State Control Of The Media Slammed As Degradation

[george]

PRESS FREEDOM DAY : State control of the media slammed as ‘degradation’

Govt dominates content on TV news shows, say critics

BANGKOK: -- Press freedom in Thailand faces grave risks as “political and economic interests have combined to pose a huge threat to the Thai media”, legal and political pundits said yesterday.

“The interference through economic might began four years ago. It’s a dark era and will likely last for another four years,” said Prinya Thevanaruemitkul, a law lecturer at Thammasat University. “But we don’t really know how much longer it may last and what its consequences will be for society.”

Prinya made his comments at a seminar organised by the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), Thai Radio and Television Reporters Association, Southeast Asian Press Alliance and Unesco to mark World Press Freedom Day. The TJA released a statement yesterday calling the current state of press freedom “an era of degradation of the Thai media’s credibility”.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva concurred with Prinya’s dark vision of the future of press freedom in Thailand.

“In the future, alternative media may be limited to sending SMS text messages, but even then the powers that be might still be benefiting financially from it,” Abhisit said, in a thinly-veiled reference to AIS, Thailand’s leading mobile-phone service provider, owned by the family of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The day may come, he added, when no newspaper will be allowed to be critical of the government.

Abhisit insisted that during the previous reign of the Democrat Party, Thailand’s media were much more vigorous because press freedom was guaranteed by authorities.

“Every morning I used to read strident criticism of the government [in daily newspapers]. Every evening [television] news programmes were harshly critical of the administration. When we asked some especially critical hosts why they did not invite more representatives from the Democrat Party, we were told not to meddle with press freedom,” he said.

“These days no academics can present their views honestly on most programmes. Those [television] programmes that do want to criticise the government, must be indirect and must retreat in the face of any political hot potatoes.”

To make matters worse, infringements on press freedom are no longer as clear-cut as during the long years of military dictatorship when government censorship was evident. Abhisit said that political and economic interests had become so intertwined that all lines of separation had blurred between the different roles that politicians-cum-tycoons assumed in their alternating political and business dealings.

Leaders of the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party have exorbitant economic clout through the financial holdings of their families, who are probably pulling the strings of the mass media behind the scenes, Prinya said. “A political party, the state apparatus, and big business have all merged and we are facing a new kind of curtailment to press freedom,” he said.

He added that in the run-up to the February 6 general election, the broadcast media – which are mostly state-controlled – metamorphosed into acting as mouthpieces for the government. “What happened wasn’t just that one party got an upper hand, but that it had the media at its whim,” said Prinya. He explained that in democratic countries like Germany, the broadcast media are prevented by law from showing partiality to any political party six months ahead of election day.

Prinya stressed that it was now the responsibility of journalists and the public at large to campaign for greater freedom of the press in the interest of maintaining Thai democracy.

Euajit Virojtrairat, a former dean of the Department of Journalism at Thammasat University, said that the reform of broadcasting guaranteed under the 1997 Constitution has become stalled for several years now.

“The problem is the mentality of people in government,” he said. “They are used to dominating contents in the broadcast media and assume that they alone are right. Yet they are afraid that once the media are given free reign in expression, they will find themselves powerless.”

--The Nation 2005-05-04

[george]

Journalists accuse Thaksin govt of interfering in news reporting

BANGKOK: -- The Thai press yesterday accused the Thaksin administration of hypocrisy, saying nothing had changed despite the prime minister's assurance that the government would respect freedom of the press.

In its statement released yesterday to mark World Press Freedom Day, the Thai Journalists Association said the government's interference in news reporting continued unabated.

During the Thailand Press Fair in September last year, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as a guest speaker, assured that his government would respect press freedom and support the media in doing its job.

''The government doesn't honour its promises and uses every trick to interfere in news reporting. It threatens to withdraw advertising, buys shares or files high-stake defamation lawsuits.

''When its attempts to interfere, buy out and divide fail, the government resorts to cheap tricks of mudslinging. This is to discredit the media and create distrust,'' read the statement.

The TJA pledged to carry out its duty based on press ethics which would protect the media against smear campaigns and vowed to scrutinise the government and society on behalf of the people.

Meanwhile, academics and the opposition said yesterday press freedom was being meddled in by the state just as before _ but in subtle ways.

Parinya Thewanaruemitkul, a law lecturer from Thammasat University, told a seminar on media reform that direct intimidation by the state was now history but Thai journalists were a long way from achieving press freedom.

''Interferences have many manifestations such as refusing to renew concessions,'' he said.

Mr Parinya also said that media outlets relied on advertising and news sometimes became a product.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said that the current political and economic climate made it impossible for the media to criticise the government.

''The political and economic powers are in the hands of an individual or a certain group of individuals.

''Ask who is suing Supinya Klangnarong, few would think of Shin Corp. Most would think of an individual who is inseparable from that corporation,'' he said, apparently referring to the prime minister.

Mr Abhisit said that soon the government would find an excuse _ either security or morality _ to regulate the internet.

He said that the worst thing of all was that press freedom was being threatened by operators themselves who opted for self-censorship.

The move had caused the disappearance of programmes hosted by ''the government's regular critics'' with more programmes similar to those hosted by conservatives Samak Sundaravej and Dusit Siriwan, he said.

Ms Supinya said that calls for press freedom would continue as long as the political monopoly remained in place.

--Bangkok Post 2005-05-04

[kayo]

At least the journalists are being permitted to air their concerns...

