Improving the viewer experience? Or simply selling more HD TV sets and services? It's hard not to be cynical when take-up of HD doesn't come cheap. Apart from needing an HD-ready TV set, currently starting at over US$700, HD set-top boxes are around $200, and, in Singapore for example, StarHub's HD Plus service costs around $10 per month for two channels: Discovery HD and National Geographic Channel – on top of subscribing to a minimum of 3 StarHub Digital Cable Basic Groups.

No amount of telling the consumer that 'the switch from SD (standard definition) to HD will be as transformational to the viewing experience as the transition from black and white to colour' is going to convince viewers to hand-over the best part of $1,000. In fact if this contributor had a dollar for every time she's heard that phrase of late, her own personal HDTV fund would be coming on quite nicely.

But cynicism aside, there's no doubt that sports will prove a considerable driver of HDTV in the months to come, given that the Beijing Olympics 2008 are to be offered in HD.

"You're spot on that sports does very much drive penetration," said Mike Reynolds, StarHub's Head of Integrated Products and Marketing, "just look at the success of our HD trial during the 2006 FIFA World Cup." Speaking after the launch of StarHub's HDTV service mid- January 2007, Reynolds said the HD content on offer would depend very much on what's available, "So stay tuned!" It is widely expected that StarHub will fully leverage its 3-season rights to the English Premier League soccer, starting August 2007, to help drive HDTV. Making it exclusively available in HD would have been a lucrative way to recoup the rumoured US$150 million spent on the rights, but latest news that not all EPL matches will be available in HD to some extent puts paid to that idea.

StarHub's EPL win, and subsequent launch of an HDTV service also both pre-empt the entry of rival telco SingTel's proposed IP (Internet Protocol) TV service. In a rare and possibly misguided moment of openness, SingTel had made public its involvement in the EPL bid and its intention to deliver HD content.

Since losing the EPL rights, SingTel's only TV-related announcement came, unsurprisingly on the eve of StarHub's HDTV launch. Singapore media company Mega Media is to supply a 'suite of High Definition (HD) channels for SingTel's IPTV service when it is launched commercially later in 2007. In partnership with Rainbow Media's VOOM HD Networks the channels on offer will include VOOM HD and the first Made-by- Singapore HD channel – Sling HD - about computer gaming and extreme sports.

SingTel's Executive Vice President of Consumer, Quek Peck Leng said, "HD is set to be the next wave for consumers and SingTel wants to shape the Singapore market with the most HD programming and the best HD content. For example, new local content channels like Sling HD will offer a quality programming alternative that can resonate with the Singapore viewers. The collaboration with Mega Media and its partners will help differentiate us when we launch our IPTV service later this year. Our customers can look forward to quality HD content as well as on-demand HD programmes so that they can watch what they want whenever they want," he said.

In Hong Kong, PCCW's IPTV network has just announced a deal to carry Rainbow Media's VOOM HD channel – along with a slew of other SD channels. Having paid an estimated US$200 million for the exclusive rights to EPL soccer, it can be assumed EPL in HD will be on the cards when the next season kicks off August 2007. And offering sports of a slightly different kind, the discerning viewer can look forward to 'beautiful girls in beautiful locations' with Playboy TV's HD channel expected in Hong Kong in the second half of 2007.

So while HD content provision seems to be on the up, there still seems to exist an underlying three-pronged stalemate regarding HD – for the content provider, the broadcaster or operator, and indeed the consumer.

On the content side, a dedicated- HD channel isn't viable without sufficient content – and costing an estimated 20-30% more to produce than SD content, acquiring or producing an HD library can prove expensive. Ong Hee Yah is Managing Director of Caldecott Productions International (CPI) a subsidiary of MediaCorp with key focus in producing and distributing world class highdefinition Asian documentaries for an international market.

"While we see a lot of good content produced for domestic consumption, in my experience, Asian documentaries in HD, for the international markets are few and far between. And when you find them, the producers do not own the rights to them," she says. Earlier in the year, CPI collaborated with Japan's public broadcaster NHK which has extensive experience of HDTV production. Via The Asian Pitch NHK and MediaCorp's CPI aim to initiate Asian content that will make a significant impact in Asia and the world. With the call for submissions running from January through April 2007, the international pitching event is for Asian directors from Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the 10 Asean countries. "It's about originality and allowing the Asian consciousness to emerge in different forms and styles. We hope to get from this pitching event documentaries that will create a new wave of story-telling in the world of

documentary-making," says CPI's Ong.

