NBTC planning to grant TV licence to Parliament
The broadcasting regulator plans to grant Parliament a digital terrestrial TV licence by the end of the year under the category of government relations and promotion of democracy, after the process was delayed due to political turmoil in the first half.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Communications (NBTC) was initially set to issue this licence earlier this year, but the process had to be stopped due to the political crisis and change of government.
“We are in the final process and are looking into some details to work out who should be eligible – the House of Representatives or the Senate,” Sombat Leetapata, the NBTC’s acting deputy secretary-general, said yesterday.
“The NBTC’s administrative officers will talk to both parties this week before submitting the results for the NBTC Broadcasting Committee’s consideration next week.
Sombat explained that Parliament, by definition, consisted of many parties, and the two main parties have been running the Thai Parliament Television (TPTV) since its preparation phase.
TPTV is now broadcast via several platforms, including satellite TV, mobile networks and its website, to televise key sessions of the National Legislative Council or the National Assembly.
If the broadcasting committee is fine with this process, then an information memorandum will be announced inviting TPTV to participate in the bidding process before the end of this year.
In an earlier interview, a top TPTV executive revealed that the station had earmarked Bt1 billion for a four-year investment in a new public digital TV channel. The investment will be used for content development and high-definition technology, both at the station’s facility at the current Parliament, as well as in the new Parliament building.
Other than televising the National Assembly’s key meetings, with a combined 1,000 hours of coverage per year, the TV station will also produce its own programmes.
Sombat said the NBTC expected to approve a Bt63.5 million budget next week for a series of PR activities raising public awareness about digital terrestrial TV services nationwide. By end of this year, the NBTC expects to announce the terms of reference for inviting local PR firms to bid for this year-long project.
