Digital content is already all around us -- having first leapt from our computers to our mobile phones and now to our TVs at home. As digital media continues to evolve, Taiwan is only getting a hint of the promise of emerging technologies, ubiquitous broadband, dual-net (Wireless LAN-3G) access and fully converged media.

The Korean and Japanese markets have demonstrated profitable business in online games, dating services, ring-back tones, blockbusters over DSL, shopping services and active development of virtual communities. Demand for digital content also drives the related industries of telecomm, network services, software design, video and multimedia production, animation and e-finance.

Taiwan's eager adoption of Internet, mature broadband, and mobile communications services -- all located in a manageably-sized market -- offers the ideal environment for product testing and launch for the greater Asian markets. Located at the center of American, Chinese and Japanese cultural trends, Taiwan provides the perfect milieu to develop culturally targeted media for games, music, film, e-learning and software for the Asia-Pacific markets. Taiwan further boasts the region's most mature IPR and legal environment - protecting artists as well as investors.

Taiwan recently earned respectable grades from IMD, IDC and the EIU in e-readiness. The Taiwan government has identified digital content as one of the key industries targeted for growth and investment. Valued at NTD153.7 billion in 2002, Taiwan's digital content industry is expected to grow at an average rate of 20% for the next three years to reach a target of NTD370 billion by 2006. At current count Taiwan has more than 1,700 digital content companies, which is expected to grow to more than 3,000 by 2006. The industry employed 33,000 people at the end of 2002 and is expected to add 40,000 new job opportunities by 2006. (MOEA, IDIC)

For domestic and foreign Digital content providers eyeing Taiwan, the question is: "Can the success of Japan and Korea be achieved here?" What lessons should be learned and what unique challenges do today's digital content providers face in Taiwan?

Our panel will bring together some of Taiwan's leading channel providers, content providers & enablers, including Peter Cheng, Vice President of Elta Technology, Noriko Miwa, Director of Chinese Mobile Values Services Corp., and Steven Yang, President of iBiz Entertainment Technology Corp. These knowledgeable experts will bring you insight to the state of the industry, including opportunities and challenges. You will gain insight into the how these players and your enterprises can achieve success in Taiwan & Greater China's content related sectors.

Proposed Panel Questions:

1. Compared to Korea, Taiwan has much to catch up on in terms of the vision and depth/width in the government's campaigns to aid the digital content industry. What in your opinion can the government do to concretely help the industry besides the plans/projects already in place?
2. Government support is good to have, but equally important are the proactive initiatives from the industry itself. What do you believe are some of the priority issues the industry must focus on to survive/surpass competitions? Who are the key multinational industry leaders for your business? Are they effective in Taiwan?
3. Today's occasion being a joint event between AmCham's IT and Telecom committees, it ought to be asked if Taiwan's telecom infrastructure is on or below par with the demand of the market for digital content?
4. ChungHwa Telecom looks all set to pursue the MOD segment in the 18 months ahead. One of the bottle-necks confronting CHT is the IPR issue besides the payment mechanism. How ig is the IPR issue for you and what is your advice to the audience today as well as to the government?
5. People in the US have been talking about the shift from "lean back" to "lean forward" with regard to interactive contents for home entertainment. What do you see the future hold for Taiwan in general and for you in particular?

Recent Taiwan Digital Content News:

• Taiwan's digital content providers expect big growth
• Doing ebusiness in Taiwan
• Digital Content Market Scale to Reach NT$185 Billion in 2003

• Anthony Lo, Yangming Partners - The Protection of Digital Contents Under Taiwan¡¦s Copyright Law (PowerPoint - 1.2MB)
• Noriko Miwa CMVS (PowerPoint - 1.9MB)