State Media Under the Democrats
- From: pluto <pluto@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:04:10 +0800
State Media Under the Democrats
Posted by Bangkok Pundit | 3/19/2009 07:00:00 AM
Thaksin was often <http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=52936>
accussed of using the state media to benefit him politically. Back then, the
Democrats were <http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=52936>
critical of this. When the Democrats came to power, reforming the state media
was one of their priorities. In February, Satit (the relevant Minister),
<http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:AxF08QvVbvcJ:www.nationmultimedia.com/worldhotnews/30096340/We-Want-NBT-to-capitalise-on-its-strengths-:-Minister-Satit+Satit+stat+media&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us>
said he wanted to "stop political influence from plaguing" NBT and that the
state media should "present balanced and rounded stories".Now, after Thaksin's
phone-in, Satit <http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?id=4580> again:
The government will use state media to counter the "air war" tactics being
employed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his loyalists, PM's
Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey said yesterday. He said the government would
show the public how Thaksin was trying to hamper its efforts to salvage the
economy by pushing the country into deeper political conflict with the help of
the red shirts, who continue staging rallies across the country. Thaksin himself
has been using frequent phone-in events to stir political unrest.
BP: So won't the state media just then be a tool of the government? Hardly, a
sign of change....
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7 comments
Netirat // March 19, 2009 8:02 AM
The government controls many media outlets from radio to TV. The army alone has
a handful of radio and TV stations. Non-government media are often bought and
paid for by wealthy business concerns. Ad revenue could influence contents of
newspaper and TV. That' s why it is difficult to buy into the idea that Thailand
has free press. I think Thailand has expensive press-:)
Ricefield radio // March 19, 2009 9:24 AM
The Democrats are more like the TRT than the TRT was. They do not seem as
confident as the abundant rhetoric they produce would want everyone to believe.
The Demos are critical of any anti government criticism be it the Phone in's,
community radio, the reds or even DTV. On the other hand they never complained
about the pro democrat bent of ASTV for many months trashing the previous
government. They talk the talk and talk and talk and talk and talk but so far no
one has ventured out on that walk.
Occasional // March 19, 2009 11:41 AM
Real politik.Great being in government because you get to control how people
think. Polticians anywhere in the world and of every description love that. In
Thailand it is also nicely set up for government.Control of the rural networks,
kamnan, headmen, TAOers, health dudes and teachers is also important - basically
anyone who can tell people what to think or at least influence it massively.Dems
and allies arent going to be any different from anyone else. Thaksin was master
at control of information. Now his opponents are better at it too although maybe
a tad more clumsy.
Ricefield radio // March 19, 2009 12:11 PM
Netirat - The military controls more than a handful of radio stations, they
control the majority of radio stations and a lot of the rest of the airwaves are
run by the government. Only a handful of stations are actually privately owned
in any community in Thailand.
Steve // March 20, 2009 10:50 AM
I'd say there's an even clearer contrast between Satit's words now and
previously.
<http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255201150009&news_headline=Satit%20affirms%20govt%20not%20to%20interfere%20with%20media&return=ok.html>
"Satit affirms govt not to interfere with media"."The Minister Attached to the
Prime Minister’s Office asserted today (January 15) that the launch of DTV
television station network should not be problematic, while affirming that the
government would not interfere with media............... Also, he added that it
was essential to assure that the broadcast contents would be impartial to
different interest-based groups. However, Mr. Satit firmly insisted that the
government would not interfere with media.......... Mr. Satit then commented on
the planned phone-in of the ousted Prime Minster Pol Lt Col Thaksin Shinawatra
into one of the programmes broadcast through DTV network that Pol Lt Col Thaksin
had all the rights to do so. Nevertheless, he urged the media of all types to
present their news in such a way that it would not lead to further divergences
in the nation."(National News Bureau of Thailand - 15 January 2009)If "a week is
a long time in politics" (former UK PM Harold Wilson) - 2 months must be an
eternity......
Steve // March 20, 2009 11:06 AM
Pravit has a good
<http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/read.php?newsid=30098188.html> piece
commenting "What we read, what we watch is determining who we are"."These days,
you are identified by the papers you read, television channel you view or
websites you visit. Space for fair and open debate and argument is shrinking,
while more and more media censor the views of readers and viewers that do not
fit their political agenda. Foreign correspondents critical of the PAD and the
current administration have been roundly accused by pro-PAD media as being
merely hired guns paid by Thaksin.The unabashedly partisan nature of virtually
all Thai media may be good in a way, because people can say that what you see is
what you get, and very few now can claim to be "impartial" - whatever that
notion means.But when ordinary citizens only read or watch particular newspapers
or television channels to simply reinforce their existing political beliefs,
what a predicament that poses for dialogue, genuine debate and learning from
different points of view?...............As the reds and yellows appear no longer
wanting to make any sense of one another, people of other colours and political
orientation are also being cast aside or treated as irrelevant or even
non-existent.Is this the price to be paid by the deep politicisation of the Thai
media? And if so, is it worth it?"
Steve // March 20, 2009 3:29 PM
Apologies - my bad with the link again. The March 18 Pravit piece (well worth
reading in full - as usual) is at:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/read.php?newsid=30098188
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