SpringNews channel to go off the air on June 16

By Thai PBS

 

 

Digital TV Channel 19 or SpringNews Channel will go  off the air from June 16  after the state-run MCOT Plc terminated it’s network provider   service for the channel when it has  defaulted payment of over 100 million baht in network rents  since 2016.

 

The decision to end network service to SpringNews was approved by MCOT board of directors and the National  Broadcasting and Telecommunications Board.

 

MCOT president Kematat Paladesh said MCOT decided to end network provider service for SpringNews after the digital channel failed to pay up the signal transmission  or MUX  rents  amounted to 104 million  baht since 2016.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/springnews-channel-go-off-air-june-16/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-06-06

TV station mulls legal action

By The Nation

 

 

Spring News Television says it is mulling legal action against MCOT Plc over a business rift after the latter announced it would stop transmissions from the middle of this month.
 

MCOT will terminate an agreement to provide digital television with Spring News on June 16 due to failure to settle payments over a prolonged period, according to MCOT president Kematat Paladesh. 

 

“MCOT, as a digital terrestrial TV network provider, entered into the agreement with Spring News Television Co Ltd to provide a network service to operate the Spring News channel in 2014. 

 

Since mid-2016, Spring News has failed to settle payment of the service fee of Bt104 million, inclusive of late payment and interest charges, claiming that it was planning to increase investment funds and requested an extension of payment deadlines.” 

 

The National Broadcast and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) as the regulator agreed with the MCOT proposal to revoke the agreement in April to end the rift.

 

Spring News executive board member Wathanya Wongopasri said the station tried to negotiate with MCOT to settle the deal over a long time but failed.

 

The latest proposal is to pay in instalments but MCOT did not accept it, she said. 

 

“It’s a regret to know the MCOT decision as we have shown our intention to pay the debt,” Wathanya said, “but we also asked for a fair deal.”

 

The MCOT service fee is not reasonable since its network is inefficient and cannot cover many areas, she said. 

 

MCOT does not have pricing standards as many television stations were charged differently, Wathanya said. 

 

Spring News is considering taking legal for alleged malfeasance over MCOT’s business conduct, Wathanya said in a statement. 

 

Spring News closely coordinated with the NBTC and would find other transmission networks to continued its broadcasting, she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30347161

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-07