsor

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Along with the exhibitororororororrs,s the IBC ccononnfefeererrencn e forms sss sss the largest

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We think the Connected TTTTTTTTTelle evevvisisisioioionn Debate will be partititititititicuccccc -

larly interesting with participantntntntntntntntttss s lililikeke informitv’s William Coooooopepppeppp r,

zeebox’s Anthony Rose and Medididididididia aaa Native’s David Brennan. Thhhee ee eee

discussion on next generation cabllee eeeeee

and wireless networks will also have

a lot of new views. Also in light of the

recent Olympic Games, there is a

session devoted to the successes

and failures in technology at the Games in

London. Participants in this forum rep-

resent some of the biggest networks,

including BBC’s Barbara Slater and

NBC’s Darryl Jefferson.

IBC continuesto be one of themost importantevents in the broadcast industry and is at the top ofour list every year. We consistentlysee high-quality visitors in decision-making positions across all markets and regions.

DAVE FREDERICKVP of Marketing, Harmonic Inc.


TVIEW

No we are not talking about the movie or taking a sci-fi trip down James Cameron

lane, but the ultimate way to experience the future now. At IBC, the Future Zone

will provide a glimpse into what exists only in broadcast research labs and

in academic papers. In 2011 the Future Zone featured an astonishing live

presentation of Super Hi-Vision built by NHK ( Japan Broadcast Corpora-

tion); DOTS, an archiving format claimed to have a 100-year lifespan; an

interactive panoramic soccer game, part of the EU’s FascinatE project;

and breakthroughs in High Dynamic Range imaging from the University of Warwick.

This year, Mediapro Research will exhibit its FINE project which generates replays

with a free viewpoint from previously recorded video sequences.

Also NHK will showcase its Super Hi-Vision technology, an ultra

HD TV system, which was deployed by the BBC during its Olym-

pics coverage. Like its name suggests, Faceware Technologies will

demonstrate its facial performance capture hardware while Actual

Consumer Behavior will demonstrate its Media Lab. Also included

in the Future Zone are Posters chosen by the IBC Technical Papers

Committee in relevance to the conference topics being discussed.

Back to the future

I BC2012 FUTU R E ZON E EXH I B ITOR S

Exhibitor Project Name Stand

Mediapro Research Project FINE 8.F40

School of Engineering and Design, Brunel Unviersity

3d VIVANT 8.F49

Actual Customer Behaviour LLP Industry Neutral 1-3-9 Longitudinal Media Lab

8.G41

Computer Graphics, Technische Universitat Berlin

Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera 8.G29

NHK NHK 8.G30

Faceware Technologies, Inc. Faceware Technologies Inc 8.G48

NTT NTT 8.G44

ETRI ETRI 8.G35

NICT 8.G33

Digital Broadcast Middle East has provided

a comprehensive overview of some of the

most exciting products to debut at IBC on

page 53. New products include apps, cam-

eras, set-top boxes and everything else in

between. With some of the biggest names in

attendance, the wide array of products at the

conference will be nothing short of spectacu-

lar. Also big compa-

nies like Green

Valley, Wohler,

and Sonnet

will display the

best of their

wares. So

make sure to

check out some

of the new toys.

New gizmosand gadgets

Anyone looking to make sense of the rapid changes in Internet-connected devices should head for the IBC Connected World, a special area of IBC which encapsulates the very latest developments in mobile TV, 3G and 4G services with the pioneering applications and technologies that are driving content over-the-top into the home and into our future.

The conference is recreating the Demonstrations Area from last year with a little twist. This year, the area is being

supplemented by a series of high-powered Connected Consumer Debates – with industry experts and business special-ists reviewing the critical issues that are aff ecting our industry and answering your questions from the fl oor. Debates include those on connected TV, IPTV/OTT TV, video solutions, mo-bile solutions and apps, as well as connected home and home networks.

Enter the connected world

FAST FACT

50,000Expected numberof participants at

IBC 2012Source: IBC

The Connected

World exhibit at IBC

2011.

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If you are just entering the world of electronic

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lows participants to engage as much as they

want in the conference sessions and training.

The full programme is specifi cally designed

to off er participants the chance to learn more

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potential employers and have some fun. It

also provides the opportunity to meet some

inspirational entrepreneurs and hear their

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Participants are off ered

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Meet somerising stars One of the most spectacular attractions at IBC is the big screen

used for ceremonies and conference events. With capacity for 1,200 people and boasting facilities for 4K and stereoscopic 3D

digital projection, with audio presented in Dolby 7.1 surround sound, the stunning IBC Big Screen plays host to numerous presentations

and conference sessions, as well as exclusive movie screenings. The screen is used for demonstrations of acquisition, digital intermediate,

VFX, stereo 3D and of course digital cinema. At last year’s conference this included a core program dedi-

cated to 3D technology.Obviously the big screen hosts some

of the best movie screenings. Last year the main highlight was the world’s fi rst preview of Titanic 3D with visionary di-rector James Cameron. This year don’t miss out on Prometheus in Dolby Sur-round 7.1 and Dolby 3D and the world’s fi rst screening of a feature length movie in high brightness 3D presented by Christie.

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The relentless drive to end-to-end fi le-based digital production throws up as many complexities as it does opportuni-ties for creative freedom and budget sav-ing. Having acquired tapeless media on set or on location, you can track the creation management journey and assess the op-tions for yourself at the brand new Work-

fl ow Solutions Village in Hall 9 which is dedicated to fi le-based technologies.

Visitors to the Village will fi nd a presentation theatre housing case stud-

ies for, among others, live sports, automat-ed QC and cloud creation for brands and broadcasters as well as ‘look and learn’ presentations by current users. These master classes include speakers from MTV, ITV, Sky News Arabia, BBC, Channel 4 and more.

All of this is played out adjacent to a practical demonstration of tapeless news production in action from the IBC TV News team. Get away from the marketing hype associated with products in isolation and ask questions of expert technicians who are ready to answer all your queries.

Get some workfl ow solutions

For a conference the size of IBC, there are bound to be many experts and industry

professionals attending. If you can get to the IBC Leaders’ Summit you will get to see

many of them. The Summit is an exclusive, invitation-only event designed specifi cal-

ly to cater to the needs of the most infl uential and visionary people in the electronic

media and entertainment industry. It features high level networking opportunities

with the thought-leaders who are shaping the industry, as well as an in-depth, rigor-

ous examination of this years’ theme entitled ‘Smart Connections’.

In a series of sessions, the day-long Summit will investigate how connected TV

is shifting value, changing business models and creating new opportunities. Each

delegate will leave the summit equipped with an exclusive package of informed stra-

tegic knowledge that will give your organisation the competitive edge. Participants

include C-level delegates from companies like BBC, Endemol, Walt Disney, BSkyB,

Discovery, HBO, Turkish Radio Television and many more.

Meet industry leaders

On Sunday, 9th September 2012, the best of

the broadcast industry will be awarded for

their vision and creations at the awards. The

most important award of the night

is undoubtedly the International

Honor for Excellence, which

is being awarded to NHK’s

Science and Technical Re-

search Laboratories this year.

Besides that there will be the

awards in Content Creation,

Content Management and

Content Delivery as well as Best

Conference Paper Award.

IBC Awards

FAST FACT

14The number of

exhibition halls at IBC 2012

Source: IBC

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ANSHUL GUPTAMarketing Manager, WASP3D.

James Cameron at last year’s presentation of

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028 september 2012

MENA BROADCAST SURVEY 2012

www.digitalproductionme.com 029september 2012


t is one thing to look at facts and figures

and see how robust an industry is and

quite another to be on the ground and

experience the realities. It seems that the

broadcast and satellite industry is suffer-

ing from a similar fate. While it appears

that there is an abundance of users willing

to adopt new technologies, companies are still

struggling to move on the same level as some of

the other emerging markets. Our survey looks at

what is really going in terms of revenues and users

in the Middle East and what is the future of new

technologies like HD and 3D here.

The Olympics spurred a growth in the amount

of HD and 3D content being made available

around the world and really started a trend. It now

remains to be seen how much of this change will

actually translate into technological changes in the

What is it that really drives growth in the broadcast sector in the Middle East? Our survey looks at what industry experts think will be the biggest revenue generator, while what will be the biggest hindrances to growth everywhere.

THE MENA BROADCASTSURVEY2012

field. Our survey participants seem a little skepti-

cal about the levels of competition in the market

as well as availability of good infrastructure. While

the Arab Spring proved to be a damper in 2011,

broadcasters are not expecting soaring growth

rates this year either.

While most people were optimistic about HD

and mobile content, 3D is an area where many are

still skeptical. Interestingly that is a trend reflected

in other parts of the world also as the expected

viewership for the Olympics 3D broadcasts were

not met. It is a technology which might need a

little more tweaking before it finds loyal followers.

Some of the other responses were what we

expected. Participants think that the region is

primed for new technologies, but there are certain

factors holding the industry back, mainly being

the intense competition.