[RDN]

[HagenvonTronje]

PRESS FREEDOM DAY : State control of the media slammed as ‘degradation’

...

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva concurred with Prinya’s dark vision of the future of press freedom in Thailand.

“In the future, alternative media may be limited to sending SMS text messages, but even then the powers that be might still be benefiting financially from it,” Abhisit said, in a thinly-veiled reference to AIS, Thailand’s leading mobile-phone service provider, owned by the family of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The day may come, he added, when no newspaper will be allowed to be critical of the government.

ohh yes, that day will come. the government will start a so called media war against the opposition. and forget about it that SMS will be still an alternative media. it becomes a state media oulet and the PM will spam you. those in power will waste the tax money for it.

furthermore, such SMS style messages will become the typical textform the new news format of the old print media.

[Plus]

It's a four year old thread, it has nothing to do with the CURRENT government.

There's absolutely no reason to resurrect it and mislead TV members - unless you check the posting dates it appears kosher.

This screaming headline should not be masqueraded as a "news", there's another thread on current govt media war.

No one has been slammed for anything.

[TAWP]

So to restate, this thread is about the democracy loving Thaksin and his cronies not loving freedom for the people or the journalists.

[HagenvonTronje]

So to restate, this thread is about the democracy loving Thaksin and his cronies not loving freedom for the people or the journalists.

can you one time just forget about thaksin, the person thaksin?

why not let there be just press freedom. and the people crisise the current government or the PM. why not? instead of label them as thaksins lovers or red shirties. it's about press freedom.

and it's not in the genes to be corrupt, it's the power that makes corrupt. let that those in power know befoere they start to fly to high.

go back to the good all times :

Thailand’s media were much more vigorous because press freedom was guaranteed by authorities.

“Every morning I used to read strident criticism of the government [in daily newspapers]. Every evening [television] news programmes were harshly critical of the administration

looks like people have unlearnt to take and accept criticism. press freedom still an actual topic and problem in thailand. and should get much more awarness than those 300 thaksin topics on page one.

why the panic innocent TV members could be misleaded. sure?

the 2009 Abhisit government declaring a media war deserved exactly those words from the 2005 Abhisit opposition above.

[Pierrot]

Thank you so much for reviving this thread !

People can realize how free, fair and balanced is the Thai press 4 years later.

Government has changed but the press hasn't. Where is the problem then ?

[bertlamar]

Thank you so much for reviving this thread !

People can realize how free, fair and balanced is the Thai press 4 years later.

Government has changed but the press hasn't. Where is the problem then ?

statement of fact; the TRT administration completely destroyed Thailand's reputation for freedom of the press.

Since then, another year in power and the reformed TRT administration didn't improve anything, but also destroyed channel 11.

Right now, we are at a major cross roads...will it get better?

Or worse.

[Plus]

This thread should be closed - it's not news in any sense and the title is very misleading.

I suspect it was resurrected only for the sake of screaming headline only.

[TAWP]

So to restate, this thread is about the democracy loving Thaksin and his cronies not loving freedom for the people or the journalists.

can you one time just forget about thaksin, the person thaksin?

No, since this thread is ABOUT Thaksin and his TRT cronies.

That is was revived was only to try to pretend it was a current event, as it wasn't linked to current event. (Even if posters no doubt now will try.)

I just hope the press freedom will increase, but wouldn't hold my breath regarding it.

[DP25]

It's a four year old thread, it has nothing to do with the CURRENT government.

There's absolutely no reason to resurrect it and mislead TV members - unless you check the posting dates it appears kosher.

This screaming headline should not be masqueraded as a "news", there's another thread on current govt media war.

No one has been slammed for anything.

The entire intention of the thread necromancer here, who obviously created yet another sock puppet account, was precisely that, to mislead.

[Koo82]

Like the reds have said a thousand times, army, media, yellows (PAD), Democrat Party and some invisible hands are supporting each other. This explains why the yellows stop protesting when Abhisit has power and why nothing has been done to PAD so far. This is why Army did not do anything when State of Emergency were announced twice last year by Khun Samak and Khun Somchai but red leaders are held now by Police and soldiers used violence towards reds at Din Daeng.

Khun Thaksin said when he was PM, they even controlled which photos of him to appear on newspapers, not up to his decision. One tv channel having his contribution was down after the coup 2006: itv.

When Khun Samak and Khun Somchai were in power, they cannot close ASTV.

Current situation is they close DStation, red radio stations and they block many red websites.

[h90]

Like the reds have said a thousand times, army, media, yellows (PAD), Democrat Party and some invisible hands are supporting each other. This explains why the yellows stop protesting when Abhisit has power and why nothing has been done to PAD so far. This is why Army did not do anything when State of Emergency were announced twice last year by Khun Samak and Khun Somchai but red leaders are held now by Police and soldiers used violence towards reds at Din Daeng.

Khun Thaksin said when he was PM, they even controlled which photos of him to appear on newspapers, not up to his decision. One tv channel having his contribution was down after the coup 2006: itv.

When Khun Samak and Khun Somchai were in power, they cannot close ASTV.

Current situation is they close DStation, red radio stations and they block many red websites.

ASTV never tried to direct provoke violence.

As well ASTV is a Hongkong company, you can't shut it down without invading HK first.

[Tywais]

This thread should be closed - it's not news in any sense and the title is very misleading.