M2B World Launches SPH News on-demand channel and Showcases Media Production Studio

SINGAPORE: M2B World Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of US-listed Amaru, Inc yesterday launched its news on-demand channel with Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) during a press conference at its newly opened showroom and media production studio. Our resident contributor and co-founder of Entrepreneur27, Justin Lee reports on this interesting event and shares his thoughts on this competitive media industry in Singapore.

M2B World Asia Pacific operates M2Btv, Singapore’s First Broadband TV. M2Btv is an IPTV media broadcaster that brings news and entertainment over the Internet to the TVs of its subscribers through custom set-top boxes.

The new SPH Video News Channel is compiled from AsiaOne, STI (Straits Times Interactive) and STOMP. This is in addition to the current offering of 55 channels of video on-demand entertainment comprising local and international programming as well as casual interactive games like Soduku.

Accessed through the Pony set-box using any high speed broadband connection, Singapore’s First Broadband TV service also provides M2Btv subscribers face-to-face video calls and messaging at no additional charges, along with online on-demand shopping.

M2B World currently reaches out to a regional audience of subscribers in Southeast Asia, China and the USA. The installed base just in Singapore would be expected to reach over 10,000 users in 2007.

At the unveiling ceremony, CEO Colin Binny said, “Since the launch of M2Btv last year, we have banked on continually expanding our offering of on-demand programming to deliver an alternative, value-for-money platform for home entertainment, with a rich array of content that has largely not been seen on free-to-air TV or cable.”

Also in attendance was a bevy of beauty queens who were winners of pageants sponsored by M2B World. They showcased the variety of offerings to be available on M2Btv including:

• The exclusive High Definition premiere of “The DaVinci Code”
• A Karaoke on-demand channel with up to 10,000 titles
• An original full high-definition Singapore documentary series entitled “Facets of a Nation” hosted by Lim Kay Tong

The M2Btv service is distributed over the Internet to specially designed “PONY” set-top boxes that incorporate a custom designed remote-control. Accessories such as microphones and web-cams can be connected to the device to enable video-conferencing.

M2Btv has also struck partnerships with retailer Harvey Norman and karaoke equipment retailer Electro-Voice to distribute its set-top boxes. Every purchase of an LCD, plasma or conventional TV at Harvey Norman will come bundled with a free 12 month subscription.

The bundle of attractive entertainment offerings, quality content and wide distribution could mean that the Singapore consumer looks set to gain with competitive offerings for the consumers by IPTV companies such as M2Btv.

After the formalities of the launch, Amaru, Inc CEO, Colin Binny brought the guests on a tour of its showroom and media product facilities.