Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) September 2018 Volume 35, Issue 8 | Page 17

17 NEWS & VIEWS September 2018 AVIA brings best practices in self-regulation and anti-piracy to Taiwan TAIPEI – The potential for Taiwan’s vibrant video-on-demand (VoD) sector remains largely untapped, according to Nicole Chan, chair- person for Taiwan’s National Com- munications Commission. Speaking last month in a roundtable event hosted by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) — formerly CASBAA — Chan added: “Taiwanese consum- ers appreciate the choice, control and convenience offered by legi- timate VoD services, which also provide a legal and compelling alternative to online piracy. “Not only that, Taiwan has a vi- brant VoD industry as evidenced by the numerous local startups, new ventures by traditional players, and the creation of two over-the-top (OTT)-related associations.” The event was also attended by Taiwan’s OTT Association as well as New Media Entertainment As- sociation (NMEA), who reaffirmed its commitment to disseminate the latest developments across the entertainment industry. The NMEA also pledged to build bridges between vendors and govern- ments; to that end, it recommends best-in-class content, coordinates anti-piracy efforts and enables a more creative environment while respecting original content. Chien Ta Wei, chairman of the Taiwan OTT Association, added: “While streaming content through OTT platforms has become a lifestyle, legitimate OTT opera- tors have faced difficulties due to content piracy. “Our core mission is to partner with operators and governments to promote legal content and responsible viewing habits among consumers; as well as to participate in joint efforts to combat ille- gal content operators including set-top boxes, mobile apps and websites”. Roundtable participants dis- cussed the subscription video-on- demand (SVoD) Content Code, a self-regulation framework recently announced by SVoD service pro- viders in South-east Asia. The code sets out principles to ensure that content offered on participating platforms is authentic, free from hate speech, hate crimes, porno- graphy and other forms of inap- propriate content. Content providers also pledged to provide consumer control fea- tures to let users make appropriate viewing choices for themselves and their families. The code not only serves to provide VoD platforms a standard to hold themselves to, but it also helps distinguish legitimate ser- vices from pirate sites. Roundtable participants also pooled together their thoughts on the common concern of com- bating online piracy; discussing insights, trends and best practices from Taiwan and around the world. Recognising how the availability of A roundtable event hosted by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) last month in Taiwan shared best practices in self- regulation and anti-piracy in the OTT and VoD sphere. ❝ It is important that we commit to a multi-stakeholder governance approach as well as an environment that stimulates innovation. ❞ — Louis Boswell, CEO, AVIA legitimate VoD services contributes to a decline in online piracy, par- ticipants explored how to better coordinate enforcement efforts, encourage stronger private-public sector partnerships, the impact of current regulation, the role of technology in enhancing security, as well as how the VoD industry can make legal content more accessible than ever before. Louis Boswell, CEO of AVIA, concluded: “ The nascent VoD industry in Taiwan should be en- couraged to grow. To do that, it is important that we commit to a multi-stakeholder governance ap- proach as well as an environment that stimulates innovation. “We are happy to play our part to encourage such dialogue. Otherwise, without legitimate VoD content providers, consumers may instead choose to go to pirate sites for content, where there are no checks or standards; leaving them vulnerable to inappropriate content”. FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME Creating the most compelling sports coverage and building brand loyalty has never been more vital than in today’s competitive market. Today’s viewers and sports fans expect a more engaging, interactive and fully immersive experience. Sports programmers need advanced, cost-effective solutions to deliver rich 4K/UHD content, virtual and augmented reality, and appealing onscreen graphics enhancements. 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