WHO TOOK PARTthe meNA broadcast survey 2012 was open to all our readers on www.digitalpro-ductionme.com across the region. A mix of respondents answered 10 questions about the broadcast indsutry. turn over for the full results of this year’s survey.



How do you expect the market to perform over the next 12 months?

Where do you expect to see the greatest growth in the next year in terms of revenue?

Unlike last year, people in the industry are not as optimistic about

growth this year as in 2011. In last year’s survey we found that more

people were expecting growth to increase, despite the eff ects of

the Arab Spring around the GCC countries. This is an interesting

twist considering that many more countries are stable politically

now than they were in 2011. We think that people are keeping

their growth expectations on the conservative side because of the

experience from previous years. But it seems that the market will

perform well in 2012 as well. However, slowing growth around the

world paired with the economic recession in the Eurozone will

probably aff ect growth in the Middle East as well. A slowdown in

China and India will also aff ect the overall market in the region.

15%I expect growth to slow

32%I expect growth to increase

53%I expect the same market performance

It should come as no surprise that satellite users are expected to

increase in the next year. Growing revenues are driven by an in-

crease in the number of people adopting the technology in homes.

And with satellite services becoming easily available in the region

more people are expected to jump on board. According to a new

report by Digital TV Research, there will be 220 million pay Direct

to Home (DTH) homes in 80 countries by the end of 2017, up from

154 million at the end of 2011 and 91 million at the end of 2007.

India will lead the sector with 50.9 million pay DTH homes in 2017,

followed by the US with 36.5 million. Russia (14.7 million) and Brazil

(14.6 million) will take third and fourth places respectively. This

signals a growth in emerging markets as well.

Where do you expect to see the greatest growth in the next year in terms of users?

5%DTTV

35%IPTV

60%Satellite

NSR’s 9th edition of the Global Assessment of Satellite Supply & Demand found that commercial satellite operators grew capacity leasing revenues by US$635 million between 2010 and 2011 and are aggressively targeting new markets such as mobility and other high value services in order to maintain sustained revenue expansion for the coming years. Like the rest of the world, satellite is expected to see the most growth in the Middle East. The London Olympics were a truly successful event thanks to brilliant satellite broadcasts of all the events. And it seems that people in the remote corners of the planet are also adopting the technology. With more satellites acquir-ing capacity for the Middle East, there is clearly a reason why experts think that it will have a great year in terms of revenue. Regional players are also launching their own devices to add to the quickly-crowding satellite space.

5%DTTV

37%IPTV

56%Satellite



Is Pay TV a viable business model in the Middle East and Africa region?

Do you think the new audience rating system will increase ad spending in the region?

This was one of the answers that surprised us here at Digital

Broadcast. Pay TV has been a viable business model in many of the

developed markets in North America and Europe. While Pyramid

Researh forecasted an annual growth of 11% in the number of pay

TV subscribers in the region, it seems our survey participants are

not as optimistic. Analysts at Pyramid also predict that pay TV

revenue for the MEA region would double, with pay TV reaching

16% of households by 2015. However, the current view is pretty

grim. Severe competition and a lack of infrastructure do plague

the market. While the pay TV service currently suff ers from a weak

infrastructure within the region, Pyramid analysts state that these

obstacles may be overcome through mobile access.

The UAE’s tview is all set to debut commercially in October. Digital

Broadcast Middle East did an extensive piece on the system in our

August 2012 issue that talks about the importance of such a system

to better guarantee ad spending in the region. It seems the survey

participants agree with what experts in the region are saying

about the new initiative that will help spur growth in international

ad spending as people are more aware of what content is being

watched. “tview is a major step forward for the TV and advertising

industry in the UAE, providing in-depth, objective data which can

be used to make better programmes, improve TV schedules and

help advertisers reach the people who are most interested in their

products,” said EMMC’s general manager, Christopher O’Hearn.

25%Yes

75%No

34%No66%

Yes

The only question in the survey which got a unanimous answer was that of HD content in the region. While markets in North America are in the process of switching over to more HD content than standard definition, it is still a niche market in the Middle East. Much of the Ramadan programming was avail-able in HD. Further, MBC signed a deal with My-HD media to air seven of their channels in high definition for free to customers who have a My-HD receiver. “As MBC expands its HD offering, we anticipate more viewers will upgrade their SD receivers for approved HD receivers,” said Sam Barnett, CEO of MBC. “And as they do so, we anticipate reducing our SD channels. Ultimately the market is moving to an HD environment.”

How long will it take to monetise HD content in the Middle East and Africa region?

0% It will never be viable

0%1-3 years

100%It is already available

MBC CEO

Sam Barnett



How long will it take to monetise 3D content in the Middle East and Africa region?

The Olympics provided a breakthrough for 3D content, but the Middle East has been a little slower in adopting the technology. “At the moment I just don’t think there are economies of scale where there are distinct returns on revenue to make it happen because broadcasters have recently invested huge amounts of money in HD infrastructure upgrades, and are still probably trying to recoup that cash,” said Simon Farnsworth, CEO of GlobeCast Australia. “And to go to them again and say, “Ok, now we want to move to a 3D environment,” there is still debate as to how they will monetise that 3D content, and whether they can charge more for the 3D content than the HD content.”

5% It will never be viable

28% It is already viable

67%1-3 years



The Middle East has historically presented hurdles to doing business. The lack of strict regulations has irked international investors while the lack of a transparent monitoring system makes it hard for advertisers to get correct figures on the market. Besides these woes, our survey participants think that too much competition in the market is the hardest thing to deal with. There are too many players for such a small mar-ket and this seems to be the case in many fields. However, some companies feel differently. “The markets now served by HYLAS 2 demonstrate a fantastic combination of strong macro-economics, high unmet demand for telecoms and low competition in satellite services,” commented David Williams, the chief executive of Avanti Communications, on the launch of the Hylas 2 satellite for the Middle East.

What is the greatest advantage to doing business in the Middle East and Africa region?

How long will it take to monetise mobile content in the Middle East and Africa region?

One of the hardest things to teach someone is a new technology.

However, with smart devices, more and more people are adopt-

ing new technologies even if they are unfamiliar and foreign to

them. Numerous studies suggest that technology adoption rates

are higher in emerging markets than in developed countries. And

the Middle East is no diff erent. People here are open to trying new

technologies and this is one of the main advantages to doing busi-

ness in the region. Most of our survey participants put this attitude

above the wide audience range and ease of policy. More companies

want to invest in the satellite market here and as we have seen

from some of the previous responses, many think that content will

be monetized very soon in the region. It remains to be seen how far

3D and HD content will take root in the region in the face of lacking

broadband structures.

A recent survey by market research fi rm Ipsos found that rich

GCC countries boast some of world’s highest rates of smartphone

penetration, with the United Arab Emirates in the lead at 61%. But

even in poorer nations smartphone adoption is respectable: 26% in

Egypt, not much below Germany’s 29%. This means that our survey

participants were not wrong in thinking that mobile content can be

monetized in the region immediately. But it is one thing to use your

phone to update your Facebook status and something completely

diff erent to use it to watch TV shows and movies. In that regard

the people who believe that it might take 1-3 years to really make

the content profi table might be on to something. A better broad-

band infrastructure combined with more reliable networks will

defi nitely see a boost in revenues and many regional companies

like Yahsat are investing in these technologies.

9%Ease of policy

26%Wide audience range

65%Willingness to adopt new technologies

3%More than 3 years

30%1-3 years

67%It is viable now

What are the biggest hurdles to doing business in the Middle East and Africa region?

14%Strict regulations

38%Lack of standardization

48%Too much competition

IBC Fifth Floor International Press Centre 76 Shoe Lane London EC4A 3JB UK

T +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 F +44 (0) 20 7832 4130 E [email protected]

www.ibc.org

RAI Amsterdam

Conference 6-11 September : Exhibition 7-11 September

IBC2012Discover MoreIBC is at the cutting-edge of new technology in therapidly evolving electronic media industry. It couplesa comprehensive exhibition covering all facets oftoday’s industry with a highly respected peer reviewedconference that helps shape the way the industrywill develop in the future.

Future Zone showcasing the latest developments in broadcast technology

IBC Connected World including demonstration area in Hall 14

IBC Big Screen providing the perfect platform for manufacturer demonstrations and the Saturday Night Movie

•

•

•

Take advantage of a variety of extra special features including:

IBC Production Village presenting the latest camera technology in a purpose built environment

IBC Awards Ceremony acknowledges those who have made a real contribution to the industry hosted on Sunday 9 September

•

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Register now at

www.ibc.org/register

iTP discovermore aug indd 1 29/7/12 19:40:09

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arkets for satellite commu-

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munications networks in

the Middle East. Compris-

ing this picture are satellite operators, such as

Arabsat and Nilesat; teleport operators in Dubai,

Egypt and Jordan; and service providers who

utilize these facilities to deliver applications to

customers. Satellite TV is a very important service

for the region as it occupies most of the available

satellite transponders in the region.

