The government's media reform initiative is regarded by critics as either an attempt to control the media or a desperate move to buy more time by distracting the public from pressing issues such as the ongoing political crisis, or both.
However, this hasn't stopped some from turning "the crisis into an opportunity".
One such proponent, Boonrak Boonyaketmala, former dean of Thammasat University's School of Journalism, who has cordial ties with social thinker Prawase Wasi, recently launched a small book entitled "Full-Cycle Media Reform: A Device toward Post May 2010 Democracy".
The book says there are nine factors, which if they are struck against one another harmoniously like a pendulum, will bring about not only a responsible media, but also a democratic force in society. "The movement of the pendulum will be a force that automatically creates and maintains a democratic system without having anyone push or make demands," Boonrak wrote on the last of the 85-page book.
The nine factors, or pendulums, are categorised in accordance with Boonrak's perceived level of development. Those classified as "overdeveloped" are mainstream media and to some extent non-mainstream media, were designated two different pendulums. In the centre, and classified as undeveloped, are professional media organisations, media human resources, professional development and NGOs for media consumers. This is followed by the "undeveloped" factors covering frequency organisations, media literacy and citizens.
It is debatable as to whether mainstream media is truly "overdeveloped", because it may depend on one's definition of "over development".
Yes, as a business they are mature, but their sense of responsibility and fairness, as evidenced by their style of coverage, are anything but mature.
Observe how deeply partisan many outlets are, while still claiming to be impartial. Observe the self-censorship practised over sensitive political issues linked to the current political crisis, and observe how unapologetic many are about their support for coups and military crackdowns. While they claim to stand for the freedom of the press, some insist they know better than the common man and exercise self-censorship to prevent the public from being informed about certain political issues for fear the people are not mature enough to handle the truth.
Are these truly a mark of "overdeveloped media" and what are the repercussions of such media anyway? The birth of the yellow, and later red-shirt media, are just reactions to the failure of mainstream media to live up to its promise of being trustworthy.
Boonrak is right, however, in stressing the need for media literacy.
This writer would like to add that many people expect too much without being told about the inherent problems in corporate media in terms of the top-down structure, anti-democratic culture and questionable ethics. In addition, media that makes a living criticising others has little or no tolerance for criticism itself.
Crucial to Boonrak's thesis is the need for media reform. However, what is needed for the nine pendulums to strike one another harmoniously is the "will" to change or reform.
In a state of oligarchy dominated by large media corporations, which are profit-making enterprises, there is no incentive for great change as long as they remain profitable and powerful enough. But change is by-passing mainstream media and coming from below, from Internet social networking, political and social bloggers, non-profit news websites like prachatai.com, and even vigilante red and yellow media. This is because the mainstream media has, by and large, lost the trust of the public over the years of political conflict.
