Friday, 30 July 2010
Thai government wants prior restraint on community radio programs and satellite, cable TV stations
Fri, 15/05/2009 - 15:23
The Thai government announced on 14 May 2009 its plan to regulate
the program content of radio stations and cable and satellite TV
stations in the country, media reports said.
The "Bangkok Post" quoted Prime Minister's Office Minister Sathit
Wongnongtoey as saying the government will ban any program, whether
broadcast over community radios or aired over cable and satellite
TVs, that are politically "incendiary" and "offensive", whether
coming from the anti-government red shirt or anti-Thaksin yellow
shirt groups.
Sathit said these are among the proposed regulations that will
enable the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to rein in
the two political groups.
The proposed regulations will require community radio stations,
and cable TV and satellite TV channels to seek permission for each
programme being aired, Sathit said.
''Once the regulations take effect, any broadcast station airing
content deemed to be politically incendiary won't be allowed to
operate,'' he said.
Thai sources who requested anonymity said these tasks are beyond
the NTC's mandate. However, in the absence of a body that would
perform said duties, the commission might end up in charge
implementing these regulations.
Other sources described these proposed regulations as out-and-out
censorship, depriving the audience of access to information.
The "Bangkok Post" said an NTC sub-committee has held public
hearings on the regulations for community radio stations, and would
soon hold hearings for satellite TV stations.
The sub-committee is taking into account suggestions from the
public. Revised regulations are expected in June.
In a related develoment, Sathit said a decision on whether to allow
DStation, the TV channel run by the pro-Thaksin United Front for
Democracy against Dictatorship, to resume broadcasting would depend
on the station's programme content. ''The station would be allowed
to resume operations, if it wants to run general news reports.
''The regulations will be enforced even-handedly against all
satellite stations,'' he added.
Source:
Southeast Asian Press Alliance.
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Comments
"The proposed regulations
"The proposed regulations will require community radio stations,
and cable TV and satellite TV channels to seek permission for each
programme being aired, Sathit said."
How is this supposed to happen? Is it not a bureaucratic nightmare?
I should get myself a radio.
I should get myself a radio. Anyone has any idea what these community radio programs are like?? Are they 'dangerous' propagandas or do they at least try to tell another side of the story?
I've no idea what the
I've no idea what the community radio stations are like, but I've heard they are popular with taxi drivers, so maybe a few taxi trips will give you an idea whether its worth getting a radio?
A previous PM also seemed to have trouble with community radio stations and wanted to close them down - see here: http://www.2bangkok.com/comm.shtml
:-) Thanks Hobby! I might be
:-) Thanks Hobby! I might be able to listen to those programs on line. i forgot we are living in the age of the Internet. BTW, a friend of mine 'vejust showed me where the red shirts's local headquater is. I might drop by some day to see how it;s like!
I've had a few taxi trips
I've had a few taxi trips already while i was in BKK but unfortunately i failed to notice what programs were on at that time... Thanks for the link abt Thaksin's 'suppression' of cm radio programs.. both sides are more or less equal in a number of ways..
You might have to be fleet
You might have to be fleet footed to listen to them online - that's if the government is as good at blocking as it is at looking stupid:)
Forgive my poor English. I'm
Forgive my poor English. I'm not quite sure what u mean here: "You might have to be fleet footed..".. (fleet-footed =run fast??)
BTW, Hobby, u seem to go back on yr word. Last time u said we'd better give Abhisit a chance t o work and even remarked that he looks better than his predecessors (e.g. Samak and Thaksin), and now u begin to be very critical of him and his government. Do u feel u gave given him sufficient time to prove himself?? . Correct me if i 'm wrong or have misread yr post.
OH, now I know! You meant i'd
OH, now I know! You meant i'd better be quick if i want to listen to them online bec the gov might have started 'moderating' those programs already (although u are not sure if they are that efficient at blocking).
Yes - you got it - might need
Yes - you got it - might need to be fast to listen, although the govt is probably not fast enough to keep up with new stuff continually being set up on the net anyway.
My opinion of the Abhisit government doesn't really matter as I dont get to vote, but FWIW, I find it is still an 'ugly' government though slightly less 'ugly' than its predecessors.
I think it clear they are hamstrung by the way they came to power, and the people they had to get into bed with. (like the way the PPP government was hamstrung because it was in bed with a well known exile)
Overall they look a bit more like a government than the previous ones, although there are lots of disappointments & contradictions.
Perhaps Doctor J can chime in here, as he is obviously following events a lot closer than me.
Bring on the political reform is all I can say, and so far the Democrats (Abhisit anyway) look at least as constuctive in the process as any of the other parties.
Honestly, i think Chuan
Honestly, i think Chuan could have done much better than Abhisit.I believe Chuan is a man of integrity (although that's probably not enough to make him a sucessful leader).
I heard Chuan was against
I heard Chuan was against charter amendments that gave amnesty to political side players who IMO should never have been banned in the first place - maybe I'm wrong, but to me that doesn't sound like a man of integrity anymore - I hope I am wrong about him.
Thanks for the other side of
Thanks for the other side of the story. would be keen to know more abt Chuan. i don't know much abt him and i admit my admiration for him largely stems from his well-known image-- a boy from poor /ordinary family who rises to high position through his own efforts, not through the privileges and wealth of his family; he does not seem to seek wealth for himself, and he appears honest in his words and actions (but i can listen to people who want to argue against this). To me, that's enough to elicit my admiration (although of course this has nothing to do with his success as a leader and his ability to control bad men from being corrupt)
I agree he appears to be
I agree he appears to be honest in his 'words and actions', so the argument will not come from me.
I was just expressing concern at the numerous reports that have come out in recent weeks suggesting he opposed certain charter amendments etc - I have no idea of the veracity of those articles, but if you are interested just google 'Chuan charter amendments' and I am sure you will see what I am referring to, although some of the articles are a little contradictory (that might be just because I only read english reports - perhaps you would be better off researching it in thai?).
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