Experts lash out at attempt to muzzle media through regulatory bill

[webfact]

Experts lash out at attempt to muzzle media through regulatory bill
By Kasamakorn Chanwanpen
The Nation

 

BANGKOK: -- The media regulatory bill came under attack at a seminar on “Press Freedom and the Future of Thai Society” as an attempt to control not only the media, but also the people in society.

 

The seminar also urged the media to self-reflect and improve its sense of responsibility so to prevent the state from interfering and exploiting its shortcomings.

 

Representatives from the junta-appointed reform panel and legislators, meanwhile, told the media to calm down, saying the bill might be scrapped in later stages.

 

Celebrating World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, scores of media professionals gathered at the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) headquarters to emphasise the importance of press freedom and show a united stance against the controversial media regulatory bill, which was passed by the National Reform Steering Assembly on Monday.

 

Speaking at the seminar, among the activities organised by the TJA, Suthichai Yoon, a veteran journalist and a digital journalist at the Nation Multimedia Group, pointed out the bill could aim to control all the people in society, including those who used social media. He said it reflected the lack of understanding among state authorities of the changing media landscape.

 

“News reporters are not limited to only journalists, photographers, or editors. Anyone who is honest about facts and is ethical could be media today,” he said.

 

He said he had no idea how the bill should define a media professional, as it would not be appropriate to limit the definition to only those who had a communications degree.

 

Suthichai said the media industry had been undermined significantly by all the rules and regulations. He urged young professionals to stand firm in protecting their freedom and society.

 

The veteran journalist said failure in self-regulation could occur in any profession. The best solution was to let society teach a lesson to indisciplined media, and not let the government take control.

 

Suthichai said the media must connect with the people, not the government.

 

Mana Trirayapiwat, dean of the Thai Chamber University’s Faculty of Communication Arts, said that while the bill was an attempt to turn the media into a ‘lap dog’, the media should also introspect because many people in society seemed to agree with the proposed media regulation.

 

He said the media should review especially whether it had infringed on people’s rights and whether it had caused any trouble by its reporting of facts and the news.

 

Supinya Klangnarong, a former member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, said that freedom came with responsibility. If it lacked freedom, the media could not be held accountable, she said.

 

She said the media should be given more responsibility, not be deprived of rights through legislation.

 

Supinya pointed out that the bill showed the state’s attempt to expand its power while undermining that of the people.

 

Currently, there were no checks and balance in the junta-appointed Parliament and political parties had been weakened, she said. The media was the only pillar left that could perform the scrutinising role, she said. As a result, the state felt the need to control the media, she added.

 

Claiming to oppose the controversial bill, Somchai Sawangkarn, a member of the National Legislative Assembly, said the bill would be subject to review as to whether it contravened the Constitution. He asked the media to calm down, saying there was a possibility the bill would be scrapped by the Cabinet.

 

Former journalist and politician Alongkorn Ponlaboot, now a vice president of the NRSA, said the bill sought to protect the media, not harm it.

 

He said if the law came into effect and resulted in media control, he would resign from his post.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30314164

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-04

[colinneil]

Attempts to muzzle the media why?
Reason is those in power do not want the people to know what they are up to.

Keep the peasants quiet by not allowing the media to tell the truth, but only the truth as they tell it.

[yellowboat]

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Former journalist and politician Alongkorn Ponlaboot, now a vice president of the NRSA, said the bill sought to protect the media, not harm it.

Protect = Control .  Making something that is bad worse. 

[Lupatria]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Alongkorn Ponlaboot, now a vice president of the NRSA, said the bill sought to protect the media,

Protect from who? The average Somchai seems not to be a threat.

[ramrod711]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

“News reporters are not limited to only journalists, photographers, or editors. Anyone who is honest about facts and is ethical could be media today,” he said.

Sounds like idealism to me, in a perfect world it would be so. Unfortunately the media in Thailand has exhibited a willingness to be influenced by political leaders.

[Jai Dee]

An off-topic post about Donald Trump has been removed from this thread.

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Anyone who is honest about facts and is ethical could be media today,

I don't know about the "honest" and "ethical" parts (in whose perspective?) but ANYONE can become the media using social media such as Facebook and YouTube. Thus far, social media content has been a challenge for the Junta to control. It's conceivable this media bill could require ANYONE who desires to post on the internet anything regarding Thai national security, government, religion, etc. to be licensed or certified by the NBTC. Posting without said approval would be a crime.

[Chama1]

Sounds like the sheepole are being told to remain calm until there it becomes illegal to mount a defense against censorship. Fortunately there are a few watchdogs crying fowl. Hopefully they will be heard by a large enough number of people to stop this effort to usurp the flow of information, both biased and unbiased, to the citizens of the Kingdom. It will have to be up to the media to monitor the flow of fake news and the public to pay enough attention to know when they are being misled.  

[Stargeezr]

I hope that Thailand does not head the way of Turkey, I think the country needs a new attempt at a democratic

government.'

Geezer

Edited May 5, 2017 by Stargrazer9889
misspell