Govt should end NBT reign

EDITORIAL

Published: 25 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

It was educational to watch the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) handle the Channel 11 kerfuffle last week. The regulators still are feeling their way over just how much power they have, and how they can enforce it. The commission effectively finessed the whole controversy over an appearance on the government-owned station by fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The NBTC's subcommittee on content and programme slots held a closed-door probe that lasted hours. No witnesses were examined in public, or named at all. No public comment was invited or heard. After this ''investigation'', the committee chairman ruled that the NBTC had no right to intervene, since programme content is strictly a matter between Channel 11 and whoever buys the airtime.

It seems likely the NBTC will come to regret this decision, or perhaps to ignore it. Content of Thai TV programmes is often debated. The public, too, should regret this confusing, double-negative decision that the appearance of Thaksin during a Muay Thai tournament broadcast from Macau was _ in the NBTC's words _ ''not illegal''. If the broadcast regulators appointed by the 1997 people's constitution will not regulate broadcasts, who will?

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DONHUAN
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Discussion 3 : 25 Dec 2012 at 13.493
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What do you expect from a neutralized NBTC when it comes to matters on politic? On other civil matters, perhaps we can expect them to be more purposeful in their deliberation. Any matters of public interests that were deliberated in closed doors, outside the purview of public scrutiny, will always invite strong criticism, especially when the rationale / result is contrary to public interests. “I was born in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow the truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.” – Thomas Jefferson
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jacksprat
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Discussion 2 : 25 Dec 2012 at 12.142
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I remember the fun of watching the news in Thai and being just able to hear the English commentary on world news. It often was very different from what the Thai TV presenter was saying. Nowadays they usually manage to silence the English track.
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jwatch
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Discussion 1 : 25 Dec 2012 at 10.271
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like all things here ..nothing is transparent. Even if they had an 'open' discussion the outcome would have already been determined beforehand
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Govt should end NBT reign | Bangkok Post: opinion