NSRA panel firm on media licensing system

[webfact]

NSRA panel firm on media licensing system
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- MEDIA PERSONNEL are to be licensed and failure to register will result in penalties of up to two years in jail or a fine of up to Bt60,000, the media reform committee decided yesterday.

 

The committee, which is under the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), also insisted on having two permanent secretaries sitting on the proposed media professional council, despite strong opposition by media groups, which said this could lead to interference from the state.

 

Police Major-General Pisit Pao-in, the committee’s vice chairperson, said that the panel would convene tomorrow to go through its various resolutions after the NRSA whip had requested that it get them |in order following opposition by major media groups, including the Thai Journalists Association. The committee started to draft the new media regulation bill last year, under which media personnel would be regulated via a proposed licensing system and there would be supervision by a new media professional council.

 

Fear of state interference

 

However, media groups considered that these regulatory proposals could lead to state control and |interference in the media’s work.

 

Pisit said the new licensing |system would require all members |of the media to register after |being certified by the council and failure to conform would result in penalties.

 

The licensing system is intended to follow the formation of the |professional council two years after the law is enacted.

 

Pisit also said the committee insisted on having two permanent secretaries sitting on the media council, halving the number that had been proposed previously.

 

Another four committee members would come from independent as well as civil organisations, while the remaining seven would be from media professional organisations.

 

However, there is still a debate as to whether two of the seven media seats should be given to media professionals from upcountry provinces, the vice chair added.

 

A finalised draft law, which has been delayed from last month’s deadline, is now expected to be |presented to the NRSA’s whip first, before proceeding to an NRSA meeting for endorsement. It will then be forwarded to the Cabinet, which will submit it to the National Legislative Assembly for deliberation before it comes into effect.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311935

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-11

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

And if we dont like you you dont get a license. Another way to censor news.

[seajae]

this is a hard one as many of the so called journo's simply write/state crap and make stories up, making them be honest and write/state the truth would be a really great change as long as they are not restricted from writing the truth about everything.

[yellowboat]

55 minutes ago, seajae said:

this is a hard one as many of the so called journo's simply write/state crap and make stories up, making them be honest and write/state the truth would be a really great change as long as they are not restricted from writing the truth about everything.

That is why most countries have liable laws.  It is delusional to think you can stop people from writing by giving them "license"  from an autocratic government that hates the written word.  They will create a black market for journalism.  Nothing is more Orwellian than that. 

[stephen tracy]

Makes rather pointless in having a media

 

[elgordo38]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Pisit said the new licensing |system would require all members |of the media to register after |being certified by the council and failure to conform would result in penalties.

The trick question is after being certified by he council. In other words you become a mouthpiece of the junta well disguised as a government I guess or your out. 

[elgordo38]

I think freedom of speech has about 10 years left world wide. If they cannot control it like in the US they dilute it with half truths and the alternate truth and of course Fox News. What will happen to Fox News after Bill O'Reilly is put out to pasture. He does write a lot of books and seems intelligent. Maybe his next book will be a autobiography "The Downfall Of Bill O'Reilly"