The Middle East has a unique geography and

population dispersion which presents its own

opportunities and challenges compared to the

U.S. and European markets. While a majority of

the population is centralized in fewer cities, those

cities are separated by vast deserts. While some

efforts have been put forth by various national

governments to invest in fiber optics, cost and lo-

gistics limit the fiber networks

to the most important and

largest centers, making satel-

lite a more obvious choice for

the region. The combination

of wealth from oil revenues,

a relatively new telecom-

munications industry, and an

expanding consumer market

makes the Middle East a very

interesting (and potentially

profitable) opportunity.

satellite OPeRatORsMost of what is transmitted

over satellite in the Middle

East is at Ku band, which is

more effective than C band in

signal strength and the small

antenna size that relates to

it. Even in the Jordan Valley,

the wettest part of the Middle

East, the average annual

rainfall indicates that even a

particularly heavy storm is

within the acceptable limits.

The rest of the Middle East is

one of the driest regions of

the world and so Ku band is

nearly an optimum fit.

In 1976, the Arab League

(which, at the time was made up of representa-

tives from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Ara-

bia, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Morocco, Tunisia,

Kuwait, Algeria, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Mauri-

tania, Somalia, and the newly admitted Palestine)

founded Arabsat with the express purpose of

creating and operating the first Arab satellite com-

munications system. Where media providers once

had to broadcast to the region from the outside

(generally out of London), there are now a variety

of locations, including “media cities,” that permit

both international and local content providers to

be closer to their audience within the Middle East.

A number of satellite operators offer transpon-

der capacity to the region. European regional

operator Eutelsat expanded its coverage to include

the Middle East and Africa (among other areas).

Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat launched Nilesat

101 in April of 1998 and began broadcasting over

Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe. UAE’s

Yahsat successfully launched its Y1B satellite in April

of 2012 and plans to expand its broadband service

In just a few years, the region has experienced great demand growth for broadcasting and data transmission bandwidth. This demand has contributed to a severe shortage of regional transponder capacity, as evidenced by the rapid escalation of market rates on leases.

scOtt sObhaniItAG.

eUteLsAt 16A satellite

in the clean room.

Feature sponsor



to five new markets. “The percentage of internet us-

ers in Africa is far below the levels shown in other

regions,” said Yahsat CEO Tareq Abdul Raheem Al

Hosani. “Improved broadband services in Africa

will lead to a significant increase in the number of

people within reach of internet services.”

“In just a few years, the region has experienced

great demand growth for broadcasting and data

transmission bandwidth,” according to industry

veteran Scott Sobhani. “This demand has contrib-

uted to a severe shortage of regional transponder

capacity, as evidenced by the rapid escalation

of market rates on leases. The imminent intro-

duction of Ka-band and S-Band services by the

satellite operators will serve to fulfill some of the

demand, especially that resulting from the rapidly

growing data traffic (3G/4G, mobile TV) require-

ments of regional mobile network operators.”

arabsatHeadquartered in Riyadh, Arabsat owns and oper-

ates five satellites, at 3 orbital positions, 20°, 26°,

30.5° and 34.5° East: Arabsat-

5C (20°E), BADR-4, BADR-5

and BADR-6 (26°E), Arabsat-

5A (30.5°E) and Arabsat-2B

(34.5°E). Arabsat serves the

private and public sectors,

consisting of regional and in-

ternational organizations, cor-

porations and local business-

men. Also addressed is the

range of telecoms, including

Internet service providers and

operators in telephony trunk-

ing, cellular backhaul,

Internet broad-

band access, as

well as the

provision

of VSATs

and other

interactive

services.

Arabsat

has signed con-

tracts for the manu-

facturing and launching

of two new satellites, 5C and

Arabsat Badr-7, with a total

cost of $590 million. EADS

Astrium and Thales Alenia

Space will manufacture the

satellites, while Arianespace will launch

them. With a design life exceeding 15

years, these two communications

satellites will provide telecommu-

nications and television broad-

cast services in the Middle East,

Africa, Europe and the Indian

subcontinent, according to Khalid

Balkheyour, president and CEO of

Arabsat. They will be positioned at

20° East and 26° East.

Arabsat offers broadcast, telecom and

broadband services. Broadcast services include

direct-to-home, contribution and satellite services.

Telecom services include VSATs and GSM back-

hauling. Broadband services include multimedia

exchange and IP trunking.

The percentage of internet users in Africa is far below the levels shown in other regions. Improved broadband services in Africa will lead to a significant increase in the number of people within reach of internet services.

tareq abdul raheem al hosaniCeO, Yahsat.

fast fact

twonumber of

satellites developed by

the uae

A picture taken on march 29, 2011 shows the transfer of Ariane V to

the Launch Zone at europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Ariane V deployed the Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat New Dawn satellites.

Feature sponsor

Feature sponsor



NilesatNilesat, which is under the supervision of the

Egyptian Ministry of Information, was founded

with a focus on DTH broadcasting and data trans-

fer services which are used extensively for media

and education. The organization currently has

four satellites.

eutelsatEutelsat was founded in France

as an intergovernmental organi-

zation and evolved into a private

company, Eutelsat S.A. (traded

in Paris). The organization’s

fleet has grown from a modest

five to 24 different satellites, with

additional capacity on three other

satellites. The company offers broadcast

services, satellite broadband services, telecom

services, and maritime communications.

The European orbit locations of Eutelsat, rang-

ing from 8 degrees WL to 35

degrees EL, are capable of

serving the Middle East and

all of Africa. Atlantic Bird 2,

for example, is used to deliver

programming in Arabic and

other regional lan-

guages.

YahsatAl Yah Satel-

lite Com-

munications

Company

(Yahsat) is

a subsidiary

of Mubadala De-

velopment Company,

an investment arm of the

government of Abu Dhabi,

and the newest entrant to

the Middle Eastern

satellite communica-

tion systems industry.

YahSat’s second satel-

lite, Y1B is equipped

with a commercial

multi-beam Ka-band

payload, which is

used to provide a variety of government

and commercial applications, including

“YahClick”, a new reliable and affordable

satellite broadband service for the Middle

East, Africa, and South West Asia.

“With the satellite in orbit, we are on

track in our mission to connect communi-

ties around the region with reliable, af-

fordable broadband services through our

“YahClick” service,” Tareq Abdul Raheem

Al Hosani, Yahsat CEO, said. “Communica-

tions is a vital factor for economic and

social growth in today’s world and we are

very excited to be bringing this pioneering

vision into reality.”

telePORts aNd media CitiesA teleport is a ground-based facility lo-

cated in or near a major city or economic

zone and containing one or more satellite

communications earth stations. Its pur-

pose is to serve multiple user organiza-

The imminent introduction of Ka-

band and S-Band services by the

satellite operators will serve to

fulfill some of the bandwidth demand,

especially that resulting from the

rapidly growing data traffic (3G/4G, mobile

TV) requirements of regional mobile

network operators.

sCOtt sObhaNiItAG.

fast fact

FiveNumber of

satellites operated by arabsat

eUteLsAt HOt bIrD satellites.

Feature sponsor



tions that operate independently to broadcast

and/or receive information from one or more

satellites. Teleports are often found in an econom-

ic zone called a “media city” dedicated to serving

the needs of mass media companies in proximity

to each other. New York City, home to all major US

TV networks and many cable TV networks as well,

would qualify as a very large media city. Within

NYC there are as many as 20 operating teleports.

The media city designation would likewise apply

to London, Hollywood, and Singapore. In the

Middle East, the term “media city” is applied to

an area identified by the national government

and designated as a tax-free zone where media

companies can enjoy various benefits for doing

business and originating their Middle Eastern-

directed content. In addition to the tax free status,

content suppliers and operators may enjoy a more

accommodating regulatory environment.

dubai media CityDubai Media City (DMC) was the first media city

to strongly establish itself and

is an area designated as a tax

free zone specifically for me-

dia producers and broadcast-

ers. DMC was created by the

investment arm of the Dubai

government as an “open

and flexible environment”

to encourage media compa-

nies to base their efforts in

tapping the opening markets

of the Middle East out of the

UAE and specifically Dubai.

This effort has been very

successful and some of the

companies that have taken

advantage of the benefits

include CNN, BBC World,

CNBC Arabia, and Showtime

Arabia.

Sama Communications

Company Limited (Samacom)

is the principal DMC operat-

ing entity and is a member of

Dubai Holding Group. Techni-

cal facilities include: a state of

the art teleport, professional

and highly specialized man-

power, and an operational

infrastructure with support and solution-devel-

opment services. Samacom can access multiple

satellites, including Arabsat “Badr-3”, Arabsat

“Badr-4”, Nilesat, Asiasat 2, Asiasat 3S, Hotbird 2

and Atlantic Bird 2.

CONClUsiONLike the history of satellite communications in

other regions, the MENA region is rich in experi-

ence and unique in its perspective. As indicated

by Scott Sobhani, there is a vibrant demand for

current and evolving services, and some new

operators are finding opportunities for invest-

ment. Currently, nearly all requirements are met

through standard Ku-band satellites using the re-

sources of media cities and a mix of local and for-

eign ground resources. Ka band is arriving on the

scene as well, which will add a new dimension to

broadband service provision. This could further

shape the telecommunications scene in MENA

in ways much different from North America and

Western Europe.

