T he Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is impossible to define; it’s an incredibly diverse area encompassing east Asia, south-east Asia, Oceania and the Pacific Islands. APAC-based companies serve billions of consumers on both sides of the equator, who speak dozens of languages, live by distinct cultural customs and experience varying degrees of global connection. With a mixture of market maturity, the APAC region is a unique beast for the broadcast industry. It helps to first understand the bigger picture: what differentiates one country from the next, and why? Whether it be discrepancies in local infrastructure (think Beijing versus the Australian Outback), population (China or India versus New Zealand, for example), politics or regulation, it’s critical for businesses to consider APAC not as one cohesive market, but as a conglomerate of many – a jigsaw of countries all uniquely fitting together. Setting the scene When viewed as a single unit, APAC differs significantly from other regions around the world on just about every level. “Compared to Europe, where regulatory frameworks and legacy infrastructure still play a significant role, APAC broadcasters are more agile and open to cloud- native solutions,” suggests Lelde Ardava, COO at Veset. “In LatAm, connectivity and cost constraints often influence innovation, while APAC is a mix of highly advanced and emerging markets driving different technological adoption curves.” Primarily resting along the Pacific Ocean, many APAC countries experience high levels of seismic activity, putting them at constant risk of earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters. The World Meteorological Organization even named Asia the planet’s most disaster-prone region, so it’s no wonder “APAC customers place a significant emphasis on redundancy and backup solutions,” says Brian Chow, regional sales
A hugely diverse and rapidly evolving region, the Asia-Pacific area is a multifaceted market for broadcasters. We unpack APAC’s opportunities and industry trends, including cloud-based workflows and localised content
Words by Katie Kasperson
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