Bangkok Media and Broadcasting Co, the operator of PPTV channel, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Korea Radio Promotion Association (Rapa) to exchange broadcasting know-how and enhance content.
Kematat Paladesh (right), president of Bangkok Media and Broadcasting Co, and Kang Chul Hee, Rapa vice-president, shake hands.
Rapa, an organisation under the Korea Communications Committee (KCC), is responsible for educating and training personnel to work in the broadcasting and telecommunications industry.
The two-year MoU will jointly cultivate global content creators to foster the K-pop wave.
Rapa will provide support on content production for creators who have been selected through the competition on the Creative Channel. PPTV will be responsible for equipment and other infrastructure.
The partnership will focus on producing multicultural content and gear itself towards globalising Korean content.
Kematat Paladesh, president of Bangkok Media and Broadcasting Co, said its Korean partner's strength was in producing creative content that could promote the Korean wave globally.
PPTV will utilise Rapa's business model. Korean content is among the key strengths of the channel and some new imported Korean series will draw targeted viewers, particularly the younger generation and housewives who are crazy about Korean stars.
PPTV will further collaborate with Rapa to create the K-Platform in Thailand, which will create the over-the-top video business next month. The Korean wave will help differentiate the Thai channel's content and drive it to become a leading player in the high-definition broadcast segment.
Mr Kematat said six months after its launch, digital TV had shown signs of a moderate increase in viewers, but figures are still lower than expected.
The main problem of newly established TV stations like PPTV is "people" who lack creativity and do not have consumer insight. Therefore, PPTV hopes its cooperation with Rapa will help its staff to gain more knowledge and creativity.
"2014 is our trial-and-error year. However, we must speed up by taking the elevator, not the escalator, in the coming year as suggested by the channel's owner, Prasert Prasarttong-osoth," said Mr Kematat.
PPTV now has a 3% share of viewership and most of them are urban residents due to the revision of TV programming fuelled by sports programmes such as live broadcasts of Thai boxing and Germany's Bundesliga.
Early next year, PPTV will revise its programming again by adding seasonal programmes created by its own staff, 12 drama series and a two-hour news show to draw more viewers in rural areas.
Mr Kematat said its TV station generated some profit in October after the reprogramming and next year's mission is to reduce losses, create a new form of creative marketing and gain a 5-10% share of viewership.
PPTV still maintains its position as a premium mass TV channel with higher quality content.