Media meddling

Re: “Listen to both sides” and “Seeking the truth”, ( PostBag, Feb 8).

Both A Johnsen and Guena are seekers of the truth, and indeed it is sometimes difficult to understand what is really going on in the world as all media outlets tend to put their own interpretation on current events.

However, we know where the mainstream media organisations are based, we can usually find out who owns them, and the identity of their journalists and contributors is revealed. Whatever their political outlook, the Western mainstream media in particular advocate press freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. By contrast, “Landdestroyer” is secretive, it publishes no details of its ownership, its content is relentlessly anti-Western and anti-democracy, and although claiming to be based in Thailand, its masthead displays the logo of New Eastern Outlook, an online journal based in Moscow. That may, or may not, be a clue as to the source of its funding. Does it matter? Well, I think so. I am intrigued by Mr Johnsen’s passing reference to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand, which has come under frequent criticism from Landdestroyer and its related websites, no doubt because the club is an advocate of press freedom and holds, or tries to hold, discussions and seminars where views on matters of topical interest can be discussed openly. If Mr Johnsen and Guena are so keen on understanding what’s really going on in the world they should be supporters of the club and other similar institutions. A final thought: In recent years, dozens of journalists in Russia who have been openly critical of the Kremlin and President Putin have met untimely ends. Any media organisation based in, or linked to, Russia will always be looking over its shoulder, and hardly likely to publish reports and articles which deviate from Kremlin doctrine. ROBIN GRANT