Politics and football kept Thai viewers glued to TV screens as the battles on the streets in early 2010 made way for the FIFA World Cup. Thailand’s media industry rode the political hiatus as images of protestors, barbed wire and the armed forces were in stark contrast to be eventually replaced by scenes of local crowds at beer halls and venues watching soccer on large screens. TV and TV news became the medium keeping people in touch with events through March to May. During that time the protests turned increasingly violent and tense. As they did viewers came to rely on TV coverage. News TV broadcaster, Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TBS) reported gains in viewer share along with national broadcasters, Modernine (Channel 9) and NBT Channel 11. The state controlled media was the platform for official broadcasts by an often besieged Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, seeking to reassure an uncertain nation. On TV, Abhisit was regularly joined by military and government spokesmen. On the other side, satellite TV enabled the anti-government ‘red shirt’ protests being broadcast over Thailand until the government stepped in and halted the satellite link from the Thaicom earth station in Pathum Thani. Until then viewers were updated of the protests and speeches at the Rajaprasong site – a prime commercial and tourist venue in central Bangkok. The rallies, supporting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, eventually left 90 people dead and almost 1,900 injured. TV, both satellite and free to air TV, as well as mobile and other media constantly updated events. Street battles over the final days were broadcast – even as community tensions continued to rise. The Satellite Television Association of Thailand said the political rallies triggered a “massive surge” in demand for satellite dishes. The Association said people wanted to monitor the politics, including government and opposition negotiations many had hoped would result in the protests ending peacefully. TPBS saw its ratings jump from a low of 4.3 percent in July 2009 to top 8.1 percent in May 2010 after a 6.5 percent in April, based on AGB Nielsen Surveys. State broadcaster, NBT (Channel 11) reported increased viewers from lows of just 2.8 percent in February to reach 4.9 percent in April and then to 5.6 percent in June. A further test in NBT’s ability to be a platform came in August with the launch of new political discussion programme aimed at opening debate. Although to be shown at 11 pm, the time is outside the competitive prime time broadcast hours starting 8pm dominated by Bangkok Broadcast and Entertainment Channel 7 and BEC World Channel 3. All groups can participate in the people’s forum, an NBT official said. “This is a trial project until September. We hope we will continue, not long term kind of programming,” she said. The official within the programming division, said negotiations to ensure the adjudicator was viewed by both as neutral. BEC World itself became a target of a red shirt arson attack that kept the broadcaster off the air for 48 hours and damages of US$4 million. The scenes on global TV networks of Bangkok’s political strife unnerved filmmakers and companies seeking to undertake post-productionwork in Thailand, said Oriental Post, director of post production, John Galvin. Galvin added while filmmakers from the U.S. and Europe looked elsewhere, “Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia – they are still coming.” The China market has also opened to Oriental Post. “Mostly its movies – feature films finished here (in post production) for the China market,” he said noting the major Chinese film houses were in Shanghai. “It’s been a nice stream of post production business,” he said. Overseas filmmakers are carefully watching Thailand’s unsettled political landscape. Fears of further disruption to production led companies to seek other venues. But Galvin remains positive. “Each day it’s getting better,” he says. “There are signs it is picking up. But then the wet season began, but it has been steady.” The changing nature of the industry is reflected in the post production work ranging from internet to cinema advertising along with TV. Other media commentaries pointed to the rising competition from digital media making inroads to draw ad spend away from radio, while social networking websites were “fast emerging” in the budgets for advertisers. Malinee Tosakul, managing director of Big Blue Production house, says the company relied on regional support production during the politically troubled times. “I had to turn to my overseas support production to get the job out. Shoot in Kuala Lumpur and still produce it,” Malinee told TVAplus. Big Blue Production’s main focus is regional cosmetics from the major producers such as Unilever. “Big production and big production,” she said. She said diversity had been the key to the firm’s standing. “If only local production or support production” the outlook would be have less favourable. “But it is getting better,” she said. Malinee acknowledged with the current climate there was less overseas post production business. “It is not as many as it used to be,” she said. But she remains confident if the political climate remains stable business will recover. “A little bit more and more,” she said. Malinee says Thailand still has a cost advantage over other cities, such as Kuala Lumpur. “It is 30 percent more expensive in Kuala Lumpur than in Thailand. This means Thailand is a good place to shoot,” she said. The political uncertainties, however, had no bearing on the strangle-hold on view share by BBTV’s Channel 7 and BEC World’s Channel 3. BBTV’s grasp slipped marginally in June 2010 to 37.8 percent from 40.2 percent in May, according to AGB Nielsen Surveys. BEC World’s Channel 3 gained over recent months accounting for 32.5 percent of audience share in June from 29 percent in May. Both stations’ dominance relies on the highly popular nightly dramas and soap operas, but who also road the success of the popularity of the World