TrueVisions' viewers to miss "Game of Thrones" as HBO, Cinemax dropped

26 ธันวาคม 2559

Regulators have approved pay-TV operator TrueVisions' request to drop six entertainment channels including HBO and Cinemax from Jan 1 as the cable operator claimed it had lost the rights to air them, according to a commissioner.

Regulators have approved pay-TV operator TrueVisions' request to drop six entertainment channels including HBO and Cinemax from Jan 1 as the cable operator claimed it had lost the rights to air them, according to a commissioner.

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TrueVisions to drop HBO, Cinemax

Nanut Suchiva and Online Reporters

Regulators have approved pay-TV operator TrueVisions' request to drop six entertainment channels including HBO and Cinemax from Jan 1 as the cable operator claimed it had lost the rights to air them, according to a commissioner.

The six channels are Cinemax, HBO, HBO Hits HD, HBO Signature, HBO Family and Red by HBO.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) made the decision at its Monday meeting, Col Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the NBTC's broadcasting committee, said at a briefing shortly after the meeting.

Normally, the NBTC requires an operator to notify customers of such a change 30 days in advance if it has to stop airing a channel, he said.

"Although the company did not comply with the rule, the board approved the request because the company claimed it could not reach agreements with the content providers," he said.

The committees will ask its consumers protection panel to talk with the company about remedial measures for its customers. Such measures may include allowing customers to change or cancel their subscription packages with pro-rate refunds, he added.

The broadcasting subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand conglomerate said it was finding substitutes for the channels. Among them are 14-15 channels including those by Paramount, Fox Action Movie, Sony and Universal, he said.

The news has created an uproar among TrueVisions customers since at least two of the channels – HBO and Cinemax – are dealmakers for many people when they subscribed to the packages.

Among HBO's ongoing hit series are Game of Thrones and Westworld.

"HBO is what matters the most in the high-end packages – Gold and Platinum. Without it, I believe TrueVisions will lose more than half of its subscribers to these packages," a Facebook user commented on Kapook.com portal.

Several pantip.com users lamented the fact that they won't be able to watch Game of Thrones and Westworld while one hinted at rumours another pay-TV operator had won the rights to the channels.