The rule was too strict for iTV to run a news station, said col Natee.
However, public digital TV channels will still be required to have at least 75% of their content informative.
Digital TV will have seven news channels, and we hope they will not face financial problems like iTV encountered said Col Natee.
To promote informative content reaching as many viewers as possible, the NBTC requires news-channel operators to provide an equal amount of informative content during both prime time 5 years.and non-prime time periods.
Another channels will have increments of 1-2 million baht per bid.
Other categories will keep their increment per bid including high-definition channels at 10 million baht a bid, standart-definitionchanels at 5 million per bid and news channels at 2 million per bid.
Bids for children's channels start from 140 million baht.
The draft regulation on the digital TV auction method will be submitted to the NBtTC committee for approval tomorrow.
An information memorandum for commercial channels will be announced next mount, with auctions to be held in October.
Col Natee said the regulator also approved Thai PBS's licence for digital TV facilities, which allow 18 different broadcast towers.
The licence, the first for a digital TV facilities provider, will last 1