Digital Dominance: Thai Media Faces Existential Crisis Amid Rising Layoffs
Traditional platforms struggle to adapt as investment shifts towards digital media, raising fears of widespread job cuts.
As the digital wave continues to transform the global media landscape, Thailand's traditional media channels are grappling with existential threats that could lead to further job cuts in the coming year.
Industry experts are sounding the alarm that Thailand's old media platforms, including reputed newspapers and television channels, may face more layoffs as investments pivot sharply towards digital media formats.
Suphap Kleekajai, president of the Association of Digital Television Enterprises of Thailand and a seasoned journalist, warns of heightened challenges spurred by the ongoing digital disruption.
The seismic shift in audience behavior, he argues, is the main driver behind the industry's destabilization.
'It was a brutal year for the media industry,' Suphap reflected, attributing part of the economic strain to the broader sluggish economic climate that has shown little sign of abating.
The media industry, already laboring under the weight of financial constraints intensified by the digital revolution, faces additional hurdles that complicate its survival.
Rising costs once compensated by strategic pricing adjustments are now exacerbated by the inescapable reality of technological integration.
'In the past, newspaper costs increased due to rising oil prices, but we could not hike newspaper prices.
Now we encounter technology threats,' Suphap noted.
The analog business model has been punctuated by layoffs, evidenced by major downsizing in TV channels throughout 2024.
With more firings anticipated in 2025, media groups unable to integrate into the digital age may find themselves phased out of the market—a market where the audience now demands real-time, accessible, and interactive content.
This paradigm shift emphasizes the urgent need for traditional media outlets to innovate, lest they fall to obsolescence.
Suphap's insights underscore a critical juncture: the necessity for old media enterprises to engage in strategic restructuring, capital investment in technology, and talent development aligned with digital competencies.
The future of Thai media, and indeed global media, hinges upon a delicate balance between preserving the essence of traditional media and embracing the progressive march of digital transformation.
For industry veterans and budding media professionals alike, the warning is clear—adapt or face the inevitable consequences of technological neglect.
Industry experts are sounding the alarm that Thailand's old media platforms, including reputed newspapers and television channels, may face more layoffs as investments pivot sharply towards digital media formats.
Suphap Kleekajai, president of the Association of Digital Television Enterprises of Thailand and a seasoned journalist, warns of heightened challenges spurred by the ongoing digital disruption.
The seismic shift in audience behavior, he argues, is the main driver behind the industry's destabilization.
'It was a brutal year for the media industry,' Suphap reflected, attributing part of the economic strain to the broader sluggish economic climate that has shown little sign of abating.
The media industry, already laboring under the weight of financial constraints intensified by the digital revolution, faces additional hurdles that complicate its survival.
Rising costs once compensated by strategic pricing adjustments are now exacerbated by the inescapable reality of technological integration.
'In the past, newspaper costs increased due to rising oil prices, but we could not hike newspaper prices.
Now we encounter technology threats,' Suphap noted.
The analog business model has been punctuated by layoffs, evidenced by major downsizing in TV channels throughout 2024.
With more firings anticipated in 2025, media groups unable to integrate into the digital age may find themselves phased out of the market—a market where the audience now demands real-time, accessible, and interactive content.
This paradigm shift emphasizes the urgent need for traditional media outlets to innovate, lest they fall to obsolescence.
Suphap's insights underscore a critical juncture: the necessity for old media enterprises to engage in strategic restructuring, capital investment in technology, and talent development aligned with digital competencies.
The future of Thai media, and indeed global media, hinges upon a delicate balance between preserving the essence of traditional media and embracing the progressive march of digital transformation.
For industry veterans and budding media professionals alike, the warning is clear—adapt or face the inevitable consequences of technological neglect.
