RS aims to double satellite TV revenue

“Although the RS Sport La Liga channel faces a one-year delay, the company affirms that its target must be reached,” Pornpan Techarungchaikul, chief operat-|ing officer of the music and |entertainment company, said |yesterday.
The RS Sport La Liga channel was expected to be launched in line with a prepaid package to get access to 380 of Spain’s La Liga soccer matches in the 2012-13 season. But the company has to wait for pay-TV licences to be issued by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.
Pornpan said the pay-TV service would probably be kicked off around the middle of next year before the 2013-14 season starts. The charge remains unchanged at Bt100 per month. Customers must, however, pay for the whole season in one package valued at Bt1,200.
Under the RS Sport La Liga project, RS has also been selling its Sunbox satellite set-top box to get access to exclusive sports content. However, after experiencing difficulties due to price competition from other set-top box traders, RS lowered its sales target for Sunbox to 300,000 units from 500,000 this year.
RS also operates four free-to-air satellite television channels – Sabaidee TV, You Channel, Channel 8 and YAAK TV.
The first three channels have already broken even but YAAK TV’s financial performance was 10-15 per cent below the target.
After the setback at YAAK TV, RS will re-launch the channel with a Bt150-million investment for six new programmes to broaden its audience base from teenagers to adult workers.
The new TV station called Starmax will broadcast travel, talk and variety shows via cable and satellite beginning on Monday.
“We hope this new investment can break even by next year,” Pornpan said.