Jumping on the online train is no longer free, cheap or easy

There is a great urgency for television broadcasting businesses to go online because viewers are spending less time in front of the TV.

However, it is not easy for traditional media to successfully create content on a new platform.
Plus, there is the problem of fierce competition, with many players fighting for their share of the online market. 

In addition to tight competition, nothing online is cheap or free. Rawee Tawantharong, president of Thailand’s Society for Online News Providers, told The Nation that business owners still believe that online platforms are free. People can certainly set up social media accounts for free, but in reality, the cost of creating content to engage audiences is never cheap.

Rawee said previously, you may have only required your smartphone and simple editing tools to create successful online content and become famous.

Now, however, the audience’s expectations are very high. They want good quality video clips with crystal clear sound. They want to see up-to-date, ready-to-watch content delivered to their smartphones 24 hours a day. And all these things cost money, he said.

Plus, creating an online channel is not a one-man job. It requires a team of experienced staff who are good at what they do, ranging from the editor, reporter and presenter to cameraman and producer.

A successful online channel needs continuous effort and support in order to be successful. Otherwise, it will fail and disappear just like many others that have failed before them.

In conclusion, Rawee said, whether the platform is on television or online, people will require quality content. Hence, he said, it is important to keep in mind that to be successful, broadcast companies need careful planning, the right people and enough financial support to go all the way before shifting to an online platform.