Representatives of the Association of Digital Television Broadcasting on Monday protested against the Sports Authority of Thailand's "unfair" allocation of World Cup match live broadcasts.
The association, which represents 34 digital channels according to its website, filed its complaint with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.
Spokesman Adisak Limprungpattanakit said the association opposed the SAT's decision to allow True4U to broadcast 32 of all 64 World Cup matches. That went against the NBTC's request that the SAT give equal broadcast access to all terrestrial digital TV operators, he said.
The telecom regulator made the request when it gave 600 million baht to the SAT to help it buy the broadcast rights for World Cup 2022, Mr Adisak said.
True Corporation, which owns True4U, contributed 300 million to the 1.1-billion-baht broadcast rights purchase and had already choosen the important World Cup matches. That reflected a lack of access and inequality, Mr Adisak said.
On Sunday SAT governor Kongsak Yodmanee insisted that its allocation of rights for channels to broadcast football World Cup matches was fair.
A major sponsor that helped fund national broadcasts of the games for free was eligible to receive the lion's share of the rights, he said.
On Thursday, the SAT reached agreement with Fifa to pay US$33 million (1.1 billion baht) for the rights to broadcast live all 64 matches of World Cup 2022.
