This post is brought to you by Astro
As Malaysians, we know how important our sporting events are to us. But, we know how much more important it is to watch our favourite sporting event with friends and fans alike with some good food and drinks. It’s no wonder that most food and beverage (F&B) outlets invest a good sum of money on devices like TVs, audio systems and set-top boxes, as well as the entertainment content.
For some F&B operators, it can be tempting to consider illegal content sources such as illicit streaming devices (ISDs) in order to cut costs. According to a survey done by AstroBIZ, live sporting events are the top content streamed via ISD at F&B outlets with Premier League matches comprising 90% of the live sporting events.
However, employing ISD to stream any entertainment content is considered stealing and owners of these establishments can face legal repercussions. To raise awareness of the dangers of commercial businesses using ISD, Astro has launched Bisnes Sapot Bisnes campaign.
Dato Hj. Jawahar Ali, owner of Restoran Ali Maju and President of Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran Muslim Malaysia (PRESMA) says, “As Muslim business owners, it is very important to operate in a halal manner and in accordance with our religion. Consumers and Muslims should support F&B businesses that subscribed to legal TV commercial packages. Piracy is stealing and is haram.”
With the gazettement of The Copyright (Amendment) Act 2022, those who facilitate the infringement of copyright through streaming could, on conviction, be liable to a fine of up to RM200,000, imprisonment for a term of up to 20 years, or both. Additionally, if your establishment is found to be involved in any of the prohibited activities, you can be personally held liable for the illegal actions.
The reason for the heavy penalty is the consequence of streaming unpaid illegal content has on the Malaysian economy.
Firstly, it puts thousands of jobs at risk because the production company cannot make a profit. For sports fans, it means that your favourite broadcasting studio cannot afford to keep serving you fresh and exciting content.
Finally, the unpaid illegal content reduces the amount of taxes being received to support our local economy.
“Piracy is haram. We must continue to support legal businesses and do the right thing. Piracy syndicates are stealing from content providers and the thousands of people working in the creative industry. We should not mess with their rice bowls” urges Shahrul Rizal, owner of Warong Jasmin Seafood.
Astro takes a serious view on illegal content streaming as it is important to ensure that those who are legitimate commercial subscribers are not short-changed. Therefore, Astro has been working closely with the authorities and content partners in combating piracy and has successfully charged ISD sellers in Malaysia.
Kevin Ng, Head of Enterprise Business at Astro calls on stakeholders including government, regulators, broadcasters, right holders, content providers, as well as commercial businesses to present a united front and strategy to protect the value of legitimate entertainment content.
With AstroBIZ, your establishment will not only be running on legitimate entertainment content, but you will also get to enjoy other perks as part of the commercial TV packages.
As an AstroBIZ customer, you will have access to Astro’s marketing research such as identifying targeted demographics and profiles of nearby residential communities. Based on the data and the size of your F&B outlet, you can customise your package to your and your customers’ liking, with sports, news, or entertainment content.
For F&B outlets targeting sports fans, Astro promises an exciting year of premium sports viewing. Your customers will get comprehensive coverage of the biggest live sports events such as FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Commonwealth Games, SEA Games, F1, MotoGP, BWF, Grand Slams, ATP, and many more.
Parvinderjeet Singh, Manager of Shamrock Bar & Restaurant appreciates that AstroBIZ Premium Pack comes with one free multiscreen feature. Therefore, he can display football as well as cricket on two different screens, attracting more customers.
Since live sporting events are best with friends and fans alike, it will help bring the Malaysian communities back together at Mamak, entertainment outlets, food stalls, and coffee shops. This will help grow and increase the recovery of commercial businesses in Malaysia post-pandemic.
“Thanks to Astro, my business has increased by 15%. I want to make sure that my sports fans are satisfied, and Astro is the only legal service that delivers a hassle-free experience. Whenever I have an issue, I just call either the call centre or my sales representative and I get the service that is needed,” says Parvinderjeet.
So, support the artist, content creators and people in the entertainment industry who worked hard to entertain your customers, by streaming legitimate entertainment content. Sign up for AstroBIZ today and start enjoying the perks of Astro’s comprehensive commercial TV packages!
