New MCOT president vows to improve Channel 9 finances

New MCOT president vows to improve Channel 9 finances

The new president of MCOT Plc, the state-owned broadcaster of Channel 9, has vowed to bring growth in both revenue and profit to the station next year, with the priority being to encourage staff to produce more of their own content.

"The 45-year-old broadcaster needs an urgent shake-up to revive its financial status," said Siwaporn Chomsuwan.

One of his first tasks will be to raise awareness among the 1,500 staff of the need to overcome intense competition in the industry and improve their work efficiency.

MCOT must change and every worker must change their mindset because the staff are precious assets to help the company maximise all resources with a new competitive attitude, he said.

Mr Siwaporn will maximise all opportunities to generate revenue based on every asset including radio stations, content, events, websites and broadcasting engineering.

MCOT aims to increase its own TV programmes from 65% to 70% of total content next year to prevent risks from outside content providers.

It currently produces mostly news and talk shows, which can charge advertising rates of 100,000 baht a minute.

However, it will face higher operating costs by producing more of its own content, so it will synergise with radio programme producers to reproduce some programmes for the TV format, particularly folk songs and sport content.

MCOT has five radio stations that generate more than 500 million baht a year. It remains a leader in the radio business even though the industry is in decline.

"The new MCOT content will be more creative next year," Mr Siwaporn said.

The company aims to put more focus on events and showbusiness. It will create an integrated communications platform among its on-air, online and on-ground strategies. 

"We require three to six months to solve our internal obstacles, particularly those about people. This must have a condition that there is no political intervention," Mr Siwaporn said.

MCOT's performance this year has fallen to the lowest point in the past 10 years for both revenue and profit.

Channel 9's viewership is also down from 7.1% early this year to 5.6%. Channel 9 has done a simulcast broadcast to bring its analogue content to air on MCOT HD. It also has a children's channel, MCOT Kids & Family. 

It has costs of 267 million baht a month for two digital licence fees, while network investment is 118 million baht a month.

MCOT is also a digital TV network provider. Its clients are Thairath TV, Voice TV and Spring News.

Kanokkarn Prajongsangsri, managing director of investment and knowledge at IPG Mediabrands, said Channel 9 must clearly identify its target viewers in order to design content. It should also should reduce advertising rates.

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