Workpoint plans to invest B200m in satellite content

Workpoint plans to invest B200m in satellite content

Workpoint Entertainment Plc, a SET-listed TV production house, will spend 200 million baht this year to develop more content for its satellite unit.

Panya: ‘We need to be first on digital’

Workpoint TV is acquiring 30 new shows, both imported and supplied by local content providers.

The publisher Matichon has diversified from print media into television and will produce some shows for Workpoint TV. Matichon TV has already secured airtime in the morning slot.

Moreover, the independent content producer Chai Dee TV, popular online, will begin making shows for Workpoint TV soon.

Workpoint CEO Panya Nirundkul said the company designed its programming in the vein of free TV channels. The morning line-up features news, cartoons and women's interest, while old game shows like Ching Roi Ching Larn will be rerun in late afternoon.

From 9am to noon every day, the channel will have game shows, talk shows (Tukky Show and Armar Cafe{aac}), Korean series and some revised popular shows like Game Gae Jon AEC and Petchakard Kwam Kread.

The operation of Workpoint TV was successful last year, with a 30-million-baht profit on expenses of 100 million.

"This year, we're extremely confident in developing our satellite channel to the same standard as free TV and we're aiming for a profit of 40 million baht," said Mr Panya.

Workpoint TV will soon hike advertising rates from 6,000 baht a minute to 10,000-15,000 baht.

Apart from its own satellite channel, Workpoint has entered a joint venture with PSI Holding called Free Size Broadcasting Ltd, which will begin running a new channel next month.

Mr Panya said he could not disclose the concept of the new channel or the target audience.

Workpoint also has received additional airtime (220 minutes a week) to provide three new programmes for Channel 5 and MCOT's Channel 9.

Currently, the company has total airtime of 1,455 minutes a week, excluding holiday programmes. Its ad rates for six existing TV shows will rise by 10%.

Workpoint is considering a bid for a digital TV channel this year, but the details are unclear at this point.

"We need not be the first to run a channel on the digital platform. We need the right time," said Mr Panya.

For the marketing event business, he expects revenue to rise by at least 15% on more government projects. At the same time, the company plans to launch four movies this year.

Workpoint aims to increase total revenue by 30% to 2.6 billion baht this year.

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