MEDIA / STATE-RUN TELEVISION

MCOT launches two new channels

POST REPORTERS

MCOT Plc, the operator of Channel 9, officially launched another two channels on TrueVisions pay TV yesterday as part of its effort to become a role model for the media in Thailand, said acting president Pongsak Phayakvichien.

The additional two channels _ MCOT1 and MCOT2 _ will be broadcast on channels 26 and 27, respectively. MCOT1 focuses on education, news, documentaries and live broadcasts of seminars by state agencies. MCOT2, by contrast, is an entertainment channel featuring dramas for youth, music and sports.

According to Mr Pongsak, Channel 9 would supply the content for both channels in the beginning, including news breaks every hour. Some programmes would be re-run. The organisation plans to ask state agencies to create programmes that are useful to the public and to broadcast them through the new pay-television outlets.

MCOT plans to open the door for small programme producers to supply content for new channels, said Kematat Paladesh, MCOT's marketing vice-president. Once they can produce programmes that meet the standards of pay TV, they would be able to jump to the free Channel 9, said Mr Kematat.

Airtime fees are as cheap as 10,000 baht per hour, much lower than the 300,000 baht fetched for a non-prime time slot on Channel 9, said Mr Pongsak. The organisation expects to earn at least 15 million baht a month from launching the two new channels, he added.

He admitted the programme schedule for the channels has not been completed, and expects to finalise it in the next two months.

"We want Thai people to be able to access more information, as much as possible. Only 24 hours of airtime on Channel 9 is insufficient. With an additional 48 hours of airtime, not only Thai people, but also state agencies and small producers will benefit from that," said Mr Pongsak, referring to the main purpose of the additional channels. MCOT is also conducting test-runs of a TV programme with Yawi subtitles that would be shown in the violence-plagued southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.

MCOT shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 24.10 baht, unchanged, in trade worth 4.1 million baht.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Tuesday April 10, 2007