Channel 5, "security-based public television,"
and the new Broadcasting Act
By Jon Fernquest |
Army-run channel 5 is set to become a "security-based public TV station" rather than a profit maximizing entertainment channel.
In the words of Channel 5 director Lieutenant General Kittitus Bumnejpun: "Revenues are never the priority goal for Channel 5."
The channel is planning to work more closely with a smaller group of higher quality TV show producers than it has in the past.
The new Broadcasting Act that came into effect recently, does not allow TV stations to subcontract airtime to independent producers anymore.
Some TV producers may soon be out of work, but new commercial TV channels will be available soon, where renting airtime is not an issue.
War of the Stewardesses and rape in TV story lines
Last year Channel 5's hit show War of the Stewardesses [Songkhram Nang Fa] created a controversy with stewardesses protesting that the show misrepresented them. At the same time, others protested that TV shows used rape in their plots, in a way that seemed to make it natural and acceptable. (See article).
Will "higher quality" TV shows address these issues?
Today's article uses a rich vocabulary of broadcasting terminology, words that can be used to talk about television shows, their development, production, marketing, and financing.
(See photo on right from Channel 5 hit show "Songkhram Nang Fa" [War of the Stewardesses])
Here is the article in full:
Smaller role envisaged for TV producers
Channel 5 will make more content itselfWORANUJ MANEERUNGSEE
Saturday July 05, 2008
Most TV programme producers will lose business opportunities with army-run Channel 5 soon as the broadcaster is moving toward compliance with the new Broadcasting Act.
Taking effect in March, the law requires licensed broadcasters to manage their airtime and produce content themselves rather than allow outsiders to subcontract airtime for commercial purposes. Frequency is a national property, so it should be used for the public interest, according to the act approved by the Surayud Chulanont government late last year.
But TV programme producers led by Jamnan Siritan, president of the Radio and Television Broadcasting Professionals Federation, say the act is unfair and urge the current government to amend the law.
Channel 5 director Kittitus Bumnejpun said the station would announce its new programming schedule in the next couple of months, which will serve its new identity as a state security-based public TV station.
"As the army-run broadcaster, obviously, the 'state security' purpose is inevitable," said Lt-Gen Kittitus.
A National Broadcasting Commission will grant licences to broadcasters based on their purpose such as serving public, community and commercial interests.
Lt-Gen Kittitus said content with "substance", including news, would make up 70% of programmes, from the current 60%. Entertainment would make up only 30% instead of 40% now.
Asking whether the decrease in entertainment content would affect revenues, he said: "Revenues are never the priority goal for Channel 5."
As the army-run broadcaster, perceived as having less ability to produce interesting content, he said he was confident that the station's staff and modern technology would bring about better quality content.
Channel 5 will slowly stop television producers from managing commercial airtime rented from the station. Instead, they will co-produce programmes.
"Brokers undermine the quality of TV programmes. Instead of spending money on content development, programme producers are forced to pay commissions to brokers. Eventually, they cut production costs and produce poor programmes," he said.
Thawinan Kongkran, public relations manager at Channel 5, said there have been more than 100 programmes produced under rental airtime contracts. Once the new policy is implemented, around half of them would lose the opportunity to work with Channel 5.
"We are eager to work with only high-quality producers.
"There are about, say, 10 producers." Mrs Jamnan said the country has been moving toward opening up its TV industry.
Once the authority grants licences for more channels, producers prohibited from renting airtime and managing it for commercial purposes would no longer be the issue.
The more channels, the more business opportunities there would be for them. If not, the channel would stop working with some producers.
Mrs Jamnan is now a committee member working on the Frequency Allocation Bill and she said she hoped the Information and Communications Technology Ministry would amend the law to benefit all stakeholders.
(Source: Bangkok Post, general news, 05-07-08, page 2, WORANUJ MANEERUNGSEE, temp-link)
Vocabulary:
Television Broadcasting Vocabulary
TV programme producers - firms that make TV programmes (to sell to TV stations or rent airtime from TV stations to show them)
a broadcaster - a firm that makes and sends out television or radio programmes, can also mean a talks on the TV or radio
a licence - official permission (to use, do, or own something) (See glossary)
grant licences to broadcasters - give licenses to broadcasters (to those who meet the requirements and pay a fee)
licensed broadcasters -
content - the things inside, especially the information inside a newspaper, website or other form of media (See glossary)
produce content - produce a television show, or write stories, create graphics, take photos to publish in a publication
produce programmes - create TV programmes to show on TV
co-produce programmes - produce TV programmes together with another firm
content development - work on creating new and better content than before (to win new audiences)
with substance - is important and serious (not just good for a laugh)
content with "substance" - important and serious content
entertainment content - pleasure giving, fun things to do, comedy, drama, relaxing, not serious
airtime - the time that a broadcast TV show takes (for example, 30 minutes of airtime is planned for the evening news)
subcontract - hire someone else to do some of your work for you, pay another firm to do part of the work that you were hired to do
subcontract airtime - hire a firm to produce a show for some of the television broadcasting time
rental airtime contracts - agreements for other firms to produce shows for the TV channel
brokers - people who connect buyers with sellers
pay commissions to brokers - the money received for connecting buyers with sellers
security - actions taken to protect and make a place safe (See glossary)
security-based - based on security, security is the central or most important goal in its operation
security-based public TV station - a public government TV station (not private, owned by a company) with security as the most goal
Frequency - radio frequencies, used to send television broadcasts through the air to television sets in peoples' homes
Allocation - portion of the total amount given to a person or for a special purpose (See glossary)
the Frequency Allocation Bill - the law that says how the TV and radio frequencies available in Thailand are to be distributed to different firms
a story line - the plot or basic idea in a story
a hit show - a very popular TV show, that earns a lot of money
Other Vocabulary
profit maximizing - make as much profit as possible, the normal goal of most privately owned companies
came into effect - when a law begins and people have to follow the law
not an issue - not a problem, no disagreement
a role in Y - have a function or position in some project, organisation, or situation
a smaller role for Y - a less important role (than other people, than in the past)
X envisaged for Y - imagine that X (situation, event) happens to Y
a smaller role envisaged for Y - imagine that Y has a less important function or position
an opportunity - a situation when it is possible to do something that you want to do (See glossary)
a business opportunity - a situation where starting a successful business is possible
lose business opportunities - situations for starting successful businesses no longer available
compliance with Y - follow law Y, meet the requirements of law Y
the public interest - for the benefit of everyone in a society (Note: people will disagree about what the "public interest" is, this word is ambiguous) (See Wikipedia)
amend the law - change the law
an identity - who you are, the way that other people categorize you (for example, he was born in Thailand, so he must be "Thai")
a new identity - change the way people see you
inevitable - will happen for sure (probably something bad)
undermine - weaken, make less strong than before
the priority goal - the most important goal
X perceived as Y - people see X as being Y
would no longer be the issue - would not longer be a problem
a stakeholder - someone show stands to gain or lose by the decisions made by a company or the government (See glossary)
benefit all stakeholders - a win-win situation, everyone gains, no one loses
