Final UEFA appeal launched

The dispute involving TrueVisions and GMM Grammy over the rights to broadcast live Euro 2012 matches took another twist yesterday, with the chiefs of both conglomerates chatting together under the mediation of a Cabinet member with oversight of consumerprotection issues.
Paiboon Damrongchaitham, chairman of GMM Grammy, which purchased the television rights from Uefa, and Supachai Chearavanont, CEO of True Corporation, which has been under fire for failing to deliver a live feed of the matches to TrueVisions subscribers, yesterday talked for an hour in the presence of PM’s Office Minister Woravat Auapinyakul. Woravat said the authorities were monitoring GMM’s efforts in the case.
Speaking with the press after onehour talks behind closed doors, Paiboon delivered some ambiguous remarks about “GMM Grammy possibly violating Uefa’s refusal to allow TrueVisions to rebroadcast the football games.”
“I will probably show the live matches [on both free TV channels and True Channels], breaking the [Uefa] rule, but there must be somebody ordering me to do so. I will not be the only one held responsible, because if the rule is broken and they pull the plug, then all screens [on both freeTV channels and GMM Z settop boxes] will go dark. How are we all going to solve the problem then? How are we going to fight the lawsuits to be lodged [by Uefa] against us?” he said.
Paiboon said that yesterday he dispatched a team of GMM Grammy senior executives to Europe to hold talks with Uefa over the issue. They would submit the names of broadcasters in Thailand wanting to air the remaining live football matches.
“If Uefa doesn’t accept new terms in this meeting, it will likely turn us all down, but this time we will talk with Uefa in person with all necessary documents available. And the way Uefa has been responding to us so far, they’ve shown signs of sympathy for us, but we have to be prepared if Uefa turns down all new terms,” he added.
Asked to clarify his “violating Uefa’s rule” comment, and whether GMM Grammy would be making this decision alone, Paiboon said: “This condition is essential, and [members of the media] please be very careful about this point. The issue [the broadcasting dispute in Thailand] has been closely monitored by Uefa representatives in Thailand to protect its rights. Everyone is very concerned about this and will not let me die alone,” he said, without elaborating.
Asked whether, in the event that Uefa permitted GMM Grammy to allow TrueVisions to relay live feeds to TrueVisions subscribers free of charge, buyers who purchased GMM Z settop boxes would seek damages from GMM Grammy, Paiboon said he and Supachai would join hands in dealing with this particular matter. “But buyers will be fully compensated, and Khun Supachai is a gentleman who will share responsibilities on this,” he said.
Supachai, asked whether True subscribers would watch the remaining live matches for free if Uefa permitted rebroadcasting on True channels, said it would depend on the conditions of Uefa’s approval. “For example, if permission is not given by Uefa to broadcast through the free channels [3, 5 and 9], the matches will be aired in a special package and that would require fees from subscribers.”
Woravat said a decision from Uefa should be known by next week after its officials met with the GMM Grammy senior executives, who were expected to leave Thailand either yesterday evening or this morning.
Somporn Theerarojpong, chief executive officer of PSI Holding, a major satellite TV set trader and distributor, said the company had submitted requests to rebroadcast live Euro 2012 matches to GMM Grammy yesterday.
 “What we are waiting for is Uefa’s answer,” Somporn said.