NBTC’s consumer rights chief keeps heat on True Visions
ABOUT 300,000 True Visions subscribers are expected to lose six movie channels from HBO Asia, an American premium television network, after the country’s largest pay-TV operator failed to renew the contract.
Supinya Klangnarong, a member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), said yesterday that subscribers to True Visions’ Bt2,155.15-a-month Platinum package appeared to be the hardest hit, followed by subscribers to the Bt1,568.15 Gold package.
Of 3.8 million subscribers, 100,000 are on the Platinum package and 200,000 on Gold. The rest are in the mid- to low-tier segments.
Supinya said that at her meeting with representatives from True Visions yesterday, the pay-TV giant came without remedial measures.
She said her meeting with representatives from True Visions yesterday was inclusive as the representatives from the pay-TV giant had no authority and came without actual remedial measures.She ordered True Visions to propose a new plan early next year for consideration.
Supinya, who is also chairwoman of the regulator’s consumer rights committee, said her team wants the NBTC’s Broadcasting Committee to review its decision to revoke the six licences to broadcast HBO, Cinemax, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Red by HBO, following the request from True Visions.
To protect consumer rights, broadcasting law requires a pay-TV operator to inform its subscribers at least 30 days in advance of cancellation of any service. However, True Visions had only last week submitted the proposal to cancel the HBO services on January 1.
“As the broadcasting regulator, we need to see True Visions take responsibility for this issue legally,” Supinya said.
“So the NBTC’s broadcasting panel should issue an administrative order such as a fine against True Visions to protect its consumers’ benefits.”
True Visions has offered to air at least six new channels – Food Network, Paramount, Warner TV, Celestial Classic Chinese Movies, Sony Channel and Fox Action Movies – to replace HBO’s channels.
However, Supinya, who voted against the Broadcasting Committee’s resolution on this matter, said this was not sufficient for customer compensation at this stage.
