Few changes for BBTV
Bangkok Broadcasting and Television (BBTV) will continue operating Channel 7, the country's largest free-to-air TV station, as planned and even raise its advertising rates despite the loss of Surang "Big Sister Daeng" Prempree next year.
On Tuesday, Krit Ratanarak, the majority shareholder, endorsed a major management reshuffle that included not renewing Surang’s employment contract for next year.
A BBTV source said that in the coming year, key TV programmes would remain unchanged but two were being prepared to replace "Ching Roi Ching Lan" on Tuesday nights and "Kon Aod Pee" on Wednesday nights. Those shows produced by Workpoint Entertainment were moving to ThaiTV3.
"The unchanged policy for TV programming at Channel 7 will be good both for employees and business partners including advertisers and TV production houses as well as its target audience," the source said.
With this certainty, Channel 7 can continue increasing its advertising rates, following the trend in the broadcasting industry. For instance, MCOT plans to hike airtime rates by 5-10 per cent at Modernine TV for selected programmes next year.
A source at the Thai Entertainment Industry Association said the entertainment and broadcasting industry would face tougher competition in the new year after some of their revenue was washed away by the recent flood.
The first quarter would see aggressive marketing efforts to make up the income lost this quarter. For example, ThaiTV3 will scale back news content from 60 per cent during the flood crisis to the normal 40 per cent and return its focus to entertainment. ThaiTV3 also plans to hike advertising rates for selected programmes.
According to Krungthep Turakij newspaper, last month advertising spending dropped slightly because of the recent floods. However, Channel 7 was down a whopping 40 per cent while ThaiTV3 was off only 20 per cent.
The source said that although Channel 7 now leads in advertising revenue with 31.79 per cent, while nearest rival ThaiTV3 has 27.66 per cent, under the circumstances, Channel 7 had to make a total change from its past image. It has to make a greater impact to attract new advertisers and TV production houses.
