It is an undeniable truth that the role of media is indicates the development of Thai Democracy. If media are able to play their roles independently, people also can have rich freedom and literacy. However, the media and democracy nowadays are deviated by several inevitable powers; especially politics and business. Therefore, how do people manage to survive this difficulty? And what are the challenges of media to due with these consequences?
Certainly, Thailand is like other developing democratic countries which politics still leads the national direction and business sectors are supporter. But they still leave grass-root people behind a civilization.
Since the Democratic Reform in 1932, the government directly and indirectly used media as propaganda channel to protect their benefit, persuade political campaigns and dominate people’s opinion.
These consequences are still running as well as the case of newspaper and broadcasting companies are also growing and selling their products and services; newspapers and television contents are commercially manufactured product, news itself is as a product that has a value in the market.
Even if Thai newspaper are owned by 100 per cent private stakeholder - not like government-licensed broadcasting companies, they mostly depend on revenue from selling advertising space, which allows other companies or government authorities to promote their products and services while newspapers deliver their content to the target audience.
Following to these parallels, the democracy development in Thailand are still questioned and lack of civil participation thanks to broadcasting media mostly are fettered by government and newspapers are driven by advertisement while many poor people in rural area do not get their own channel to reflect their need to public area for assistance even if the communication technology has been enhanced day by day.
Thus this is the key challenge for the role of media in the sophisticated society to build a great fully participatory democracy in Thailand.
Firstly, broadcasting media, which cover almost 80-90 per cent of Thai population, have to put more emphasis on educational role to raise recognition of civil participatory democracy; for example, introduce how to used media for taking advantages and protecting their right. Because most of people are not realized public radios and televisions are not belonging to them; in every year they have to pay tax to the government - a public representative who gives broadcasting license to the television and radio operators.
Dr.Surat Metheekul, a chairman of the Council of Mass Communication Faculty members of Thailand, analyses that Thai broadcasting media system is still centralized by authority and conglomerates even though procession of media reform under the article 40 of the national constitution has been pushed continually to be implemented since 1997. This article will organize the media outlets for rural people to have more accessibility.
He also reflects the Thai political culture has never been developed unless all people are recognized that complete democracy needs to have their voices and actions which media can support.
For instance, media have to serve the essential information - market situation, new technology, weather report and warning and business opportunity- to particular group such as agricultural workers or farmers (the national backbone). For this approach, media can act consistently as a content provider for His Majesty the King’s Sufficient Economic theory to enlighten and to assist his beloved people to manage their lives with prosperity and sustainability.
Additionally, this role is very important when conflict is occurred among the people like current situation. To inform, to interpret and to investigate are not enough task for media because today audience need to be more educated correctly for checking and evaluating themselves what is right or wrong before making their own decision.
Secondly, it is a fact that newspapers and broadcasting companies profit from selling advertising space and air time in order to provide their clients’ products and services to the target.
The statistics of Nielsen Media Research during January-July 2005 approved this event. The advertisement spending through the media was approximately 50,739 million baht; continually increased 6.26 per cent compared to same period, which included 28,844 million baht through broadcasting televisions, 10,293 million baht through newspapers and 3,869 million baht through radio stations.
Due to business drive and high competition in market, they have to underline on a figure of revenue, instead of focusing on public interest and producing media contents which are semi-public goods. Therefore, social responsibility is very important role for media as well as companies in many countries in the world today.
Mr.Danai Chanchaochai, a former chief executive officer of MDK consultants, mentions that big companies like Amway, Starbucks and Microsoft increasingly emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies to express how to be a part of good citizen. For example, Starbucks and partners set up the Alliance for Environment Innovation and raised fund called the Pew Charitable Trusts in August, 1996 to reduce the environment degeneration affected by coffee industry.
Finally, another key role is that media have to conduct self-evaluation to improve a free press as well as companies focus on research and development and SWOT analysis to increase their performance. Today, however, Thai media have never been discussed by a professional journalist survey which enables comparisons of journalists from other countries; tracks the influences and consequent changes in a media system and analysis a changing of practical role like developed countries.
Unsurprisingly, most of Thai media do not completely escape from government and business influences. Besides press check and balance system and related regulations need to be more enhanced.
A Survey of Bangladeshi Journalists in The International Communication Gazette 2006, modeled partly from American Survey, is an example for this aspect. The study mainly discusses the 4 factors that involve with roles of media to democratic development, such as sustaining democracy, support government and country, considering the basic function of journalism and providing entertainment.
Eventually, if people are truly recognized how media means to them; in return, media comprehensively understand how new challenges change their roles; I strongly believe that the role of media will be able to complete Thai participatory democracy.
