[HCDX] THAILAND: Popular radio broadcaster knocked off the air

["Zacharias Liangas " <greekdx@xxxxxxxxx>]

THAILAND: Popular radio broadcaster knocked off the air
http://www.cpj.org/news/2008/asia/thai15feb08na.html
New York, February 15, 2008-The Committee to Protect Journalists is 
concerned about recent news reports that Thai radio broadcaster Chirmsak 
Pinthong´s popular talk news program has been cancelled.

Chirmsak told local reporters that his program was cancelled after Jakrapob 
Penkair, a minister in the prime minister´s office, called FM 105 station´s 
concession holder, Fatima Broadcasting International Co., and requested 
that they remove the program known as "Chirmsak´s Viewpoints" from the 
station, which is owned by the state-run Public Relations Department.

Private concessionaires in Thailand produce news programs for state-
owned radio and television stations. Previous Thai governments and military 
agencies have regularly censored broadcasts through concession holders, 
often threatening not to renew their contracts, which are usually granted on a 
one- or two-year renewable basis.

The cancellation of the program comes just days after the prime minister´s 
office announced plans to establish a task force to monitor news balance on 
state-owned broadcast media. The Thai government and military currently 
own all of Thailand´s estimated 525 radio frequencies.

"We call upon the government to respond to these allegations and explain 
the reasons for the removal of the radio program," said Joel Simon, CPJ´s 
executive director. "We are concerned that the allegations sound similar to 
the intimidation tactics previous Thai governments have used to stifle media 
criticism of their administrations."

According to local news reports, the new government took offense at 
Chirmsak´s on-the-air refutation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej´s claim 
in a recent CNN television interview that only one person was killed during a 
controversial government crackdown on pro-democracy student 
demonstrators on October 6, 1976.

Chirmsak referred to independent accounts saying that at least 41 students 
were killed in the violence. Samak had broadcast a right-wing radio 
campaign against the student activists prior to the crackdown, according to 
the BBC.      

Jakrapob has publicly denied allegations that he or any government official 
ordered the removal of Chirmsak´s program from the air, saying that 
censorship "is not government policy." He blamed "invisible hands" who are 
attempting to discredit the government for stirring the controversy, according 
to the Web site of Bangkok-based The Nation daily newspaper.Please ead 
my aricle on SINPO at 
http://zliangas.blogspot.com/2008/02/sinpfemo-better-signal-tech-analysis-
by.html
________________________
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........
Zacharias Liangas , Thessaloniki Greece 
greekdx @ otenet dot gr  ---  
Pesawat penerima: ICOM R75 , Lowe HF150 , Degen 1102,1103,108,
Tecsun PL200/550, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000 
Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m australian loop 


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