NMG, Thaipat Institute jointly launch media transparency initiative

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NMG, Thaipat Institute jointly launch media transparency initiative
KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- NATION MULTIMEDIA GROUP (NMG) and the Thaipat Institute yesterday announced that they had jointed forces to launch a transparency initiative in the media industry.

The "Media Industries Transparency Initiative" (MITI) aims to foster openness and accountability in news businesses. It also aims to establish standards for transparency and information disclosure in the media sector in order to boost the public trust and acceptance among stakeholders.

MITI is the first initiative under the Partnership Against Corruption for Thailand (PACT) network designed to expand anti-corruption practices throughout the supply chain of a specific industry.

The Thaipat Institute, an organisation dedicated to corporate responsibility, will be a convenor for the PACT, while NMG will be the media partner of the network.

Pipat Yodprudtikan, director of the Thaipat Institute, said the PACT network began its mission with the creation of an action-oriented platform. To be in line with internationally recognised principles and guidelines, the platform is designed to facilitate the implementation of anti-graft policies and measures in industry-specif?ic targets.

"The launch of the PACT network will be a major milestone in fighting against corruption in Thailand," he said, noting that opposing corruption had been made a hot issue by Thai society and put on the national agenda.

"We need to lay down a strong infrastructure at this moment to ensure that such anti-corruption practices will be successful," he said.

Pipat said the PACT network brought together business organisations and associations from various fields, including the media, retail, insurance and service industries, such as the financial and banking sectors, through their shared goal of combating corruption.

Under this network, they will pursue action-oriented guidelines and measures, from declaring their commitment to fight graft, to formulating anti-corruption mechanisms and processes in their organisations before expanding such practices further to their business partners and those within their supply chain.

"In the media industry, the border between editorial and business becomes blurred. It also allows investment groups to take control over the management of a media organisation and to have a certain level of impact on editorial work," Pipat said.

All listed companies and business organisations are welcome to join the PACT network. More information, including a how-to manual on "Anti-Corruption in Practice" launched by the Thaipat Institute, is available at www.pact.network.

NMG chief executive officer Duangkamol Chotana said the mass media played a crucial role in promoting transparency in Thai society, particularly via their news coverage.

"Media organisations thus should offer not just accurate but also complete information in their news reports. They have to be responsible and accountable in presenting their news coverage in a greater effort to set up a good transparency standard in the media industry," she said. "Self-regulation will be a crucial principle. Media organisations need to win trust from society and all stakeholders, and their business plans and information should be disclosed to the public for greater transparency."

Operating its media business for well over 44 years, NMG is now ranked among Thailand's biggest media conglomerates. Out of its firm commitment to support the country's development, NMG has joined the PACT network as its media partner and taken up the mission of promoting the anti-corruption cause throughout the supply chains of industry-specific targets.

All of NMG's media outlets will report and support the tangible anti-corruption efforts by the PACT network and its members.

"We [NMG] are the first in the local media industry to have the 'Nation Way' ethical code of conduct to be applied by all staff as their normal working practice," Duangkamol said. "We will extend the partnership at all levels to raise the transparency standards in the media industry. We will also use our media occupation in leveraging the battle against corruption to other business sectors."

MITI director Nongnat Hanwilai, who is also the vice president for corporate strategy and corporate social responsibility at Nation Broadcasting Corporation, said MITI matched well with Thailand's current context.

She said the country was now undergoing a big reform programme with major overhauls planned for various sectors, including the news media. News organisations should recognise the importance of media reform and embrace initiatives such as MITI.

MITI is a self-regulatory scheme in support of media reform. Members of the multi-stakeholder group are encouraged to join MITI on a voluntary basis. Its premise is that regulatory and media organisations should always disclose necessary information to the public and society. They should be accountable even when not required to do so by law.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/NMG-Thaipat-Institute-jointly-launch-media-transpa-30255826.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-12

[Emster23]

looks like one more muzzle potentially for the press, as if they need one. How about campaign for transparency in government? Nope. Too hot an issue.