Little has changed with the advent of digital TV: Thai opinion

[webfact]

STREETWISE
Little has changed with the advent of digital TV
Achara Deboonme

BANGKOK: -- Since June, Thais have been enjoying a new stream of content aired via the 24 new digital TV channels. Sadly, apart from the increase in the number of free television channels from six to 24, the content has not really changed very much.

The original six free channels in their digital format are still providing the same content, though some are paying more attention to recording technology, which has resulted in better visual and audio quality. Their news coverage is the same as before, though - routine political, social and environmental reports with a touch of business. I do have to commend some news shows that try to be analytical, though they are still not informative enough.

As for the entertainment slots, they are still filled with the same sad rubbish. All the channels, with the exception of Thai PBS, still provide shows that focus on trivial gossip, like who is dating whom, who has dumped whom and whether imagined couples will really end up together. Thai PBS, on the other hand, has been providing entertainment news with an international angle and in-depth interviews on subjects other than celebrity love affairs.

An interview by a "single-digit" channel last week shocked me. It was a discussion on healthy diet with three people at an event. The interviewer began by asking the guests what they ate to stay healthy, followed by whether they "ate youngsters" to stay young. This is the point at which things became quite obscene, with the interviewer's simpering tone and insinuations. Apparently, she wanted to find out if the guests shared her belief that having a young boyfriend made women younger. When the first guest refused to bite, saying she focused more on fresh produce, the interviewer once again simpered, asking how far her list for "fresh" items went.

In terms of news, digital TV is offering us greater variety, with many news groups joining in. Earlier, businessmen were usually glued to TNN channel and occasionally switched over to the Stock Exchange of Thailand and Money Channel, both aired on TrueVisions.

However, one veteran businessman recently told me that he was now hooked to the Nation Group's Now 26.

"Business people don't have much time for news shows that focus on irrelevant issues," he said, adding that he was quite sick of the emotional reporting style many channels had.

Apart from this, digital TV has not really changed the content of its series or commercials.

For instance, I'm a fan of the TV show "Dexter", which has won many awards. Yet the TV watchdog National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) had to slap a Bt50,000 fine on a Thai broadcaster for not blotting out some grisly shots. Now, if there were a similar Thai crime series, it could portray the personal lives of famous criminals such as Si Oui, who used to kill children and eat their livers. Or they could do a show about what makes a rapist, especially at a time when rape cases are rampant in Thai society.

Sadly, the only series the TV channels have been able to come up with are silly stories, such as an advertising company where all account executives spend their time gossiping and eating instead of planning on saleable ideas for clients. Compare this to the Hollywood offering "Mad Men", in which the lead character is a womaniser, but each episode takes the viewer to the competitive environment of advertising. Though the series is set in the 1960s, the viewer realises that the nature of this business has not really changed much.

Meanwhile, AXN Asia, which previously only aired action series from Hollywood, has recently started airing promos for Korean shows. Judging from the screenplays of these shows, I can safely say it will take a long time before any Thai series can appear on a channel that is broadcast internationally.

The NBTC recently hosted a workshop where Korean TV series makers were called to help groom their Thai counterparts. That's a good start, though I certainly don't know if this would translate into any changes here.

Another area that has not changed much is the TV commercials. Recently I saw one advertising bathing soap. In it, the mother is shown worrying about pollution and the impact it is having on her children's skin. Now, I know that the ad means to sell soap, but if pollution is really the issue here, then the mother should be more worried about other impacts it might have.

Last week, CTH and GMM Grammy announced a historic share swap for their pay-TV business. With its two digital TV licences, GMM appears to be enthusiastic about the pay TV business. Why? Because digital TV is still not able to deliver many of the things that society requires, such as in-depth and informative content.

This is also possibly why the biggest pay-TV provider, TrueVisions, doesn't seem to care much about the birth of digital TV. Of its 700,000 subscribers, some 200,000 subscribe to its Gold and Platinum packages, paying more than Bt1,400 per month for their viewing pleasure, and by the end of this year, TrueVisions expects to see a 30-per-cent rise in its subscribers, particularly in the premium segment.

Obviously, some people out there are still willing to pay for content they really want - things that the 24 new digital TV channels are just not able to offer.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Little-has-changed-with-the-advent-of-digital-TV-30239671.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-29

[sustento]

So it's been going for only 6 weeks and Achara Deboonme is complaining that nothing has changed?

[terryp]

did anyone really think the dumb down machine would be any different when they all show the same garbage.....more than 600 THAI channels and I cant think of 1 that shows quality programming

[ChrisY1]

did anyone really think the dumb down machine would be any different when they all show the same garbage.....more than 600 THAI channels and I cant think of 1 that shows quality programming

Spot on...and is the reason I don't have TV.

