Sports Broadcast Wars Set To Heat Up

[Lite Beer]

Sports broadcast wars set to heat up

Kitinan Sanguansak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The European Football Championship, Euro 2012, may exit the stage after today's final between Spain and Italy but the end of one of the most viewed sport tournaments could mark the beginning of fierce competition never seen before in Thailand in the sports broadcast business.

It had never happened before that the topic of discussion in every corner was not solely focused on the action on the field. Instead, mutterings of discontent could be heard almost everywhere as a screen with a statement of apology greeted some people for the Euro matches.

That was the result of the stalemate between TrueVisions, the country's biggest pay-TV operator with an estimated 1.8 million subscribers, and GMM Grammy, who had acquired the broadcasting rights for the Euro tournament in the country.

Most people, TrueVisions subscribers in particular, were aware of the threat of a "blank" screen long before the start of the event in Poland and Ukraine as Grammy had made it clear that they could watch Euro matches either through a GMM Z set-top box or use conventional antennas to follow the games on terrestrial channels - Channels 3, 5 and 9 - to which the company was sub-licensing. On Friday, the Civil Court rejected a petition by a customer protection group to order Grammy to allow cable television operators to rebroadcast the Euro 2012 tournament. One of the reasons the court ruled against the petition was the concern that Uefa might revoke its contract with GMM Grammy.

The fall-out from the Euro broadcasting saga potentially could have far-reaching consequences. Certainly, it could lead to retribution, with Grammy's act seen as a slap in the face of TrueVisions. There was also no doubt that competition for broadcasting rights of sport events would become more intense.

-- The Nation 2012-07-01

[theblether]

Good, competition is a good thing. The court decision yesterday was correct, just, and a credit to the Thai legal system.

In the long run, competition will make the respective broadcasters sharper in their negotiations, sharper off the mark, and more competitive not only within Thailand, but across Asia and the rest of the world if they so wish.

Every businessman in the world has the bruises to show from bad decisions and lost battles, but good businessmen learn from it and come back stronger. I believe this so called debacle will lead to an advance in broadcasting competition in Thailand, and force Truevision in particular to get their act together.

Short term pain may well lead to long term gain. Great stuff.

[ramrod711]

True visions might wake up and show some interest in what people want to watch. They must have lost a bundle when they canceled ASN.

Edited July 1, 2012 by ramrod711

[grantbkk]

As of 12:30 AM this morning ASN is back on True Visions on channel 114.

After a none month absence US sports is back! Thanks True Visions!

[retarius]

Personanlly I'm sick of True Vision... the service stinks, and I'm sick of channels appearing and disappearing from one week to the next. IMHO they are a bunch of bandits selling an overpriced product.

In this instance it seems to me that True gambled and lost. They gambled that the threat of blank screens would enable them to get Euro coverage without paying for it...shame on them, they would be the first to complain about theft of service, if the shoe were on the other foot. At least they got that huge fine for breaking the rules....remind me, how much was it? 5000 baht per day...I bet that they will add that to our bills.

[hansgruber]

As of 12:30 AM this morning ASN is back on True Visions on channel 114.

After a none month absence US sports is back! Thanks True Visions!

Im on the platinum package and its says service is blocked.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App

[MrMo]

For two years we've been threatening to get rid of TrueVision. On the Gold package the channels of interest were limited to no more than 12 and many of them seemed to repeat just 24 hours of new programs a week.

At the beginning of June we dropped them. Don't miss a thing. The wife still gets her Thai terrestrial channels and I can always get the world news and sports on the internet.

Bye-bye TrueVision.

[drdoom6996]

TRUE visions may be the biggest. But that is now less by one, me. As I have been a TRUE visions subscriber since the very beginning, UBC. I have seen them as they are over the last year. They provide the cheapest programming available and advertise it as the best. Case in point, TRUE visions sports HD. Compare it to TRUE Sport 4. It is the same as far as picture quality goes. And the incessent commercial interuptions, and I am not speaking of the commercials from the channel being broadcast by the orginal programmer like ESPN. They interupted announcers mid sentence and golfers mid swing during the US Open golf. I have found that not watching or reading sports news allows me to watch a day late everything by using my computer with no commercial interuptions. And according to persons on this site, there are many other options available. TRUE does not even service their equipment in a timely manner when you have a problem.

In all cases where TRUE tries to be the loser in consumer eyes, I believe that competition will cause them to be the loser sooner or later. I look forward to the day that TRUE goes under for lack of scribers.

[drdoom6996]

As of 12:30 AM this morning ASN is back on True Visions on channel 114.

After a none month absence US sports is back! Thanks True Visions!

Im on the platinum package and its says service is blocked.

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App

Same for my friends as I gave them back their box last week.

[crazykopite]

FACT Had GMM or true decided not to purchase the rights of the Euro 2012 tournament every person in Thailand who has a television would have been able to watch the games on free tv. I rest my case !!!

[animatic]

FACT Had GMM or true decided not to purchase the rights of the Euro 2012 tournament every person in Thailand who has a television would have been able to watch the games on free tv. I rest my case !!!

No, because most of Thailand does not GET Free to Air TV.

Which is why satellite dishes are endemic everywhere.

