Voice TV news programme banned for a week

TUESDAY, August 30, 2016

Voice TV’s morning news programme was suspended on Monday by the broadcasting regulator for one week over content deemed to violate junta orders, the Broadcasting Act and its memorandum of understanding with the regulator.

It comes a fortnight after two of its hosts, ML Nattakorn Devakul and Atukkit Sawangsuk, received 10day bans.

Supinya Klangnarong, a commissioner at the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, revealed on her Twitter account that the NBTC broadcasting committee voted three to one to back a request by the NBTC subcommittee overseeing TV content and scheduling to suspend “Wake Up News”.

While the remaining commissioners could not reach for comment, Supinya opposed the ban on the digital terrestrial TV channel because she believed the NBTC did not present Voice TV’s full report on the matter to her panel.

She said the punishment based on the content aired was debatable.

The action came after the NBTC subcommittee proposed the ban last week for the NBTC broadcasting panel’s consideration.

The subcommittee said Voice TV had on August 15 aired controversial content related to an interview with Pol Captain Chomdet Trimek about the recent bomb and arson attacks in the seven Southern provinces.

It said the station also aired controversial content about a political activist’s hunger strike on August 16 and on the charter amendment relating to the selection the prime minister, which the subcommitee deemed had been clarified by Meechai Ruchupan, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee.

The subcommittee said the content violated the National Council for Peace and Order’s orders 41/59, 97/57 and 103/57, as well as section 37 of the Broadcasting Act and the station’s memorandum of understanding with the NBTC.

In response, Voice TV’s communications department issued a statement accepting the watchdog’s decision and said it would comply with the order.

However, the company said it reserved its right to engage in the reporting of news in a professional manner.