With the satellite in orbit, we are on track in our mission to connect communities around the region with reliable, affordable broadband services through our “YahClick” service. Communications is a vital factor for economic and social growth in today’s world and we are very excited to be bringing this pioneering vision into reality.

tareq abdUl raheem al hOsaNiCeO, Yahsat.

european launcher Ariane 5

blasting off at the Kourou base in

French Guiana to place protostar

and Arabsat satellites in orbit.

3dtv

042 SEPTEMBER 2012

t’s been two years since the world’s first

3DTV channels launched in a blaze of

publicity but the industry has not managed

to translate its enthusiasm for the format

to consumers in high enough numbers,

prompting many advocates to reign in their

expectations of it ever going mainstream.

There’s no single reason for the trough that

3DTV finds itself in, and no one factor that will

put it out, but there’s one thing that even the most

pessimistic analyst would agree on: 3D is not going

to go away.

Take the Sky 3D channel, which launched in the

UK in October 2010, but seems stalled on a base

of 250,000 Sky subscribers. BSkyB prides itself on

pioneering new technology, it has invested heavily

in production equipment, primarily OB facilities for

live 3D sports, and has always described its 3D activ-

ity as core to attracting consumers to the brand

rather than a profit centre in its own right.

“Growth in 3D has been pretty much as ex-

pected,” says chief operating officer Mike Darcey.

“Take-up is linked closely to the sale of 3DTV sets

which in turn is linked to the cycle of TV replace-

ment which has slowed due to the economy. An

improved consumer environment will help and will

be progressed further as prices come down and as

glasses-free displays emerge.”

Another high-profile entrant, Discovery Com-

munications, has no imminent plans in Europe to

replicate 3Net, its 3D channel co-run with Sony and

3dtvsoldiers on

Imax in the US, but emphasises it isn’t leaving the

game either.

“3DTV set sales are not going as fast as HD did

and the biggest hurdle is the need to wear glasses,

but autostereo displays will come,” says John

Honeycutt, EVP and COO, DNI. “We’ve learned a lot

about how to produce in 3D and to tell a story in 2D

as well as 3D in a way that drives down cost. We’ve

confirmed that if consumers have an opportunity

to watch content that is closer to reality they will

migrate toward that. So as the market develops we

are right there and ready to go.”

His boss, the chief executive officer of DNI, Mark

Hollinger, confirms the company is “still very bull-

ish” about 3D and that “the exact trajectory will be

unpredictable but our investment horizon is long

term. The consumer platform for strong 3D busi-

ness is getting established.”

The leading market in terms of both 3DTV sales

and household penetration is the US, where pen-

etration will reach 4% this year, from an installed

base of over 4.5 million (according to Futuresource

Consulting statistics). This will grow significantly so

that by 2015 close to half (47%) of US households

will own a 3DTV.

Such trending is being echoed in the major

markets across Europe. In the UK, approximately

800,000 (3%) households will own a 3DTV by the

end of 2012 and by 2016 the forecast is for a 20.2

million installed base.

Many consumers purchase the 3D function by

Whether a consumer chooses an active or passive 3D display, there is no question that, given a free choice, they would opt for a glasses-free solution. Auto-stereoscopic displays are the Holy Grail in terms of 3D viewing.

olivier BovisHead of AV Media, Sony.

fast fact

300number of Blu-ray titles in the U.s. by

2013


As 3D TV struggles to gain buyers of 3D sets and audiences for 3DTV content, not even the Olympics will boost business with industry exponents forced to play a long game. But it seems that all the negative hype might not be completely true. Adrian Pennington reports.


3dtv


3dtv

default and sometimes are

even unaware at the time

of purchase - one of the key

reasons behind the growth in

3D capable households.

Indeed the global outlook

for 3D continues to be positive

across the various entertain-

ment platforms, says Future-

source director Jim Bottoms.

The number of worldwide 3D

channels, demo channels or

3D VoD services is expected

to reach around 110 by 2013;

while the 3D Blu-ray library is

estimated to contain over 300

titles in the US by 2013. Within

Western Europe 8.5 million

homes will be 3D Blu-ray ca-

pable by year end (households

owing both a 3D TV and either

a standalone 3D Blu-ray player

or PS3) rising to 41% of homes

by 2016.

Within the BRIC countries,

3D ticket sales have helped

drive theatrical revenues to

record breaking levels and

stimulated the installation

of digital cinema screens,

providing the framework for

growth. Aided by 3D, China

became the third largest and

the fastest growing theatrical

market in the world reaping 13,120 RBM ($2.03

billion) last year. It’s no coincidence that James

Cameron recently signed a high-profile joint ven-

ture between his production services company

CPG and two state-owned entities.

With all this positive news, why does the per-

ception persist, perpetuated by national media,

that 3D is the Emperor’s new clothes?

There are certainly hindrances to market adop-

tion, primarily poor consumer education of the

format with many still struggling with the concept

of Blu-ray; as well as negative publicity surround-

ing the idea that 3D causes viewer headaches and

dizziness in a lot of cases.

The lack of 3D content has been a stumbling

block for the industry as a whole but particularly

for pay TV operators. Canal Plus cited the limited

availability of 3D content alongside slow sub-

scriber uptake (20,000) as the key factors behind

the termination of its 3D linear channel in January.

DirecTV, which launched the 24-hour channel

n3D partnered with Panasonic in 2010, drastically

scaled back its commitment in July, slashing the

budget for production of content and citing lack of

audience demand for the finished product.

In terms of content, 3D remains a largely event-

driven format with investment in movies, live

sports and music festivals or set-piece documenta-

ries dominating the sector.

The London Olympics has not had a significant

impact on the uptake of 3DTVs or 3D services.

Indeed, there have been several reports of disap-

pointing viewing figures of BBC’s Olympics cover-

age in 3D. According to the BBC just 66,000 people

watched the 100m final in 3D despite the fact that

it was available free to air and that well over 1 mil-

lion UK homes now own a 3DTV.

“This may well be down to the fact that the

Filming the London 2012 Olympics

in 3D has been no small task.

We’ve learned a lot about how to produce in 3D and to tell a story in 2D as well as 3D in a way that drives down cost. We’ve confirmed that if consumers have an opportunity to watch content that is closer to reality they will migrate toward that. So as the market develops we are right there and ready to go.

John honeycutteVp and COO, DNI.


3DTV

100m is a very short event and

therefore many people may

not want the hassle of switch-

ing to the 3D channel and

putting on the glasses,” notes

Futuresource analyst Amy

Martin. “However, viewing

fi gures of other sports events

in 3D from the BBC (including

the Wimbledon fi nal) have

been low and it seems that

specialised 3D video and cer-

tain 3D movies are the most

popular forms of 3D content.”

Across genre, costs can be

double that of a 2D HD show,

particularly if high volumes

of CGI is involved, but the

perception that 3D is high

risk and high cost needs to be

tackled, says Andrew Shelley,

COO at production facilities

company OnSight.

“Producers are able to

strip back the component

parts of a 3D production in

terms of processes, equip-

ment and people to make an

effi cient and quality produc-

tion,” he says. “There’s no sil-

ver bullet which will reduce

the cost of making 3D. What

is happening is that manufac-

turers are now talking to

each other and developing innovative

products that fi ll in the gaps in the

workfl ow to reduce costs.”

Broadcasters need to provide

the bulk of content that can fi ll

airtime on 3D channels. In turn

that builds a bigger 3D distribu-

tion market leading ultimately

to greater demand for technology

supply in the fi eld.

“Don’t give us one episode to shoot

and think you can extrapolate from that what

the cost of a whole series will be,” James Cameron

argued at NAB. “The numbers we off er will make it

profi table for you.”

Cameron wants producers to license CPG tech-

nology and services and shoot 2D and 3D (5D) so

that the cost diff erence over separate productions

can be reduced to zero.

Yet no major network in Europe or the US has

committed to a 3D TV episodic series with CPG or

any other vendor (though rumours of a 3DTV Dr

Who continue).

A year ago Sony Pictures Entertainment con-

ducted scripted 3D production trials (with 3Ality

Digital) and concluded that 3DTV shows can be

made cost-eff ectively. It shot pilot episodes of multi-

camera NBC soap Days of Our Lives and of ABC’s

Happy Endings, a single-camera style sitcom.

Some extra costs are unavoidable, SPE con-

cluded. While editing could follow a standard 2D

schedule, the productions may entail an extra

conforming step. Yet, it said, productions can

avoid many other added costs and experience

virtually no impact on schedule.

3D production has evolved from black art to

something approaching normality with experi-

enced OB crews able to rig 3D cameras in near the

same time as 2D ones. As more of the processes

of calibration and convergence is automated by

software like 3Ality’s Intellical and Intellicam,

building the look up tables and being able to align

the rigs need only take a few minutes. Greater

automation will reduce the number of specialist

crew (convergence ops in particular) bringing

costs even further in line with 2DHD.

