Editorial
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Nick Snow nick . snow @ advanced-television . com
MANAGING EDITOR
Colin Mann colin . mann @ advanced-television . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Chris Forrester
chris @ forrester-solutions . com
PUBLISHING ASSISTANT
Nik Roseveare
nik @ advanced-television . com
ART EDITOR
Steve Overbury steveoverbury @ yahoo . co . uk
CONTRIBUTORS
David del Valle - Madrid Pascale Paoli-Lebailly - Paris Branislav Pekic - Rome
INSIGHT ASSOCIATES
3Vision ABI Research Ampere Analysis Caretta Research Decipher Media Consultants Futuresource Consulting MIDiA Research Omdia Parks Associates PP Foresight SNL Kagan
Strategy Analytics
SALES DIRECTOR
Sanjeev Bhavnani
sanjeev @ advanced-television . com
PUBLISHED BY
Advanced Television Limited Unit 4.04 Creative Media Studio 45 Robertson Street , Hastings , East Sussex TN34 1HL
www . advanced-television . com
PRINTED BY
Micropress Printers Limited Reydon Business Park , Fountain Way , Reydon , Southwold IP18 6DH Tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 1502 725800 sales @ micropress . co . uk
Inside information
A land of limitless potential plagued by a few seemingly intractable problems . In how many areas can that be said of the MENA region ?
Media is no different . A rich mix of cultures with much unique but much shared , including a common language , should underpin a vibrant , creative and profitable media sector .
But there is a significant mismatch between the seemingly limitless funds for investment from the Gulf , and stubbornly low incomes across the more populous parts of the region . This means a mismatch between the attractive content made in the region , and imported to the region , and the audience ’ s ability to pay for it . And that has lead to piracy becoming an embedded and resilient feature , which fundamentally undermines the efficacy of normal economic models for providers .
There are bright spots , including the success of the MBC public offering , though its stock price swings since reflect the relative instability of all things MENA media .
The region is pressing ahead with its mega-production centre plans . It seems that – as with satellite systems – cross border rivalries cannot be resisted , and one centre begets another elsewhere . So , there will be over capacity , particularly as AI develops to reduce the physical production infrastructure required . But with budget pressures ever increasing on content producers , the low prices and state subsidies will see the region succeed as global production centre .
Elsewhere , the long-predicted sale of Paramount is slowly coming to pass . Compared to other mega media houses , it is somewhat dilapidated due to lack of care in expansion and upkeep . However , it is the last property of this kind and scale likely to come on the market ; it is the worst house on the most enviable street , and as the realtors say ‘ location , location , location ’. Expect the current offer price ($ 11bn + debt ) from Skydance to head north .
INSIDE
Editorial
© Advanced Television Limited 2024 . All rights reserved . Reproduction without permission is prohibited .
ISSN 1477-8092
The Wrap 4-7 Cover Story 8-12 Company Contribution 14-15 Research 16-18
ADVANCED TELEVISION 3