New content to drive Channel 7 growth, boss says
The new boss of Bangkok Broadcasting and Television is committed to keeping Channel 7 growing strongly as the leading TV station in the country.
"We have been spending more than Bt100 million on the development of a new-media platform over the past five years to broaden our viewer base, particularly to younger people. The next step is content development," managing director Saran Wiruttamawong said yesterday.
In 2007, a subsidiary for new media development, called BBTV New Media, was set up to develop various online services including Channel 7’s main website www.ch7.com, mobile applications, video-on-demand services via streaming website www.bugaboo.tv and connected TV, and an iPad magazine.
Chakrapun Leelamasavat, managing director of BBTV New Media, said the company’s websites had attracted 500 million page views so far. The company also expects to earn additional advertising revenue from the new-media platform.
Saran said that with this new platform, Channel 7 would emphasise content development and new imported content such as sports tournaments. BBTV also plans to acquire the broadcasting rights to sports events when it can.
Another key focus is improving ratings for morning shows running from 6-9am to boost advertising revenue.
According to industry sources, the "Chao Nee Tee Mo Chit" morning news talk programme is charging advertisers Bt120,000 per minute and the "Kan Park" entertainment talk show Bt150,000 per minute.
"Chao Nee Tee Mo Chit" is considered a flagship news talk show but its audience rating remains low at 1.7, while the rating of its rival, ThaiTV3’s "Lueng Lao Chao Nee", hosted by Sorayut Suthasanajinda, is 3.7 with an advertising rate of Bt200,000 per minute.
Bangkok Entertainment Co, the operator of ThaiTV3, is working on raising ratings for non-prime time slots, particularly after midnight and in the evening.
Surin Krittayapongphan, vice president for marketing and sales, said the company planned to raise airtime rates from Bt200,000 per minute to Bt330,000 next month for the 6-6.30pm slot, which is usually reserved for family programmes.
This raised ad rate will be effective with "Lub Luang Lorn", a drama co-produced by BEC-TERO Entertainment and Chan 25-TV production house, which is owned by Surang "Daeng" Prempree, a former managing director of BBTV.
