CASBAA Reveals Online Video Trends

HONG KONG: New research from the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) indicates that China is leading the growth of the online video market in the region, with an expected 190 million broadband connections in 2012.

CASBAA explores this area in its own online documentary, Online Video in China, Japan & Korea, which is accompanied by an in-depth data pack for the organization’s members. The video can be accessed from the CASBAA website. 

Korea is also driving the development of the online video market in Asia; 33.2-percent of South Koreans are watching movies online in some form. This is a trend, however, that is said to be wreaking havoc on the local DVD and movie industries. CASBAA reports that some 47-percent of respondents had illegally downloaded movies for free or paid less than 50 cents per title during the past year. "Although movie piracy has become rampant in both China and Korea, Japan remains a relatively strong copyright protected regime," said Simon Twiston Davies, the CEO of CASBAA. "Traditional sources of paid content are still popular in Japan."

CASBAA also explores the online video ad arena, with online advertising for China, Japan and Korea forecast to grow from $10.3 billion in 2009 to $15.1 billion in 2012. 

"Despite the current uncertainties over rights, regulation and business models of online video services, the emerging online video landscape offers opportunities for content owners, broadcasters, advertisers and subscription television players," Twiston Davies continued. "It is time for the TV industry to review new strategies to provide offerings to this new breed of customers."

The report was prepared for CASBAA by Mike Walsh, the CEO of the research agency Tomorrow.