Wasan: We will select only new programmes which follow the same concept set by the station.

Programme producers at TITV have flocked to join MCOT's Modernine TV as they felt uncertain about their future at TITV, which will be transformed into Thailand's first public TV station within the next six months.

Many producers at TITV, including TV Thunder, Asia Television and Media, Thanadsri and Son Consulting and EFF, have offered their new programmes to Modernine TV, which yesterday launched its new schedule under the "Modernine Plus" concept.

"Our concept is set to offer additional value of content to our Modernine station both in terms of programme variety and quality, and in positive and innovative ideas for the public," said Wasan Phaileeklee, MCOT's new president, at a press conference yesterday.

He added that almost 20 per cent of programmes had been reshuffled to allow new producers to participate in its new slots, which will be effective in July.

The press conference was the first since Wasan took over at MCOT last month.

He said that four or five major producers at TITV had approached MCOT offering to make programmes for Modernine. These would either be conversions of their existing TITV programmes or completely new programmes.

"We will select only new programmes which follow the same concept demanded by the station," said Wasan.

Those producers who decided to change network felt uncertain about the future of TITV. The Public Relations Department assumed responsibility for TITV in early March. However, it has yet to pay its employees because of "technical problems" accessing money for salaries.

Modernine thus became the beneficiary of the producers' shift in allegiance from TITV to Modernine.

ML Sirichalerm Svastivat, alias "McDang", chief executive at Thanadsri and Son Consulting, which has the 10am to 11am Sunday timeslot at Modernine for its "McDang Show", said the company would give up its "McDang Tour" programme currently broadcast at TITV and return the slot to the station by the end of this month.

"As an individual producer, we have to struggle ourselves. The transition at TITV into a public TV station has not affected us in terms of advertising revenue, but the uncertainty regarding the station has affected our future business plan," said Sirichalerm.

He added that all sponsors who currently support the company's programme on TITV would also move to ModerNine.

"I myself was born at Modernine when I launched my first programme, 'Kaow Tour Krue Aroi', eight years ago, and it is time for me to return home," said Sirichalerm.

"TITV is now the subject of change, even though the Public Relations Department has provided a guarantee there will be no change for at least the next six months. But we are not sure of the direction of TITV in the future," said Phusit Laithong, vice president of TV Thunder.

He said that TV producers usually set their business plans for at least one year ahead, including the programmes they would produce and propose to the host station.

TV Thunder will join Modernine with its new programme entitled "Best Ideas" to be broadcast between 5pm and 5.30pm from September 21 onwards.

Orapan Wacharapon, chief executive of Polyplus, said that the company would give up its "Oops" programme on TITV this month and return its timeslot to the station.

"We launched 'Oops' at TITV at the end of last year and have tested the programme already for six months. However, it failed to attract a satisfactory return in terms of ratings and advertising revenue," said Orapan.

She said that Polyplus would also give up and return the timeslots on another two programmes, "Ballang Dow" and "Tee Ded Jung", which have been broadcast on Channel 5 since the beginning of this year.

"Under these economic circumstances, we have a plan to streamline, to focus only on successful programmes that have the confidence of the company for good ratings and ad revenues," said Orapan.

Polyplus currently has eight major programmes being broadcast at free TV channels.

Wasan said that MCOT expected advertising revenues at ModerNine would jump by at least 10 per cent in the third quarter of this year following the programme reshuffle and the participation of the new producers, who would help contribute variety to the station, particularly in the field of entertainment.

"However, we will maintain the current content proportions at ModerNine. About 39 per cent is news, 30 per cent is documentaries, and 20 per cent is entertainment. The rest is sports programmes," he said.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation