According to the Bangkok Post, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) plans to regulate TV rating companies to promote competition in the industry. Col Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the NBTC’s broadcasting committee, said many broadcasting operators and advertising agencies require accurate ratings. NBTC aims to regulate ratings companies after commercial digital TV channels are auctioned. 

The report adds that the first method of regulating ratings companies is a paired comparison, while the second is to issue licences – a method likely to be used in Thailand. NBTC plans to invite global TV rating companies to help promote competition and the accuracy of ratings and measurement. Advertising is an important mechanism for channel operators as it is a major revenue driver for broadcasting, Col Natee said. 

Only one global company, AC Nielsen Thailand, is currently rating TV programmes in Thailand, and advertisers, who are largely multinational companies, accept its results. Nielsen will import new equipment and software to work with the DVB-T2 digital TV system and aims to increase the sample size from 1,550 to 1,800 households. This is set to begin next January with results issued two weeks later.