In a model proposed to its head committee last December, the committee proposed that government officers should play a “supportive role” in the upcoming national media council, according to the committee’s head Jirachai Moonthongroi. “If state authority doesn’t play this coordinating role, media’s self-regulation would just return to the same old days,” he went on. “I insist that authority has to participate in media affairs.”The establishment of the so-called national media council is included in a media regulation bill draft proposed by another junta-appointed reform body, the defunct National Reform Steering Assembly. It was a reason why the draft received strong objections from media professionals. Like many initiatives under this government, proposed media reform would be done under “government, private, people cooperation”, also known as the Pracharat scheme.

Source: The Nation Bangkok February 21, 2018 02:26 UTC