MCOT to be holding company
MCOT plans to strengthen its business units and transform itself into a holding company in the next three years.
Last week, the state-enterprise media outlet announced a new Modernine TV brand identity in keeping with its Bt600-million investments on revamping news programmes, including a new studio equipped with a cutting-edge-technology video wall and bird’s-eye view news gathered by helicopter.
“We hope that this will improve the ratings and revenue of the channel as well as increase market share to 20 per cent of overall advertising spending via free-to-air television channels this year, from 18 per cent now,” Kematat Paladesh, vice president for marketing, told The Nation.
He added that in the near future, the new identity would be representative of its television broadcasting unit – soon to be a new subsidiary of MCOT.
Modernine TV generates more than 60 per cent of total income. The company wants other business units like Thai News Agency (TNA), Modern Radio, 9 Entertainment and digital media to have their own strong points and attract new income to make each business sustainable.
He said this strategic approach towards cost management would lead to a “lean and mean” organisation.
Once the board of directors approves the new organisation restructuring, those business units might be registered as companies. MCOT will then become MCOT Holding company in the next three years, he added.
Chief financial officer Jessada Promjart said that this was the way to make the company ready both for terrestrial television and radio-spectrum auctions following the implementation of the spectrum-management, telecom and broadcasting master plans later this year by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.
Jessada said that MCOT may establish as many as 43 subsidiaries to produce radio programmes at its stations both in Bangkok and other provinces.
