CASBAA Stresses Need for Anti-Piracy Efforts

HO CHI MINH CITY, July 11: At a seminar in Vietnam
co-organized by the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia
(CASBAA), the industry association hailed the gains made in that market, but
stressed that regulations needed to be put in place to combat signal piracy and
illegitimate pay-TV platforms.

The seminar, Growing Pay-TV in Vietnam: Enhancing Revenues
and Protecting Contents, was co-organized with the Copyright Office of Vietnam.

“CASBAA and its member organizations are eager to help
Vietnamese companies to build a viable pay-television industry to meet the
needs of Vietnamese consumers and contribute to the country's development
goals,” said Simon Twiston Davies, the CEO of CASBAA. “But the deployment of
enforceable (and enforced) IPR [intellectual property rights] and transparent
licensing regimes is essential if today’s remarkable growth pattern is to be
sustained.”

There are approximately 1 million legitimate subscribers to
pay-TV systems across the country, and more than 2.5 million pirated
subscribers to cable, satellite and digital terrestrial systems in Ho Chi Minh,
Hanoi, Danang and other cities.

“The tolerance of widespread pay-TV signal theft sends a
very negative message, even as Vietnam continues to benefit from its accession
to the World Trade Organization and looks forward to the launch of the exciting
VinaSat project in 2008,” Twiston Davies added. “The success of this project,
and many others in Vietnam, will depend on continuing progress toward creating
a positive environment for growth of the legitimate industry.”