[daveAustin]

Indeed, same 'rubbish'. Sorry, but there is little creativity or spacial awareness to churn out and enjoy much else. Shows about science and nature, fiction from the US, period thrillers from the UK, for example, which many other countries might import. Just simple trash because it's sanook and not 'dull' or 'serious'. Just don't let your kids watch it guys.

Edited July 29, 2014 by daveAustin

[Robroona]

Television has now taken over as "The Opium of the Masses"

Religion used to be, but a mix of religion and sub standard TV is all any government needs to fool the populace

[jacky54]

A lot of Thais would not notice anyway as they are occupied on their phones and tablets with fb and line every spare moment.

[victor70]

did anyone really think the dumb down machine would be any different when they all show the same garbage.....more than 600 THAI channels and I cant think of 1 that shows quality programming

It is all rubbish what you see on Thai TV and bad audio also

[nong38]

Digital TV came into being to free up the air waves so that they could be sold to the telecome companies to bid for for 3G and now for 4G. THe public were told they needed digital TV, it was the Govt who needed the public to have DTV so they could rake in some extra cash, Thailand is not the first place this has happened.

Now dont get me going about climate change and green taxes

[Krataiboy]

Isn't television an opiate and as such should it not be banned?

[KhnomKhnom]

I want my shot to be at TV censorship.

Smoking..... little kids say they want one of those white sticks that burn because magically they disappear when touching lips.

Guns.... same, guns disappear when get close to heads.

The real irritation is on HBO and other Hollywood channels which are cut to ribbons by censors somewhere. If you want a real laff at this, try to see CRIMES OF PASSION on Thailand distributed TV...... it gets on the air but comes out senseless due to extensive cuts. I say, either take the whole movie off or leave it totally alone. Otherwise, what a gyp.

[worgeordie]

Thai soap operas,all have the same story line,just different locations,

the same line up of characters,you have the nasty mother who is pushing

her nasty daughter to marry the young rich guy,but he is in love with a nice

girl,enter stage left the gay guy,thats it. Comedy shows and others have the

bells and whistles,letting the audience know when to laugh,the last time i remember

that stupid stuff was on Mexican tv, about 40 years ago,

regards Worgeordie

[connda]

To quote one of my favorite singer, "57 channels and nothin' on..."

---Bruce Springsteen

You can change that to 600 channels now. Like I said before, if it wasn't for my wife, there wouldn't be a "Boob Tube" in my home. Of course, their indispensable for dumbing down your children, especially if you can't afford a Playstation or Xbox. Don't get me started on Thai Soaps...

Edited July 29, 2014 by connda

[Eagleizer]

I don`t get it. Did he expect better programs because it`s digital?

When the phones went digital, did he expect more interesting phonecalls?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Thai soap operas,all have the same story line,just different locations,

the same line up of characters,you have the nasty mother who is pushing

her nasty daughter to marry the young rich guy,but he is in love with a nice

girl,enter stage left the gay guy,thats it. Comedy shows and others have the

bells and whistles,letting the audience know when to laugh,the last time i remember

that stupid stuff was on Mexican tv, about 40 years ago,

regards Worgeordie

Cute girls though!

And,

You forgot about the ghosts, vampires and magic.

[taony]

I want my shot to be at TV censorship.

Smoking..... little kids say they want one of those white sticks that burn because magically they disappear when touching lips.

Guns.... same, guns disappear when get close to heads.

The real irritation is on HBO and other Hollywood channels which are cut to ribbons by censors somewhere. If you want a real laff at this, try to see CRIMES OF PASSION on Thailand distributed TV...... it gets on the air but comes out senseless due to extensive cuts. I say, either take the whole movie off or leave it totally alone. Otherwise, what a gyp.

Om the Simpsons they censor out the cigarettes!

-*I typed this myself*-

[IsaanUSA]

tl;dr

What did they expect? Instead of analog waves they signal is now digital. That's it. The picture and sound should look better, but that's it. Were they promised something else? Why would they assume anything would be different?

[Half Breed]

Channel 3HD through the new DVB-T2 (Set Top Boxes) is a different variant to the analogue TV3 (UHF CH32 Bangkok).

If you'd wish to watch your Lakorn and regular programming, you'd need to be able to switch between the two for the time being.

Obviously, this isn't applicable to True Visions.

AFAIK some of the channels do have superior picture quality (TPBS) and are indeed broadcasting in 1080i. At least that's what our equipment is telling us.

Mainly almost all Thai broadcasting and production establishments are either recording, syndicating or sending live 1080 full HD streams to the studios.

Give it a bit longer and you'll soon see the difference. There's still at least 3 more terrestrial multiplexes that are waiting to be struck up.

Most big producers are already getting ready to purchase 4K equipment.