It was also announced that Fremantle Archive Sales, the clip sales division of FremantleMedia, had acquired worldwide representation rights for a raft of Asian HD documentary titles from CPI. Documentaries acquired as part of the agreement include: Fagin and Oliver – The Asian Twist, Tribal Sex (Indian and Yunnan), Voiceless Art Series, The Alternative Earth Series and The Skinheads of Asia. Mid-March 2007 saw two of these titles, Fagin and Oliver – The Asian Twist and Tribal Sex and Marriage: Pure Love, Pure Sex? licensed to broadcasters ARTE France and KBS after making their debut at MIPCOM 2006. Over at Disney Channel Southeast Asia, their flagship short-form series for 2007, Guardians, is their first in HD. Guardians joins the ranks of Disney Channel's local productions, which includes multi-award winning series Legends of the Ring of Fire. Guardians is set against the background of some of Asia's most colorful festivals and locations, and features water puppeteers of Vietnam, rain rocketeers of Thailand, kite flyers of Malaysia and many more.

Laura E. Wendt, Vice President, Channel Management of Walt Disney Television International (Southeast Asia) said, "We at Disney embrace technology to deepen the relationship with our viewers. We captured Guardians on High Definition television because HD allows us to better capture panoramas and backdrops these festivals set in against. HD's sharper resolution greatly enhances the viewing experience and adds dimension to the storytelling."

Indeed, factual and real-world programming tends to lend itself to the HD format, as channels like Discovery and National Geographic will attest.

Discovery HD is currently distributed as a 24-hour channel to over a million homes in Japan and Singapore and is also available as a branded block on Skylife in Korea. Globally, Discovery's HD services reach 9 million households in 15 markets worldwide, including North America and much of northern Europe. In Asia, the 24-hour National Geographic Channel HD is presently available in Singapore with a day-part block of National Geographic Channel HD in Japan, on the Fox Life HD channel – global reach figures were not provided.

In terms of production, Tom Keaveny Managing Director and Executive Vice President Discovery Networks Asia says Discovery HD is in a unique position because it produces and acquires its own unique content in addition to drawing from Discovery's 100-plus networks worldwide. "Discovery offers 29 distinct television brands worldwide, which means we commission and acquire tens of thousands of hours of programming a year. The best marquee, brand defining content for Discovery's core networks is almost entirely commissioned in HD and the company has an extensive library of thousands of hours of high-definition content as a result."

Regarding production and co-production in Asia, Keaveny says the channel has aired programmes like Mysterious Hanging Coffins of China, History of Singapore, Emperor of the Seas and Outback Cowboys. "(On Discovery Channel) we are working on new HD documentaries currently including Man Man Marvels 3 and Journeys of Faith which we are co-producing. The latter is part of the EDB joint production fund as are Moon Bears: Journey to Freedom and Siam's Elephant Kingdom, which along with Soul of the River, are for Animal Planet," he says.

At National Geographic Channel Asia, Managing Director and Executive Vice President Zubin Gandevia says that almost 100% of all National Geographic Channels International commissions (including Asia) are now produced in HD. "Worldwide, including Asia, National Geographic Channel today has over 500 hours of original HD productions. National Geographic Channels International has been coproducing documentary programmes with the Singapore Economic Development Board. In the later seasons, more hours are now done in HD format. We also have a separate HD coproduction agreement with the Singapore Media Development Authority. Elsewhere, we have co-production deals with the Malaysia's FINAS," he says.

But are two similar-genre HD channels enough to launch a commercial HD TV service? Working on the premise that quality, rather than quantity, and of course pre-empting rival telco SingTel's pay-TV aspirations, StarHub Digital Cable obviously think so.

"While we will not reveal figures, we can divulge that we are very pleased with the take-up of our HDTV service," says Thomas Ee, StarHub's Senior Vice President of Cable, Fixed & IP Services. "We are certainly looking at new content, both HD and SD. As to what new content will be introduced, we will make the announcements in due course. StarHub is the first, and presently only, operator in Southeast Asia to offer a commercial HDTV service. Given that the HDTV is a relatively new product, the supply of HD content is currently very limited. We believe that there will be significantly wider adoption of HDTV as more HD content is introduced, the cost of HD-ready TV sets decreases and when more regional operators offer HD commercially."

Which brings us back to the consumer – until there is sufficient HD content worth watching, and until the real value added to one's viewing experience becomes apparent, can the average viewer, earlyadopters aside, be convinced to upgrade?

