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Published on November 2, 2007

But when it comes to management issues, it has been a huge failure.

On Wednesday, something came up that was not just surprising but totally unbelievable.

The government-sponsored public television bill was approved by the National Legislative Assembly on that day, despite hot debate over some clauses. Following the move, in about two months, Thai TV audiences will receive a special treat: we will have a new channel where programmes will be produced purely for the sake of the general public.

All homes are welcome to tune their TV sets to Thai Public Broadcast Service (TPBS), the Kingdom's first and only public television station.

People not familiar with the issue might not know that TPBS is identical to TITV. Yes, TITV under the law will be transformed into TPBS.

Amazing!

In March, TITV had just been renamed from iTV following the revocation of its broadcasting licence and the immediate transfer of the channel to the Public Relations Department.

In less than a year, the channel has been renamed twice. Or to any brand manager, it's been murdered twice.

iTV was a solid brand with strength in news and creative programming. As TITV, that strength was weakened as many production crews moved to other stations for job security - and probably less scrutiny from the state.

I've heard that right now its news programmes are screened by the authorities on a daily basis.

More crews may leave when the channel is renamed TPBS. But that does not concern the government. If it were concerned, it would not have turned TITV into a public station, to be financed by taxpayers' money instead of advertising revenue.

achara_d@nationgroup.com

The Nation