Thai TV partnership plan not approved
THAI TV Co's attempt to partner with MV Television, a local satellite-TV operator, was not approved by the broadcasting regulator because MV Television's background involved the violation of drug-advertising rules, according to Supinya Klangnarong, a me
Supinya, who chairs the subcommittee on consumer rights protection under the NBTC’s broadcasting committee, commented on the issue on Thursday after the Central Administrative Court urged the watchdog and Thai TV to resolve their conflict after the company had sought an injunction against an administrative order from the commission.
Supinya suggested that a merger or acquisition would be an option for Thai TV to survive in the digital terrestrial TV business if the company were to reconsider its position and continue its two digital channels – Thai TV news station and the Loca family channel.
“However, the new business partner of Thai TV should not be involved with prohibited items, particularly in broadcasting service,” she stressed.
She explained that Thai TV had previously attempted to partner with MV Television, a satellite-based TV operator, but the deal had finally fallen through after her panel declined to grant approval.
Under the failed partnership plan, MV Television wanted to co-run Loca channel and rename it MVTV channel.
She added that the name MVTV appeared to represent a music-video channel, which was not a suitable name for either a family channel or a children’s channel. In addition, during the last two years MVTV was named among 25 satellite-TV channels that had violated the Food and Drug Act and the NBTC’s broadcasting rules governing false and exaggerated advertising, she said.
The dispute between the NBTC and Thai TV Co surfaced a couple of months ago.
The company, led by Pantipa Sakulchai – well known as “Tim TV Pool” – decided to exit the digital-TV business and wanted to relinquish its licences to the NBTC.
Pantipa cited the NBTC’s failure in regard to the transition to the digital terrestrial era, including the slow roll-out plan for digital-TV network coverage, as well as costly licence fees, as being among the main reasons for its pull-out decision.
Thai TV Co took the matter to court by suing the watchdog for Bt700-million compensation last month.
