The media’s role in public opinion formation is of particular importance. Our media program aims at information democracy, meaning people’s opportunity to select from a diverse range of non-monopolized information services according to their needs and choice. Free access to information, involvement in public media and independent opinion formation are preconditions to people’s participation in democratic decision-making processes.
In 2007, Thailand was listed as one of the “top 10 backsliders” in the global press freedom and the country also takes a backseat (135 of 169) in the 2008 ranking of the Annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Reasons for such bad ratings are the numerous legal provisions restricting the access to independent information and allowing the government to censor contents that are “dangerous, immoral or insulting the monarchy” or restrictions in the name of national security. Especially internet providers and users have been affected, while the mainstream media has been practicing selfcensorship for years. The recent closure of several community radio stations and websites have further contributed to the country’s negative media image.
The main focal points of our media program are the continuous support of our cooperation partners in the dynamic media reform discussions on the national level on the one hand, and the strengthening and expansion of regional and local community radio networks on the other. To this end, we are cooperating with media professionals, NGOs, academics, advocacy groups, state and private educational institutes, and community radio stations and networks. The broadcasting media are of primary interest since they reach the largest audiences countrywide. They are also an important forum for negotiating societal norms and values, including those affecting gender relations. Hence the Foundation is supporting efforts in the media sector that tackle gender discrimination and inequality.
The current discourse on the legal framework for community radio stations constitutes a relevant context for the work of the Foundation. Thailand has more than 2,000 licensed stations that have operated in a legal vacuum ever since the coup in 2006. They are presently undergoing a transformation process and experimenting with various models within an unclear set of definitions. A recent cooperation project of HBF and community radio networks has produced a baseline study assessing the situation of community radio stations and outlining the requirements for their ensured operation. The results determine our future activities in this area.
Although the current constitution contains provisions that can potentially strengthen free media, the road to an ensured information democracy is long and rocky. The media reform debate as promoted by partners of HBF and academics is very new, complex and abstract to many Thais. Therefore, continued public forums and discussions fostering understanding and enlisting public support are necessary to ensure an ongoing reform debate on the national level. New alliances between bloggers, web masters and film makers, who are all subjected to stricter control and censorship mechanisms, are growing more and more important in the public sphere. Thus, in addition to the promotion of a strong network of media reform advocates monitoring existing and formulating alternative media policies, the Foundation will be more actively involved in this new virtual space.
http://cpj.org/reports/2007/05/backsliders.php
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24025
