Asia Media Group's first step in the plan to launch the terrestrial digital TV station is to launch the "out-of-home service".
Puchong: Asia Media Group Bhd, the country's largest transit-television network operator, plans to launch a terrestrial digital TV station by as early as the first quarter of next year, said its controlling stakeholder Datuk Ricky Wong Shee Kai.
"We have started testing works in Puchong and Shah Alam early this month, and have allocated as much as RM50 million in capital expenditure next year to help us with the launch in the Klang Valley," Wong told Business Times in an interview at his office.
Wong, who owns slightly more than 45 per cent of Asia Media, is also the chief executive officer of the company.
"A partial launch will be done in the first quarter, and by the second quarter, we should be in full swing," said Wong.
He said the first step in the plan to launch the terrestrial digital TV station is to launch the "out-of-home service".
"Out-of-home service means that people who use public transport such as the Rapid buses and the city's rail service will be able to watch live TV," said Wong.
Currently, Asia Media operates transit TV services for the city buses, but most of the feed are pre-recorded, with the content coming from third parties.
"We will be recruiting as many as 100 people - (newscasters, talk show hosts, technical support people) and plan to rent a studio in Damansara for the live TV version," said Wong, adding that by going live, Asia Media is hoping to rake in more advertisement dollars.
Asia Media is expecting to bring in as much as RM50 million next year from advertisements alone.
Wong said most of the shows will be in English and Bahasa Malaysia, with content coming directly from Asia Media. "We will be focusing on news-based items as well as talk shows," said Wong, adding that the company also has a licence to operate a radio network.
"The radio network will focus mainly on the Chinese market," said Wong.
He added that while the live show concept is new to Southeast Asia, it has been successfully operated in countries such as Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
"We can also operate a subscription-based as well as free-to-air terrestrial digital TV, but we have to be realistic," said Wong.
According to Wong, apart from the cost, finding the right content is the major drawback, pulling the company away from this path.
"We are committed to spend RM500 million over a 10-year period to bring the out-of-home terrestrial digital TV station to areas outside the Klang Valley such as Ipoh, Penang and Johor ... so it will be taxing for us to fight on two fronts," said Wong.
He said Asia Media does not want to expand for the sake of expanding. "We only want to do so if it keeps us profitable," said Wong, adding that he is confident Asia Media will post a pre-tax profit of about RM15 million this year.
Last Friday, Asia Media said for the nine months ended August 30 2011, the firm's pre-tax profit stood at RM11.74 million versus RM8.13 million in the same period a year ago.
Puchong: Asia Media Group Bhd, the country's largest transit-television network operator, plans to launch a terrestrial digital TV station by as early as the first quarter of next year, said its controlling stakeholder Datuk Ricky Wong Shee Kai.
"We have started testing works in Puchong and Shah Alam early this month, and have allocated as much as RM50 million in capital expenditure next year to help us with the launch in the Klang Valley," Wong told Business Times in an interview at his office.
Wong, who owns slightly more than 45 per cent of Asia Media, is also the chief executive officer of the company.
"A partial launch will be done in the first quarter, and by the second quarter, we should be in full swing," said Wong.
He said the first step in the plan to launch the terrestrial digital TV station is to launch the "out-of-home service".
"Out-of-home service means that people who use public transport such as the Rapid buses and the city's rail service will be able to watch live TV," said Wong.
Currently, Asia Media operates transit TV services for the city buses, but most of the feed are pre-recorded, with the content coming from third parties.
"We will be recruiting as many as 100 people - (newscasters, talk show hosts, technical support people) and plan to rent a studio in Damansara for the live TV version," said Wong, adding that by going live, Asia Media is hoping to rake in more advertisement dollars.
Asia Media is expecting to bring in as much as RM50 million next year from advertisements alone.
Wong said most of the shows will be in English and Bahasa Malaysia, with content coming directly from Asia Media. "We will be focusing on news-based items as well as talk shows," said Wong, adding that the company also has a licence to operate a radio network.
"The radio network will focus mainly on the Chinese market," said Wong.
He added that while the live show concept is new to Southeast Asia, it has been successfully operated in countries such as Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
"We can also operate a subscription-based as well as free-to-air terrestrial digital TV, but we have to be realistic," said Wong.
According to Wong, apart from the cost, finding the right content is the major drawback, pulling the company away from this path.
"We are committed to spend RM500 million over a 10-year period to bring the out-of-home terrestrial digital TV station to areas outside the Klang Valley such as Ipoh, Penang and Johor ... so it will be taxing for us to fight on two fronts," said Wong.
He said Asia Media does not want to expand for the sake of expanding. "We only want to do so if it keeps us profitable," said Wong, adding that he is confident Asia Media will post a pre-tax profit of about RM15 million this year.
Last Friday, Asia Media said for the nine months ended August 30 2011, the firm's pre-tax profit stood at RM11.74 million versus RM8.13 million in the same period a year ago.
