The GMM One Channel, operated by SET-listed GMM Grammy Plc, is spending 2 billion baht to enhance its prime-time content, particularly soap operas and variety programmes.
The move is aimed at driving revenue growth by 80% to 1.8 billion baht this year and expanding its audience base to the modern mass market.
GMM One chief executive Thakonkiat Viravan said the aggressive investment reflected the channel’s commitment as a real variety channel for everyone.
Of the amount, 1.5 billion baht is for new content production and 500 million for broadcasting equipment and facilities.
For content production, half will be allocated for dramas and half for news and variety.
GMM One will add more TV content during prime time, which runs from 8.20-10.15pm, and mid-day news from 11.30am to 1.30pm from Friday to Sunday to raise viewership.
In the past two years, the channel focused mainly on prime-time programmes from Monday-Thursday.
Mr Thakonkiat is confident with the line-up’s quality, especially the dramas and variety programmes, as the channel has had a professional production team for 25 years since Exact Scenario, Grammy's TV drama production subsidiary, was founded.
Suraphol Peerapongpipat, GMM One’s marketing and sales director, said the channel expected to be in the top three for ratings among the 24 new digital TV channels.
GMM One was recently ranked fifth or sixth by Nielsen Co (Thailand), he said.
The channel’s most-watched programme last year was Suek Wun Duan Pleng (Song Battle Day).
GMM One expects revenue growth of 80% to 1.8 billion baht this year, driven by the popularity of dramas and variety programmes.
Though the Thai economy may remain sluggish, GMM One’s executives remain upbeat about its strong channel positioning and quality content as well as support from business allies.
“We find the digital TV industry interesting. It's been growing gradually over time. The success of our channel depends on strong positioning and its content programming,” Mr Thakonkiat said.
If GMM One can adapt to provide
the right content to its target market, it will be successful over the long term, he said.
During the last nine months of
2015, Grammy posted a net profit of 143 million baht on revenue totalling 7.3 billion.
GRAMMY shares closed yesterday on the SET at 7.75 baht, down 25 satang, in light trade worth 906,000 baht.
