I believe that many viewers who have been following ntv7 Mandarin news will feel disappointed because ntv7 Mandarin news is to be discontinued on 8th June 2020.
Currently ntv7 Mandarin news airs daily from 1700 hours to 1800 hours as 1 hour news. Previously, ntv7 Mandarin news airs two slots, each slot consists 30 minutes, first is at 1730 hours, then second slot is at 2230 hours.
ntv7 Mandarin news will be merged to 8TV Mandarin news, however 8TV Mandarin news slot will be extended to 1 hours, from 8pm to 9pm daily. In my opinion, the discontinuation of ntv7 Mandarin news is also part of commercial reason by Media Prima.
Seriously Media Prima suffers loss since 2014 until today due to market changes and consumers habits. Digital platform is a trend nowadays and consumers love to find their things that they want via digital platform such as watching videos via OTT, reading news via online, and listening to music via digital music platform such as Spotify/KK Box/JOOX/Deezer/YouTube. So, the conventional media platform is less preferred by consumers.
About Media Prima TV stations, it owns TV3, NTV7, 8TV, TV9, CJ Wow Shop and Drama Sangat, traditionally Media Prima operates TV3, NTV7, 8TV and TV9, meanwhile CJ Wow Shop and Drama Sangat are new channels as shopping and Malay drama content respectively.
In terms of performance, TV3 is Malaysia's no.1 TV station, meanwhile 8TV is Malaysia no.2 TV station. For segment by language, TV3 is no.1 Malay TV station in Malaysia, 8TV is no.1 Chinese TV station in Malaysia.
NTV7 and TV9 ratings are less than 4% each actually. From 2018 till now, I notice that both TV stations have poor performance.
Former Media Prima TV Networks CEO Johan Ishak implemented "1 TV Station, 1 Language" policy, and transformed ntv7 to Modern Malaysians channel. It sounded good apparently, but technically it destroyed TV9.
FYI, Johan Ishak left Media Prima since April 2020 after his contract is expired.
From 5th March 2018, NTV7 Chinese content moved to 8TV, except Mandarin news, meanwhile TV9 most programs were moved to TV3, left the channel to air CJ Wow Shop.
Although ntv7 had transformed to Modern Malaysian channel, but the rebranding was unsuccessful due to low viewership, caused the entire Malay and English programs were discontinued since 30th December 2018, then ntv7 returned Chinese slot since that day too, but most of the Chinese contents on ntv7 are rerun programs from 8TV.
The discontinuation of ntv7 Mandarin news on 8th June 2020 is part of hints that Media Prima closes down NTV7 and TV9 due to poor performance of ratings. Besides that, the entire ntv7 other than news gains poor ratings actually.
Low ratings will result no advertising. No advertising will cause no money profit. No money profit will cause loss making.
It is not easy to operate and maintain TV stations because it involves money for everything. Other than paying staff salary, TV stations needs to pay operation costs, however transmission fees are the most expensive thing when comes to TV operation. Media Prima pays a lot of money for transmission fees annually to MYTV, Telekom, and Astro Measat, I believe the minimum cost for transmission fees is about RM15million (predicted) per platform.
Media Prima launches CJ Wow Shop shopping TV programs on NTV7 and TV9 are just to extend and keep the stations alive. CJ Wow Shop on NTV7 and TV9 prevents the TV stations from being closed down, it is also an attempt to gain back the profit from loss by Media Prima via CJ Wow Shop.
In my opinion, to cut down operation of Media Prima traditional platform, and because ntv7 and TV9 don't profit from advertising as TV3 and 8TV during these 3 years, I may think Media Prima will dispose or sell NTV7 and TV9 within 3 years.
It is good to dispose NTV7 and TV9 by Media Prima to stop loss making of the company, but some of people suggests Media Prima to sell NTV7 and TV9 to new company, rather than simply dispose the channels.
Yes, suggest new company to buy acquire ntv7 and TV9, but in fact the deal to acquire ntv7 and TV9 by new company from Media Prima is not easy as what everyone thinks because it involves a lot of money and rules regulations.
It is better to sell them than simply dispose when comes to cover the loss.
Referring the past acquisition deals, Media Prima purchased Copyright Laureate Sdn Bhd Ultra FM and Pi Mai FM at RM 20 millions (rebrand to Kool FM), then Astro Radio Sdn Bhd purchases Capital FM and Red FM from Star Media Radio Group at RM 42 millions. Those deal prices stated here include transmission equipment (transmitter, antennas, combiners, filters etc), frequencies and licenses.
In the past, Media Prima acquired Metrovision, Channel 9, Natseven (ntv7 and Wa FM) and WFM 88.1MHz, the deal prices also included the transmission equipment, frequencies and licenses..
As Malaysia has done digital switchover, all the TV stations regardless RTM, Media Prima or Bernama transmission equipment and frequencies are belonged to MYTV Broadcasting Sdn Bhd. So, if a new company acquires NTV7 and TV9 from Media Prima, the deal price is no longer including transmission equipment, but just buy the entire company.
If ntv7 and TV9 are disposed or sold, Media Prima will only remain TV3, 8TV, CJ Wow Shop and Drama Sangat.
I'm non-Malaysian and I think whoever who wanna buy both NTV7 and TV9, this is the best moment.
ReplyDeleteSigh, if only I can buy 'em
ya, but it involves a lot of money and politic situation.
Deletemight as well break up media prima. just my 2sen
ReplyDeleteTrue.
Delete