Thailand's subscription video industry faces new threat as consumers' viewing habits shift to pirated TV boxes
November 14 2018 - 12:30AM
JCN Newswire (English)
45% of Thai consumers use pirated TV boxes, survey finds
BANGKOK, Nov 14, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - In a recent study of the
content viewing behaviour of Thai consumers, it was revealed that
45% of consumers use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated
television and video content. These TV boxes, also known as Illicit
Streaming Devices (ISDs), allow users to access hundreds of pirated
television channels and video-on-demand content, usually with a low
annual fee. TV boxes often come pre-loaded with pirated
applications allowing 'plug-and-play' access to pirated content.
The survey found that Mango TV, HD Playbox and U Play are among the
most popular pirate applications amongst Thai consumers.
The survey, commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association's
(AVIA) Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), and conducted by YouGov,
also highlights the detrimental effects of streaming piracy on
legitimate subscription video services. Of the 45% of consumers who
purchased a TV box or dongle for free streaming, more than two in
three (69%) stated that they cancelled all or some of their
subscription to legal pay TV services. Specifically, 24% asserted
that they cancelled their subscriptions to a Thai-based online
video service as a direct consequence of owning an ISD.
International subscription services, which include pan-Asia online
offerings, were impacted the most - nearly one in three (30%) Thai
users have abandoned subscriptions in favour of ISD purchases.
Cancelling legitimate subscription services and paying less for
access to pirated content is fraught with risks, as Neil Gane, the
General Manager of AVIA's Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), comments,
"The damage that piracy does to the creative industries is without
dispute. However, the damage done to consumers themselves, because
of the nexus between content piracy and malware, is only beginning
to be recognised. Piracy websites and applications typically have a
"click happy" user base, and, as such, are being used more and more
as clickbait to distribute malware. Unfortunately the appetite for
"free" or cheap subscription pirated content blinkers users from
the very real risks of malware infection".
Of those consumers who own an ISD, about half of respondents (47%)
claim to have purchased their ISD from two of the largest Southeast
Asia-based ecommerce stores. Close to one-third (31%) of ISD owners
say they acquired their devices via one of the world's most popular
social media platforms.
In addition to the short-term problem of cancelled subscriptions is
a longer term problem - namely, many of the people using ISDs are
young. The survey found that ISDs are particularly favoured among
18-24 year-olds, with more than three in four (77%) cancelling
legitimate subscription services as a result of owning ISDs,
especially international online subscriptions (40%).
The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), Ministry of
Commerce, who oversees the Copyright Act, commented that "to
enhance the efficiency of enforcement action, the DIP has proposed
the amendment of the Copyright Act by adding provisions on the
manufacture, sale, import, or traffic into the country of devices
or any parts or components of a device, for the purpose of
circumventing a technological measure. These amendments were
approved by the Cabinet on 16 October 2018 and will shortly be
presented to the State Council. The amendments are explicitly
targeted at the manufacture and distribution of pirated TV boxes.
This is a crucial step to address the current piracy problem".
"This high rate of piracy is concerning for a number of reasons",
says Sompan Charumilinda, Executive Vice Chairman at True Visions.
"First is the danger to consumers through the use of malware and
spyware embedded in these illicit sites and applications. Second is
that supporting these criminal enterprises does real damage to
legitimate businesses that are struggling to survive. Third, it
also undermines the Thailand 4.0 initiative and the country's
aspiration to become counted among the world leaders in the new
digital economy by showing Thailand to have made little progress in
terms of its acceptance and tacit approval of these criminal
networks. Consumers should care about piracy personally because of
the harmful effects of malware and spyware, and also because of the
damage that it does to our country. As a leading media company in
Thailand we are happy to work with the Department of Intellectual
Property, CAP and all relevant stakeholders to help continue to
educate the public about these dangers."
AVIA's Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) includes leading video
content creators and distributors in Asia. Members include: beIN
Sports, Discovery, The Walt Disney Company, FOX Networks Group, HBO
Asia, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Premier League, Turner Asia-Pacific,
A&E Networks, Astro, BBC Worldwide, CANAL+, Cignal, La Liga,
Media Partners Asia, National Basketball Association, PCCW Media,
Singtel, Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia, TVB, True Visions,
TV5MONDE, and Viacom International Media Networks.
About the Asia Video Industry Association
The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association
for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to
make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting
the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for
the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight
against video piracy and provides insight into the video industry
through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video
industry. AVIA evolved from Casbaa in 2018.
Media Contacts:
Kay Bayliss
Manager, Marketing & Communications
E: pr@asiavia.org
T: +852 2854 9913
Source: AVIA
Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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