BECi Corp is planning to introduce a new mobile application providing video-on-demand (VOD) service, and another app to support marketing activities and audience relationship management.

Managing director Savisith Phuawong said yesterday that the change was aimed at responding to an assignment from Channel 3 and its digital-TV networks to expand the audience base via digital media, in order to cash in on the emergence of online content consumption, mainly driven by the advance of wireless broadband Internet.

“We want to create the best mobile applications to offer the best viewing experience to all Channel 3 fans,” he said. Currently, BECi Corp manages three main mobile applications and websites: ThaiTV3, to provide information about its flagship TV station Channel 3; KrobKruaKhao, to provide news programming; and 3LIVE, for live streaming of Channel 3 and its two other digital-TV stations, 3SD and 3Family. Savisith added that the company wanted to see more growth in terms of active users of these mobile applications, its target being to have 3.8 million overall users by end of the year, against around 2.9 million now.

Apart from managing content via these online platforms, BECi Corp is also providing Channel 3’s top-rated dramas to online viewers through YouTube.

“The policy on offering content via YouTube will be changed after the company’s VOD service is introduced within this year. Having said that, audiences who miss prime-time dramas will be able to catch missed programmes on the new VOD service one hour after a programme ends, instead of browsing YouTube,” he explained.

After the launch of VOD service, Channel 3’s prime-time TV dramas are expected to be available via its official YouTube account two days to one week after their first run.