Community
radio stations fighting for 20% of the airwaves
Will big media business dominate provincial frequency auctions?
By Jon Fernquest 
Even if things are unfair sometimes in Thailand
at least they are unfair transparently.
The regulation of the airwaves is a good example.
In Thailand's 1997 People's Constitution the airwaves were declared to be "resources for the public interest."
When it came time to appoint the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) "the officials, generals, and concessionaires who currently controlled all radio and TV frequencies conspired to obstruct this change" (Pasuk and Baker, Thaksin: The Politics of Business in Thailand, p. 151).
Activists petitioned the Administrative court and the selection process was halted.
In the end the Thaksin administration did nothing to resolve the problem and the NBC was never appointed.
Transparency, however, means that next time it won't be so easy to be unfair.
People have already experienced unfairness, fully anticipate it and won't stand for it this time.
This time around, Thai NGOs representing community radio stations are pushing for a 20% share of radio frequencies allocated to radio stations in the provinces.
Things that happen in the provinces have a tendency to slip by unnoticed in the capital. This time they won't.
The same can't be said for neighboring Cambodian where large government backed companies are confiscating the land of small farmers at gunpoint without any compensation (Listen to BBC report).
Here is today's article and vocabulary:
Radio groups demand 20% of frequencies
Auction plan rejected as favouring cartelsBy: MONGKOL BANGPRAPA
10/07/2009
Community radio supporters are demanding the government allocate civic groups at least 20% of radio frequencies under the new broadcast laws.
In a submission prepared by the National Federation of Community Radio (NFCR), the supporters insisted that allowing the people wider access to the frequencies was guaranteed by the constitution.
Their demand was handed yesterday to the House committee vetting a bill on frequency management and supervision of radio, television and telecommunications.
It was submitted to the committee through its acting chair, Democrat Party MP Phusdee Tamthai.
She was given the NFCR submission by Suthep Wilailert, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform.
Mrs Phusdee said the submission called for the protection of the rights of community radio operators to use the frequencies.
The demand for 20% of the frequencies was one of three the group forwarded to the committee.
It also wanted the agency in charge to ensure a fair distribution of radio frequencies in all provinces. Television stations should also be set up to cater to the needs of people in their own areas.
The group insisted the master plan on frequency management and the criteria for issuing broadcast licences for radio and television should contain content that was useful to a wide variety of interests.
That would include education, religion, art, culture, folk wisdom and the promotion of good understanding between the state and the people, Mrs Phusdee said.
The Thai Local Radio Vocation Association also submitted a protest letter to the committee's secretary over the plan to auction broadcast frequencies.
The association claimed auctions would allow wealthy investors to snap up frequencies. Local civic groups would not be able to compete with major media businesses, particularly international conglomerates.
[Comment: Are there really "international conglomerates competing for broadcasting licenses in the tiny markets of provincial Thailand or is this a figment of their imagination?]
Auctioning would raise the operating costs of each community radio station. That would result in pushing up advertising rates, the association said.
The association's demand was supported by Supinya Klangnarong, a media reform activist and a House committee member.
Ms Supinya urged the committee to set clear guidelines to prevent major media businesses from dominating the frequency auctions at the provincial level.
(Source: Bangkok Post, general news, Radio groups demand 20% of frequencies, By: MONGKOL BANGPRAPA, 10/07/2009, link)
1997 Constitution - the "peoples' constitution" that grew out of the work of several Thai intellectuals after the 1992 coup and political conflicts, and became effective shortly after the begginning of the 1997 financial crisis (See Wikipedia on the 1997 Constitution and read the actual 1997 constitution)
the 1997 People's Constitution - a landmark in Thai democratic constitutional reform that was replaced after a coup in 2006 (See Wikipedia)
spectrum, radio spectrum, frequency, radio frequency spectrum - the range of electromagnetic radio frequencies used in the transmission of sound, data and video, the potential capacity of a wireless network is in part a function of the amount of spectrum licensed to the carrier (See Telus glossary and Wikipedia)
the airwaves - the part of the spectrum used for boradcasting
resources - things used to help you achieve your goals
for the public interest - for the benefit of all people (the public)
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) - the government agency that was to reallocate radio and TV frequencies in the public interest under the 1997 constitution, that never began operation due to vested interests (See Wikipedia on Media of Thailand)
a concession - a special right or privilege to run a certain kind of business for a certain period of time, usually given by the government (See glossary)
concessionaires - the companies that own the right to do restricted businesses
conspired - acted together for a criminal purpose
obstruct change - prevent change
an activist - a person working to bring about positive social change through public campaigns and organising people
petitioned - make an official request
adminstrative court - a court specializing in administrative issues, particularly disputes concerning the exercise of public power (See Wikipedia and website)
halted - stopped
administration - the activities involved in managing a company or other organisation
resolve the problem - solve the problem
transparency - visible to the public, no opportunity for secrets , sneakiness, corruption, or cheating
anticipating - think that something will happen before it happens
won't stand for it - will oppose it if it happens (won't just let it pass by unnoticed)
the same can't be said for - the same is not true for
confiscating - taking away from someone
at gunpoint - point a gun at someone and threatening to kill or injure them
compensation - money given for a loss or injury received
This time around... - this time...
