Any NRC media reform 'under junta's shadow'

Two media professionals appointed by the junta as members of the NRC’s media reform group insisted, however, that they would try to push for reform and ensure freedom of the press.

Media expert and former lecturer in communication arts at Chulalongkorn University, Ubonrat Siriyuwasak, said she couldn’t detect any clear stance on media reform by members of the NRC’s media reform group.

 “They will have to meet with the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO],” said Ubonrat, referring to the military junta.

“In the end, the NRC is not independent. They must come under the NCPO,” Ubonrat concluded.

NRC’s media member and president of the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) Pradit Ruangdit said the main task for media reform members of the NRC was to ensure there was no retreat in the standard of press freedom. Pradit said broadcast journalists in particular, needed to become more independent.

“Today we’re still under the domination of media owners. We must have dignity,” said Pradit, adding that any media restrictions introduced under the NCPO must be removed, or Thai media risked regression and it would take more than a decade to undo any media restrictions imposed by the junta.

 Pradit acknowledged he was not satisfied with the overall line up of the NRC’s media reform group since there were two military officers and a representative from satellite TV operators instead of having more media professionals appointed.

 “We will fight on [issues of] press freedom and liberty. We must be vocal even if we’re a minority [within the NRC’s media group],” Pradit told The Nation.

 Boonlert Kachayuthadej, another NRC media group member and a former editor at Matichon newspaper, said there was no media representative on the NRC from upcountry.

“It’s hard to predict what will happen,” said Boonlert of the NRC’s task on media reform. “We have to introduce a guarantee of freedom alongside responsibility.”