news analysis After emerging as the sole owner of all free-to-air (FTA) television stations in the country, Media Prima is said to be contemplating plans to restructure all four stations to cater for separate audiences.

The main purpose of the restructuring is believed to be aimed at avoiding competition among programmes of the same language or similar genres of programmes.

Sources told malaysiakini that plans are underway to turn ntv7 , its latest acquisition, into an English channel, while TV3 and 8TV would focus more on Malay and Chinese language programmes.

The defunct Channel 9 is expected to be revived by the first quarter of next year as a Malay language sports channel.

Plans are said to be in motion already.

For example, ntv7 has rescheduled its popular Korean soap operas from 9.15pm to 9.37pm recently, to avoid a clash with another Korean soap aired on 8TV which ends at 9.30pm, the sources said.

It is understood that the rescheduling would appease viewers and maintain a higher viewing rate for both stations.

Advertising revenue

By avoiding direct competition between the four television channels, it is hoped that Media Prima would increase its advertising revenue, while strengthening the brand name of the respective channels.

Television advertising comprises a mere 28% of the country's total advertising revenue, whereas the figure is at 60% in some Southeast Asian countries.

Thus, a consolidation of the country's FTA television channels is meant to allow Media Prima to increase the advertising revenue of the respective stations, as its stations will depend less on discounts to secure advertising.

It is estimated that Media Prima now controls approximately 85% of discounted advertising revenue of the country's FTA television stations. It also commands 46% of the total television viewship in the country, while its closest rival is pay-television satellite operator, Astro, is trailing at around 20% to 30% of total television viewership.

Retrenchment unavoidable

Meanwhile, Media Prima's acquisition of ntv7 is also likely to affect staff movement .

Utusan Malaysia

reported on Nov 17 that ntv7 is planning to retrench half of its current 400 staff. Ntv7 's news and current affairs programme My News Network for example, will be trimmed from 125 to 75 staff.

Furthermore, it is learnt that two senior personnel from TV3 with journalism backgrounds would be heading the popular programme.

8TV's chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar, a veteran in the broadcasting field, would now be overseeing two of Media Prima's radio stations - Fly FM and the defunct Chinese language WaFM.

Utusan has reported that the company has already identified individuals who will be retrenched, while a source told malaysiakini that the future direction of ntv7 and Media Prima can only be unveiled in December after the retrenchment exercise.

Media Prima, the country's biggest media conglomerate, is the only organisation that has interests in all three mediums - print, radio and tv. It is believed to be linked to key ruling party Umno.

Presently, ntv7 has a 8% market share of TV audiences but draws a whopping 30 percent of total FTA television advertising revenue.

Since its inception in 1998, ntv7 has always portrayed itself as a multi-language channel offering a mix of Chinese, Hindi and English-language programmes for the urban middle class audience.