Digistar Corp signs agreement with Indonesia’s MNC Group to provide OTT content for local hospitality and private sectors
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — Digistar Corporation Berhad has signed an agreement with Indonesia’s largest media company, MNC Group, to provide digital content for the local hospitality and residential market.
Digistar Group managing director Datuk Lee Wah Chong said that the deal aims to provide more content to the local hospitality sector with a cheaper subscription price through its Over-The-Top (OTT) platform.
“Studies indicate that there are many hotels, hospitals, and service apartments that have limited TV channels. There are about 80-100 channels in Thailand and Indonesia’s hospitality industry, while there are only 10-20 channels in Malaysia at the moment.
“And Panorama TV is likely to offer 40 channels with thousands of content at a price of RM10 and above,” said Lee, in reference to Panorama TV Asia Broadcast Sdn Bhd, the media subsidiary of Digistar.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof who witnessed the signing ceremony said that the collaboration is a continuation of the close bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia.
“This is a follow-up between our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesia President Joko Widodo’s commitment to strengthen the ties between the countries, and (media and entertainment) is the one area we can look into,” said Fadilah during a press conference after the signing ceremony at Sheraton Imperial Hotel today.
During the press conference, Lee said Digistar plans to introduce its Internet TV service to the market in May, with the goal of getting one million subscribers in five years’ time.
“We will start the launching by May this year, and our difference with other competitors is we are legal and can provide a much better quality of pictures and we don’t have buffer issues like other TV boxes,” said Lee.
He also added that Digistar is confident that its services will be accepted by the markets because they provide more channels and they are less expensive.
He added that Panorama TV will introduce a new variety of drama, movies, entertainment shows, and educational content in Malay, English, and Chinese languages to suit the diverse Malaysian market.
When asked by reporters, MNC Group’s Chairman Hary Tanoesoedibjo then said that the partnership between the two companies is exclusive.
“Yes, the commercial and hospitality partnership is exclusive, and we also target to create custom-made content for Malaysian in the future,” said Tanoesoedibjo.
Digistar Corporation is a publicly listed company on the Bursa Malaysia and specialises in the technology and hospitality industry.
MNC Group is the largest national business group in Indonesia that has a diverse portfolio of investments including media, financial services, entertainment and hospitality, and the energy sector.
