ITV (Thailand)

ITV was a television station in Thailand that was owned by iTV Public Company Limited, a unit of Shin Corporation. As Thailand's first UHF channel, the station was started in 1995 when the company was granted a 30-year concession by the Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office to operate a free-to-air television station in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) spectrum at 510-790 MHz (from Channel 26 to 60). After a lengthy dispute over unpaid concession fees to the Prime Minister's Office, the government's Public Relations Department took over the station in 2007. Its name was changed to Thailand Independent Television (TITV). Following a previously unannounced order of Thailand's Public Relations Department delivered the same day, the station closed on January 15, 2008. In accordance with the Public Broadcasting Service Act B.E.2551(2008), the channel's frequency was assigned to the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS).

History

Early years

The original name of iTV's holding company was Siam Infotainment Company Limited. Its major shareholders were Siam Commercial Bank, the Crown Property Bureau (the investment organization of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Through by Sahacinema Company), and the Nation Multimedia Group. Siam Infotainment won a 30-year concession to run a commercial television station, after offering only approximately US$3.3 million in royalties (a rival company had offered approximately US$17.5 million). This irregularity was subject to a government investigation in 1996, but the results of the investigation were never made public.

Established as an independent television station, the company barred any one shareholder from having more than a 10% stake. Free from government control and shareholder liabilities, the station became known for its in-depth coverage of public affairs and investigative journalism.

During the East Asian financial crisis of 1997, the station faced heavy financial loss. In addition, high concession fees (approximately US$708 million to be paid over 25 years) threatened to close the station. In 2000, iTV lost 775 million THB (US$18 million). The Democrat government worried that if iTV collapsed, shareholders like Siam Commercial Bank and the Crown Property Bureau would be adversely affected. So in order to attract outside capital, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai lifted the 10% limit on share ownership in the station. Shin Corporation, owned by future Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, purchased a large portion of the company's shares for US$60 million, considered a high price for the ailing company.

Shin Corporation

Under new ownership, journalists reported being pressured to downplay negative news about Shin Corporation's then-owner, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and his Thai Rak Thai party. Twenty-one journalists were fired for speaking out. They later won a court case against iTV and were awarded several years of back pay.

Originally, iTV's news-to-entertainment ratio was about 70/30. In the station's latter years, iTV increased its entertainment-based programming so that about half of its shows were entertainment. Among its popular programs was the Thailand version of the '' Big Brother'' reality TV show.

In 2004, iTV was granted permission by an arbitration panel to increase the amount of entertainment programming. Additionally, iTV was required to pay the government only US$6 million in annual licensing fees, a reduction from the original agreement of US$25 million.

In June 2006, as a result of iTV's changes in programming, Thailand's Central Administrative Court invalidated the arbitration panel's ruling, saying the news-to-entertainment ratio must be returned to 70/30 and that the broadcaster must pay 2.1 billion dollars in fines. iTV contested the court's decision.

Media-reform activists in Thailand, such as Supinya Klangnarong and Jon Ungpakorn, had suggested that the station model itself as a public broadcaster, similar to the BBC
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