Thai report: Media groups still concerned about proposed reforms

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SPECIAL REPORT
Media groups still concerned about proposed reforms
Piyaporn Wongruang,
Kasamakorn Chanwanpen
The Nation

Media representatives and reform council committee agree on regulation but differ on how to do it

BANGKOK: -- Media reformers discussing a new press freedom protection law agree on the need to regulate the industry, but are split on how to do it.

At least three statements have been issued to date by major media organisations, including some from upcountry, voicing concern about reform moves.

One of the most controversial proposals by a National Reform Council (NRC) committee is for a new professional media council to be set up to help regulate media members. It would receive some funding from the state as well as the so-called 'sin tax' to support its work, a point critically opposed by the four media organisations.

The NRC panel will today review all the recommendations they have received to try to patch up their differences. The four bodies in the Media Reform Working Group are the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), the National Press Council of Thailand, the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association and the News Broadcasting Council.

The NRC committee on media reform met representatives of these organisations on Friday but were not able to resolve differences.

Thepchai Yong, the group's chairman and president of the Confederation of Thai Journalists, said they agreed with the committee's view over the media problems especially those concerning lapses in observing media ethics, and core principles of the draft bill, but the committee's approach was seen as a problem.

"There is definitely a need for a more effective media regulatory mechanism," he said.

"It's obvious that the existing self-regulatory system lacks credibility. It needs to be strengthened so that media owners and practitioners will be more accountable through a more effective enforcement of code of ethics.

"There must also be greater public participation in media monitoring."

Thepchai said the group supported the core principles of the new media bill, especially the principle of self-regulation and co-regulation. However, it had questions about certain aspects of the power of the proposed ethics council, especially one that deals with licensing of media practitioners. Of more concern was the source and the size of revenue for the proposed media ethics council.

Thepchai said the bill proposes a minimum annual budget of Bt50 million deducted from the 'sin tax'. It also allows the council to seek additional budget from the Cabinet. "Our fear is that state financing of what is supposed to be an independent media regulatory body will lead to political interference.

"Besides, a cash-rich regulatory body would invite people with an agenda beyond protecting media freedom and public interest," Thepchai said.

When meeting with committee members on Friday, Thepchai said the group was encouraged by the fact that chairman of the committee, Jumphol Rodkamdee, and most other committee members fully understood the importance of independent media and were strongly committed to defending and promoting media freedom. But at the same time, they also want to see greater media responsibility and more accountability," he said.

Thepchai is adopting a wait and see attitude. He said this is only the first stage of the legislative process. The bill will be forwarded to the Cabinet and subsequently to the national legislative assembly before it becomes law.

"It's anybody's guess what will happen along the way," Thepchai said, claiming they have heard hawkish views about the role of the media from both

those in the military junta and in the Legislative Assembly. "We wouldn't be surprised if there will be attempts to amend the bill to make it more stringent. We need to be watchful.

"I personally think any media regulatory system can be effective only when those in the media themselves are committed to it," he added.

Pattara Kampitak, president of the National Press Council of Thailand, said in fact the media has long been regulated by three sectors: the media themselves, the state power via defamation laws, and the public via social sanctions. In his view, the media regulation can be done via the public sector.

Pattara said another approach could be experimented with.

Instead of concentrating on media self regulation, by borrowing the state's power to regulate each other via a promulgation of the law and the reception of its funding and place itself under risk of interference and dominance, the media should leave this task in the hands of the people.

He said this would not only help the media distance itself from the state's power completely, it could also have room to develop its ethic standards along with the people. This, he said, "was truly a continuous media reform work that has progressed nearly 20 years since the birth of the council."

Surapon Naknakorn, president of the Petchaburi Journalists Association, said he agreed in principle that the media should be regulated and self-regulation can be adopted, but media personnel should be clearly separated from media owners, which should be put under different legislation and different sets of ethics and standards.

Surapon said since the reforms first took place, upcountry media members had hardly been consulted and as such the reform at its present form concentrated merely on the quality of work.

Based on the experiences of colleagues upcountry, Surapon said to truly reform the media, quality of work could not be separated from quality of life, something that is still lacking upcountry. Most were freelancers and hardly had any work security. That was why many upcountry media professionals depend largely on local 'influencers' to survive, he said.

"If we want to reform the media, we have to think about the quality of life of media professionals as well. This is a reality that is happening upcountry where a lot more media professionals work," said Surapon. "Without work security, they are prone to side with local investors or 'influencers' and become the political tools of their benefactors. How can you improve media standards if you leave our professionals in such a living condition?"

Wasan Phaileeklee, a committee member, said the panel would take all recommendations taken from the deliberations during the week as well as those of the media associations for consideration.

He said they largely agreed with one another's proposals there was still a difference about what degree the media should be regulated. "We still believe the media should be put together and linked to one another under one umbrella."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Media-groups-still-concerned-about-proposed-reform-30265288.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-27

[FangFerang]

Here's your gag. Please make sure it fits comfortably.

[Srikcir]

About the new professional media council that would be funded by sin taxes -

Why not just use one of the many councils in Walking Street, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy, etc already supported by sin revenues? No government funds necessary.

[LannaGuy]

fear is the only motivating factor in gagging the media

[donmuang37]

Developed countries seem to find no need for "media regulation", so why does Thailand need it?

[MaxLee]

Developed countries seem to find no need for "media regulation", so why does Thailand need it?

to keep the Nation brainwashed and terrorized who dare to cause the rulers or ruling party to lose face....