TV connections still growing: CASBAA

The industry body's fourth quarter update found there had been a 12 per cent increase in connections over the 12 months to the end of September. Of the homes with televisions across the region, 53 per cent boasted a multi-channel connection for Pay TV.

“As we head towards the close of the year it’s heartening to see multichannel TV in Asia experiencing impressive growth across so many fronts,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of CASBAA. “And while the new data reflects traditional multichannel TV distribution, the industry is also benefiting from new (and legitimate) distribution via broadband, mobile, internet and wireless services.”

The report found that uptake of connections was also translating into revenue growth for TV broadcasters in Asia. Several key markets, including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand, recorded double-digit revenue growth from advertising sales on multi-channel TV. Over last year, Japan, India and China accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the regional industry's total revenue.

But while revenues and connections are increasing, the industry still finds itself in a fight against piracy and signal-theft. CASBAA says this costs the wider industry an estimated US$2.1 billion a year in 2011. Some markets have made significant progress in this fight, but others appear to be losing the battle.

India, for example, is expected to experience nearly US$1.4 billion in losses to piracy by the end of 2011. Smaller markets are also suffering, with Thailand (losing US$261 million), Taiwan (losing US$136 million), and Pakistan (losing US$125 million) being held back by what CASBAA sees as a lack of market transparency and social tolerance for line-tapping and illegal connections.