Broadcasters in APAC urged to adapt and discard outdated biz practices

Over the last two to three years, the broadcast and media industry has experienced a number of changes, especially in media delivery and audience preferences in consuming media.
These changes, said Dr Javad Mottaghi, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), have compelled broadcasters, especially public service media, to adopt a more digital and social centric approach to take advantage of the convergence of technologies and position themselves to match the current industry trends and audience demand.
Speaking at the recently concluded ABU Digital Broadcast Symposium (DBS) in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Mottaghi said, “The broadcasting industry is currently faced with several challenges, both in terms of keeping its audience and letting go of outdated business practices that do not fit the current day and age.”
He added that new technologies and advanced solutions, which were fast being rolled out by tech-savvy organisations, were disrupting the usual flow of media delivery and distribution.
Thus, broadcasters need to recognise that media consumption was becoming more and more personal and the use of digital technologies to understand the preferences of the audience was key to gaining an edge over the competition.
The theme of change was also highlighted by Fahmi Fadzil, Malaysia’s Communications and Digital Minister, who urged broadcast organisations in Malaysia to review and re-coordinate their business models to meet the changes in the industry.
The minister said during a visit to ABU DBS 2023 that it was important to ensure that there was no negative impact on media organisations, especially in the broadcasting industry, with the shift to digital platforms and shrinking advertising revenue.