BROADCASTING

Licensing looms for broadcasters

Watchiranont Thongtep

The Nation

Free-TV stations get ready for auction of licences by NBTC early next year

BANGKOK: -- Existing free-TV operators are preparing to bid for commercial digital terrestrial TV broadcasting licences, which the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will issue in the first quarter of next year.

The operators already have plans to establish numerous channels.

Just as the 2.1-gigahertz (GHz) spectrum licensing has brought an end to the telecom concession system, the TV licences are being hailed as the end of concessions in the broadcasting industry, with all operators - no matter which operating platforms they use - being brought under a single set of rules.

The NBTC is also extending its regulatory reach to cover cable and satellite TV operators, which number about 1,000 nationwide. Existing operators must file applications before December 15, while there is no deadline for newcomers. Unlicensed operators face five years' imprisonment or a Bt5 million fine, or both, plus a Bt50,000 daily fine until they comply with the rules. Last Friday, the first day for applying for a licence, 85 applications were received.

One of the existing free-TV operators that will have to join the bidding for a slice of the broadcasting spectrum, MCOT, has sets its sights on becoming the biggest broadcaster. It aims to win 10 or 11 licences, including licences to run five digital-TV channels and at least two satellite-TV channels. All other existing operators are expected to join the bidding, but their plans are less ambitious.

MCOT is one of the frequency owners who will have to return its frequency for re-allocation. While it owns the frequencies on which Channels 3 and 9 operate, the Royal Thai Army owns the frequencies operated by Channels 5 and 7. The other two frequencies are owned by the Public Relations Department (Channel 11) and Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS).

Jessada Promjart, chief financial officer at MCOT, told The Nation that the five digital terrestrial TV channels were a 24-hour news station; a sports channel; a children's and family channel; a leisure and travel channel; and a career channel.

Jessada added that the company planned to take care of the news, leisure and travel, and career channels itself while seeking business partners to jointly produce programmes for the sports, and children's and family channels.

MCOT also currently operates two satellite TV channels, MCOT1 and MCOT World. The company plans to seek at least two satellite-TV licences for those channels.

MCOT was also keen to bid for licences to provide infrastructure and network facilities, Jessada said.

Asked how the digital terrestrial TV channels would be operated, Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the NBTC's broadcasting committee, explained that broadcasters who wanted to operate a digital-TV station needed a licence for the spectrum for each operating channel.

Natee said commercial broadcasters would get to bid for the spectrum at an auction expected in March. The TV channels for commercial broadcasting services have been divided into four groups: five standard-definition (SD) channels providing programmes for kids and families; five SD news and information TV channels; and 10 SD channels and four high-definition channels for general programmes.

Surin Krittayaphongphun, vice president for marketing and sales at Bangkok Entertainment Co (BEC), the operator of Thai TV3, said the company had no plan to invest in infrastructure for digital terrestrial broadcasting as it believed that sharing facilities with other broadcasters could reduce operating costs.

"Thai TV3 is also studying the feasibility of bidding for a licence to provide a network, on top of two licences to provide service and hold spectrum for new digital terrestrial TV channels," Surin added.

During the trial broadcasts of the digital terrestrial TV service, known as the "simulcast period", the new digital terrestrial TV channel would provide new programmes, separate from what is to be aired on Thai TV3 via analogue terrestrial signal, he said.

Bangkok Broadcasting and TV (BBTV), the operator of Channel 7, has already expressed its eagerness to bid for separate licences for infrastructure, network, service and spectrum-holding so it can fully control its own digital terrestrial broadcast service across the country.

"We want to ensure the company can retain its security and business stability despite the digital transformation," BBTV managing director Saran Wiruttamawong said.

Over the past couple of years, BBTV has invested heavily in advanced technology at Channel 7, such as high-definition technology for TV production and broadcasting, as well as news-gathering equipment. Its production facilities and staff are now all prepared for the firm to bid for a high-definition TV channel licence, the head of BBTV said.

As TV5 wants to be a public broadcaster for national-security purposes, Royal Thai Army Radio and Television also wants to obtain all licences covering infrastructure, network, and provision of digital terrestrial and satellite TV services.

Lt-General Chatchai Sarikulya, president of Royal Thai Army Radio and Television, said that after heavily investing in digital technology in previous years, including a Bt1.6-billion, 22-storey building equipped with digital TV production technology, TV5 would launch a trial digital service before the end of the year.

-- The Nation 2012-11-05

Is MCOT going to have to bid?

Government entity isn't it, so pass money from one hand to another? Let's see the backlash from the phones in how they set up the bids.

Seems the NBTC is on a money run. And MCOT is not Govt. It was (Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand) but is now a public company. But this is a closed shop and MCOT has failed with its English language channel (MCOT World) because it is being run by Thai's who think they have programmes suitable for farangs. No contest what they have on line is all but rubbish. I wonder if, when it is taken off air, which it must do sooner than later, if there will ever be an English language channel in this democratically booming country ...

Seems the NBTC is on a money run. And MCOT is not Govt. It was (Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand) but is now a public company. But this is a closed shop and MCOT has failed with its English language channel (MCOT World) because it is being run by Thai's who think they have programmes suitable for farangs. No contest what they have on line is all but rubbish. I wonder if, when it is taken off air, which it must do sooner than later, if there will ever be an English language channel in this democratically booming country ...

Point taken, but likewise, is the army going to have to bid for its licenses? Now that should be a bunfight.

Well I hope they make a better job of it (less criticism) than the 3G auction.

Offensive post removed

Didn't read the article (lol, don't even need to), but even though the switchover is painful for the broadcasters and a little confusing for consumers, in the end it is totally worth it. Even regular a regular 480 line digital signal looks better than analog. High Def, w00t!