LIVE FROM COMMUNICASIA 2013: Telecom operators and broadcasters are both facing challenges which make partnerships more attractive, according to Jimmy Kim, CEO of Ustream Korea and SVP, head of the Global Media Business Unit at Korea Telecom.

The executive (pictured) noted that on one hand, telcos are seeing their revenue and business models challenged by the emergence of online service providers, leading them to explore new ways to expand their businesses.

And on the other, broadcasters are also seeing the emergence of new content delivery technologies which could pose a threat to their operations, providing them with an incentive to work with additional partners to bolster their businesses.

Kim said that telcos have two key qualities which make them attractive partners for broadcast companies: they own infrastructure with which to deliver content to end users, and they have deep pockets with which to drive further investment.

Ian Chin, COO of Shanghai Media Group’s Bes TV, also noted that telecoms operators’ experience of delivering robust services to subscribers is something media companies can benefit from, in what should be a relationship that benefits both partners.

“A telco has to offer a service that is 7/24. We start to realise that having a little bit of the telco gene is good, because now you respect the users,” he said.

“And for the telco, they start to realise that offering broadband is not enough. If you want the user to buy more, something has to be injected into that, which is content or video, to sell more bandwidth,” he continued.

Ahmad Izham Omar, CEO of Television Networks and Primeworks Studios for Media Prima, also said that telcos need to understand the value that broadcasters bring to a partnership. For example, the relationships and experience that the media players have with content creators can deliver significant value.

“Once they understand that, there will be the basis of a wonderful collaboration, rather than being disruptive in the market,” he said.