NBTC lashes out at lawsuit
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THE BROADCASTING regulator went on the offensive yesterday after it was sued by five television stations for alleged negligence in ushering the country into the digital TV era, claiming its transition to digital terrestrial TV is on track and creating a l
For example, all manufacturers and distributors of digital TV receivers had to be pre-authorised by the NBTC. That requirement ensured customers that they could purchase quality devices.
The watchdog also supported consumer access to this new broadcasting service through the giveaway of 13.57 million discount vouchers to households to use in purchasing digital TV receivers.
Of those Bt690 vouchers, 7.8 million have already been redeemed.
The NBTC said development of the digital terrestrial TV network was on schedule. Three network providers – the Army, Thai Public Broadcasting Service and MCOT – are now transmitting their digital TV signals from their own 39 main towers and 31 relay sites.
All commercial digital TV operators are served by those three network operators.
On Monday, the Central Administrative Court heard the petition from the five TV stations for Bt9.55 billion in damages.
Remedies from the watchdog
Though the court has not yet ruled on the case, One, GMM 25, PPTV, Thairath TV and Bright TV still want to get some remedies from the watchdog.
At the courthouse to testify were four station executives: Kematat Paladesh, president of PPTV; Watchara Vatcharapol, chief executive officer of Thairath TV; Saithip Montrikul na Ayudhaya, CEO of GMM 25; and Somchai Rungsrithananon, CEO of Bright TV.
Also at the hearing were Thares Punsri, chairman of the NBTC; Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC; and Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the Broadcasting Committee.
The petitioners also accused the NBTC of still not delivering on an array of promises, such as to subsidise the purchase of digital receivers by distributing coupons to all 22.8 million households.
Only 13.5 million vouchers were given to households by the commission.
The group also complained that since the new digital service started operating, public awareness about this transition remained limited, while the Bt63.5-million nationwide public relations campaign for digital TV has not been kicked off yet and is now more than a year and a half behind its original schedule.
Another issue involved TV audience ratings.
The group was also frustrated with the NBTC’s policy on channel numbering in commercial terrestrial-based digital TV service. They claimed the commission vowed to set a single standard of channel numbering across all platforms.
The highest bidders in each category of the late-2013 auction for the 24 commercial digital TV licences were supposed to be the first to choose their channel number.
Such conditions caused each bidder to race for a better chance to select its preferred channel number at a huge investment.
