Community Radio Faces New Controls

[george]

Community radio faces new controls

Govt denies claims it is gagging critics

BANGKOK: -- The government plans to tighten technical controls on community radio stations, claiming their transmissions are jamming mainstream radio and TV signals and aeronautical radio communications.

Wuthipong Pongsuwan, adviser to PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva, said the programme content would not be affected unless they pose a threat to national security or the monarchy.

He denied claims by Senator Niran Pithakwatchara that the minister was trying to gag radio hosts who criticised the government.

His denial came after a police sergeant-major went to TPI building on Narathiwat Ratchanakharin road on Tuesday to warn a community radio station there that it was using higher transmission power than permitted and that its broadcast was scrambling other signals.

The officer was sent there from Thung Mahamek police station on the orders of Pol Maj-Gen Kosin Hinthao, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Division 4, who is also Mr Wuthipong's brother-in-law.

Under rules issued by the Public Relations Department, each community radio station is permitted no more than a 30-watt transmitter, transmission towers no taller than 30 metres and a broadcast range no greater than 15 kilometres.

Anchalee Paireerak, a host with the station, said the warning was politically motivated.

``The government has a problem with criticism, particularly with a station which is speaking the truth from the country's `Wall Street' area where consumers have strong buying power. It doesn't want these people to know the truth,'' she said.

The station's transmission tower was only 18 metres tall and the studio, on the 37th floor, was small and cannot accommodate a 1,000-watt transmitter as alleged.

Ms Anchalee said although the transmission tower is on the 38th floor, the broadcast range cannot extend far because the station has only a 30-watt transmitter.

``This has nothing to do with technical details but everything to do with our content. Even if we do everything right technically, they will still find fault with us,'' she said.

Mr Wuthipong said some community radio stations in Bangkok had boosted their transmission power to 1,000 watts and put their transmission towers on high rises and that had scrambled signals of concessioned radio and TV operators, mobile telephones and communications between aircraft and control towers.

The high magnetic power emitted from high-power radio transmitters also could affect people's health, he said.

Community radio also carried misleading advertisements, and inaccurate news reports, he said. ``These stations are causing a lot of problems,'' he said.

Mr Wuthipong said the government needed to impose controls on community radio until the National Broadcasting Commission, an independent broadcasting regulator, was up and running.

Mr Suranand, he said, wanted community radio owners to form a professional council to control each other without state interference.

Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular Democracy, said the government was trying to put a gag order on community radio hosts who were scrutinising its performance.

Those people had been driven out of big stations and now the government wanted to leave them no space at all to exercise their freedom of expression, Mr Suriyasai said.

--Bangkok Post 2005-04-15

[penzman]

Reminds me of sound systems and television sets being sold in the stores, each with the volume cranked all the way up to show their "amazing performance" wich makes them all end up sounding like crap.

I know of one annoying radio station here in Chonburi which is on 107.25 and is clearly messing up the 107FM broadcast (MCOT) which I often listen to since they broadcast various news feeds from the BBC, VOA, CNN, Australia and others. From the TV broadcast (107.25 DJs can bee seen getting their moment of fame on local cable at night) at night on TV , I have my doubts about the legibility of this crappy radio station.

[stumonster]

internet broadcasting is the go.

though in the not too distant future the offices of TVFM might get a visit from the men in mauve

[Ajarn]

I think the Community Radio program is great in concept, and I'm a financial supporter, but the political sides are always drawn, and to some the radio is just another way to get an audience, similar to a sound truck in the neighborhood.... Some stations sound like the trucks, too. Same speech over and over...

The station in Bkk is one of the more politically-active and in-your-face. Many of the ones in the provinces are, too. But this guy is on the 37th floor with an antenna another 18 meters... Every politician in Bkk can hear him, far beyond typical limits, too. MANY more people hear them than anywhere else in the Kingdom, and it's only a local call to the Government from these likely higher-educated folks... Wish I had that platform

The writing is on the wall. Someone will definately place more controls, but I really doubt the NCCC will ever have a hand- if the government ever decides to actually create it, as mandated in the Constitution.

I think the program does need more accountability, but the local communities are often afraid to even have such a station, for fear of retaliation if they don't kriengjai the right folks, or often enough... I don't think any government mandate will ever solve this issue in this society.

One can only hope the good guys win a few, too

[Highwayman]

While politics may possibly be behind this raid, like penzman l also have a problem on the northern outskirts of Bangkok with one of these community stations. I like to listen to MCOT107.0 broadcasting from Bangkok for the ABC etc. news broadcasts but l can't anymore because there is some local community station broadcasting on almost the same frequency that comes blaring in over the top so you can't understand a word anymore.

Nothing wrong with having community stations but they need to find their own space on the dial. Government regulation of the media in Thailand is a touchy subject but there does need to be some central control over allocation of frequencies to enable everyone to listen to their choice of station.

[marquess]

I get that nasty interference too, never knew it was some community radio station. Though I did hear the guy on 107FM, say that they were going to do something to boost their single, as alot of people had complained about he interference.