Broadcast council apologises for media's improper conduct in Por's coverage



BANGKOK: -- The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand (NBCT) today (Wednesday) issued a formal apology to family of the late TV star Tridsadee “Por” Sahawong and his family as well as members of the public for the allegedly unbecoming behavior of the broadcast media in the coverage of Por’s death.

In a statement issued today, the council referred to the widespread criticism against the broadcast media for their improper conduct when they covered the event with Por’s body was moved out of Ramathibodi hospital to be returned to his hometown in Buri Ram on January 18.

The media was accused by critics of violations of the rights to privacy and human dignity of the dead man and his family, said the council, adding that it welcomed the criticisms which should serve a lesson for the council to improve the conduct and quality standard of the broadcast media.

The council promised to hold a meeting of representatives of media outlets to discuss their problem with the hope of laying down a set of guidelines for the improvements of their quality standard.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/147461


-- Thai PBS 2016-01-21

The media was accused by critics of violations of the rights to privacy and human dignity of the dead man and his family, said the council, adding that it welcomed the criticisms which should serve a lesson for the council to improve the conduct and quality standard of the broadcast media.

To the countries leadership: ...criticism is welcome and should serve as a lesson to improve...

don't be so abjectly afraid of it.

But the poor souls who adorn the front page of Thairath news paper each day mangled to bits in deadly road traffic accidents is fine.

Talk about double standards.

Media Associations Apologize to Por’s Family
By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee
Staff Reporter


Vanda 'Bow' Sahawong and Chawanan 'Pin' Sahawong, wife and brother of late actor Thrisadee 'Por' Sahawong, cringe from the media onslaught Tuesday outside Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — Two media associations have issued apologies to the family of actor Thrisadee “Por” Sahawong for their disrespectful behavior during frenzied coverage of the actor’s death.

Associations representing photographers and broadcasters have both apologized for the inappropriate conduct of some news media personnel during the removal of the actor’s body from Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok to transport to Buriram province for his funeral.

“Every photographer has their duty to report the news. They didn’t mean to cause such an incident. However, we have investigated the pictures and we admit that it happened,” Surachai Visetsopha, president of the Mass Media Photographers Association of Thailand said today. “We have nearly 400 member photographers, but the media has expanded to cable TV, newspapers, radio and social media. This makes it hard to control.”

Association president Surachai Visetsopha said the association has already reached out to the photographers who behaved unprofessionally to discuss their disrespectful actions toward the actor’s family.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1453374849&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2016-01-22

Every media person that was involved in this should be banned for life from any work in the media industry.

Sorry, but we would do it again...

Apology without concrete actions to enforce right and wrong would only see further apologies...

They got what they deserved, closed coffin, backway exit, would have been a lot more respectful.

The whole thing turned into a media circus.

But the poor souls who adorn the front page of Thairath news paper each day mangled to bits in deadly road traffic accidents is fine.

Talk about double standards.

A few simple words of apology, most of the content of the apology letter is about the media and their difficulties. totally disgraceful and disrespectful letter.

Strange how they all knew what time the body was coming out.