[crazykopite]

TRUE visions may be the biggest. But that is now less by one, me. As I have been a TRUE visions subscriber since the very beginning, UBC. I have seen them as they are over the last year. They provide the cheapest programming available and advertise it as the best. Case in point, TRUE visions sports HD. Compare it to TRUE Sport 4. It is the same as far as picture quality goes. And the incessent commercial interuptions, and I am not speaking of the commercials from the channel being broadcast by the orginal programmer like ESPN. They interupted announcers mid sentence and golfers mid swing during the US Open golf. I have found that not watching or reading sports news allows me to watch a day late everything by using my computer with no commercial interuptions. And according to persons on this site, there are many other options available. TRUE does not even service their equipment in a timely manner when you have a problem.

In all cases where TRUE tries to be the loser in consumer eyes, I believe that competition will cause them to be the loser sooner or later. I look forward to the day that TRUE goes under for lack of scribers.

Depends where you live if you have a phone line fine if you live in Bangkok or other cities fine but when you live in the sticks surrounded by mountains and have to rely on a dongle for internet and a satellite to get good reception on the TV then your in big S_ _ T like me Yes True have got me by the B _ L _ _ _ _ S due to the location I choose to live in I suppose I could buyb one of those big black dishes but I doubt I would get the EPL in English I do not drink I do not smoke but I do love watching all types of sport in English especailly football.

[crazykopite]

FACT Had GMM or true decided not to purchase the rights of the Euro 2012 tournament every person in Thailand who has a television would have been able to watch the games on free tv. I rest my case !!!

No, because most of Thailand does not GET Free to Air TV.

Which is why satellite dishes are endemic everywhere.

sorry I take your point but if it was all nice and flat like Holland and not full of mountains then they would get the game on free tv

[brewsterbudgen]

Competition should be good, although any Thai broadcaster will be hard put to match True's sports coverage and will need a lot of money (which Grammy have!). Much will depend on who ends up buying the EPL rights as English football is by far the most popular 'foreign' sport with their Thai customer base. But with all the Major golf tournaments (and many minor ones), all 4 tennis Majors, NBA, MLB, MLS, Formula 1, Moto-GP, rugby, snooker, and now NHL and NFL if ASN is back, True's sports coverage is great value. (Except for cricket fans!)

Edited July 1, 2012 by brewsterbudgen

[joecos]

For two years we've been threatening to get rid of TrueVision. On the Gold package the channels of interest were limited to no more than 12 and many of them seemed to repeat just 24 hours of new programs a week.

At the beginning of June we dropped them. Don't miss a thing. The wife still gets her Thai terrestrial channels and I can always get the world news and sports on the internet.

Bye-bye TrueVision.

I guess you are not a football fan then.

[rgs2001uk]

For two years we've been threatening to get rid of TrueVision. On the Gold package the channels of interest were limited to no more than 12 and many of them seemed to repeat just 24 hours of new programs a week.

At the beginning of June we dropped them. Don't miss a thing. The wife still gets her Thai terrestrial channels and I can always get the world news and sports on the internet.

Bye-bye TrueVision.

I guess you are not a football fan then.

Ditched true about 4 years ago, not been missed.

Plenty of football available on the 350 baht per month cable options.

[SICHONSTEVE]

True visions might wake up and show some interest in what people want to watch. They must have lost a bundle when they canceled ASN.

Why???? I would personally prefer to watch 2 hours worth of Thai adverts continuously than watch pseudo sport!!!!!

[Dodobird]

Without hesitant, I terminate TrueVision immediately when the contract of 1 year expired ...

[Thai at Heart]

Someone among 3,5and 7 should have explained to Grammy that they couldn't legally cut the signal to true, but they have done it anyway

[whybother]

Someone among 3,5and 7 should have explained to Grammy that they couldn't legally cut the signal to true, but they have done it anyway

That's the question isn't it. CAN they legally cut the signal to true? It seems at this stage, they can.

[SantiSuk]

Good, competition is a good thing. The court decision yesterday was correct, just, and a credit to the Thai legal system.

In the long run, competition will make the respective broadcasters sharper in their negotiations, sharper off the mark, and more competitive not only within Thailand, but across Asia and the rest of the world if they so wish.

Every businessman in the world has the bruises to show from bad decisions and lost battles, but good businessmen learn from it and come back stronger. I believe this so called debacle will lead to an advance in broadcasting competition in Thailand, and force Truevision in particular to get their act together.

Short term pain may well lead to long term gain. Great stuff.

Two suppliers compete to buy a product from a master supplier and the successful (presumably highest) bidder bills their customers to recoup their programming bid costs.

So run that by me again how this new situation is going to benefit me, the customer?

[Thai at Heart]

Someone among 3,5and 7 should have explained to Grammy that they couldn't legally cut the signal to true, but they have done it anyway

That's the question isn't it. CAN they legally cut the signal to true? It seems at this stage, they can.

Who knows anymore. Sets a very dangerous precedent for the future at least. 357can't guarantee their advertisers who they can reach. National channels selectively switched off.. tit

[whybother]

Someone among 3,5and 7 should have explained to Grammy that they couldn't legally cut the signal to true, but they have done it anyway

That's the question isn't it. CAN they legally cut the signal to true? It seems at this stage, they can.

Who knows anymore. Sets a very dangerous precedent for the future at least. 357can't guarantee their advertisers who they can reach. National channels selectively switched off.. tit

I don't think its that bad for the free to air channels. Advertising for shows would be generally be done on an individual basis, so everyone would know who the show is expected to reach when deciding advertising rates.

What it does mean is that True (and other pay tv) subscribers need to have alternative means of watching free to air tv, although I expect this situation to be a very rare occurrence.

Sent from my shoe phone