Back and Forth with WTA Chairman Brett Belinksy
by Lou Zacharilla
New York City, NY, September 4, 2012--
As the satellite industry heads into a season of forums, conferences and networking events, we get a chance to examine what the industry believes are its most important issues. Because there are many voices and advocates for the key niches in our industry, I thought it would be useful to engage the leadership of key trade associations and special interest groups. Each represents an important tract in a diverse “Satellite Nation.” We begin on the ground, with a conversation with M. Brett Belinsky, the chairman of World Teleport Association.
The teleport industry is the focal point for content moving up and down (and, as they say, round and round.) With a majority of independent teleports in North America and Europe, the larger operators tend to be headquartered in the USA and England. That is changing. World Teleport Association reports that it is growing beyond the boundaries of North America. Eight of the association’s nine recent members are from outside North America, while two of the recipients of its annual awards were from the Middle East, including the Independent Teleport of the Year(Jordan Media City).
With these and other new conditions at work in his industry, M. Brett Belinsky, Strategy & Business Development Director, with UK-based Arqiva, presides over a diverse, international membership and board of directors. I asked him about this and other issues:
Lou Zacharilla (LZ): You currently serve as the World Teleport Association’s (WTA) chairman. It is a volunteer job. You cover a LOT of ground at Arqiva, which is, arguably, the world’s most important independent teleport operator. With everything on your plate, why did you feel it was important to assume this key association position?
Belinsky: Lou, the satellite industry in general is going through enormous change. Among these are the fact that it may be starting to feel the recessionary effects of the lingering financial crisis. This will require a collaborative effort on the part of WTA’s board to make sure we remain as viable and as institutionally sound as we have become.
LZ: How will this play itself out in client relationships and behavior?
Belinsky: As teleport operators, we collectively see the ground service part of our industry coming under massive pressure. This is manifested by a consistent ‘more for less’ demand from customers. As I was assuming the WTA role, I had three immediate thoughts regarding how to manage the chairman’s seat of an industry association.
First, I felt that I should step-up to the plate to do whatever I could to guide and counsel WTA using my experience. More significantly, I believed that it was important to build on the momentum, successes and hard work of the Board prior to my election. WTA is the only global voice for teleport operators. We advocate for their interests. This led to the final thought, which is a desire to make a tangible contribution to ensure that WTA use its advocacy capabilities to generate awareness and respect for the critical position of the teleport industry.
LZ: Because teleports do not have the type of clout that a satellite operator or a launch provider has, what is the most effective way to get this done?
Belinsky: When WTA members raise issues that affect their respective businesses, we research and validate them right way and report back. This is done through primary research and widely-circulated reports. We do it objectively and this is important.
As someone who builds communities for a living, you can appreciate that we have also focused on the ability of WTA to build a terrific professional network, starting with the composition of our board and to connect various strategic partners. This ongoing communication improves teleport operations, gives members confidence in their work and we hope has resulted in better business outcomes.
LZ: External and internal communications are so often overlooked, but essential to association management. Your background in media and public communication is useful here I would think. Teleport operators do operate in something of vacuum, and need to be connected. This is somewhat is ironic, since their entire business is about connectivity!
Belinsky: That is true, which makes WTA’s presence at conferences, industry events and our Awards program in Washington important.
LZ: I moderated an event a few weeks ago, hosted by a WTA member, Globecomm in the USA. It was unique in that it brought two customer groups together, wireless and broadcast media over two days at their beautiful teleport in Long Island, New York. We were exploring the convergence of broadcast and wireless/mobile technologies, and how the two industries seem to be inching toward one another. I emphasize “inching.” What is your top-level view regarding this convergence?
Belinsky: 4th Generation LTE and other networks, i.e. 4G, are upon us. However, I am not seeing much of a rollout here in the UK because operators want to use the lower frequencies. I think the market is there, but the cost of doing it at 3400-3800 MHzis prohibitive.
LZ: Where does it go from there?
Belinsky: The availability of lower frequencies is the key to the success.
LZ: From the WTA viewpoint, is there a need for a dialogue between the wireless community and teleports going forward?
Belinsky: Yes. For video streaming, 4G will allow existing broadcasters to deliver their media to phones and tablets. But we need to see if it may also open opportunities for broadcasters that are currently unavailable.
LZ: The opportunity lies where it will always be found, in developing ways to minimize costs of entry for customers, right?
Belinsky: Precisely. At present, the costs vary from high to extremely high. However, we all know that there is an opportunity out there if we can get at these costs down and deliver repeatable services.
LZ: What is the challenge to teleports who want to develop their business propositions further in this or another area, especially the smaller operators? My view is that a collaborative association needs to help.
Belinsky: Indeed. The real question is to understand where this content comes from and then to work together to see where we play a role in “exporting it" to global territories for the 4G networks. The answer at this stage is unknown, which is all the more reason why satellite and teleport communities need to be in dialogue with wireless network operators.
LZ: What are key trends and thoughts of which content providers and members need be aware?
Belinsky: There has been a flight to quality, where major content partners are reducing risks for their channel origination and distribution efforts, and seeking best of breed solutions. There is also a significant bias towards “in-sourcing.” More content partners feel the capital investment and operational risk outweighs the cost of outsourcing for transmission excellence and year-round monitoring and technical support.
LZ: I heard that constantly at that Globecomm TechForum event. The word “IP” crept into every conversation.
Belinsky: Yes. IP platforms naturally attract a lot of discussion for obvious reasons. However, there is a need to select distribution platforms carefully. It is increasingly important to notunder-resource the broadcast platforms which continue to grow quickly and at much larger volumes.
LZ: How about security issues? Several of the broadcast network people wanted to talk about that as well.
Belinsky: This is an issue that will continue to raise its head. We have to ensure that platforms used for distribution are secure and protected against cyber attacks.
LZ: I suspect that these technologies can be shared, or at least offered so as to ensure that as an industry teleports can go forward. What I am taking away from this discussion, Brett, is that we are in a moment where there are no definitive answers.
Belinsky: It is one of those times. Yet we know people continue to watch television and that publishing to every device in every format is not viable. Merely being an application on a connected TV is not enough and content providers are beginning to see the benefit provided by the walled garden environments of the pay TV platforms. Most viewers are looking for a seamless journey from one program to another. Whether it's a scheduled broadcast or on-demand is unimportant to the viewer. The challenge is making sure the content is there and easily accessible.
LZ: And no one is more responsible or invested in that outcome than members of World Teleport Association.
Belinsky: Viewers will go where the good content is. So will companies looking for a valuable trade association. I would urge small teleport operators, technology providers and satellite services providers who are not members to go to WTA and consider membership because there is good content! Our website is: www.worldteleport.org
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Lou Zacharilla is the Director of Development of the Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI). He can be reached at: LZacharilla@sspi.org
