Broadcasting regulators have finally dangled the carrot, in an effort to break the impasse caused by Channel 3's refusal to simulcast.
The broadcasting committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Monday hinted it might help Channel 3 reduce the cost of simulcasting.
Channel 3's building lights burn 24/7, but the NBTC has threatened to order the channel off the air next week unless the two sides can settle the dispute.
Chanel 3's bone of contention to date is that it is already paying a hefty concession fee to Mcot Plc so it is not fair to expect it to pay another fee to the NBTC for simulcasting on one of its digital channels.
Col Natee Sakonrat, chairman of the committee, said if the channel agreed to simulcast, the NBTC might waive the fee.
But if Channel 3 wants to have two channels with separate content and slots, it has to pay both the concession fee to the MCOT and a broadcasting licence fee to the NBTC, he said.
The committee will meet with executives of Bangkok Entertainment, the operator of TV Channel 3, on Tuesday to discuss how the channel would move to the digital platform, said Col Natee.
The meeting will focus on how to avoid affecting viewers. An agreement should be reached before the deadline for pay-TV operators to stop carrying the channel.
The committee hopes it can solve the problem without having to amend the concession the channel has with Mcot Plc.
The NBTC also said on Monday it would start sending out the 690-baht discount coupon for digital-TV equipment on Oct 10.
Sixteen companies have been qualified to accept the coupon from buyers.
Thirty-five companies have applied to join the programme and more names will be announced once they are qualified, said NBTC secretary general Thakoon Tanthasith.
The first lot of the coupon will be ready on Oct 6 and sent by mail on Oct 10.
The first 21 provinces to receive the coupon are those with 80% or more digital-TV signal coverage. They are Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Ayutthaya, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Rayong, Suphan Buri, Nong Khai, Sukhothai, Udon Thani, Chachoengsao, Samut Songkhram, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Nakhon Nayok, Ratchaburi and Chai Nat.
The NBTC's broadcasting committee also on Monday allowed Channel 3 to air the 17th Asian Games in South Korea through the Television Pool of Thailand (TV Pool).
Channel 3 lost its status as free TV on Sept 1 so TV Pool sent a letter asking the NBTC to allow the channel to also broadcast the games.
Also on Monday, the committee discussed blackouts on Mcot's digital TV network (multiplexer).
It assigned a team to look into the causes to be reported to it on Sept 22.