Plan for channel numbering order faces opposition
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A DRAFT rule to impose the order in which the 48 terrestrial-based digital channels are arranged on cable and satellite TV platforms is still opposed by leading operators as unfair.
A clash between major cable-satellite companies and some digital TV broadcasters emerged during a public hearing on this draft regulation held yesterday by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
Under the planned rule, all cable and satellite operators must reserve channels 1 through 36 for terrestrial-based digital stations. Channels 1 to 12 will be for public TV services. Channels 13 to 36 will be for the 24 commercial stations, and the rest (up to Channel 48) for community-based services.
The idea is to make it easier for consumers to remember the channels and to set a single standard for the whole TV broadcasting industry.
Suphasorn Honchaiya, legal manager at TrueVisions Group, said that if implemented, this rule would be unfair to companies that run pay-TV services. The company has already had to spend a lot of money on its broadcasting system and software to carry the digital channels on its platforms.
She said TrueVisions had estimated that primary costs that might be incurred while carrying these channels would be more than Bt1 billion a year.
TrueVisions Group, the country’s largest subscription-based TV broadcaster, says this rule appears to be based on a double standard that mainly supports free-TV operators, rather than pay-TV players.
Suphasorn noted that the broadcast regulator was supposed to promote and support a free market without any interference or taking sides.
Apart from TrueVisions, a number of other cable and satellite TV operators including PSI Holdings, CTH, GMM Broadcasting, IPM TV, TV Direct expressed opposition to the rule, as did their representative associations.
Saree Wongmontra, an outspoken TV host and academic, also said the NBTC should allow cable and satellite TV operators the right to select and arrange the channels as they saw fit.
However, some digital TV players expressed support for the rule, as they believed it would mean their channel numbers would be easily recognised by audiences and linked in people’s minds to their stations’ brands.
Chitlada Hengyotmark, senior vice president for legal and government affairs at GMM Grammy, said her company supported the idea of setting a single standard for the broadcasting industry.
“Such a regulation would support the growth of the industry, particularly the digital terrestrial TV business, in the beginning stage,” she said.
GMM Grammy runs two digital TV channels, One HD and GMM Channel.
