Digital TV licences

Around 32 broadcasters, telecom operators, and content providers yesterday took part in the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)’s pre-mock up auction of 24 licences to commercially operate digital terrestrial TV broadcasting service.

Among them are Nation Broadcasting Corp, MCOT, InTouch, TrueVisions, Media Studio, Channel 7, GMM Grammy, Mono Production, RS, Spring News, Voice TV, Thairath TV, Post Publishing. The other is Bangkok Media Broadcasting, which is mainly owned by Prasert Prasathongosot, founder and CEO of Bangkok Airways, which is interested to bid for a HD licence.

NBTC broadcasting committee chairman Natee Sukonrat the committee would arrange the mock-up again soon. The committee is expected to open for prospect bidders to buy the bid document in August and to call the bid in September or October.

Of total 24 licences, seven are High Definition variety channel licences, seven for Standard Definition (SD) variety channel licences, seven SD news channel licences, and three SD kid channel licences.

The premock up arranged for the companies to bid for SD variety channel licences and the press for HD channels. 

Vachara Vacharapol, chief executive officer Triple V Broadcasting owned by Vacharapol, which publishes the Thai Rath newspaper, said Triple V is studying to bid for an HD variety channel, SD variety channel, and SD news channel.  It set aside initial budget of at least Bt1 billion for the bid.

Kanchit Kawachat, chief executive officer for the digital TV business at GMM Grammy, said the company prepared budget of Bt4 billion for bidding HD channel, SD variety channel, and SD kid channel.

TrueVisions’ managing director Anat Mekpaiboonvatana said that it is good that the NBTC arranged the pre mockup auction. TrueVisions eyes at three licences, HD and SD variety channels and kid channel.