Industry leaders yesterday urged the government to deregulate the cable television market, saying too much interference will delay the implementation of new technology.
In addition, sectors related to digital-cable TV services -- cable TV operators, digital content providers as well as flat-screen TV makers -- may miss chances worth hundreds of billions of dollars if the nation doesn't catch up to the global trend, they said.
"Compared with computer or mobile-phone industries, the digital TV sector is immature and just about to take off," said Barry Lam (
manufacturer, which also produces flat-screen TVs.
"Therefore companies moving at the front are expected to make a windfall from it," Lam said at a forum in Taipei yesterday sponsored by the Chinese Digital Content
Association.
Other speakers at the forum were China Network Systems Co (中嘉網路) chairman Nelson Chang (
The estimated worldwide market of digital TVs is over 150 million units annually, or nearly 50 percent more than the global annual demand for computers, Lam said.
Both Lam and Chang blamed government interference for delaying the market's development.
"We finished most network and equipment construction projects about one year ago, but we still can't sell our services because of regulations," Chang said.
The development of digital-TV service has been delayed for a year due to unreasonable policies, Chang said.
In late June, Taipei's Bureau of Information imposed a cap on charges for the digital-TV services that are expected to become available later this year.
The move was made several months after the Government Information Office set a NT$6,000 limit on the price of the set-top descrambler boxes needed to
decode the dozens of new digital channels.
Several lawmakers as well as consumer groups believe the set-top box should be free.
Chang emphasized that the industry won't be profiting from set-top boxes, because the NT$6,000 charge would merely cover their costs.
"Maybe we should let the market decide how much the price should be," he said.
Meanwhile, Wen said the development of the local digital-TV sector can also benefit the nation's digital content industry.
"Digital TV will offer a platform allowing content providers to deliver a variety of services," Wen said.
Production value of local digital content products exceeded NT$150 billion last year and the figure is expected to jump to NT$370 billion by 2006.
If the government wants to reach its goal of digital-TV services in 80 percent of the nation's households by 2006, "deregulation is a must," Wen said.
In response, one legislator said lawmakers plan to make some efforts on the issue.
"Most people don't want to pay for the set-top box because they don't regard it as a high-tech product; they see it just like a water meter," said PFP Legislator Pang Chien-kuo (龐建國).
Establishing a new image for cable TV services is needed, he added.
Pang said several legislators are considering a proposal to change the authority overseeing the cable TV industry from the Government Information Office to the National Communications Committee.
Greek tourism student Katerina quit within a month of starting work at a five-star hotel in Halkidiki, one of the country’s top destinations, because she said conditions were so dire. Beyond the bad pay, the 22-year-old said that her working and living conditions were “miserable and unacceptable.” Millions holiday in Greece every year, but its vital tourism industry is finding it harder and harder to recruit Greeks to look after them. “I was asked to work in any department of the hotel where there was a need, from service to cleaning,” said Katerina, a tourism and marketing student, who would
i Gasoline and diesel prices at fuel stations are this week to rise NT$0.1 per liter, as tensions in the Middle East pushed crude oil prices higher last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday. International crude oil prices last week rose for the third consecutive week due to an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, as the market is concerned that the situation in the Middle East might affect crude oil supply, CPC and Formosa said in separate statements. Front-month Brent crude oil futures — the international oil benchmark — rose 3.75 percent to settle at US$77.01
Merida Industry Co (美利達) has seen signs of recovery in the US and European markets this year, as customers are gradually depleting their inventories, the bicycle maker told shareholders yesterday. Given robust growth in new orders at its Taiwanese factory, coupled with its subsidiaries’ improving performance, Merida said it remains confident about the bicycle market’s prospects and expects steady growth in its core business this year. CAUTION ON CHINA However, the company must handle the Chinese market with great caution, as sales of road bikes there have declined significantly, affecting its revenue and profitability, Merida said in a statement, adding that it would
UNCERTAINTIES: The world’s biggest chip packager and tester is closely monitoring the US’ tariff policy before making any capacity adjustments, a company official said ASE Technology Holding Inc (日月光投控), the world’s biggest chip packager and tester, yesterday said it is cautiously evaluating new advanced packaging capacity expansion in the US in response to customers’ requests amid uncertainties about the US’ tariff policy. Compared with its semiconductor peers, ASE has been relatively prudent about building new capacity in the US. However, the company is adjusting its global manufacturing footprint expansion after US President Donald Trump announced “reciprocal” tariffs in April, and new import duties targeting semiconductors and other items that are vital to national security. ASE subsidiary Siliconware Precision Industries Co (SPIL, 矽品精密) is participating in Nvidia
RSS