NGC keen to return to free stations

The documentary channel was broadcast on Channel 9 from 1999 and then moved to Channel 5 in 2005. It now broadcasts through two channels  on True Vision pay TV - National Geographic Channel, which is for general feature programmes, and Nat Geo Adventure, which is for tourism and adventure documentaries.

Rittichart Silaraks, senior manager for distribution and network development of National Geographic Channel Asia, said yesterday the company is in talks with several free-to-air operators including Thai PBS, Channel 5, ModernNine and Channel 11. Thai PBS and ModernNine are interested because documentary programmes match their programming policy. Thai PBS is interested in Nat Geo Junior, a magazine programme which includes features such as wildlife, science experiments and investigative documentaries for children, while ModernNine seems to prefer scientific and technology programmes, he said.

NGC has not approached Channel 3 or Channel 7 due to their policy of focusing on entertainment programmes, he said.

"We don't specify how many programmes we want to offer each channel or what time slots we prefer. It depends on the channels. NGC has more than 10,000 series of feature programmes to supply all channels, covering all areas such as wildlife, adventure, crime and science and technology, he said.

Rittichart added that NGC was returning to free-to-air channels in Thailand because they are now concentrating more on quality programmes. NGC is well known for documentary programmes, so it is not difficult to penetrate this market, he said.

"We would like Thai children to enjoy quality programmes," he said.

Besides, advertising revenue is quite good, with 55 per cent of NGC's total revenue in Asia coming from advertising. Although 80 per cent of households in Asia, particularly in places like Singapore and Hong Kong, have pay television, the revenue generated from these channels accounts for only 45 per cent of total revenue, he said.

In Thailand, there are only one million households subscribing to pay TV, while free-to-air channels can reach more than 20 million households.

He said NGC recently launched a campaign called "Nat Geo Top 30" in which Asian stars talk about their favourite documentaries and viewers are asked vote for theirs via www.ngcasia.com/top30.