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European Pay-TV needs to go beyond unique content
MUMBAI: European cable and satellite companies will have to convince nearly 232 million households that TV is worth paying for if they are to lure audiences away from free Digital TV services.
eMarketer has released a report Europe Digital TV 2004. The company’s senior analyst Ben Macklin who wrote the report added, “eMarketer calculates the market, itself, to be significantly larger, as well. Free digital terrestrial TV has the potential to curb the growth of Pay-TV in the region. So providers need to be prepared.”
eMarketer aggregated and analysed e-business and Internet data from more than 1,700 sources. The report examines why Europeans are not clamoring for their Pay-TV, and outlines the business challenges that face cable and satellite providers in the region.
In the US the NCTA reports that nearly 90 per cent of TV households subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service. In Europe, the number is just 53 per cent of TV households, according to SES Astra Satellite Monitor.
One free service, the UK’s Freeview, offers a smaller selection of high quality channels than Pay-TV providers and does not offer premium sport or movies. Another in Germany functions similarly and has been successful, Macklin said, even among Pay-TV subscribers looking to add digital services to a second or third television set.
Consumers have more choices in this scenario. As a result, Pay-TV operators will have to go beyond unique content and into advanced TV services such as digital video recording (DVR), video-on-demand (VOD) and high-definition television (HDTV).
In terms of infrastructure the report has noted that cable companies that have not upgraded their networks for digital TV risk losing paying TV subscribers to free or low-cost terrestrial alternatives once analogue TV is switched off.
Further, if cable networks are incapable of supporting higher Internet bandwidth tiers than the 512kbps or 1024kbps most commonly offered, they won’t attract future subscribers to either their TV or Internet service, or to any ‘triple-play’ offerings, which includes telephony.
The report also answers the question of whether the Internet emerge as a viable fourth platform for digital TV and also examines the prospects for advanced TV services such as HDTV, VOD and DVRs in Europe.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
