Licences to run four years

Licences to run four years

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) set a clear criteria for the 12 digital TV channels for public purposes, noting the licences will only last four years.

Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the NBTC's broadcasting committee, said the first three channels are for existing broadcasters comprising the Royal Thai Army's Channel 5, the Public Relations Department's Channel 11 and Thai PBS, which are now conducting digital broadcast trials.

A fourth channel is reserved for a second public channel for Thai PBS, which will be a children's channel.

Channels 5 to 7 are reserved for new operators for educational, religious, arts and culture, science, technology, health, sports and quality of life content.

Two more channels are to deal with national security and disaster warning and prevention.

The 10th channel is reserved for content about government and parliament. Content about democracy is reserved for the 11th channel, while the final channel is for disabled and non-governmental organisation (NGOs).

Operators for channels 5 to 7 and 10 to 12 are not allowed to earn revenue from commercial advertising, but they can have ads if they are related to corporate social responsibility or organisational image.

Broadcasters for channels 8 and 9 can take in money from ads but cannot make a profit.

"After four years, the NBTC may renew the licences," said Col Natee.

However, licences for channel 5 and channel 11 will have a different timeframe, given the end of analogue broadcasts and NBTC's consideration of their spectrum needs.

The NBTC expects to accept public TV applications from April to May, with licences issued in June.

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