Ritthichart Silaraks, senior manager for distribution and network developments at National Geographic Channel Asia, said yesterday that National Geographic Channel International (NGCI) was varying the content on the channel as more young people are tuning in.

In the past, more than 50 per cent of programmes were about wildlife.

The proportion has gradually changed over the past few years, bringing wildlife ocumentaries down to about 25 per cent of programming, with science and technology and investigative science documentaries taking a 30-35 per cent slice of air time. Programmes related to people, place, culture and adventure make up the rest.

Ritthichart said young people in their twenties had started to watch the channel, seeing that their parents enjoy it.

There appears to be a new appetite in Thailand for documentaries, as seen in the fact that almost every free-TV channel is now showing real-life programmes.

National Geographic is keen to capture a new, younger audience by showing programmes that more closely reflect their lives, as opposed to wildlife. Examples of these shows include a look at the science behind natural disasters, and how some of the world's great structures were built.

 The adjustment in its programming has brought the channel in more direct competition with Discovery Channel, which also produces documentary programmes. Ritthichart said the difference between the two, however, was that National Geographic's programmes are based entirely on fact whereas Discovery Channel focuses more on the entertainment factor of their shows.

By adjusting its programming, National Geographic Channel has won more viewers than Discovery Channel in many Asian countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. Yet, in Thailand, the channel still lags behind its competitor.

Ritthichart acknowledges that it is proving difficult to beat Discovery Channel as Thais tend to prefer programmes with a mixture of fact and entertainment, rather than pure documentary programmes.

To build awareness in Thailand, Ritthichart is not going to focus all his efforts on advertising and marketing).

He believes helping the channel's local cable-TV operator, United Broadcasting Corp (UBC), increase its subscriber base will benefit all content providers and the operator itself.

NGCI currently broadcasts two channels in Thailand: National Geographic Channel and A1.

It is in negotiations with UBC to launch a new channel called National Geographic Wild early next year, featuring wildlife documentaries. 

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation