NACC accepts BBTV petition to probe Ch3
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The National Anti-Corruption Commission has accepted a case lodged by Bangkok Broadcasting and Television against three commissioners of the broadcasting regulator after it allowed Channel 3 to simulcast its analog programmes via a terrestrial-based digit
BBTV, which operates Channel 7, posted on its website yesterday that the decision by Supinya Klangnarong, Thawatchai Jittrapanun and Peerapong Manakit intentionally violated the broadcasting regulations and was an abuse of function that damaged the national interest.
On September 29, the broadcasting committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) voted 3-2 to allow BEC-Multimedia, which holds the licence to operate 3HD, a digital channel, to simulcast analog programmes of Channel 3, which is operated by its affiliate Bangkok Entertainment. The two members of the panel who voted against were Natee Sukonrat and Thaweesak Ngamsanga.
Channel 7 argues that the decision may be in violation of Article 43 of the Frequency Allocation Act, which states that the holder of a spectrum licence cannot transfer its spectrum ownership to other parties. Bangkok Entertainment is separate from BEC-Multimedia.
It further claims that the decision breaches the NBTC rule obliging the TV licence holder to produce at least 60 per cent of its own programming.
Channel 7 holds a licence to run a digital TV channel while airing analog programmes under a broadcasting concession with the Army.
BEC-Multimedia holds three licences to run digital channels 13, 28 and 33, while Bangkok Entertainment runs Channel 3 analog under a broadcasting concession with MCOT.
Channel 7 claimed that the simulcast of Channel 3 on digital TV channel 33 could damage national benefits from licence fees, approximating Bt3 billion.
In response to this issue, Supinya tweeted that BEC-Multimedia had a right to simulcast Channel 3’s analog programmes on its own digital channel because it was the licence holder. On the other hand, Bangkok Entertainment is not a holder of a digital TV licence, so the broadcast committee could not allow it to use a digital TV channel, which is operated by BEC-Multimedia, for the simulcast.
She also explained that though BEC-Multimedia was a separate entity from Bangkok Entertainment, both companies were managed by the same owner, BEC World.
