January February Euromedia | Page 5

flannel_flannel 25/02/2016 18:27 Page 1 EUROMEDIA DIGITAL MEDIA INTELLIGENCE PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nick Snow [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR Colin Mann [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Chris Forrester [email protected] PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Nik Roseveare [email protected] ART EDITOR Steve Overbury [email protected] COLUMNIST Larry Gerbrandt CONTRIBUTORS Robert Briel - Amsterdam Dieter Brockmeyer - Frankfurt David del Valle - Madrid Chris Dziadul Pascale Paoli-Lebailly - Paris Philip Hunter Joe O’Halloran Farah Jifri Branislav Pekic - Rome SALES DIRECTOR Sanjeev Bhavnani [email protected] PUBLISHED BY Advanced Television Limited Unit N202 Vox Studios 1-45 Durham Street London SE11 5JH Tel: [phone] www.advanced-television.com PRINTED BY Headley Brothers Ltd The Invicta Press Queens Road Ashford Kent TN24 8HH, UK Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] [email protected] © Advanced Television Limited 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. ISSN 1477-8092 Inside this issue, Chris Forrester brings us his annual update on media progress in the MENA region. Of course, these days, we are all more familiar with the geography of the region as our news daily relates a litany of conflict and destruction and human desperation, the consequences of which are flowing steadily towards Europe. Can media survive in the maelstrom; does it matter? The answer is yes and yes. Of course, there is a distinction between the ‘traditional’ television packages proffered in the Gulf and desperate attempts to stay on air, get back on air, or bring to air news of their plight. Where ARPU are worth it, major players are in evidence and there are plenty of genuine efforts to boost local production to reflect cultural consumer demand and boost skills on the ground. Meanwhile, the race to reach the Internet with video evidence and propaganda obsesses both sides of all conflicts across the region. Technically, whether it is FTA or pay-TV, HD is continuing to grow and providing reason for the many satellite players to continue to expand, as does the continued proliferation of channels; state sponsored, commercial, cultural and religious. Platforms that looked like un-needed over supply a few years ago are now leasing overspill capacity. Wherever you are in the region, piracy remains a major problem. It is stoked by the confusion around the arcane trading of rights and somewhat haphazard records in the region - particularly of content that the original producer doubtless regards as long gone into the ‘long tail’. Claim and counter-claim has made broadcasters wary of rights and ownership disputes. A standardised model for the region and perhaps even a recognised and independent arbitration body would certainly help development. EUROMEDIA 5