In recognition of excellence
Thai newspapers, both print and online, as well as broadcast channels pick up prizes at the 2015 Media Awards
THE WINNERS OF THE 2015 Media Awards were recently announced by Amnesty International Thailand in an event at The Hive Co-working Space, Bangkok.
“The awards honour and support the media by recognising works that not only protect and respect but also create awareness of human rights in society. They also encourage the media to continue presenting stories relating to human rights issues and universal human values,” said Awards’ chairman Chamnan Chanruang.
The awards were divided into four categories – national newspaper; regional newspaper; online media; and digital television.
In the national newspaper category, a plaque and Bt30,000 were awarded to Bangkokbiznews for its article “A frontier doctor, the last hope of marginalisation” and to the Bangkok Post for “Military mind games play out under strict insecurity”.
In the regional newspaper category, Bt30,000 and a plaque were awarded to Lanna Post for its article “Mae Moh people’s rights: The war isn’t over”. Paktai Today News went home with a plaque and Bt10,000 for “Stop! Biomass power plant”.
The top winner in the online media was Thairath Online’s “Uncovering the authentic self-hidden beneath the scapegoat and brutal torture techniques”. Honourable mentions meanwhile went to the Deep South Watch website for “Because ‘modern Patani’ history starts here?”, House-Mosque’s “Hayi Sulong Tohmeena” reconstruction needed”, and to Thairath Online for “AIDS… the standpoint of marginal people”.
In the digital television category, the Bt30,000 prize was awarded to Thai Television Channel 3 for “Rohingya boat”. Honourable mentions together with plaques and Bt10,000 prizes were given to Voice TV for “Rights under a dictatorship: Freedom under fear”, to Thai PBS for “Gold mining impacts”, to Nation TV for “The Elimination of the Rohingya”, and to ONE channel for “Victims of crime.”
Local cable television also won an honourable mention, with Thailand Cable TV picking up the prize for “Light in the darkness?”
Following the award presentation by Champa Patel, interim director of Amnesty International South East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, Supinya Klangnarong, commissioner of National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) and Supara Janchitfah, former Bangkok Post journalist and winner of an Amnesty International 2001 Human Rights Press Award, spoke on the subject “Media: the light in the darkness?”.
