PSI, Workpoint form JV to launch 3 satellite TV channels next year

Freesize Broadcasting, the new 50:50 JV with Bt100 million registered capital, "is a perfect marriage between an expert in satellite TV business for more than two decades and a highly experienced TV production house in the Kingdom", Somporn Teerarochanapong, chairman of PSI Holdings, said yesterday.

Somporn is also a shareholder in Freesize Broadcasting.

The new JV will focus on con-tent development for three new free-to-air satellite TV channels, one each aimed at women, children and men. It has earmarked at |least Bt100 million for locally |produced and imported content |in the first year of operation.

Somporn said 70 per cent of the programmes would be revamped |to meet local tastes while the rest would be produced by Workpoint Entertainment.

The channels will be launched in January or February. All satellite-TV receivers will be able to access them, not just PSI set-top boxes.

Somporn said he strongly believed that the new company would break even next year as major sponsors and other advertisers had already signed contracts to support programmes on the channels.

Media agencies and local advertisers are keen on satellite TV as its penetration increases. Currently, satellite TV reaches about 65 per cent of the Kingdom’s 22 million households. More than half of satellite TV viewers are PSI customers.

Somporn said PSI Holdings could measure and provide reliable ratings for any programme televised on its media platform.

"With segmented content delivered to females, males and children, the advertisers will be able to hit their targets," he added.

Workpoint Entertainment currently produces TV programmes ranging from children’s shows and game shows to variety shows, supplied to BEC’s ThaiTV3, the Royal Army’s TV5 and MCOT’s Modernine TV. It also runs it own satellite TV channels. PSI is the biggest satellite-TV broadcasting platform, claiming that over the past 20 years, more than 10 million of its satellite dishes have been sold.