Cup of football in South Africa. In June Channel 7 reported the top programme was the drama, Sentarng Bantoeng, followed by FIFA World Cup broadcast of the Germany England game of June 27. But in the list of top ten programmes through the month the main news programme were featured in four categories. A clear winner in Thailand in the football world cup RS Productions which had the sole broadcasting rights in Thailand for all matches, with earnings fees rising to US$21.88 million from earlier projections of US$15.63 million based on receipts from 30,000 entrepreneurs, including hotels, restaurants, pubs and other places of entertainment. BEC vice president for finance, Chatchai Thiamthong, told TV Asia programming changes in the early prime-time of 6 to 8 pm with drama story lines geared to rural communities had attracted audiences. “We’re willing to fight head on with (market leader) Channel 7,” Chatchai said. But the super prime time programming from 8.30 to 10.30 pm continued to lean to urban viewers. But he admitted story lines geared to urban audiences drew rural viewers away to the competition. Despite the political uncertainties, advertising spending remained strong across the channels. MCOT – the Mass Communications Authority of Thailand – reported significant growth of 20 percent in advertising revenues in the first half of 2010, along with a 30 percent increase in net profit. MCOT then announced a boost of US$15.6 million in investment to expand its satellite network as well as new media initiatives including TV on mobile, TV on web and interactive TV. Tanawat Wansom, MCOT President, said the projects had a time frame within 2010. Tanawat told local media the aim was to increase the financial contribution of new businesses to as much as 40 percent of all business within the next half decade. Under the plans, 15 percent of total ad expenditures would be shared by new media initiatives including website, cable and satellite TV. This, he said, would allow MCOT to increase the number of satellite TV channels from four to 14 in the first phase. But despite the dominance of the free to air stations, reviews on the outlook for Thai TV expect major challenges as digital broadcasting has its impact. Analysis expects the rapid expansion of satellite and cable TV in Thailand will result in creation of a “red ocean” in the industry. That is defined as a saturated commercial market with cut throat competition. Only channels with high quality programming would hold their ground. Thailand Cable TV Association president, Kasem Inkaew, told local media the expansion of satellite and cable TV networks would diversify content, with local viewers having wider choice of programme. “We’ve strengthened our cable TV networks with fibre-optic technology and created new platforms for good quality content. We’ve also created local channels to serve local viewers in different locations and promises,” Kasem told ‘The Nation’. The increasing number of channels is set to impact all free-to-air channels are set to be heavily affected by the channels. He said the satellite and cable-TV networks will need to be filled with professional and skilled content providers and competition will depend on providing quality programme to win a greater share of viewers. Satellite and cable TV networks now reach more than six million households – around 30 percent cent of all Thai households. JSL Global Media executive chairman Jamnan Siritan did not foresee the free-to-air channels to be overwhelmed in the coming years by the changes. But other industry executives did expect new media technology would change the lifestyle of local viewers to be more interactive, less passive as participants. But more work on in-depth research and insights would be needed to monitor consumer demand. But analysts did expect greater program fragmentation to occur. Digital media is set to have a greater influence over shaping the local broadcasting technology, analysts said. One view is producers will no longer need to own a station or a broadcasting network. TV content is also seen as becoming fully customised that would enable individuals to watch any programme at any time. AGB Nielsen Media Research says there are over 6.3 million satellite-TV viewers in Thailand. Of this 1.5 million are subscribers of True Visions, with another 1.9 million watch local cable TV channels. Some 2.3 million households watch C-band satellite TV with another 500,000 watching a KU-based system. Media house GMM Grammy is reported to have 12.7 million viewers on its satellite TV channels by way of cable TV networks. But the direction of Thailand’s media and broadcast industries is also relying on regulator’s impact, the National Broadcasting Council of Thailand (NBTC). The 15 member NBTC, at the time of writing was set to be passed through parliament in August. But some TV industry analysts say there may be further amendments to the legislation with calls from Senators for the inclusion of “security” officials to be appointed to some of the committees overseeing the industry. The first major task of the NBTC will be the granting of third-generation (3-G) wireless broadband licenses. The long-standing 3-G debate in Thailand is likely to result in a plan to auction the 3-G licenses in September. Analysts said the NBTC is also preparing to examine moves to digital broadcasting with the setting up of a master plan for eventual full conversion from analogue to digital. But the analysts expect it will be some years before the process if completed in Thailand although major broadcasters have invested in digital broadcast technology. Throughout the unsettled political conditions TV ad-spend remained buoyant. Year on year growth to end June was up by 16.8 percent to 29.08 billion baht – US$909 million – from 24,885 billion baht for the same month in 2009. The positive outlook led to market pricing front runner, BEC World, increasing ad rates in selective program time slots. In 2009 a poor global economy and uncertain local market had led to BEC World holding rates steady.