Channel 3 broadcasting row is likely to end in a compromise tomorrow

Broadcasting row is likely to end in a compromise tomorrow



BANGKOK: -- A compromise solution is likely when the broadcasting committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is due to meet tomorrow ( Friday) to resolve the row with Channel 3 over the legal issue regarding simulcasts.

The committee chairman, Colonel Nathee Sukonrat, said today that the committee would ask the board to issue an interim provision on airtime sharing from a 10-40 percent to 100 percent so that Channel 3 can fully broadcast its analogue content in the Channel 33 HD digital TV.

Pending the announcement of the interim provision, he said the committee would allow cable and satellite TV operators to carry on broadcasting Channel 3’s analogue programmes for at least another 30 days to avoid the blackout of Channel 3 programmes.

Colonel Nathee maintained that the broadcasting committee did not want to see a blackout of Channel 3 because it is very popular among the Thai audience. He thanked the management of Channel 3 for agreeing to take a step backward even if that means it has to shoulder some losses.

The broadcasting committee, he said, wants Channel 3 to be capable of simulcasting and does not want itself to be painted as a social problem.

Meanwhile, it was reported that BEC Multimedia had notified the regulator that it had agreed to allow Channel 3 to make use of its facility for digital broadcasts.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/broadcasting-row-likely-end-compromise-tomorrow/


-- Thai PBS 2014-09-26