FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Should public have a say in regulating media behaviour?

Should public have a say in regulating media behaviour?

OVER the last few days, we have seen social media being bombarded with lots of disapproving comments about its coverage of actor Tridsadee “Por” Sahawong’s death. The young heartthrob succumbed to dengue fever after a two-month-long battle in Ramathibodi

The criticism reached its peak when reporters swarmed around his body to take photographs and record video clips as it was being removed from the hospital to be taken to his hometown in Buri Ram province. 
There were several posts that struck me hard, including one that was posted against a black background, which read: “When he is being cremated, you the media could go inside the incinerator to take photographs real up close and personal.” 
These messages are bound to have hurt those who still have a conscience and a heart, which is probably why some colleagues, taking these public outcries seriously, also joined the public in criticising the media’s inappropriate behaviour. 
In fact, some have even gone as far as to launch a campaign calling for the ban of “badly behaving” media as well as the selective consumption of news reports. 
Several media organisations are also taking the matter seriously. 
For instance, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand issued a statement apologising to Trisadee’s family and the public for such bad behaviour, while the Thai Journalists Association is rushing to hold a public seminar on best practices today. 
One hopes that media standards for reporting on sensitive issues, including the death of public figures, will be raised with all these efforts. It is a challenge for us all to see if we can lift our ethics up to par and perhaps earn praise from the public instead of scorn. 
The ongoing media reform has actually shed light on the importance of self-regulation, though its proper format and guidelines have yet to be settled. 
But the fact is media is a part of society. So, working just within its bounds may not be enough and may even impede its efforts to improve the code of conduct.
Along with the media’s latest efforts, we have also heard them calling on social-media users to stop posting harsh comments and let the media prove themselves. However, through these harsh voices of contempt, I see an active social sanction, which if properly managed, can potentially help keep the media in check. 
For some time, the ongoing media reform has been centring too much on self-regulation, leaving no room for participation. 
The death of this young actor has given us a bitter lesson to reconsider our role, how we behave and how we interact with society. This may be a good time as well to look at the other side of the coin and consider promoting public participation to jointly regulate us – the media. 
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