Terrestrial-based Digital TV should take on wider role and responsibility in society, forum hears

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Terrestrial-based Digital TV should take on wider role and responsibility in society, forum hears

WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP

THE NATION

BANGKOK:-- TERRESTRIAL-BASED digital television should promote not only profits but also education, social responsibility, creativity and Thai culture, a forum heard yesterday.

"TV should be an alternative medium for igniting audience inspiration and supporting education among Thais," said Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of the Thailand Development Research Institute.

TV stations should encourage viewers to learn new things, just like from reading books. The proliferation of new digital TV channels will create more choices for people, ranging from family and news to variety programmes.

More important, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission should take on a more supportive role towards the industry to consummate the transition of TV broadcasting from analog to digital, Somkiat said.

The NBTC should amend some regulations that might raise barriers to the transition, such as relaxing rules for licence holders. Licences should be transferable through mergers and acquisitions, he said.

The high network leasing fees are another headache for the new digital TV operators. The NBTC should support them by encouraging providers of digital TV network services to help reduce the charges for TV stations, he said.

Natee Sukunrat, chairman of the NBTC's broadcasting committee, said that under current regulations, mergers and acquisitions were allowed by the regulator, but they must comply with existing laws.

His committee appreciated the need to help the industry through both financial and non-financial measures to speed up the transition to the digital era.

"In a free market, there might be gainers and losers. But the birth of this new broadcasting service opens more doors for both old and new players.

"As such, people will benefit from this change, which might take time," he said.

Veerathai Santiprabhob, governor of the Bank of Thailand, said TV was still playing a key role in communication. It could help the government to speak directly to the public about its key policies. The transition from analog to digital offered more windows for people to voice their opinions and demands.

Thares Punsri, chairman of the NBTC, said that in last two years, the NBTC had made a historic change in the broadcasting industry by holding the auction of 24 digital terrestrial TV licences for commercial purposes in an attempt to liberalise the industry, which had only six analog TV stations.

The NBTC also initiated 12 public broadcasting channels.

The seminar on the "60 Years of Thai TV: From Analog to Digital Terrestrial TV System" was organised by the NBTC to mark the 60th anniversary of broadcasting in Thailand and to raise public awareness of digital TV.

The event was held at the Bank of Thailand Museum, which was the home of the first TV station in not only the country but also Southeast Asia.

On June 24, 1955, Thai Thorathat Company, commonly known at the time as "Channel 4 Bang Khun Phrom", took to the airwaves.

In 1977, Thai Thorathat was transformed into the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT).

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Terrestrial-based-Digital-TV-should-take-on-wider--30275619.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-25

[Pib]

Whether TV is digital, analog, satellite, cable, terrestrial or whatever shouldn't make a difference in what kind of programming is broadcast.

[waldroj]

More blatant propaganda is sure to make the people happy.

[WhizBang]

digital television should promote not only profits but also education, social responsibility, creativity

Television should do this worldwide, but doesn't. Why should Thailand be any different?

[Srikcir]

"The NBTC also initiated 12 public broadcasting channels."

Make that 12 government controlled channels.

[Usernames]

digital television should promote not only profits but also education, social responsibility, creativity

Television should do this worldwide, but doesn't. Why should Thailand be any different?

Because it takes money to produce good or poor quality programming and there is only so much money for this in Thailand. Because of language, the advertising and production budget doesn't grow, here. It stays static.

[halloween]

"The NBTC also initiated 12 public broadcasting channels."

Make that 12 government controlled channels.

None of which are compulsory viewing.

[FangFerang]

Scrape past the Feel Good message and pontificating, and you find THIS:

"The NBTC should amend some regulations that might raise barriers to the transition, such as relaxing rules for licence holders. Licences should be transferable through mergers and acquisitions, he said."

Yeah. it's for the benefit of society. Sure. Have a seat and a laos cow.....

[Squeegee]

"The NBTC also initiated 12 public broadcasting channels."

Make that 12 government controlled channels.

None of which are compulsory viewing.

That's right, you sit back on your morally lazy arse while the country suffers just because "it could be worse."

[MaiChai]

TV is a business just like anything else and the channels need to make money to survive. If the costs are high to setup and there is going to be many more channels than before then that means less viewers per channel and thus less revenue. Dvbt rollout in other parts of the world has had similar problems and in Thailand it has to compete with satellite broadcasters like psi. Thus why the rollout has not been particularly successful so far, and anyone with psi probably won't bother with dvbt.