MCOT ready to vie for digital TV licences

BANGKOK, May 16 (TNA) - MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT), a most established Thai media firm, has confirmed the company's readiness to bid for digital television licences, as its net profit in the first quarter of this year rose by 5 per cent year-on-year. MCOT President Dr. Anek Permvongseni announced on Thursday MCOT’s readiness to join bidding contests for three digital television licences, including a high-definition channel licence which is its important target. Dr. Anek acknowledged that MCOT will also join forces with partners in the name of MCOT Group to vie for the digital television licences. Besides, Dr. Anek said, MCOT and partners will bid for a licence to operate a mass communication network and will offer to manage public television channels for other government agencies which will obtain licences from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), leading to MCOT's comprehensive businesses in the mass communication field. According to the MCOT president, MCOT posted a gross revenue of 1.39 billion baht in the first quarter of this year, some 6 per cent year-on-year increase due mainly to television operations; while the company's overall expense stood at 919 million baht in the January-March 2013 period, resulting in the company's net profit of 375 million baht, a 5 per cent year-on-year increase consequently. The MCOT president noted that the company's revenues from commercials in its own-produced news programs even soared by 55 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, thanks to improved news presentation and activities to increase audiences. (TNA)