TUNE IN, TUNE OUT
Firms create their own content channels
The YouTube channels of two digital TV operators each reached 10 million subscribers as Thais flock to the internet.
As the media landscape has totally changed over the past three years, digital TV operators have tried to draw more people to watch their content on TV and digital channels such as YouTube, Facebook and Line TV.
The Electronic Transactions Development Agency recently reported YouTube is the most popular social media platform among Thais, followed by Facebook and Line.
Thais spend more than six hours a day on the internet, with YouTube providing daily entertainment for many, offering an opportunity for digital TV operators to focus on the changing media landscape.
Recently two digital TV giants — WorkPointTV and GMM Grammy (ONE31 and GMM 25) — announced they both had surpassed 10 million YouTube subscribers. The two operators believe the figure reflects the success of the digital transformation.
According to an industry source who asked not to be named, surpassing 10 million YouTube subscribers is not easy as the digital TV operators have to produce massive amounts of content for the platform consistently to draw organic users.
Phawit Chitrakorn, a member of the group’s executive committee and chief executive of GMM Music, said that GMM Grammy Official’s 10 million YouTube subscribers is only one of the successes of the channels under GMM Grammy such as Genie records, Grammy Gold, GMM25, ONE31 and GDH.
“The number of GMM Grammy’s YouTube subscribers reflects that the media landscape has really changed and we will keep focusing on these channels to increase audience engagement,” said Mr Phawit.
WorkPointTV’s YouTube Channel cemented its social network popularity with the launch of the Mask Singer singing contest, with executives commenting it is a great start for the channel.
WorkPointTV and GMM Grammy (ONE31 and GMM 25) have already been awarded the Diamond Play Button from YouTube as their subscribers surpassed 10 million people and the two operators anticipate receiving the Ruby Play Button for more than 50 million subscribers in the future.
The industry source said that earning revenue from YouTube is secondary for these two channels because the main focus is on increasing engagement with audiences and creating awareness in the wider community.
Nielsen Thailand reported ad spending across all media outlets fell by 8.69% in the first nine months to 79 billion baht because companies shifted their ad budgets to cheaper and more specific online media.
The biggest drop in ad spending was in the magazine sector, falling 35.8% to 1.45 billion baht for the period, followed by newspapers, which fell 21.6% to 5.82 billion. Cable and satellite fell 18.1% to 2.32 billion baht.
Conversely, ad spending for in-store channels jumped 33.8% to 737 million baht, while it climbed 16.4% to 4.56 billion for public transport and 21.2% to 5.11 billion for cinemas.