Sansern to pursue his plan to seek media ‘cooperation’

By THE NATION

 

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS Department chief Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd yesterday confirmed to The Nation that he would stick to his plan to ask for “cooperation” from media during the Cabinet trip next week.

But it is up to the media how to respond, said Sansern who is also the government spokesman.

 

The plan is being heavily criticised by members of the media, who view it as “regulating and interfering” with their public responsibilities.

 

The issue emerged after some media and social media users circulated an August 15 letter inviting editors of all media outlets to meet on Wednesday to discuss preparations for the Cabinet trip, including news reporting. Sansern had said this was not “regulating” the media as has been criticised, but “asking for cooperation” to produce news scoops concerning Cabinet members on the trip, set for August 19 to 22. 

 

Sansern’s reply to the criticism was that past news reports mainly covered the prime minister, despite the fact that other Cabinet members also joined him on trips. People need to also hear from Cabinet members about Thailand’s problems and their efforts to tackle them, he said.

 

That aim led him to ask media outlets which ministers they wished to follow, and let them choose. 

 

Sansern said the plan remains the same, but some media members did not want to be involved. He said he had no problem with that, as they were free in the first place to pick topics of interest to report. 

 

The spokesperson insisted that he just wished to see news reporting cover various issues. People have the right to know various issues that the government has been working on, he added.

 

“It’s the media’s job to inform people, right?” said Sansern, while conceding that the idea, and the approach he initiated, might be deemed an inappropriate way for government to deal with media.

 

Media professionals yesterday rebuked the plan, viewing it as an attempt by the PRD to interfere in the decision-making of broadcasting media by asking them to report on “underrated” ministers as well as asking them to provide recordings to the PRD-affiliated National Broadcasting Services of Thailand.

 

Thepchai Yong, president of the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, said Sansern’s action was tantamount to interference in the media’s work. “It is not a wise move on the part of the government, as this could be seen as an attempt to dictate to the media,” Thepchai said. He said that media have a professional responsibility to report truthfully and hold those in power and interest groups accountable, not to serve as a public-relations tool for government. 

 

The Thai Broadcast Journalists Association has issued a statement expressing its concern and disagreement with plan, which they deem an effort to intimidate and interfere with the media. The association views it as inappropriate for government to ask media to heed the government’s demands.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30324256

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-19

not the media's job to kowtow to a govt; quite the opposite; more and more and more attempts to control 

Or just overblown egos from the media types.

 

Too many think THEY are the news instead of simply being the people paid to report it.

 

Learning from the western media?

The Thai media are acting like a bunch of hysterical, prima donna ladyboys.

 

A request to have a meeting with journalists regarding what media opportunities might be available ahead of the Cabinet meeting is a darn good idea. The problem for Thai journalists is that they might not all be able to hover together as a flock and then exchange notes with each other and decide what they are all going to collectively write as a group.

 

I find the reaction by the Thai media extremely odd. No one is forcing them to write or report anything. Briefings by PR officials ahead of major events is normal in many countries and a pro-active approach such as this by PRD should be applauded. It lets journalists research the topics that are going to be discussed and announced ahead of the event. It's an opportunity many foreign journalists working in Thailand would leap at.

 

The complaining and whining by the Thai media only serves to highlight their lack of professionalism.

 

 

 

Or perhaps, being in the business here and conversant with the subtelities of being 'invited' for friendly 'attitude adjustment' talks, they know a little more than you & me?

1 minute ago, saakura said:

Or perhaps, being in the business here and conversant with the subtelities of being 'invited' for friendly 'attitude adjustment' talks, they know a little more than you & me?

 

Perhaps they just don't want to have to focus on more than one person which means they won't be able to flock together and collectively write the same story for each publication.

 

This is total BS (them, not you). They've been invited to a briefing on what the Cabinet is going to discus. They're being pitched stories which is the job of the PR people. Good to see the PRD finally getting proactive. Time the Thai media - particularly the gallery - got over their infatuation with Prayut.

 

 

i enjoy listening to/reading about the guy in the main article;  we need to know the people who we should not believe anything they say

"Cooperation"? I suspect the Thai word probably translates more closely to "subservience".

 

The "trick" is for the junta to threaten/scare the media enough so that they self-censor.

10 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Or just overblown egos from the media types.

 

Too many think THEY are the news instead of simply being the people paid to report it.

 

Learning from the western media?

Which media types are you referring to?

Do you think the media should be simply an organ of the state and have no autonomy? No editorial content?

12 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

"Cooperation"? I suspect the Thai word probably translates more closely to "subservience".

 

The "trick" is for the junta to threaten/scare the media enough so that they self-censor.

 

On the rare occasions that PRD organise a briefing for foreign media on matters – IUU fishing, human trafficking, or even regional fam trips – there has never been any pressure to write/ broadcast anything. The government presents its case supported by relevant heads of departments who then answer whatever questions are thrown at them. Sorry to spoil the illusion.

Cabinet seems to have turned into a travelling circus and is roaming the country to have their meetings to try to have people in outer regions believe they care about them. When all they really care about are their city slicker supporters in the big smoke.

I don't see it as necessary for the media to incur costs to follow them around like puppies just to be told what to report when they get there. Better they stay at home and save the money and report nothing. See how Prayut and his grandstanding media hungry cronies like that.

12 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Or just overblown egos from the media types.

 

Too many think THEY are the news instead of simply being the people paid to report it.

 

Learning from the western media?

Yawn.

1 hour ago, Yme said:

 

On the rare occasions that PRD organise a briefing for foreign media on matters – IUU fishing, human trafficking, or even regional fam trips – there has never been any pressure to write/ broadcast anything. The government presents its case supported by relevant heads of departments who then answer whatever questions are thrown at them. Sorry to spoil the illusion.

"there has never been any pressure to write/ broadcast anything."

 

One can't possibly say that because one can't possibly know that.

I don't see it as necessary for the media to incur costs to follow them around like puppies

Some of them seem to like having their head patted and ears scratched.

1 hour ago, ChidlomDweller said:

Yawn.

Past your bed time....nighty night

On 8/20/2017 at 10:43 AM, baboon said:

"there has never been any pressure to write/ broadcast anything."

 

One can't possibly say that because one can't possibly know that.

I can!

1 hour ago, Yme said:

I can!

Which would make it a lie.

There's nothing wrong with a normal government public relations department doing its best to put a good face on the government's endeavors.

 

But this government PR department isn't "normal."  It's an entirely different affair when the PRD folks are Army Lt. Generals and backed up by armed soldiers who detain journalists for "attitude adjustment" when they're deemed to not be following the government's line.

 

Or when the same folks declare that people in Thailand will be prosecuted if they read or share the editorial content of various coup opponents who have been deemed persona non grata.

 

Lord knows, Thai journalism leaves a lot to be desired in terms of its professionalism. But having the military exercising their own subtle forms of coercion over the current media outlets doesn't make it any better. And let's not forget, the government and the Army already have direct ownership control over a lot of the TV and radio content here.