Broadcasting Platform
Byun Dong-sik, CEO of the nation’s No. 1 cable TV network operator CJ HelloVision, held the first press conference at the headquarters in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on October 25 after he was appointed as co-CEO. At the conference, he said, “We are now preparing to launch a broadcasting platform that can serve as a link between various over-the-top (OTT) services as well as Tving. So, we can help each other and cooperate with Netflix and Pooq, rather than competing with them.”
The company will launch what it tentatively calls "Tving Box" in the form of a set-top box, allowing consumers to use Pooq, an OTT service provided by the nation’s terrestrial broadcasters, and global OTT service Netflix as well as CJ E&M’s OTT service Tving.
This is because it cannot lead the media market with cable TV services alone due to its regional limits. In addition, CJ HelloVision plans to make use of the Tving Box as a content platform that enables consumers to use GiGA internet services, which is to be popularized in the future, more widely.
The Tving Box is part of the company’s efforts to expand the market by a cable TV service provider that can offer broadcasting services in only limited regions. When keeping various OTT services together, just like D’LIVE, a cable TV operator, launched “D’LIVE Plus” that provides Netflix’s contents, users can enjoy a faster Internet network and more diverse media contents conveniently.
Byun didn’t mention about how big the Tving Box would be, but it is expected to be the size of the palm like external hard drive. When users connect the box with TV and turn it on, they will see menus of Tving, Pooq and Netflix and can enjoy contents by clicking them. CJ HelloVision said that it is preparing to launch the Tving Box but didn’t disclose the exact release date.
Currently, cord cutting is rapidly increasing in the global pay broadcasting market. Therefore, CJ HelloVision has come up with the Tving Box in order to turn the crisis into a new opportunity. However, it is more urgent to solve structural problems than technical problems in a bid to offer the Tving Box service. CJ HelloVision used to provide the nation’s first OTT service named Tving but it transferred the business to its affiliate CJ E&M. The Tving service don’t offer terrestrial broadcasting contents now. This is largely due to the fact that terrestrial broadcasters released their own OTT service Pooq.
Byun also revealed the plan to improve its competitiveness as the cable TV operator. He said, “The picture quality of the broadcasting service and the speed of the Internet service are vital in the cable broadcasting service. We will step up delivery of ultra high-definition quality content and faster gigabit-class internet service so that we can provide various life and culture services.”