MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT) is a state-owned public broadcasting company. It used to operate under the name of the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand. MCOT runs two television channels, seven nationwide, 53 local stations and one international radio station as well as a news agency.
Media assets
Radio: Nationwide- MCOT Radio, Labor’s Radio, Lukthung Mahanakhon, Khluen Khwam Khit, Keep it Mellow, Active Radio, News Network, Eazy FM, Met 107; Local- 53 stations
Television: MCOT HD (Channel 30), MCOT Family (Channel 14), Channel 9, Thai TV3
News agency: Thai News Agency
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
MCOT Public Company Limited is a state-controlled enterprise subordinated to the Office of the Prime Minister, according to information from the company. MCOT was registered as a public company in 2004 following the privatization of the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand (M.C.O.T). The company’s shares were floated on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. MCOT controls two daughter companies, namely Panorama Worldwide Company Limited and Seed MCOT Company Limited. The Ministry of Finance owns more than 65% in the company and the government-owned Savings Bank owns another 11%. Although the ministry of finance retains the power to send its representatives to MCOT’s board of directors, the company has a set of governance rules in place that allows independent professionals to be appointed to the company’s board.
Source of funding and budget
The main source of revenue at MCOT is advertising, according to the company’s latest annual report. In 2020, the total budget of the company was worth some THB 1.5bn (US$ 47.3m), most of it generated through commercial services, according to the company’s annual report. In 2022, the company had a turnover of THB 1.4bn (US$ 38.7m), according to data from the company.
Editorial independence
In spite of its good practices related to transparency of the MCOT’s business operations as described in the company annual reports, the media run by MCOT are known to be very cautious when it comes to criticism of the army and government. Although there are no written rules in place to oblige the management to put pressure on the journalists, local journalists say that MCOT’s outlets as a rule refrain from critical coverage of the authorities.
The company has codes of ethics in place but not a statute that would establish the independence of its journalists.
The media owned by MCOT are known to be relatively independent as long as they are not directly attacking the government and the army. Incidents in recent years, including dismissals of journalists critical of the army and indirect pressures made on journalists working with MCOT’s outlets have intensified, according to local journalists and experts.
October 2023