RS hopes to exceed 2017 revenue target
SET-listed RS Plc is upbeat about its revenue prospects in the second half of the year, expecting to exceed the year’s target on growing digital TV and beauty business.
Chief executive Surachai Chetchotisak said RS could see revenue exceed its target of 3.5 billion baht, marking 15% growth from last year’s 3.12 billion.
In the first half of the year, RS’s net profit reached 99.1 million baht, a 352% increase from the same period last year, though revenue and service income dropped to 1.6 billion baht from 1.9 billion baht in the same period last year. Media makes up 75% of total revenue, with health and beauty contributing 15%, music 5% and other items 5%.
According to Mr Surachai, AGB Nielsen Media Research revealed that Channel 8’s prime-time rating is more than 1 million viewers per minute, a whopping 40% increase from earlier this year, in which the average prime-time rating was 700,000 viewers per minute.
Channel 8 is enjoying steady and stable growth, while the company’s beauty business is going forward in full force, achieving new highs every month despite the slow economy.
In the past three years, the TV industry has suffered as advertising revenue has decreased significantly while the number of players has increased.
Prime-time competition is fierce, while non-prime-time periods are hard to sell as viewers prefer watching programmes online. Despite the struggling industry, Channel 8 thinks differently and has managed to keep its rating among the top five nationwide.
To attract more viewers in the second half of the year, with an aim to reach an average rating of 500,000 viewers per minute by the end of the year, 60,000 more than in 2016.
Khui Khao Yen will be extended to 150 minutes, while a new news programme, Khui Khao Kham was introduced on Monday, increasing the channel’s news ratio to 40%, followed by dramas and series at 30%, variety shows at 20% and boxing programmes at 10%.
Mr Surachai said the channel has increased news content because it is an area that it excels in, judging from the rating of Khui Khao Chao, which has the highest rating on weekends and third highest rating on weekdays among news programmes.
In addition to news programmes to attract prime-time viewership from Monday to Thursday, it is airing Bollywood series Mahabali Hanuman to keep viewers hooked. In the short time since its debut, the series has reached an average rating of 2 million viewers per minute.
Four new dramas will soon hit the screen: Jai Luang, Ngao Athan, Bussaba Puen Foon and Saneh Nang Khruan, featuring non-RS actors and actresses such as Andrew Gregson, Poothanate Hongmanop, Thikamporn Ritta-Apinan and more.
For prime time on Friday to Sunday, Channel 8 will air boxing programmes. Channel 8 has the most boxing programmes and its boxing programmes have the highest rating among new digital TV channels.
The programmes include 8 Max Muay Thai, The Champion Muay Thai Tad Chuek, Muay Thai Battle, Muay Mun Supermax and Sangwian Nak Su. Channel 8 has also recently secured the rights to broadcast 8 HBO Boxing and Ultimate Fighting Championship.