NRSA URGED TO REVIEW MEDIA BILL

>> Media professionals and scholars have urged the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) to review the controversial media reform bill, saying it limits media freedom.

The bill is not intended to reform the media but to control the media’s work, said Thepchai Yong, president of the Confederation of Thai Journalists.

He called on the NRSA’s media reform steering panel to revise the draft of the law.

He was speaking yesterday at a seminar on the media reform bill held at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The session was attended by representatives from media outlets and journalism students.

The media regulation bill has been slammed by media outlets who claim the new law will allow state meddling in the media.

In the draft bill, a national media council will be allowed to issue and revoke licences for all media professionals. In addition, four permanent secretaries of various ministries will be allowed to join the national media council.

Mr Thepchai said the national media council’s responsibilities are to regulate the media and examine the quality of their work, adding that the council should not interfere with the media’s work.

On Wednesday, the NRSA’s media reform panel proposed its draft of the media regulating bill to the assembly.

Last week media bodies demanded the removal of ACM Kanit Suwannate as head of the NRSA’s media reform steering panel.

They said the National Reform Council’s version of the draft media law supported the work of the media and promoted freedom of the press. But after the NRSA media reform panel took over the draft, the essence of the law was changed.

Warat Karujit, a representative from the National Institute of Development Administration, said the draft bill gives the national media council too much power, adding that the details of the draft bill need to be reviewed.

Meanwhile, Tham Chuasathapanasiri, an independent scholar at TPBS Academic Institute of Public Media, said he disagreed with the idea of letting a national media council issue and revoke licences.

The process allows the council to dictate what media does, not to regulate the media, he added.

However, Jumpon Rodthamdee, former dean of Chulalonkorn University’s faculty of communication arts, said media reform is needed as media outlets lack social responsibility and work ethics, which have negative effects on the public.

Mr Jumpon urged media organisations who oppose the draft bill to explain how they will reform themselves and improve their work.