Pay-television operators could soon be threatened by the introduction of straight-to-PC services
The roll-out of internet television services by Asian telecoms operators is boosting a new generation of firms that supply niche and mainstream content for the platform.
But while the success of operators such as PCCW - 554,000 subscribers and counting - has the content providers drooling for now, the versatility of internet protocol for delivering content could see content providers bypassing pay-television services altogether in favour of straight-to-desktop services as iTunes, YouTube and digital device initiatives such as Intel's Viiv, catch on.
Yes TV (Hong Kong) is one company with its feet in both camps. The subsidiary of Britain's Yes Television surrendered its pay-TV licence in 2004, citing expensive access charges to PCCW's network, but has reinvented itself as a content provider through its Goal TV football channel, an amalgamation of content from the TV channels of English Premier League clubs Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, as well as live football from European leagues.
According to Yes TV chairman and chief executive Thomas Kressner, the number of viewers watching the channel recently exceeded 20 million in Thailand, China, Singapore and Hong Kong, among other places. That figure looks set to increase once TVB Pay Vision, which carries Goal TV, begins showing on PCCW's Now Broadband service.
'Launching over Now Broadband will be a big deal for us,' Mr Kressner said. 'Most operators buy our channel and offer it as part of the basic package, so a deal with Now [Broadband] will instantly increase our viewers.'
But just as significant is how operators such as Singapore's SingTel are using Goal TV to lure new broadband subscribers by making the channel available directly to PC - bypassing the pay-television set-top box.
