Center to protect content opens in Asia

SINGAPORE--The Motion Picture Association International (MPA) has unveiled its first Asia-Pacific center for content protection (CCP).

The CCP, which was announced at the Digital Future Symposium held here today, will be located in Singapore, Fritz Attaway, executive vice president and special policy adviser of MPA, told ZDNet Asia in a phone interview.

Currently operating out of MPA's office in the island-state, the CCP has launched its Web site, a one-stop shop resource center and networking platform for all players in the content production and distribution industry in the region.

Speaking at the symposium, Yeo Chun Cheng, chief information officer for Media Development Authority of Singapore, said that with the proliferation of "convergent platforms" such as IPTV, mobile broadcasting and the Internet, greater emphasis should be placed on content.

Citing PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Entertainment and Media Outlook for 2007 to 2011, he noted that spending related to the distribution of entertainment and media on convergent platforms--convergence of the home computer, wireless handset and television--is growing at double-digit rates and will exceed 50 percent of global spending by 2011.

"I think content remains king [and] is important. All these platforms are not going to be successful unless we have good content," Yeo said. "Content is paramount...in order to grow the media industry, we realize that there's a need to ensure content owners are protected."