Briefs

Nation Multimedia Group (NMG) reported revenue of Bt1.54 billion in the first six months of this year, up 18 per cent or Bt235.1 million over the same period last year.
Chief executive officer Duangkamol Chotana said the growth had been driven by the group’s expansion into digital television with two major channels – the Nation TV news station on Channel 22 and the NOW variety station on Channel 26. They contributed significant growth in advertising revenue, which represented more than 80 per cent of total revenue in the first half.
The group achieved Bt1.04 billion in total advertising revenue in the first half, up 22 per cent or Bt185.9 million year on year, when it posted Bt863.6 million in total advertising revenue.
The two digital TV channels brought in Bt501.9 million in advertising revenue in the period, up 48 per cent or Bt161.7 million from Bt340.2 million posted in the first six months of last year.
NMG also announced that it earned Bt50.1 million in net profit in the first half, up 198 per cent or Bt33.3 million from a year earlier, when the group reported Bt16.8 million in net profit.
In the second quarter of this year alone, NMG earned revenue of Bt768.8 million, up 9 per cent over the Bt708.3 million posted in the same quarter of 2014. Net profit in the second quarter was Bt37.1 million, up 587 per cent or Bt5.4 million from Bt31.7 million in the second quarter of last year.
Digital TV contributed Bt257.1 million of second-quarter advertising revenue, up 15 per cent or Bt33 million compared with Bt224.1 million in advertising revenue raised from digital TV in the same quarter last year.
The group also earned Bt58 million in advertising revenue from other new media, including its website, in the second quarter, up 9 per cent or Bt4.9 million from Bt53.1 million in the same quarter of last year.
“The government has been launching economic stimulus measures as well as investing in many infrastructure projects. This will increase the money injected into the country’s economic system. We expect both digital TV channels to benefit from such stimulus measures,” Duangkamol said.

BITEC PHASE 2 EXPANSION 51 PER CENT COMPLETE
The construction of Phase 2 of the expansion of the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Bitec) is in progress, with the new facilities set to open next year as scheduled.
Panittha Buri, managing director of Bitec, said the Bhiraj Buri Group recently announced that construction of Phase 2, the major expansion proj?ect for the exhibition centre, was con?tinuing according to plan, with work about 51 per cent complete and on track to open in the fourth quarter of 2016.
The expansion project will cost a total of Bt6 billion and will provide about 32,000 square metres of addi?tional event space. The project will deliver three new exhibition halls, including one with a 25-metre-high ceiling suitable for world-tour con?certs. There will also be three new convention halls, 12 new meeting rooms and additional dining and retail facilities. Bitec is a member of the Bhiraj Buri Group, a land and property development company.
The Bitec expansion is expected to provide a comprehensive solution for both event organisers and visitors, and the new facilities have already been reserved for future events.