Surachai Chetchotisak, CEO of RS Company Limited
TV industry will see tougher competition from now on, as the high season approaches and businesses spend more to encourage consumer spending. TV channels must adjust their content in order to increase ratings and expand viewership base into 2019, in which more advertising budget is expected. Recently, Media Agency Association of Thailand (MAAT) reported that this year’s media spending has grown by 4 percent, with TV as the biggest media in terms of advertising budget, and this will continue into next year.
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Channel 8 is ready for the season of happiness this year with new contents, true to Channel 8’s signature, “In-depth contents, intense flavors”, including news, dramas, Indian series, boxing programs and variety shows for viewers in Thailand. The channel is confident that it will be able to increase its ratings and boost advertising for 2019 as planned. At present, Channel 8 is the only TV channel which offers more than 10 hours of news contents a day, the highest among variety digital channels. It has secured its No.1 position in prime time, especially weekend mornings, thanks to “Khui Khao Chao” which has the highest rating in Thailand thanks to the concept “easy to listen to, easy to understand”, targeting mass 35+ viewers. Meanwhile, “Joh Praden” is a hard talk news program which also has a very high rating, and is the talk of the town now. Recently, it has added another team for a new program “Kho Pratu Do Khao Chong 8”, aired daily during “Khui Khao Chao”, “Khui Khao Pak Thong”, “Khui Khao Yen” and “Khui Khao Kham”. The 1-minute program will begin in February 2019 and the concept is sending a team to knock on your door to see if you’re watching Channel 8 and give away prizes. This will create a stronger relationship with its fans nationwide.
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With the success of ghost drama stories, such as “Sap Krasue” featuring former Miss Universe Thailand Namtan Chalita Suansane and Smart Krissada Pornweroj. The drama is very well-received and has become the talk of the town, with more than 3.3 rating, boosting the channel’s overall rating. Coming soon is “Sin Lai Hong”, a period drama which will be aired every Monday-Thursday at 6:45pm and Friday at 6:25pm, starting on November 13. The drama features magnetic actors such as Baitoey RSiam, Nike Nitidon Pomsuwan, Krit Amornchailerk, Wanchana Sawatdee, Nussaba Punnakan, and Pakkaramai Potranan.
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Additionally, as the demand for Indian series in Thailand is growing, as Thai people and Indian people share the same cultural base, new Indian series will be added to morning prime time on weekends, in which Thai viewers usually stay home and watch TV with their family. “Peshwa Bajirao” is a story about an Indian warrior and is a multi-million baht series which has already broken many records in India. “Peshwa Bajirao” is aired every weekend at 10:20am, starting on November 3. In addition to that are two other Indian series “Vighnaharta Ganesha”, a multimillion series which enjoys sky-high ratings in India, and “Isspyaar Ko Kya Namm Doon”, a romantic drama which has won the heart of Indian viewers and 13 prizes.
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For sports fans, the UFC will be aired throughout December, starting with the most anticipated match between UFC Featherweight Champ Max Holloway from Hawaii and jiu-jitsu master Brian Ortega from Canada. On December 16, the UFC Fight Night will be broadcast from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. On December 30, Cris Cyborg from Brazil will defend her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s Featherweight title against UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes from Brazil. The match will be broadcast live from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Every Sunday at 6:45pm, watch “8 Muay Thai” featuring Thai and foreign boxing champs, with exciting light and sound to wow its viewers.
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Meanwhile, two new variety shows are added for Saturdays to target everyone in the family. “Khrua Lan Thung” is a cooking show featuring famous products of each community, led by Chaiya Mitchai as the show host, at 1:35pm. “Ung Thung Siao” features strange but true stories for viewers to be amazed, at 6:45pm.
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Channel 8 has received great feedback from its omni-channel marketing approach, linking all the four screens, both online and offline for the first time. Viewers of all ages can enjoy the convenience of watching Channel 8 on various platforms, and all contents on TV screen are shared to other screens in order to expand its viewership base. Viewers can watch Channel 8 on TV via channel 27, on website www.thaich8.com, on mobile or tablet through CH8 application, and on social media via www.facebook.com/thaich8.
In the last two months of the year, competition in digital TV is more intense as advertising revenue continues to grow well into 2019. Channel 8 prepares new contents such as news, dramas, series, boxing programs and variety shows to win more audience. A new team is introduced in a new program “Khor Pratu Du Khao Chong 8”, which is on screen four times a week, visiting fans countrywide to strengthen its news contents which continue to see higher ratings. A new TV drama will soon hit the screen – “Sin Lai Hong” will be aired during evening prime time five days a week, starting November 13, after the success of “Sap Krasue” which attracted viewers with its scary story, enjoying a rating of 3.3. New Indian series will be added to morning prime time on weekends, starting with “Peshwa Bajirao”, a multi-million baht series which has already broken many records in India. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fights will also be broadcast throughout December. After receiving great feedback from its omni-channel marketing strategy, linking four screens “TV-Facebook-app-website”, it can reach all viewers simultaneously.
