1 January 2014
Digital TV shakeup
The transition of the television industry to digital has been in the public eye throughout the year. The rise of digital TV ended a monopoly of six analogue channels. Now TV viewers have more choices but the 24 digital channels still have low ratings and viewer recognition.
The digital transition has had a bumpy ride due to a lack of readiness from broadcasters and the regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). After the digital TV auctions in late 2013, many issues remained outstanding. These include unclear regulations, conflicts between the regulator and broadcasters refusing to heed new rules, the new TV ratings measurement, the slow digital TV network coverage and the delay of subsidy coupon distribution. Unclear regulations led to major conflicts between the NBTC and TV operators. The must-have rule caused the World Cup football saga. The NBTC wanted to apply the rule to the 2014 Fifa World Cup and ordered RS Plc, the broadcast rights holder, to air all 64 matches on free TV. RS refused to do so and took the case to court and won. But the junta’s intervention in a bid to bring happiness to Thais convinced RS to air all games on free TV in exchange for 427 million baht in broadcasting fees. Then came the must-carry rule. The Channel 3-NBTC dispute almost caused a blackout.
The NBTC ordered cable and satellite TV operators to drop Channel 3 from their platforms as it refused to shift content to air digitally. The court helped mend differences between the two and finally Channel 3 agreed to do a simulcast.
1 January 2014
Digital TV shakeup
The transition of the television industry to digital has been in the public eye throughout the year. The rise of digital TV ended a monopoly of six analogue channels. Now TV viewers have more choices but the 24 digital channels still have low ratings and viewer recognition.
The digital transition has had a bumpy ride due to a lack of readiness from broadcasters and the regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). After the digital TV auctions in late 2013, many issues remained outstanding. These include unclear regulations, conflicts between the regulator and broadcasters refusing to heed new rules, the new TV ratings measurement, the slow digital TV network coverage and the delay of subsidy coupon distribution. Unclear regulations led to major conflicts between the NBTC and TV operators. The must-have rule caused the World Cup football saga. The NBTC wanted to apply the rule to the 2014 Fifa World Cup and ordered RS Plc, the broadcast rights holder, to air all 64 matches on free TV. RS refused to do so and took the case to court and won. But the junta’s intervention in a bid to bring happiness to Thais convinced RS to air all games on free TV in exchange for 427 million baht in broadcasting fees. Then came the must-carry rule. The Channel 3-NBTC dispute almost caused a blackout.
The NBTC ordered cable and satellite TV operators to drop Channel 3 from their platforms as it refused to shift content to air digitally. The court helped mend differences between the two and finally Channel 3 agreed to do a simulcast.