Reform panel tinkers with committee setting up media council
THE media reform committee decided Monday to revise the make-up of the working committee for setting up a media council, reducing the number of members from 13 to 11 and having it chaired by the permanent secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister.
Other members of the committee include the permanent secretary of the Culture Ministry, the secretary general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, and presidents of independent media organisations, ACM Kanit Suwannet, chairman of the media reform panel, said.
A representative from the PM’s Office will serve as the working committee’s secretary but will not be allowed to vote, Kanit said.
Members of the working committee, scheduled by law to complete its task of setting up the media council within two years after the law comes into effect, will be disqualified from sitting on the council to prevent conflict of interests, Kanit said.
In principle, the ad-hoc committee will be responsible for registering media organisations, but it will not handle complaints against media organisations or grant and revoke media licences, Kanit said.
He said his committee was still open for suggestions and was willing to make changes if the ideas were good.
His committee will meet a couple more times before forwarding the matter to the National Reform Steering Assembly whip.