an NGO - a Non-Governmental Organisation, acitivities include designing and implementing development-related projects as well as advocacy, that is defending or promoting a specific cause (See Wikipedia)
community radio stations - "radio service that caters to the interests of a certain area, broadcasting material that is popular to a local audience but is overlooked by more powerful broadcast groups" (See Wikipedia)
pushing for - trying to make something happen, persuade people to do something
a share of Y - part of Y
allocated to - given to
tendency to Y - Y usually happens (but not always)
slip by unnoticed - something happens and nobody notices
an auction - selling something by competitive bids (See Wikipedia on auctions)
a cartel - a group of businesses businesses formed to control prices and prevent competition (See glossary)
allocate - give, share among many people
civic groups - groups of citizens that live in a town, province, or country
broadcast - send out on radio waves so that it can be seen on television or listened to on radio
broadcasters - companies that have shows on radio and television
a submission - a document formally given to someone who will make a decision about it
National Federation of Community Radio (NFCR) - the Thai NGO that represents community radio stations
allowing the people wider access to the frequencies - allowing the people to use more frequencies
guaranteed by the constitution - the constitution promises that it will exist (or rather states that it should exist since the rpomise may not be kept by those implementing the constitution)
vet - check carefully to ensure acceptability, preliminary step before a final choice (See glossary)
vetting a bill on frequency management - checking a proposed law to see if all parts are acceptable
supervise (verb) - being in charge of workers and checking if they are working correctly
supervision (noun) - the act of supervising people
forwarded - send something you receive on to someone else
forwarded to the committee - sending a document received on to the committee
distribution - giving something to all the people in a group
ensure a fair distribution - checking and making sure that all the people in a group get something (that some don't get more than others)
cater, cater to the needs of - satisfy a need, provide the things that people need or want (See glossary)
insisted - say firmly that something must happen or is true, and will not change mind
criteria - rules and standards used for making decisions and judgements (See glossary)
a broadcast license - permission to broadcast
criteria for issuing broadcast licences - the rules used to decide who gets permission to broadcast
content - information of interest to people - sound, text, pictures, video, etc. As opposed to computer software, internet, or hardware used to communicate it to people
content providers - companies that produce TV or radio programmes or articles for sale to other companies that broadcast it or make it available to people on the internet
interests - people who gain or lose depending on how events turn out
business interests - people who own or work for businesses (who will benefit if events turn out in their favour)
in the public interest - benefits the public
a wide variety of interests - many different parts of society that benefit in different ways from events
wisdom - knowledge gained over a long period of time from experience
folk wisdom - the knowledge that a people or culture has accumulated over its long history
vocation - a serious job that you do that provides you a purpose in life
snap up frequencies - grab frequencies, quickly take frequencies
conglomerates - a large company that owns many smaller companies doing different kinds of businesses
a figment of their imagination - something that they imagined exists but does not actually exist
media reform activist - a person who works for the improvement of the media and media laws
guidelines - official instruction and advice about how to do something
set clear guidelines - provide easy to read and understand instructions on how to do something
dominating - controlling some activity and the people involved in the activity
(Source: Bangkok Post, general news, Radio groups demand 20% of frequencies, By: MONGKOL BANGPRAPA, 10/07/2009, link)