Technology is not the real issue and neither is

technique where producers must adhere to tried

and tested ‘safe’ guidelines for pulling negative and

positive parallax for programming destined for

fl agship channels like 3Net, ESPN3D and Sky3D.

Even the controversy surrounding poorly

executed 3D conversions (notably in movies

like Clash of the Titans) has died away.

The algorithms have improved, the

processes more advanced and

quality assured.

Even Sony’s professional divi-

sion emphasise its leadership in

4K over that of 3D, with head of

AV Media Olivier Bovis confi rm-

ing that the company will have “no

brand new product that will revolu-

tionise 3D” on show at IBC2012.

“We have left the early adopter stage and

entered a stage of standardised production, but

one which is not yet mainstream,” he adds.

Instead it’s a waiting game. Waiting for decent

quality, mass produced glasses free screens. “In the

early days of 3D TV, the high cost of active shutter

glasses was frequently cited as an impediment to

widespread adoption, the price normally in excess

SEPTEMBER 2012

3DTV

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: FO

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OR

INS

TALLE

D B

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F 3

DT

VS

FAST FACT

3rdThe rank of China’s

theatrical market in the world

FU

TU

RE

SO

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CE

: FO

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CA

ST

S F

OR

INS

TALLE

D B

AS

E O

F 3

DT

VS

3DTV Installed BaseFuturesource looks at the

number of installed bases

in three countries which

have been fastest to adopt

the technology and at a

forecast for 2016.

2011 (Million Units)

0.8

FU

TU

RE

SO

UR

CE

: FO

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OR

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VS

1.6

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: FO

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3.62016 (Million Units)

20.2

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87.6


3DTV

Digital ly Fit

www.canare.co.jp

Visit us at 11.A50

®

of US$100 compared with a few dollars for a passive pair,” says Bot-

toms. “However, prices have fallen rapidly with entry-level active

glasses now available in the US for $20.

“Whether a consumer chooses an active or passive 3D display,

there is no question that, given a free choice, they would opt for a

glasses-free solution. Auto-stereoscopic displays are the Holy Grail

in terms of 3D viewing.”

The Holy Grail he might add is multi-view 3D viewing. While

parallax barrier technology to deliver a glasses-free 3D experience

to one viewer is more or less cracked and we’ll see more and more

mobiles, tablets and PCs fi tted with it in the next year, for the large

screen living room experience technologies capable of generat-

ing nine or more views seamlessly and at high resolution is still a

major R&D issue.

A full HD panel with nine views results in a picture with SD

resolution. A 4K panel with nine views is able to achieve a picture

roughly equivalent to HD. And 4K displays will of course push the

prices up much higher.

Predicts Futuresource’s Martin, “Passive 3D is gaining share ver-

sus active shutter and enables the feature to be off ered on a wider

product range at lower prices, and within 3-4 years we expect

auto-stereo or glasses-free sets to start building displacing active

shutter at the high-end of the market “

All the major consumer electronics brands are investing in it

with Dolby making a considerable splash at NAB2012 with its full

HD autostereoscopic display technology devised with Philips Re-

search. The latter developed a receiver and lens array to optimise

the display of glasses-free 3D content compressed with Dolby’s

codec over any size screen or device. The fi rst commercial models

are expected in 2013, according to Dolby. These though will be

high-end models so the 3DTV industry will have to bide its time

until the latter half of the decade for business to improve.

3D fi lming is a lot easier

technologically than it sounds.

www.facebook.com/AVSOLUTIONSCO

sd-hd conversion

048 SEPTEMBER 2012

hile the world’s pri-

mary markets are

well on their way

through the transi-

tion to HD, there

are still a huge

number of second-

ary markets that are further behind the curve.

They will find themselves in a similar position to

where the US, Japan or Germany was 10 years ago

with HD stations and not enough HD content.

There will be a need to up-convert legacy

content and a requirement for up-conversion of

signals from existing SD infrastructures until the

facilities can transition to HD. All of which requires

the ability to up-convert at a high quality so that

the result is almost as good as true HD.

These secondary markets tend to be countries

where the economics dictate that equipment

has to be run for as long as possible,” says Don

Thomas, Grass Valley product manager, produc-

tion switchers. “It is worth remembering that this

applies to consumers as well as broadcasters;

there is little point in rushing HD channels to air

without the prospect of a worthwhile audience

being able to see it.”

Key emerging markets for HD include South

America, the Middle East and China but secondary

markets also lie within so-called mature mar-

kets. The US is on the face of it a very mature HD

market, but there are also large numbers of lower-

value assets in the country, part of a larger archive

perhaps, which are still being up-converted. And

although we may think Europe is in a similar state,

Whether broadcasters have migrated to HD or are just beginning that transition, the ability to convert content from one standard to another is an essential business requirement, says Adrian Pennington.

scaling up to hd

only 500 channels out of 9000 are HD today, so

there’s still a good demand for SD to HD content.

“Although most prime European and US chan-

nels are broadcast in HD, they have to deal with

SD-based content up-converted to HD,” observes

Daniel Collin, product manager for infrastructure,

Miranda. “Examples are the various incoming

feeds with international content, SD news studios

[only 300 out of 600 are HD in the US], lower

quality feeds and legacy/archived content.”

“Up-conversion will be with us for years to

come because there’s a huge library of content

that was created in SD,” agrees Thomas. “News

and sports, most obviously, have archives which

are continually in use. However, there are pro-

grammes from decades past which are now find-

ing new audiences, through niche channels which

have HD outputs.”

Indeed, says Simon Westland, Blackmagic

Design EMEA, the need for good quality down-

conversion is just as important in mature markets

as deliveries are made to regions that are still

predominantly standard definition.

upconversion processBroadly, each broadcaster will go through a num-

ber of stages in its SD-HD journey: (1) Investment

in the actual HD transmission and production

infrastructure; (2) Acquisition of original HD con-

tent, with up-conversion for high-value assets such

as prime-time movies, syndicated content and

commercials; (3) Mass up-conversion of ‘higher

value’ archival file assets such as highly-rated

syndicated content and movies; and (4) Mass up-

In general, de-interlacing quality will be the biggest factor in determining the quality of the final output,” he says. “Bad de-interlacing is typically the root cause of ‘obvious’ visual artifacts such as ringing around text, obvious blockiness in the output, jagged edges.

John pallettDirector of product marketing,

Telestream.



sd-hd conversion

scaling up to hd

conversion of ‘lower value’ archival file assets such

as old news footage, old syndicated content.

“Where broadcasters are in this process

depends largely on when they started support-

ing HD, and how large their archive is,” notes

Telestream director of product marketing John

Pallett. “Some of the largest broadcasters in the

world are still up-converting content today.”

“First you need to provide a high quality

video processing technology that includes detail

enhancement, advanced motion adaptive de-

interlacing and anti-ringing,” explains Collin in

reference to Miranda’s modular XVP-3901. “Then

you need to make sure the video is delivered in

the right colour space with the correct aspect

ratio through the full support of active format

description. Metadata embedded with the video,

such as closed captioned, teletext, timecode and

audio, need to be transcoded in the HD equivalent.

Then high quality audio processing - with stereo

to 5:1 upmixing, automatic loudness control and

optional Dolby Digital encoding - will complete the

conversion process.”

The most common methods are using a

dedicated up-scaling hardware (which processes

a real-time video signal); using hands-on software

in either an edit bay or on a computer (which

processes a single file and gives the operator con-

trol over the individual file’s processing); using an

enterprise file-based appliance or enterprise soft-

ware solution (which automated multiple files).

Since an HD image has approximately six times

more information than SD in the temporal/ spatial

domain, up-conversion is a process of interpola-

fast fact

500number of

hd channels in europe out of

9000


sd-hd conversion

tion to create resolution that didn’t exist. “How

well you do so depends on the sophistication of

the algorithms processing the picture, which in

turn is dependent upon how much processing

power you can afford to throw at it,” says Thomas.

“A wide variety of algorithms exist to perform

this for native SD footage, and most will attempt to

synthesise the second field from other fields near-

by, either through motion detection algorithms or

motion vector searching,” explains Pallett.

Where problems occur“In general, de-interlacing quality will be the big-

gest factor in determining the quality of the final

output,” he says. “Bad de-interlacing is typically

the root cause of ‘obvious’ visual artifacts such

as ringing around text, obvious blockiness in the

output, jagged edges.”

Rescaling is also a significant contributor to fi-

nal quality. Simple algorithms can introduce blur-

ring; more sophisticated algorithms will ensure

preservation of detailed lines.

“While rescaling, some content might also

benefit from the introduction of gentle film grain

effects but this is largely a

subjective question and a de-

cision will be affected by the

intended use of the content,”

explains Pallett.

Creating pixels which

were not in the original video

can cause image artefacts in

the output. Moiré patterns

in verticals and repeating

objects are some of the most

obvious. The process can also

create ‘mosquito noise’, a fine

rippling pattern. And because

the SD and HD colour spaces

are different this can cause

issues, too.

“One of the classic prob-

lems with up-conversion is

the creation of jaggies, which

are a stair-stepped pattern

that is created when de-

interlacing areas in motion

have high contrast low angle

lines,” says Westland. “These

are inevitable, but applying a

good multi-directional diago-

nal filter can minimise those

artefacts and give you a much

better quality result.”

