MUMBAI: The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) announced a new patron member and four new corporate members of the association.

The CASBAA patron member is a newly-launched pay-TV network Asia Broadcast Networks while the corporate members include children's content specialist HiT Entertainment, Singapore-based satellite services provider Globecast, conditional access supplier Viaccess and New Zealand-based broadcaster Television New Zealand. Meanwhile, global satellite capacity supplier Intelsat has upgraded its CASBAA membership to Patron status.

"The breadth of the new memberships highlights the dynamic environment for Asia's pay-TV market," said CASBAA CEO Simon Twiston Davies

"The response to CASBAA's year-end 2006 activities, including the CASBAA Convention in Hong Kong and the release of our year-end industry data clearly illustrates the value of the Association."

The CASBAA members program for 2007 -- which includes training schemes (the CASBAA Media College), CASBAA Market Reports (Indonesia and Taiwan, among others), IPR seminars and networking events, as well as the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum (June 18th), the CASBAA China Forum (late August) and the CASBAA Convention 2007 (Oct 30th - Nov 2nd) - will provide new value to CASBAA members and the industry at large, said Mr Twiston Davies.

"CASBAA looks forward to working with our new members in particular throughout 2007," said CASBAA chairman Marcel Fenez. "With this type of sectoral and geographic support our effectiveness as a voice for the industry and as a networking organisation continues to grow."