Media urges POMC to ease censor curbs

Media urges POMC to ease censor curbs

Four core media organisations yesterday urged the army to revise the limitations it has imposed on the media's coverage under the powers of martial law declared early on Tuesday.

They were the Thai Journalists Association, National Press Council of Thailand, Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, and News Broadcasting Council of Thailand.

The joint statement released yesterday said the Peace and Order Maintaining Command (POMC) must seek cooperation from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in its efforts to control and regulate the 14 unauthorised satellite-based TV channels and community radio stations.

In its sixth and seventh orders, the POMC asked for cooperation from the 14 unauthorised broadcasters to suspend their services until further notice. The four media organisations, however, said the POMC's move violated Section 45 of the charter concerning freedom of expression and the media freedom.

Even though these unauthorised broadcasters might be involved in the dissemination of hate speeches and misleading the public, the POMC should avoid interfering with the media by forcing them to shut down. It should instead ask the NBTC to do its job, they said.

The groups also urged the POMC to lift the ban on publishing interviews with public figures or scholars on political matters, saying the editor of each media outlet was still there to take responsibility for its content.

The organisations also encouraged the POMC to declare it would support the media in doing its job and respect the freedom of the social media users.

The groups also called on the media to maintain neutrality to prevent outlets being exploited as a mouthpiece by any particular side.

Meanwhile, Subhatra Bhumiprabhas, editor of mediainsideout.net, a local website campaigning for press freedom, issued an open letter calling for an end to media intimidation.

The letter has been shared and drawn support from about 150 media representatives and academics.

"This is a new form of coup," said Ms Subhatra. She said some websites and TV channels were censored hours after the declaration of martial law.

Having armed soldiers deployed at media offices was already unacceptable, Ms Subhatra said.

''Controlling who we can interview and the right of the people to gain access to the information is worse.''

Ms Subhatra condemned the third, seventh, eighth, and ninth orders that concern the media.

The ninth order cautions the media against letting academics give comments that may widen conflicts. "This is how they shut the media up," she said.

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