Thai editorial: All eyes on the ball in new TV bidding

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
All eyes on the ball in new TV bidding
The Nation

Battle for rights to broadcast English football continues to scare Thai businesses, consumers

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's love affair with English football - Barclays Premier League - has spawned immense commercial interests and complications. A key factor dictating the course of the telecom and media industry here is the exorbitant cost to capture those broadcasting rights. Befuddled are consumers, who are envied by those in many parts of the world but who are very much at the mercy of how the business wind blows.

The current broadcasting rights holder, CTH Plc, will have to jump into another fierce bidding war soon. Its broadcast privilege ends at the end of the current 2015-16 season. The previous holder, True Visions, may or may not attempt to reclaim its prestigious but unprofitable status as the Premier League broadcaster in Thailand. Whatever happens will have profound effects on cable TV consumers in this country.

In 2012, out of the blue, CTH swooped and snatched the broadcasting rights away from True Visions. The latter lost face, but as far as business goes, had little else to complain about.

It was a win-win situation for both companies actually, because the broadcasting rights were so expensive and the prices were increasing every year. True Visions lost face but would have saved considerable money. CTH would have gained from football maniacs, who are abundant in Thailand.

That left us with no choice but to pay more, especially those addicted to watching Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City play but unable to let go of programmes that True Visions had to offer.

Some might have dumped their True Visions subscriptions for CTH, but the number of people willing to double as True Visions and CTH subscribers is bigger than those who gave up the former to embrace the latter.

Thais have been envied by fans in many other countries because, here, Western football matches play out live in their living rooms. That luxury comes at a price, though, and that price threatens to rise even further.

It should be noted that True Visions has proudly announced the rights to show big games from other major leagues, so all football addicts out there are finding it hard to throw away one subscription for another.

CTH's programmes, other than the Premier League matches, are anything but attractive. Simply put, without popular football series, its subscriber base would shrink considerably. It's not an exaggeration to say that English football is the core business foundation of CTH, without which the company's financial health would be in serious doubt.

But CTH's operations have come under scrutiny. The payment system has been criticised, and even the company has admitted that, in the rush to complete the subscription infrastructure in 2012, subcontractors were used and their roles led to a big financial headache. If the motive for grabbing the English Premier League broadcasting rights was profit, CTH's work toward that goal has been poor.

Which leads us to the multibillion-baht question: Who will win the new broadcasting rights? Will CTH fight to hold onto what it has? CTH will need a lot of operating improvement to extend its surprising, renowned but hardly profitable status.

Will True Visions seriously attempt to retake the rights, regain its face and slip back into the same old financial misery? After all, in business, there's a point where "face" gives way to more important considerations like balance sheets.

The ultimate question, though, is whether we hapless consumers who have perhaps been wrongly envied by the rest of the world will be dealt a fair deal. This question is simple enough, although the other ones are anything but.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/All-eyes-on-the-ball-in-new-TV-bidding-30270656.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-12

[stoneyboy]

In an ideal deal world I would prefer neither CTH or TRUE VISIONS have any involvement in broadcasting EPL football ever again.

When it comes to PAY TV in Thailand like my old man once told me.

Son you can't shine shit

Or to be politically correct you can't polish a turd.

Edited October 11, 2015 by stoneyboy

[Nicolas32]

These days you can find everything on the internet .. even the latest TV shows without being forced to see out of place subs .. that includes being forced to see a movie what about 10 years old and been repeated 5 times in one day .. Anyway life goes on and am not paying for a crap service like i use to about 7 years ago ..

[alant]

These days you can find everything on the internet .. even the latest TV shows without being forced to see out of place subs .. that includes being forced to see a movie what about 10 years old and been repeated 5 times in one day .. Anyway life goes on and am not paying for a crap service like i use to about 7 years ago ..

Until the single gateway?

[alant]

This is an area where the UK regulators have it right and you don't need to subscribe to a full set up from a different provider to get the sport you want.

[bim]

Looking at this CTH could not make it pay. True and CTH should conspire to both put in low bids and whoever win share the games anyway and show the greedy EPL they cannot stay on this gravy train. It is crazy and the EPLs bubble will burst one day anyway I believe.

