NBTC chief backs away from idea of allowing digital TV licence transfers

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DIGITAL TV
NBTC chief backs away from idea of allowing digital TV licence transfers
Watchiranont Thongtep
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- After being criticised for his suggestion that regulations be amended to allow digital TV broadcasters to transfer their channels to a different company, the secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has backed away from the idea.

"I am really concerned about the risks to the financial sector and the national economy if many TV broadcasters decide to give up on the business and refuse to pay their licence fees, so I decided to float the idea for public discussion," Takorn Tantasith said yesterday.

He said that if such a regulatory amendment were to take place, it should be brought about by the broadcasters themselves and their financial backers. "As the person who initiated this idea, I would be a supporter if needed."

The secretary-general was taking a softer line than what he said on Monday. At that time, he said his administration was ready to propose that the junta use its near-absolute power under Article 44 of the provisional constitution to amend relevant sections of broadcasting law to allow digital TV operators having business difficulties to transfer their rights to someone else.

However, a number of digital broadcasters expressed disagreement with this idea.

Adisak Limprungpatanakij, vice president of the Club of Digital Terrestrial TV Operators, said that when the digital TV licences were put up for auction, everyone knew the conditions, and made their bids accordingly - that the 17 companies that won licences to operate 24 commercial challenges would be under a 15-year obligation.

Other broadcasting sectors

Supinya Klangnarong, a member of the NBTC's broadcasting committee, said that if the ownership of digital TV licences were transferable, broadcasters in other sectors such as cable and satellite were bound to wonder if this applied to them as well. This might create other problems in other areas in the near future.

Boonyuen Siritham, chairwoman of the Confederation of Consumer Organisations, said the right to transfer licences "would be unfair for existing digital TV broadcasters".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/NBTC-chief-backs-away-from-idea-of-allowing-digita-30262146.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-12

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