A lot of SD content is

quite noisy so up-converting

that noise just creates larger

artefacts in an HD image.

Blackmagic’s Teranex proces-

sors feature “powerful temporal

recursive noise reduction

filters,” explains Westland, “that

are able to clean up the source

to give the best possible results

in HD. Once these processes

have been handled correctly you need to apply a

good resampling filter with enough taps to create

a good image at an HD resolution. Most solutions

have adequate resampling filters but fail to or are

unable to do the heavy lifting to ensure that what

they are up-converting is of the highest quality. If

you don’t start with a good image in SD you can’t

end up with a good image in HD.”

sd-hd-4kResearch and development continues in the area,

both in the algorithms and the surrounding auto-

Creating pixels in HD

images can cause image

artefacts in the output video.

One of the classic problems with up-conversion is the creation of jaggies, which are a stair-stepped pattern that is created when de-interlacing areas in motion have high contrast low angle lines. These are inevitable, but applying a good multi-directional diagonal filter can minimise those artefacts and give you a much better quality result.

simon Westlandblackmagic Design emeA.


sd-hd conversion

mation platforms.

Telestream, for example, recent-

ly introduced new up-conversion

algorithms based on its GPU-

accelerated computing platform

Lightspeed for introduction to

its broadcast product Transcode

Pro. It also has a new transcoding

engine (Transcode Multiscreen)

designed for multi-rate H.264 encod-

ing for adaptive bit rate formats.

Many broadcasters use modular video

and audio processing like

Miranda’s XVP-3901, which

offers real-time high quality

SD to HD up-conversion,

metadata transcoding and

audio processing. It enables

the construction of an HD-

only facility that can connect

to an existing SD routing

infrastructure. SD signals are

automatically up-converted

and translated to the required

HD format without operator

intervention.

According to Grass Valley’s

Thomas, “Most manufactur-

ers developing devices for the

broadcast market tend to use

FPGAs, relying on the quality

of the firmware running on

it to differentiate them in the

marketplace. The growth of

video in applications away

from broadcast means that

there is now a market for

core FPGA firmware for up,

down, and cross-conversion.

Developers of broadcast

products can pick and choose

IP cores to do the basics, and then fine

tune the results with the way that

they implement the algorithms

and filter the outputs. It is always

nice when the IT industry

spends some of its massive R&D

budget in a way which benefits

us in the broadcast market.”

Blackmagic Design launched

a new line of Teranex line earlier

this year, with a 2D model offering 496

conversion options and the 3D model offering

1,300. “For those unfamiliar with Teranex, it is a

powerful video-processing engine that has the

ability to examine every pixel of every frame,

and store those results across multiple frames,”

explains Westland. “Our unique hardware design

also allows the flexibility to apply the appropriate

algorithm to the particular region of the image, all

the way down to pixel level.”

Nor is the need for standards conversion in

danger of fading away. Quite the reverse in fact

since technologies addressing HD to 4K up-

conversion are already being sought. Since this

process shares the same challenges of de-interlac-

ing, scaling and detail enhancement as SD to HD

the same up-conversion technologies can be used,

but with more powerful hardware to deal with

the increased number of pixels (by a factor of four

over HD).

“The technology is certainly there to perform

the up-conversion, but market size and lack of

a transport standard for 4K at 60/50 frames/sec

prevent the development of commercial products

today,” says Collin.

“There is a growing market for this; but it is still

very emergent,” agrees Pallett. “As 4K moves into

the living room we anticipate yet another set of

requirements preparing content for low-bitrate

transmission while addressing the visual artifacts

specific to HD to 4K up-conversion.”

fast fact

1300number of

conversion optics offered by Black-

magic design’s Teranex

Although most prime European and US channels are broadcast in HD, they have to deal with SD-based content up-converted to HD. Examples are the various incoming feeds with international content, SD news studios [only 300 out of 600 are HD in the US], lower quality feeds and legacy/archived content.

daniel collinproduct manager for infrastructure,

miranda.

blackmagic Design’s teranex

Tel. +971 4 238 1555

e-mail [email protected] www.bluetruck.ae

Fax. +971 4 238 2325

The market leader in mass door-to-door

of magazines within the UAE.

requirements.

distributors).

Asso iatemember

Award winning


PRODUCT FOCUS

Product FocusContinuing the trend from the last issue, Digital Broadcast Middle East gives you ten more products to watch out for at IBC 2012 while you are there.

At IBC 2012 the broadcast version of Vis-

link’s Advent Mantis “MSAT” Man Portable

Data Terminal Vislink will make its debut.

Alongside it, a new HD micro camera from

Gigawave will be introduced to the market

for the fi rst time. MSAT is a highly portable

tri-band satellite antenna system specifi -

cally designed for ease of use and rapid

deployment. At only 12.5 kilos, the

Advent MSAT can easily be car-

ried by one person. The system’s

fully integrated design means

that set up takes only minutes

from arrival to satellite acquisi-

tion, making it ideal for rapid

deployment fi eld applica-

tions. Powered by a 10–18VDC

supply. the Gigawave camera

is designed to deliver full

broadcast quality images.

Vislink / MSAT

Mosart / Newscast Automation 3.0The company is showcasing a vari-

ety of products. One of them is the

Mosart Newscast Automation 3.0,

which has a range of new features

and functions, including a rede-

signed graphical user interface

(GUI) with full user confi gurability,

which further enhance the studio automa-

tion system on the market. Story elements

such as cameras, clips, and graphics can

easily be assigned to buttons for simple

and quick access. A range of interface

overviews also can be assigned to buttons,

making the GUI a shot box for touch

screens and adapt-

able for a range of TV

productions. Story

scripts from the

newsroom computer

system are shown

directly in the Mosart

GUI, and Mosart

operators can store

clips and graphical

elements in a pool

ready for execution

on request.

Wowza / Media Server 3The latest version of the Wowza Media

Server software includes refi nements

to the Network DVR (nDVR) AddOn,

an audio-only option for the Wowza

Transcoder AddOn, dynamic overlays,

additional content protection options,

multicast, and more — all aimed at making

Internet streaming cost-eff ective

for the broadcaster while further

improving the experience for the

viewer. The software continues to of-

fer the broadest any-screen coverage

including Adobe Flash and Microsoft

Silverlight-capable devices. With

Wowza AddOns, the media server

becomes a full-fl edged stream-

ing media infrastructure

helping users drive revenue-

generating services and simplify

workfl ows.

IBCSTAND

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IBCSTAND

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Pilat Media / IBMSPilat Media is demonstrating a

new automated metadata and

media preparation workfl ow

for its integrated broadcast management

system (IBMS) that accelerates the process

of acquiring and preparing content and

building subsequent off ers. The new

capability enables IBMS to automatically

import metadata for large volumes of

content, check and retrieve missing meta-

data from information suppliers, drive

transcoders for distribution.

IBCSTAND

NUMBER2.B30

THIS MONTH:IBC 2012 DEBUTS

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Vision247 will present its multi-device, Over-The-Top (OTT) delivery to the internet and Freeview (the British digital terrestrial platform, which reaches over 20M homes in the UK).

Vision247’s services are designed for broadcasters, content owners and media companies seeking to increase the reach and distribution of their content, for free-to-air and pay models, linear channels and VOD.

Vision247 delivers channels into 3 million hotel rooms. So if you are looking to reach the global hotel market, come and see us.

To schedule a demo please contact Tanya Vidmar email: [email protected] or call 0044 7960 040 484

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Snell / MomentumTelevision content is increasingly being

delivered to a variety of second-screen

devices including mobile phones, tablets,

the Web, and computers. Snell’s solu-

tions include TV Everywhere solutions,

including ICE, Morpheus, and Momentum

and they will all be on display at IBC2012.

While media organizations’ workfl ows

increase in complexity and evolve to

satisfy diff erent media delivery platforms,

operational ineffi ciencies and the cost

of handling media multiple times also

increase exponentially. In order to address

Front PorchDigital / Lynx

LYNX from Front Porch

Digital is the industry’s fi rst

enterprise-scale cloud implementation of

content storage management (CSM). LYNX

delivers adaptable on-demand scalability,

reduces capital and operational costs, and

improves the way media organizations

manage assets. LYNX leverages the latest

cloud and Web technologies to provide a

range of networked and distributed solu-

tions. At IBC2012, the company will intro-

duce LYNXdr and LYNXlocal

for the fi rst time in Europe.

these concerns, Snell has introduced

Momentum, a breakthrough in workfl ow

automated media asset management and

resource planning. Momentum deliv-

ers maximum control and fl exibility to

media and broadcast

operators, enabling

them to reduce

operational costs by

allocating resources

more effi ciently and

making content more

accessible.

IBCSTAND

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PRODUCT FOCUS

Wheatstone / LX-24Wheatstone will

introduce an all-new

tabletop IP control

surface, several IP audio

products and an up-

dated spectral audio processor at IBC2012.

