BROADCASTING / MEDIA REFORM PROPOSALS

Cabinet to see draft bill Tuesday

POST REPORTERS

A proposed bill on media reform and public broadcasting organisations will be tabled for cabinet consideration on Tuesday, said Prime Minister's Office Minister Dhipavadee Meksawan. She said the draft law seeks to establish impartial public broadcasters and put in place an effective regulatory system to ensure transparency and independence.

Khunying Dhipavadee said these media organisations are also expected to encourage and enforce morality and ethics and produce constructive content.

She expressed confidence that the interim government will successfully push for enactment of the draft law to set in motion media reforms.

The cabinet is also expected to consider a proposal for the operations of TITV, which was transformed from iTV. If approved, the proposal will be developed into a draft law, she said.

She gave assurances to media reform campaigners and activists at a workshop on reform policy at Government House yesterday.

Media reform advocates have voiced scepticism over the Surayud government's plan to reform the media.

They called on the cabinet to push for enactment of four draft laws to help the media reforms materialise.

The four drafts involve broadcasting media, public broadcasting organisations, frequency allocation and management, and social development funds to subsidise development and production of constructive programmes.

The advocates also suggested that the government set up a national committee on media reforms and that the public form a consumer council to serve as a watchdog group.

''If the government is slow to act, it will not be able to lay down guidelines,'' warned Vilasinee Pipithkul, of Chulalongkorn University's Mass Communications Arts Faculty.

Uajit Virojtrairat, a media reform activist, criticised the government's handling of TITV, saying the proposed special delivery unit to operate the station was far from being media reform.

She said that the proposal that a free and independent station and a public television be set up needed clarification.

''I really doubt we are going for media reforms,'' she said.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Saturday April 21, 2007