Explains Ee, "To drive public awareness of HDTV, product demos are set up at the StarHub Shops at Plaza Singapura, StarHub Centre and VivoCity. Demos of our HDTV service were also available at two StarHub roadshows. In addition, trailers on StarHub's HDTV service were aired on some cable channels and screened at selected cinemas. We also produced a HDTV booklet and brochure to tell the public more about HDTV and what we have to offer."

Erstwhile rivals Discovery and National Geographic are both working hard to drive HD awareness, and upon the StarHub launch announced very similar deals with Samsung.

"We have produced awareness television spots to educate the masses. They are straightforward messages aimed at helping viewers understand the key differences between SDTV and HDTV. And in partnership with StarHub, they have also been showcasing our channel at their retail outlets," says National Geographic's Gandevia.

"The partnership deal with Samsung allows us to complete the value propositions to consumers. As a HD broadcaster, we are glad to have partnered Samsung as a leading HDTV manufacturer along with StarHub as our broadcast partner to showcase the best of our HD content and vice versa. While advertising and on-air sponsorship elements are definitely a significant part of this arrangement, it goes beyond to other media touch points such as on-ground presence thus making it a true partnership given the synergies that both parties bring to the initiative."

Says Keaveny, "Discovery recently partnered with Samsung in Europe and Asia to showcase HD content from Discovery and educate consumers on the benefits of HD technology in retail locations as well as at consumer electronics events and this continues in 2007. Last year, Discovery also worked with Samsung and Philips on various activities including roadshows (around the region) to promote HD. Currently with Samsung, what we are offering is a creative and integrated approach that includes on-air and off-air elements for their campaign."

And at Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA), Cassandra Tay, Director, Communications, says raising HD awareness extends way beyond selling TV sets, and has positive implications for the media industry.

"HDTV is an important component in MDA's efforts to grow Singapore's digital media landscape and support the nation's transformation into a global media city. As with the introduction of any new technology, it requires industry players to invest in new equipment and facilities to broadcast and produce shows in HD format, as the media industry makes its transition to digital technology. Concurrently, consumers must also be aware of the benefits of the new technology, in order to facilitate mass adoption."

Continues Tay, "Thus, MDA's efforts to deploy HDTV in Singapore have been multifaceted and geared on several fronts. Firstly, we work closely with service providers like broadcasters to deliver HD content on various platforms. The terrestrial and cable trials in June 2006, which kicked off HDTV rollout in Singapore, came as a result of close collaboration with StarHub and MediaCorp. StarHub has since launched its commercial HDTV services…And with SingTel's ongoing IPTV trial, which includes HD content, we now have three platforms capable of delivering HD content to Singaporeans.

"Secondly, MDA is actively helping to ramp up local HD content production. Last year, we initiated a call for ideas from local production houses for concepts for programmes that can be shot on HD format. Some of these have already made their debut on MediaCorp's trial HDTV channel. We will continue to encourage and support local production houses to create HD content, for both local and international audiences.

"Finally, we have been conducting an extensive publicity and public outreach programme to educate the public about the benefits of HDTV. These include: a dedicated website (www.hdtv.org.sg); brochures at manufacturers' and retailers' outlets; training sessions with HDTV equipment retailers; roadshows and exhibitions; sponsored ads in retail outlets, as well as cinemas and outdoor billboards."

Most recently, comes MDA initiative Hi-Def Showtime, providing an online platform for the public to showcase their talents and learn about HDTV at the same time. Held from 10 March to 14 April 2007, it aims to raise awareness of the benefits of HDTV and complements ongoing initiatives to engage the community in the nationwide deployment and adoption of HDTV

To participate, contestants have to visit Hi-Def Showtime roadshows held at malls and Ngee Ann Polytechnic and perform a 30-second creative routine on the attributes of HDTV. These will be filmed in HD and posted on the Hi-Def Showtime website (showtime. hdtv.org.sg) for the public to vote for their favourite performance.The top two winners from each roadshow as determined by public voting will face off in a Grand Finale in April 2007.

At the launch, Dr Christopher Chia, Chief Executive Officer, MDA said, "The global media and entertainment industry is shifting to digital technology, of which HD is the top standard, and Singapore is no exception. With the arrival of HDTV in Singapore, Hi-Def Showtime becomes a good platform for everyone, from young to old to share their innovative expressions on HDTV. While the more creative can showcase their talents in front of a HD camera, the public can visit the website and vote for their favourite performance. Through this fun and engaging manner, we hope to share with every Singaporean, the benefits of HDTV and encourage the community to embrace it as part of their daily entertainment."

Rate This Article

Excellent
Very Good
Good
Quite Good
Poor

  Rate This Article

Related Stories

No related articles at the moment.