The LX-24 IP control surface combines

a traditional board layout with extreme

AoIP networkability. It is Wheatstone’s

latest control

surface for its

WheatNet-IP audio-

over-IP Intelligent

Network. The LX-24

is a low-profile,

tabletop IP control

surface that has the

feel of a traditional

board with all of

the intelligence

and flexibility of

Wheatstone AoIP

routing. This board

lets users assign

any source to any fader, hot-swap indi-

vidual modules without powering down,

take command of the control surface

from anywhere in the network, interoper-

ate with an automation at the micro level

and change a signature sound from the

console. An IP-88e Mix Engine BLADE pro-

vides audio mix functionality; additional

BLADEs can be added.

Hiltron / HSACUNow in full production, the Hiltron HSACU

satellite newsgathering antenna control-

ler incorporates fully-automated satellite

auto-acquisition. It is compatible with

many motorised satellite newsgathering

antennas. The HSACU is designed for

integration into SNG trucks or for refur-

bishment of existing SNG antenna control

systems. Housed in a compact rack-

Digigram / Iqoya*Call/LEIQOYA *CALL/LE is a cost-eff ective, ver-

satile audio-over-IP (AoIP) codec for use

over standard Internet connections such

as DSL lines, WiFi, and 3G. Designed for

any real-time AoIP contribution applica-

tion requiring superior end-to-end 24-bit

full-duplex audio quality, this highly reli-

able codec off ers a symmetric RTP mode

that allows for quick and easy setup of

full-duplex connections over the Internet,

without any challenging

NAT issues or the need

for SIP infrastructure. Digi-

gram’s FluidIP audio transport

technology ensures a connec-

tion with effi cient management of

jitter, packet loss, clock drift, QoS,

and FEC, and the unit’s low latency

and error concealment capabilities

deliver exceptional quality.

Volicon /Observer 7.0

Version 7.0 of Volicon’s

Observer transport

stream MPEG transport stream logging

and monitoring system has been en-

hanced to accommodate a broader array

of inputs, including ASI, QAM, 8-VSB, and

DVB-T MPEG TS interfaces, and to provide

improved system density for HD and SD

programs. Simplifi ed user interfaces on

the Observer system make it even easier

for cable, satellite, broadcast, and IPTV

operators to address the volume and com-

plexity of broadcast and network services.

Users can stream and

export content as well.

mountable chassis, it provides easy and

effi cient control of three-axis motorised

antennas up to 2.4 metres in diameter.

Azimuth, elevation and polarisation con-

trol are performed entirely in software,

as per the offi cial release. The Hiltron

HSACU can be fully controlled locally or

from a remote IP browser. Local control is

achieved via front-panel pushbuttons and

a colour touch-

panel graphic dis-

play. In IP remote

control mode, the

entire system can

be operated from

anywhere.

IBCSTAND

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IBCSTAND

NUMBER8.C51A

IBCSTAND

NUMBER7.G23

Feature sponsor

The Online Home for Digital Content Production in the Middle EastThe Online Home for Digital Content Production in the Middle East

For advertising enquiries, please contact: Wissam Khodur, Sales Manager, Digital Broadcast,Tel: +971 4 444 3272, E-mail: [email protected]


PRODUCTS

The RMV16 Multiviewer gives can drive up to 16

separate monitoring windows to a common fl at-

panel display. The RMV16’s mix-and-match de-

sign allows broadcasters to select the number of

inputs and outputs they require, and to display

these sources combined with de-embedding and

Wohler / RMV16 Multiviewer

The ProLink.z features an integrated 2.4-GHz

ZigBee® antenna for bidirectional commu-

nication via the Pro24.z, in addition to two

two-way RS-232 ports for advanced control and

monitoring of devices. The Pro24.z controller

features a high-resolution 2.4-inch TFT LCD

touch-screen display, programmable fi ve-way

joystick, and backlit hard buttons for intui-

tive operation, even in a darkened room. The

ProPanel app is also available.

Pro Control / ProLink.z

The FORK 3.5 is the newest version of the

FORK Production Suite for managing and auto-

mating broadcast workfl ows. Improvements to

FORK’s underlying technology — such as FORK

Drones, dynamic metadata forms, and scripts

– increase the software’s stability, reliability,

and functionality, enabling FORK 3.5 to manage

larger installations. The FORK Xchange Suite

companion application and Shot List Editor

are signifi cant improvements.

Primestream / FORK 3.5

SEPTEMBER 2012

New products come on to the market at a great rate. While many shout about their innovation or competitive pricing, it can be di� cult to spot the true merit of a product without the right information. DB o� ers a few top tips that are always worth keeping in mind when purchase orders are on the way.

1. FOCUSKnow what you are looking for and exactly what you need it to do

2. RESEARCH Get suppliers to provide detailed product information based on your specifi c requirements

3. PRICE VERSUS...Is price the most important factor?

4. ...QUALITYOr will quality matter more in the long run?

5. IS IT NEEDED?Is the product something the project really needs? Could it be done without or bought at a later stage?

6. SUSTAINABILITYDoes this product need to be ‘green’?

7. STANDARDSDoes the product need to conform to any specifi c standards?

8. SHIPPINGWill the product make it to production on time, or is there an order backlog?

9. LIABILITYHow long will your company be liable for the product’s performance?

10. SORTEDWill this purchase sort thejob or will it come back tohaunt you?

BU

YE

R’S

GU

IDE

New ProductsDigital Broadcast Middle East reviews the latest gadgets, essential kit and serious product innovations making an impact in the GCC broadcast market. Let us know if there is something you would like to see on these pages.

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR PRODUCT HERE? E-mail ruchi.shro� @itp.com

metering of up to eight audio channels, UMD,

timecode, and insertion/display of both clock

and still images. The RMV16 Series provides

for maximum versatility and was designed to

support up to 64 inputs of 3G/HD/SD-SDI and

analog composite signals.

Feature sponsor


PRODUCTS

The device is a four-channel SDI-to-HDMI multiviewer

that lets users monitor up to four SDI inputs on a single

HDMI display in quadrant view, or toggle to a full-screen

view at the touch of a button. Inputs can be 3G or HD or

SD, and all controls are on the unit itself; no computer is

required. Alternatively, use the Windows-based Matrox Micro-

Quad Remote application to control the unit from a distance.

The new Matrox MicroQuad lets you use an aff ordable HDMI

display to view your video signals. It is ideal for OB vans, on-

set productions and live events.

Matrox / MicroQuad

The new device enables the use of a wide variety of high-

performance PCIe adapter cards, originally designed for use in

desktop computers, with any computer equipped with a Thun-

derbolt port to use Thunderbolt-compatible professional video

capture, audio interface, SAS and SATA HBA, 8Gb FC, 10GbE,

and RAID controller cards. The Echo Express SE was designed

for users needing a simple way to connect an adapter card to

their computers, and it supports the majority of Thunderbolt-

compatible PCIe cards. The SE has dual Thunderbolt ports to

support daisy-chaining of devices.

Sonnet / Echo Express SE

The key improvements to its NVISION 9000

router control system enables new customer

options for router system upgrades with

bi-directional communications with all

NVISION routing systems and many legacy,

third-party router systems. Once a connec-

tion is established takes can be requested via

established tie-lines from any control system

within the facility. The existing routing infra-

structures can be modernized in a three-step

progression. There is a high level of integration

with multiviewers and signal processing.

Miranda Technologies / NVISION 9000

The Viper 1.1 is the latest revision of its com-

pact appliance combining dual-channel HD en-

coding, low-latency secure streaming, video

on demand, and a contextual multichannel

record-review-publish workfl ow — all within

a single chassis. With the new release, the

company is also introducing the Viper VF, a

companion to the Furnace IP video distribu-

tion system. This gives institutions the ability

to record video streams from multiple rooms,

then combine all the assets in a central video-

on-demand system.

Haivision / Viper 1.1

SEPTEMBER 2012

Mobile devices are becoming a ubiquitous tool in many industries. DB looks at some of the latest mobile applications that may help to make an engineer’s working life a little bit easier.

1. HINDENBURG The Field Recorder is made

with radio production in mind

and works for conducting

interviews.

2. MONLE It is a four track, non-linear

audio editor which can

record new audio and send it.

3. QIK VIDEO PRO Qik Video Camera Pro, bought

out by Skype, brings video

capabilities to any iPhone with

iOS 4.

4. 1ST VIDEO The app is a complete solution

to quickly record, edit, send

and distribute video.

5. VOXIE PROIt allows audio recording, note

taking, dictation, transcription

and group-messaging app

available.

MO

BILE

TE

CH

Feature sponsor


PRODUCTS

SEPTEMBER 2012

HARRIS NEXIO

STUDIO SUITE

NEXIO Studio Suite is

designed for live multi-

camera studio productions

such as news and magazine-

format, entertainment

and reality TV shows. It

enhances the control of

video servers in production

studios, while adding the

benefits of multichannel,

nonlinear video servers.

The software simplifies

the multichannel recording

and playback within NEXIO

servers.

