NBTC may finance rating infrastructure

Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), said yesterday that he received the written request from the Media Agency Association of Thailand (MAAT) and the digital terrestrial television business. 

They are seeking a fund from the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund for the Public Interest (NBTC Fund) for the early-stage development of the national TV rating and multi-screen audience system. 

Takorn had a discussion with the representatives of media agencies and the broadcasting industry yesterday.

He said that he personally supported the project which is in line with the research fund’s criteria. Should all five members of the Broadcasting Committee agree in principle with this proposal, the detailed proposal would be forwarded to a committee overseeing the fund. After the committee endorses the proposal, it will be subjected to the voting by all 10 NBTC members.

He said that under this process, if approved, the fund could be extended within October. 

NBTC earlier repatriated all revenue reaped from the digital TV auction to the Finance Ministry. The research fund now has about Bt1 billion to spare for significant projects. 

MAAT chairwoman Wannee Ruttanaphon said recently that it required a total of Bt1.4 billion to start and run the rating system in six years.