Media credibility at risk in sex scandal case, TJA warns

By The Nation

 

THE FORMER CHIEF of the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) and a women’s rights scholar on Monday called on the association to establish the truth in regard to the ongoing sex scandal involving a noted senior journalist, as failing to do so would damage the media profession’s credibility.
 

The TJA’s former president, Samroeng Kampa-u, posted on Facebook urging the association and members of the media to find out exactly what had happened after reports circulated that a senior journalist had sexually harassed a junior colleague.

 

In response to a statement released by the TJA, Samroeng wrote: “TJA, if you are confused by this matter, then you should not be in this profession. You can investigate even more complicated issues, but this is only an allegation concerning a girl getting harassed sexually by a journalist.”

 

“Is this true? Who is that journalist? Did he really commit the act? Was it immoral, or illegal? That’s all. It shouldn’t be that confusing,” he added in the post.

 

Ticha Na Nakorn, a scholar who advocates women’s rights, called for the media profession to be sincere in conducting an investigation into the issue and not to protect the person suspected of wrongdoing just because he was a friend or a colleague.

 

“Media organisations, with the mission to scrutinise others, strongly need to do the same within their own circle and find the truth about what happened, as well as punish the wrongdoer,” she said.

 

If they failed to do so, the profession’s credibility would be negatively affected in the long run, Ticha added. 

 

The media could even lose the justification to carry on their duties, which involves scrutiny, she warned.

 

The scholar also suggested that the profession find a non-partisan party who was respected by all sides to handle the investigation and approach the victim for talks.

 

The victim might not be able to talk in the current circumstances, given the power relationship between the panel members and the alleged wrongdoer, Ticha explained.

 

If found guilty, the wrongdoer must be punished in line with measures the profession had laid out, she said. 

 

If there were no such appropriate measures, it could mean the group had been reckless about self-scrutiny, she added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30326414

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-9-11

Sexual harassment by the frustrated who cannot make it otherwise, occurs worldwide and the culprits often have senior positions. A majority are men but few women in positions on power have also been known to adopt the practice.

 

Should it be multinational UBER, in the world of international politics, or the Thai media, the jerks need to abuse their seniority orstatus as it is their only way to get laid!  Often women indulge and reap the benefits on and of the job (faster promotions, travel perks, influence etc).

 

But there are also many brave and decent women out there, who refuse to give in. Full respect and credit to those fine ladies.

 

However, the culprits deserve to be publicly and severely reprimanded legally  and sacked on the spot.