[joebrown]

It's a coincidence that this subjct should be posted today, because I'm in dispute with CTH Bangkok Office over a bill I settled at their Pattaya agent's office (Sukhumvit Rd) in October 2013. I have the receipt for the 2,000bht I paid their installation agents to cover the 'deposit' for the ' CTH set-top-box', in addition to the 1,000bht I paid for the installation itself.

They asked for the money again in December 2014, so after a telephone call to their 1619 Centre they supposedly accepted my story, and I heard nothing more until last month. I was shocked because they sent me a complete payments due/paid statement from October 2013, which failed to show the money paid in Pattaya. I have since made several calls to CTH, followed up by Email with copies of the receipt, and then FAX with the same copy. I have asked them for a correct revised statement on several occasions pointing out my refusal to pay twice, and suggested they send a bill/statement to CTH Pattaya, as it's obvious they haven't transfered my payment to CTH Head Office.

The OP says that CTH have admitted their administration/accounting procedures were inefficient in the early rush to 'roll out' the EPL package, and my experience only confirms this. Sadly, they they haven't improved much since either. I'm due to phone CTH again tomorrow to find out what's transpired, so I'll be posting an up-date soon.

BTW, I think paying only 900bht a month for a wide choice of live EPL games is a bargain, and this is the only reason I'm still a CTH subscriber.

[Usernames]

Worried about losing face? On a business deal? That explains the state of finances, here.

[chickenrunCM]

250 Baht/month for 150 Sport channels in internet, all thai channels, Sky england, canadian sport channels,

CTH, True with english comentary, so why buy True Sport for 2500 Baht or CTH for 1000 baht/month

[GeckosDiving]

Lol

[joebrown]

It's a coincidence that this subjct should be posted today, because I'm in dispute with CTH Bangkok Office over a bill I settled at their Pattaya agent's office (Sukhumvit Rd) in October 2013. I have the receipt for the 2,000bht I paid their installation agents to cover the 'deposit' for the ' CTH set-top-box', in addition to the 1,000bht I paid for the installation itself.

They asked for the money again in December 2014, so after a telephone call to their 1619 Centre they supposedly accepted my story, and I heard nothing more until last month. I was shocked because they sent me a complete payments due/paid statement from October 2013, which failed to show the money paid in Pattaya. I have since made several calls to CTH, followed up by Email with copies of the receipt, and then FAX with the same copy. I have asked them for a correct revised statement on several occasions pointing out my refusal to pay twice, and suggested they send a bill/statement to CTH Pattaya, as it's obvious they haven't transfered my payment to CTH Head Office.

The OP says that CTH have admitted their administration/accounting procedures were inefficient in the early rush to 'roll out' the EPL package, and my experience only confirms this. Sadly, they they haven't improved much since either. I'm due to phone CTH again tomorrow to find out what's transpired, so I'll be posting an up-date soon.

BTW, I think paying only 900bht a month for a wide choice of live EPL games is a bargain, and this is the only reason I'm still a CTH subscriber.

UPDATE

I phoned again today and was pleasantly surprised to hear that my CTH account was showing 'Clear'. I asked whether a letter was being sent to confirm what she said. Not a letter of apology in sight. It seems I'll have to wait for my next monthly bill to arrive to find out. Hopefully I won't be posting again, but as I know TIT!

[bim]

CTH have lost the EPL rights after this season. Beln have won the rights for 2016 to 2019 and paid $50 million less than CTH did for there previous package. It may now once again be shown on Truevisions as Beln is already shown on Truevisions although expect to pay more to see them.

Edited November 20, 2015 by bim

[brewsterbudgen]

CTH have lost the EPL rights after this season. Beln have won the rights for 2016 to 2019 and paid $50 million less than CTH did for there previous package. It may now once again be shown on Truevisions as Beln is already shown on Truevisions although expect to pay more to see them.

It's strange that the Nation don't seem to know this! BeIn's successful bid was news weeks ago!

[bim]

CTH have lost the EPL rights after this season. Beln have won the rights for 2016 to 2019 and paid $50 million less than CTH did for there previous package. It may now once again be shown on Truevisions as Beln is already shown on Truevisions although expect to pay more to see them.

It's strange that the Nation don't seem to know this! BeIn's successful bid was news weeks ago!

Yes I thought that also. I was just searching around Google and came across it. Good news I hope if they partner Truevisions as they have a channel on there already. Edited November 20, 2015 by bim