Broadcasters unhappy with master plans

Industry groups have criticised the spectrum-management and broadcasting draft master plans as failing to address key issues, including the action plan on deploying digital television, for which the regulator has started to announce a roll-out in the absence of a written master plan.

Representatives of the Thai Media Law and Policy Centre, the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand were commenting on the draft plans announced and made the subject of public hearings by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

Suwanna Sombatraksasook, president of the News Broadcasting Council, said the master plans lack clarity on how the recall of spectra and spectrum management are to be correlated. The time period for recalling spectra should not be too long, Suwanna said, adding that the NBTC should recall radio spectra within two years, and television spectra within three years. The draft master plans provide for recall of radio spectra within five years, and of television spectra within 10 years.

Thai Broadcast Journalists Association chief Visut Komwatcharapong said that when it comes to digital television, the NBTC should issue licenses for channels, not spectra, and regulate content to ensure it does not cause social divisions.

The groups will submit their proposals to the NBTC by next week, Suwanna said.