The media industry had welcomed the arrival of MiTV as providing healthy competition for Astro, currently Malaysia's sole pay-TV operator, but ongoing delays are creating doubts.
"I wonder if the feasibility studies they did two years ago are still applicable," said OMD Malaysia managing director Clint Easthorpe.
Astro, meanwhile, has capitalised on the delays with service improvements and a renewed marketing drive. "Astro has got its act together, cranking up product quality, and marketing on it as well," Easthorpe added.
Astro declared its ambition to bethe 'home of sports', unveiling two new football channels, branded Goal TV, and a golf channel, at the press conference where it also announced its deal to exclusively screen a total of16 2006 FIFA World Cup matches in Malaysia. The announcement followed a number of endorsements Astro signed last year, including official sponsor for the Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008. Astro COO David Butorac said the broadcaster would continue to make "significant investments" as a commitment to its audience.
MiTV, which has reiterated its aim to cater for untapped areas of the market rather than go head-to-head with Astro, has signed up more channels targeting Malaysia's diverse cultural groups, including MTV India, MTV Indonesia, MTV Mandarin and VH1, and three Chinese channels: Southern TV, Television Channel and Shining Star.
"We believe the demand for vernacular content is even larger (than demand for Western content), but has gone unfulfilled," said MiTV' CEO Rosman bin Ridzwan.
MiTV has commenced broadcast tests with 1,000 viewers, ahead of a proposed commercial launch now slated to happen some time in the next three to six months.
Astro consolidates 'home of sports' pay-TV positioning
Malaysian broadcaster Astro has consolidated its hold over the country's pay-TV market by securing the rights to next year's soccer World Cup after putative rival MiTV postponed its launch scheduled for the end of last year.
