台灣有線電視業者面對數位匯流之競爭策略

Abstract

世界先進國家有線電視的發展，從科技的角度來看，由改善有線電視收視、數位化、雙向互動到電訊及網際網路的匯流，使有線電視仍然保有新媒體的特色。從市場的角度來看，由分組付費、寬頻上網、隨選視訊到三網合一 (Triple Play)，使有線電視仍然保有競爭性的地位。從法規的角度來看，從費率管制、水平與垂直所有權的上限到跨業經營限制的解除，使有線電視法規面臨數位匯流科技帶來的衝擊。消費者如今面臨的不只是多頻道電視的環境，還有多平台的選擇，數位無線電視、IPTV、行動電視到底會對有線電視帶來取代效果還是輔助效果，都是有線電視產官學者密切關注的重點。 台灣有線電視產業在水平整合與垂直整合的演變後，加上廣電法的修正，有線電視產業正逐步邁向集團化，多系統經營業者（Multiple System Operators，MSO）的產生使得市場產生極大的變化。因政府積極推動數位電視時代，也使得MSO不斷地投入資金建置數位頭端，舖設全島混合光纖同軸電纜，技術的進步改變了產業結構與競爭態勢，台灣有線電視不僅邁向數位化，雙向互動的服務也在展開當中，以期能搶到這一塊大餅。綜觀有線電視產業的重大議題，不外乎有線電視費率、分組付費模式，及數位機上盒的推廣及提供方式。另外，當有線電視業者面對其他數位平台的競爭時，如何全面走向數位化，也需要策略與多面向的考量。 因此本研究主要針對國內有線電視產業的現況與科技的發展趨勢（數位電視、機上盒、隨選視訊、電視商務），透過質化的研究方法（文獻探討、五力分析、創新理論等），希望能透過國外數位有線電視發展經驗，針對目前國內有線電視MSO數位化現況，提出競爭策略建議，以面對新競爭者的威脅，如中華電信MOD（Multimedia on Demand）、數位無線電視業者等。 有線電視產業目前已朝向大型化、多角化的方向邁進，發展數位化的同時，消費者觀念的教育與消費行為的改變、服務內容的缺乏等皆是問題所在。面對市場上的競爭時，應積極找出自己的核心能力，採用差異化競爭策略，吸引消費者轉換以避免削價競爭；同時，政府法令應跟隨時代的改變而因應，但也應兼顧公平性，給予有線電視業者正面鼓勵，相信數位有線電視將會是數位電視發展的重點。

Worldwide cable TV industries in developed countries, as a result of introducing new digital and broadband technologies, have kept the leading position among new media platforms. However, the Taiwanese government has passed laws which give the telecom industry opportunities to enter the TV industry by transmitting video images through Internet. Hence, Taiwan’s cable TV industry is facing challenges from IPTV (MOD), while consumers benefit from multi-channels and multi-platforms. Nowadays, cable TV companies provide “Triple Play” service to compete with other media. This research will discuss whether IPTV and digital terrestrial TV will substitute digital cable TV or not and if so, what are cable TV operators’. After the horizontal and vertical integration of the cable TV industry, some big companies, such as Multiple System Operators (MSOs), control this industry very well. Also the MSOs have upgraded the infrastructure at a high speed. For example, at this moment, for the coming of the digital TV era and TV-commerce, MSOs are burning money on building the digital head-end and upgrading cable systems to 750 MHz hybrid fiber coaxial cable, so called HFC. Now, cable TV companies are more active in providing and developing high quality shows, interactive services, and TV-commerce. However, in view of current issues about digital TV, cable TV companies should consider developing their core competence when facing competition from other media. Therefore, this thesis using the theoretical frameworks, such as Porter’s “Five Force theory” and “Value Net” concept from ”Brandenburger & Nalebuff’s “Co-opetition”, to analyze the cable TV industry development, with a particular focus on digital technology.. Although the analysis shows a great potential for Taiwan’s cable TV companies to expand into digital cable TV, there are problems and challenges which need to be solved. In this research, I suggest some competitive strategies illustrated by other cable TV companies in US, Korea, etc. As the cable TV industry has stepped toward conglomeration and diversification recently; consumption behaviors and service contents have become the main issues to develop digital cable TV. Accordingly, the results of the study not only find cable TV companies’ core competence leading to the “differentiation” strategy, but also consider the effects of less control and greater rewards from the government. With high quality and differentiated “Triple play” service, consumers will be attracted and impressed by it. Thus, I believe digital cable TV will be the focus for the next digital era.