NBTC steps into Euro 2012 broadcast dispute

It is still uncertain whether subscribers of TrueVisions will have a chance to view the Euro 2012 soccer tournament on free-TV channels via their True set-top boxes, though the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will step in to look into the matter.

The NBTC will convene a meeting today with TrueVisions and free-TV operators – Channels 3, 5, and 9 – to seek ways to prevent problems for consumers.
This follows a complaint by TrueVisions to the watchdog on May 31 that its customers were confused and worried that they might not be able to watch the prestigious tournament – which will be aired from June 8 to July 2 – on Channels 3, 5, 9 via their set-top boxes.
The NBTC’s broadcasting committee chairman, Natee Sukonrat, said yesterday that according to the commission’s principles, free-TV operators had to treat pay-TV operators on a non-discriminatory basis.
However, the NBTC has to examine TrueVisions’ contracts with its customers to see whether TrueVisions has allowed its viewers to watch free-TV channels. If it has done so, then it will have to honour the commitments.
Currently TrueVisions subscribers can view all free-TV programmes via their set-top boxes. But it has been made known that only those with either GMM Z set-top boxes of GMM Grammy or a conventional TV antenna can view the Euro 2012 tournament. If they don’t have these boxes, their free-TV screens will be blank during the matches.
Natee said the commission would not summon GMM Z, the GMM Grammy satellite-content and set-top-box distributor, to the meeting as it does not operate under the NBTC regime. The watchdog will oversee only the incumbent operators such as TrueVisions and free-TV channel operators.
GMM Grammy won the right to broadcast the Euro 2012 tournament. It has leased airtime of Channel 3, 5, and 9 to broadcast the matches on a revenue-sharing basis.
TrueVisions’ chief programming officer Attaphon na Bangxang said the company’s 2 million subscribers would understand well the situation that they might not be able to view the tournament, which will last only two weeks. But TrueVisions’ complaint to the NBTC is aimed at prodding the watchdog to set measures that would prevent this kind of problem in the future regarding the broadcast of some licensed content via free-TV channels.
GMM Z chief executive officer Thana Thienachariya said he believed that most of the 2 million TrueVisions subscribers also have conventional TV antennas, which would enable them to view the tournament.
He added that as the company had won the broadcasting rights to air the tournament only in Thailand, GMM Z had to encrypt the Euro 2012 programme to prevent satellite-dish owners in neighbouring countries from being able to view it.