By Mark Baber
April 30 – Thailand’s broadcast regulator has ruled that all 64 matches of the 2014 World Cup finals must be televised over free-TV channels. The ruling comes as a blow to Thai pay channel RS Inc which holds the rights.
RS Inc, the Thai music and entertainment corporation, had proposed making just 22 games free-to-air with the remaining games exclusively available on their pay TV platform. This was also stipulated in their contract with FIFA.
But the broadcasting committee of the Thai National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBCT), set up in 2010 as the single converged regulator for telecoms and broadcasting sectors, has invoked its “must-carry rule” which obliges broadcasters to transmit, free-to-air, all matches for the Southeast Asian Games, Asean Para Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and FIFA World Cup Finals.
The ruling puts into question RS’s business plan which is betting heavily on premium sports rights. RS, which already broadcasts La Liga games, “sees sport content is a highlight”, with forecast growth of 1050% in 2012. The company says “sport content will be the winner for the pay channel business model”, with 50% of Thai TV households having access to satellite TV content and a 5,000 million baht advertising budget up for grabs.
RS argued that it is not subject to the rules, on the grounds that its international subsidiary did not obtain NBTC licenses, and on the grounds it acquired the rights from FIFA before the must-carry regulation was put in place. The argument was rejected by the regulator.
Col Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the broadcasting panel, said: “We see the FIFA World Cup as an important sports competition for everyone, and its games should not be exclusive content for any special set-top box.” He added that if RS was not happy with the decision, they could lodge an appeal with the Administration Court. RS International Broadcasting and Sport Management has already filed suit against the NBTC and 12 related people on this issue.
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