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Hard times at TITV
By Nattaya Chetchotiros and Manop Thip-Osod
Staff have not been paid since the station was nationalised six weeks ago. The Public Relations Department is asking for mercy over its outstanding electricity bill of four million baht to feed its nationwide broadcasting network.
A sign at TITV tells everything one needs to know about the lives of reporters and other staff at the once promising station. "Please save funds by saving paper," reads the sign posted in the newsroom at Shinawatra Tower 3 on Vibhavadi-Rangsit road.
The station has been struggling financially since it was taken over by the state on March 8, after it decided not to pay concession fees and fines of over 100 billion baht to the Prime Minister's Office, the concession owner.
The government taking full control of the station not only resulted in its name being changed from Independent Television (iTV) to TITV but also stirred up financial trouble for the firm.
After its launch in 1995 with the goal of becoming an independent station, iTV went through a rash of problems, including political interference when it was controlled by the Shin Corporation.
But this time round could perhaps be the most difficult for the 1,000 reporters, drivers and technicians working there.
The station's finances are drying up because no one is injecting fresh cash.
TITV had been promised cash of 70 million baht a month from the Public Relations Department (PRD), which now oversees the station.
But this has not yet happened, prompting department chief Pramoj Rathavinij to hold talks with TITV staff yesterday.
Although the Council of State and the Finance Ministry gave the green light to channel the money to the station, officials feared possible punishment for budgetary misappropriation, said Kitti Singhapat, the anchor of Hot News, the channel's night-time news programme.
TITV staff have gone unpaid. And the station owes the Provincial Electricity Authority four million baht for power to feed its nationwide broadcasting network. The department is asking for mercy from the authority to keep power supplies going.
The station has been operating on the 800,000 baht fund from awards it has won from several competitions and another 800,000 baht from donations given by supporters of the station to prevent it being taken off the air in March.
Signs have been put up in the office asking staff to help pay for toilet paper and the personal use of photocopiers.
"We are trying to be patient to prove our commitment to keep working but we don't know how long this spirit can continue if the financial support remains unclear," Mr Kitti said.
Thanakorn Retu, a TITV reporter, admitted that he and his colleagues were going through a difficult time. There are no extra payments for transport, telephone use and overtime any more, he said.
"All the money is gone. Now I can't even buy anything on an instalment basis," he added
Ltd. 2006
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