“Broadcasters and

production professionals

are increasingly moving

away from expensive,

high-maintenance VTRs as

they transition to tapeless

studio production and file-

based workflows. Harris

NEXIO Studio Suite gives

our customers the best of

both worlds for live studio

production: A familiar user

interface and the path to a

cost-efficient, streamlined,

tapeless studio production

experience.”

Harris Morris

CEO, Harris Corporation

SE

LL IT T

O M

E!

Vega is a new routing platform

that allows users to confi gure

any signal port independently

for fi ber or coax (copper),

easing a mixed connectiv-

ity environment and help-

ing broadcasters to migrate

simply and cost-eff ectively. It

uses proprietary algorithms to

monitor every subassembly.

Snell / Vega Router

Vizrt customers will get a “fi rst look” at any

digital satellite imagery captured by one of

DigitalGlobe’s three commercial satellites.

When an event happens globally, DigitalGlobe

activates the service by tasking their constel-

lation of satellites to the event location, taking

new high-resolution images. Within hours

these images are available to all DigitalGlobe

Online customers with the option to purchase

anywhere in the world.

Vizrt / FirstLook

The Observer Scout is a low-cost enterprise-

grade A/V monitoring, logging, and trouble-

shooting system that allows broadcasters and

networks to perform proactive content-based

monitoring. The new loudness monitoring

module for Observer Scout allows users to

handle loudness complaint issues, while

troubleshooting. The device also has BS-1770-2,

EBU R128, and ATSC A/85 compliant loudness

monitoring.

Volicon / Observer Scout

This software-based application gives any

operator, including a master control operator,

the ability to monitor and control multiple

remote desktop systems simultaneously from a

single desktop within a single application. The

Desktop Multi-Viewer displays each system in

a view-only grid view without aff ecting any on-

air devices. Maximizing a given view permits

control of that specifi c system. Shortcut keys

for maximizing each system are available.

Chyron / Desktop Multi-Viewer

Feature sponsor


PRODUCTS

NETIA’s enhanced content manage-

ment system allows users to man-

age all processes within the global

production environment through

workfl ow and task automation. The

new release leverages all of NETIA’s

popular CMS and includes enriched

features in its metadata management

module, more robust indexing and

segmentation tools, and more fl exible

control over the entire system. The

system is an integrated suite of media

asset management solutions and

helps reduce operational costs.

NETIA / CMS

SimultaneousNAS and SAN

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Harris Broadcast Communications

establishes a common shared storage

platform that adds a 50% bandwidth

improvement to its NEXIO Farad on-

line storage solution and introduces

a second storage protection scheme

with a lower cost of entry. The new

confi gurations serve customers who

need anywhere from 8TB to half a

petabyte of online shared storage,

essentially solving the storage chal-

lenges through a single, common

platform. The key benefi ts of the

NEXIO Farad include felxible capac-

ity and bandwidth; high availability;

collaboration facilitation; reduction

of capital expenditures; and ease of

management.

Harris / NEXIO Farad

NUGEN Audio expanded its range of

loudness correction tools with the re-

lease of Loudness Management Batch

(LMB) version 1.4. A complementary

tool to NUGEN Audio’s VisLM and

LM-Correct plug-ins, the LMB proces-

sor delivers network-based auto-

mated loudness processing of large

numbers of audio and video fi les,

without requiring user intervention.

LMB can automatically de-mux video

to analyze the audio content without

changing the original fi le. It acts

faster than real-time on fi les.

NUGEN Audio / LMB 1.4

Feature sponsor

The Middle East & North Africa’s ONLY monthly magazine for the broadcast and production industry

Official Publication

FOR ADVERTISING CONTACT:

Wissam KhodurTel: +971 4 444 3272Email: [email protected]

FOR EDITORIAL CONTACT:

Christopher NewbouldTel: +971 4 444 3596Email: [email protected]

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Subscription is FREE for industryprofessionals. Simply visit:www.itp.com/subscriptions today.

Vol. 14 Issue 6 June 2012An ITP Business Publication

PLUSNEWSOPINIONANALYSISHEAD-TO-HEADREVIEWSCOMMUNITYCAREERSEVENTSPRODUCTS

PRODUCTIONPREMIER LEAGUE TALENT AT CITY TV

CASE STUDYFILMMASTER HAS THE WORLD IN ITS SIGHTS

“WE HIRED THE BEST AND

THEY DESERVE TO BE THERE. THIS IS WHAT DISTINGUISHES US FROM OTHERS IN OUR REGION.”

GHASSAN ALASADP22

POETRYIN MOTION

16 YEARS LATER, AND MILLION’S POET IS STILL PULLINGIN THE CROWDS. WE FIND OUT HOW

Vol. 14 Issue 7 July 2012An ITP Business Publication

PLUSNEWS

OPINIONANALYSIS

HEAD-TO-HEADREVIEWS

COMMUNITYCAREERSEVENTS

PRODUCTS

PRODUCTIONYARA MEDIA GIVES OSN A

SENSE OF IDENTITY

“A SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION SECTOR WILL STRUGGLE WHILE

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT OF

CREATORS IS NOTRECOGNISED.”IAIN KEMPLAY

P22

IN GOODKOMPANY

K KOMPANY IS PRODUCING CONTENT FOR RADIO AND TV FROM ITS DUBAI STUDIO CITY BASE

CASE STUDYAL AAN TV IS HEADING IN

THE RIGHT DIRECTION


DATA

50M

40M

30M

20M

10M

Top 5 pay DTH countries by end-2017 (Households)

220 millionEstimated number of pay DTH (DBS) homes by end-2017

154 millionTotal number of pay DTH (DBS) homes by end-2011

Paid satellite TVhere to stayAlthough cable-cutting continues to be a problem, paid satellite TV is here to stay and dominates the market in many countries as seen by the data below.

50

,89

1,0

00

In

dia

36

,50

4,0

00

U

SA

14,6

81,0

00

R

ussi

a

14,5

63

,00

0

Bra

zil

10,7

84

,00

0

UK

Top 10 pay DTH countries by end-2017

60%South Africa

45%Poland

44%Ireland

40%New Zealand39%

UK

38%Malaysia

34%Mexico

30%USA

29%Slovakia

28%Norway

1500

1000

500

Top countries by DTH revenues (US$ million)

Japan South Africa Mexico Italy Canada France Brazil UK USA

2011 2017

38,03734,901

Source: Digital TV

Research Ltd


TEST CARD

CEO of Ideal Shopping Direct

Test Card

MikE HAnCox

That larger audience comes from the fact that more and more people in the UK are getting access to the Freeview platform.

MikE HAnCox CEO, ISD.

What is Ideal Shopping Direct all about and how are you involved with it?Ideal Shopping Direct is a TV shopping retailer

in the UK. We are number two in the market be-

hind QVC. We have been established for around

12 years and have a sales turnover of around

a £150 million. We are present in almost every

household in the UK and we broadcast on all

of the major platforms, including Freeview, the

free-to-air platform, digital satellite, on cable TV

as well as broadcasting directly to our website

and mobile devices.

The business changed ownership in June 2011

when higher management led a buyout of the

business. The buyout was backed by a mid-

market private equity firm called Inflection. Prior

to that the company was listed on the AIM stock

market. I joined the company in November 2008

and effectively led the public to private change.

As a business we have grown rapidly and that

is due to a number of factors. Sales have grown

by an average of 17.5% over the last three years

and the profit has grown by 30% over the same

period. So the growth has been very positive in

what has been a very difficult retail environment

in the UK, in particular, and Europe in general.

What are some of the growth factors?One of the biggest factors is a larger audience.

That larger audience comes from the fact that

more and more people in the UK are getting

access to the Freeview platform. We have gone

through the digital switchover in the UK where

the analog signal has been turned off and cus-

tomers now receive their TV broadcasts through

Digital Broadcast Middle East delves below the corporate strategy to understand what really makes the region’s broadcast leaders tick.

a digital signal. Because of that they get access to

a Freeview platform and we are one of the very

few TV shopping retailers who are present on the

platform and are quite high up on the listing at

22. This means we get people who look for us as a

destination, but also quite a few channel flickers,

or what we would call them as passing trade.

Further, our customers have become

very loyal and have a high level of repeat

customers who shop many times with us. From

a product perspective we have also seen very

exciting growth in the hobby craft area, includ-

ing things like card-making, jewellery-making,

etc. It has driven the overall sales numbers and

profitability.

How do you think the recession affected the television shopping sector?I think it’s possible that the recession has helped

us. With the TV shopping market you get a very

broad range of shoppers and you tend to see

different shoppers at different times of the day.

During the day we get more people who are

based at home like mothers, shift workers or the

elderly and retired. In the evenings, we gener-

ally have more affluent buyers who have come

home from work. So we cater to a very wide

range of socioeconomic buyers.

On the other hand, big events like the Olym-

pics, the Jubilee celebrations or the royal wed-

ding last year go against us because people tend

to watch those and don’t stop by our channel as

much. So there is always a mixture of different

factors when you are trying to assess what is

working for you and what is not.

k d bl d df / /

digital broadcast - september 2012

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