The analog figure for March last year was 71 per cent, according to the broadcasting regulator based on media research from Nielsen Thailand.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission reported that viewership for all digital TV channels, excluding the simulcasts of five analog channels, continued to grow because they were developing and providing quality TV shows to compete |with the old players. In line with this, programmes made by digital TV broadcasters appeared to be specifically targeting more segmented groups so they were likely to capture more attention.

However, satellite TV receivers were still the biggest platform which people used to enjoy free-to-air TV programmes, accounting for 61 per cent of total households, followed by digital and analog terrestrial TV receivers with 24 per cent. True Visions’ share was 8 per cent and local cable TV operators 7 per cent.

Channel 7 and Channel 3 dominated the market but their combined market share has continuously been dented by the aggressive invasion of digital rivals. Last month, Bangkok Broadcasting and Television’s Channel 7 maintained its market share at 32.71 per cent, but dropped from 39.55 per cent in the same month last year, while the share of Bangkok Entertainment Company’s Channel 3 dropped from 24.86 per cent to 19.95 per cent.

Ranked third was the Workpoint TV digital channel with 11.11 per cent, up from 7.88 per cent last year. Fourth was Mono 29 digital TV with 6.81 per cent, up from 3.5 per cent last year. The competition among key players is intense as each top operator continues to pour huge sums of money into content development.

For example, GMM Grammy earmarked Bt2 billion for its two digital TV channels – One and GMM 25.

RS Channel 8 set aside Bt1 billion, Mono 29 budgeted Bt800 million and Workpoint TV earmarked Bt600 million. However, the sluggish economic condition appears to be a big challenge for broadcasters after advertising spending in the first quarter dropped 9 per cent, said Manee Eab, managing director of Magna Global, a leading media agency under IPG Mediabrands.

She believes that the drop is a result of major brands suffering poor sales.She expects that advertising spending throughout the first half of this year will follow the same trend.