Mass media discuss roles in conflict

Tanakorn Sangiam

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Parliament’s Committee on Political Development has hosted a seminar on the roles of mass media in a time of conflict, where members of the media have reflected on their role in guiding the society towards tolerance.

 

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Political Development, Mass Communications and Public Participation has hosted a seminar on the roles and freedom of mass media in a society with political conflicts.

 

Members of the media participating in this seminar reflected on their roles, while complaining that the government’s mechanisms remain an obstacle for the media, especially when reporting on protests.

 

They say some of the laws in effect prohibit the media from reporting the protestors’ demands. Nevertheless, the media need to analyze the situation beyond the conflicts, and lead the society to become more tolerant to differing ideas.

 

Assistant Professor Pijitra Suppasawatgul, head of the Department of Journalism and New Media at the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University, said differing ideas are natural in a democratic society, however the government has been trying to control the media’s narrative, especially on traditional media platforms, during conflicts from past to present.

 

She said the general public are increasingly receiving news and information from foreign online platforms, such as Facebook, which has an important values regarding freedom. She commented that the authorities should respond to the current conflict with justice and impartiality.

 

Independent academic Sarinee Achavanuntakul sees that Thailand is transforming into a society with two polarizing beliefs, thus the the media should look deeper into the situation, beyond the conflicts, and give space for both sides to speak, which will help promote the tolerance of different beliefs within the same society.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-11-15

 

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3 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

They say some of the laws in effect prohibit the media from reporting the protestors’ demands.

 

What else would you expect from laws from an unelected, military government ?  

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

said differing ideas are natural in a democratic society

But censorship is neither democratic nor natural.

Edited November 15, 20205 yr by Tropicalevo