Subsidy plan for TV broadcasters

The proposal, that will be put before the NBTC board, will be between Bt600 million and Bt800 million per year for three years, said a broadcasting industry source. 
The source said the committee yesterday approved the subsidy scheme, aiming to ease the financial burden of digital-TV broadcasters. The money will come from the NBTC budget.
If approved by the NBTC board, the subsidies are expected to begin next year.
Besides broadcasting programmes via the terrestrial system, the digital-TV broadcasters are required to send their programmes to the cable and satellite platforms as well, under the NBTC’s “must carry” rule to enable all platforms to access free TV channels on and equal basis. The digital-TV operators have been responsible for the cost.
NBTC deputy secretary-general Pakdee Manaves said yesterday that the broadcasting committee approved providing financial support to the broadcasters but did provide further details on the plan.
According to a source in the satellite industry, the expenditure of all 26 digital-TV channels for sending their standard-definition (SD) programmes via Ku- and C-band satellite systems to other TV platforms is estimated at about Bt400 million a year. If the transmission of high-definition (HD) shows is included, the total cost is around Bt600 million to Bt800 million per year. 
Ten of the country’s digital-TV channels are categorised as HD. They transmit their HD signals to terrestrial TV receivers, while SD signals are provided to satellite TV receivers to control costs.
Meanwhile, the dispute between MCOT and Springnews Television over digital-TV transmission service and fees is likely to be resolved after Springnews expressed its intention to pay up.
MCOT last week sought permission from the broadcasting committee to discontinue its transmission service for Springnews TV because it had not paid any fees. 
Before the weekly meeting of the NBTC’s broadcasting panel began yesterday, a representative from Springnews showed up to submit written confirmation that it was prepared to take responsibility for this matter this month. 
However, the amount of the payment must be agreed by both sides in accordance with the latest consultation and negotiation, according to the written notice signed by Kosol Songneam, director of Springnews Television. 
The company also revealed that on October 5, MCOT and Springnews TV had reached an agreement on remedial measures after the delay of the second-phase roll-out plan for MCOT’s transmission network. 
Under the measures offered by MCOT as the authorised provider of digital TV transmission service, Springnews TV will receive a 25-per-cent discount on the leasing fees incurred between November 2014 and May 2015. But for the first phase of their contract, Springnews still disagreed with some details. 
According to a source at MCOT, the operator of Springnews TV signed a contract to lease the digital TV transmission service in July 2014 for a monthly charge of Bt4.72 million. As of last month, Springnews owed about Bt106.54 million to MCOT. 
After this new development, the NBTC’s broadcasting panel decided to postpone making a decision on this issue.