Digital-TV cheers for producers

Digital-TV cheers for producers

New channels tap small content firms

Small and medium-sized content producers are increasing their capability to supply the 24 new digital-TV channels.

The emergence of digital TV has created strong demand for content to broadcast on the two dozen new channels. Some channels began trial broadcasts early this month. 

"Digital TV opens a huge opportunity and reduces barriers for us to expand," said Ketsepsawat Palakawong Na Ayudhaya, managing director of Nake and the City Co, a small content producer.

Moreover, the cost of production has been slashed thanks to the proliferation of digital technology.

The well-known TV host said he has prepared to supply content for digital TV more than a year by forming his own company. The company supplies five TV programmes to channels owned by pay-TV service operators including GMM Z and CTH.

But the pay-TV platform is just a small area for the company. It is preparing to jump into the bigger area of digital TV.

It will supply eight programmes to digital-TV channels, including Thairath TV, MCOT’s Channel 9 and Bangkok Media and Broadcasting’s PPTV. The company plans to produce another 10 programmes by the middle of this year. It expects 150 million baht in revenue, making around 45 million baht in profit.

"We will bring our long-time experience to produce our signature TV shows and viewers will like it," he said.

Nake and the City Co will soon increase its registered capital to 20 million baht from the current 5 million baht to accommodate more work. It also plans to invest 50 million baht on a 5-rai studio in Bang Na to support its business expansion.

Varavuth Jenthanakul, chief executive of Zense Entertainment, a medium-sized content provider, said its company vision is to become a leading content provider within three years.

Zense is investing 200 million baht to construct a studio in Ramintra and some 30-50 million baht per year will be spent to produce content in the next three years. It now supplies five programmes to existing free TV channels (analogue system) and will supply new ones to Thai Rath TV. Apart from game shows, it is keen on producing series and reality shows.

Zense will not only produce programmes for domestic TV channels but also hopes to sell its content to international broadcasters.

Pirath Yensudjai, managing director of Creatist Media Co, a subsidiary of TV Thunder, said it is set to build three more studios at a cost of 100 million baht to increase its production capacity. It will boost staff by more than 30%.

The Commerce Ministry reported more than 1,000 broadcasting-related companies were registered last year, the highest in the five decades.

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