NBTC votes not to purchase broadcasting rights for Olympics
Commission says no need to use special fund as four terrestrial TV channels screening coverage of the Paris Games
A meeting of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Wednesday voted unanimously 7:0 not to spend 435 million baht to sponsor the purchase of broadcasting rights for the 2024 Olympic Games and 2024 Paralympic Games.
The motion proposed that the NBTC use resources from its Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund for Public Interest to sponsor the purchase of broadcasting rights for the two sporting events, which will be held in Paris, France from July 26 to August 11, and August 28 to September 8, respectively.
The NBTC board cited the reason for its resolution as avoiding legal complications under the “Must Have, Must Carry” rules, which mandate free TV broadcast of seven major sports competitions – the FIFA World Cup, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, SEA Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, and Asean Para Games.
The board added that a private company Plan B Ltd has collaborated with operators of four terrestrial TV stations namely T Sports 7, CH 7 HD, 9 MCOT HD, and PPTV HD 36 to purchase the broadcasting rights for the 33rd summer Olympic Games and 17th Paralympic Games.
“This collaboration will provide people with more options for viewing the events. Therefore, the NBTC decided not to use its fund to sponsor the purchase of broadcasting rights, which could interfere with the market mechanism,” said the NBTC board in a statement.
The board went on to say that it would also be unfair for other TV operators if the NBTC were to use its fund, to which all TV operators must contribute, to help sponsor the purchase of broadcasting rights by these four operators.
“Lastly, the role to provide free TV broadcasts of Olympic Games and Paralympic Games falls under the direct responsibility of the Sports Authority of Thailand, which should use the money from the National Sports Development Fund to support the purchase,” said the NBTC board.
