CTH to strengthen local programming with more channels
Cable Thai Holdings (CTH) has set its sights on strengthening its menu of local television programmes by offering new cable channels for local content producers.
“As we plan to rebrand CTH with a total of 120 exclusive channels, the company needs more content to fill our media platform,” chief executive officer Kittsanan Ngampatipong said yesterday. “A key strategy is to form partnerships with leading local TV production houses to create their own programmes to air on CTH’s network.”
Currently CTH offers 16 channels to its 300 cable-TV providers across the country. These are AFC (Asian Food Channel), ITV Granada, JimJam, C-Series, C-Sport, EDGE Sport, Movie Hits, Nat Geo Wild, Outdoor Channel, D-Asian, D-Movie, Fox Crime, Crime and Investigation Network, KidsCo, bio: The Biography Channel and Travel Channel. Most of the programmes on these channels are imported.
Kittsanan said CTH had secured a contract to produce programmes jointly with TV Burabha, D.doc, Siam House Production and Panorama Worldwide to offer five more cable TV channels, and production company Sincharoen Rub Khaek will provide the special programme “Duck Lives by Sincharoen Brothers” on one of CTH’s own channels.
The new channels are TV Burabha and Achieve by TV Burabha; 9 Yod channel by Siam House Production; Bang-Or channel by D.dog; and Panorama channel. They will be officially launched in February.
Kittsanan added that on the 120 channels, including CTH’s own 21 channels, local productions would comprise about 60-70 per cent of the programming, while the remainder would be imported once the company’s rebranding was up and ready.
CTH expects to offer 100 standard-definition channels and 20 high-definition. To help its subscribers get access to better-quality content and transmission technology, it will replace 3 million old analog set-top boxes with new digital ones next year.
This is part of the company’s ambition to enter the new arena of triple play – cable TV broadcasting, broadband Internet and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) – next year. The company also aims to have 7 million subscribers within three years.
Apart from such efforts, CTH must persuade local cable-TV operators to be CTH dealers to cover the rest of the Kingdom.
