A study: Re-defining Thailand’s New Media: Challenges in the Changing Political Regime by Akkanut Wantanasombut and Kunnawut Boonreak involved 10 case studies of www.prachatai.com / www.tcijthai.com / www.thaipublica.org / www.siamintelligence.com / www.mediainsideout.net / www.prachatham.com / www.isranews.org / http://www.deepsouthwatch.org/blogs/WARTANI  / www.deepsouthwatch.org and www.isaarnrecord.com. It examined the growth of alternative media, concerning the factors of the growth, the role toward current situation and the challenges of each case. Whereas TCIJ holds a different opinion and sees the growth of alternative media as a result of increased capital gathering, professionalism and more institutionalized not ‘less’ as suggested by this study.

Creating Alternative Media Situation

In the past, it could be said that NGO is the creator of alternative media within the context of problems of NGO which usually linked to community and marginalized people tiring of disregard from mainstream media. The collapse of community affected by development policy, the exploitation of resources; soil, water, forest, and the violation of human rights, these problems were not voiced out into a wide public. Alternative media in the beginning period, prior to 1992, aimed to communicate within the network and people interested in those problems. The tools of communication were usually in the forms of newsletter, pamphlet, handout, community wire broadcasting or even a seminar.

After Black May on 1992 to 1997, not only the appearance of mainstream media was changing by the growth of media industry as a result of economic growth and democracy trend, but also the alternative media was also evolving. Their communicating skill was developed. The presentations of the problem became more interesting and eventually reached some mainstream media through articles by scholars, giving information and interact with mainstream media. They even plan a strategy to make the news and stimulate activity with the aim to break the unheard news.

An interesting point was about the creation of Prachatham News Agency or www.prachatham.com in 2000 with the role to report marginalized news to mainstream media. They also provided citizen journalist training and drove alternative media into the same working process of ‘news’ as done by mainstream media. Moreover, the community radio was the result of 1997 constitution given the public rights to communication resources.

Political conflict aroused since 2005 onwards and the even worse Coup d'état  in 2006 have brought resentment to those who thought their freedom was threatened and exposed to injustice. Meanwhile the other side clinging to the conservative politics wanted people to take their side. There occurred two sets of opposite ideologies prolonged until today; 'Thaksin supporter’ and ‘Thaksin objecter' and now some has become 'Thaksin ignorer’.

During this time, alternative media like www.prachatai.com was founded and became a platform for communicating alternative demand because consumers have noticed mainstream media taking side. Their popularity began to decline. The truth was believed to be dismissed or distorted by mainstream media. With the development in communication technology, battle among each political side was elevated to online battleground or New Media. Its intensity and creativity got higher and so as the discourse like 'Commoner-Elite” “Good people” “Red for the whole country” “Thai-style democracy” “Get rid of dregs of society” “Resistant citizen” and so on. These are the consequences of News war which has been turned into war of ideas between mainstream and alternative media.

The movement eventually appeared.

To conclude, there were three important factors which promoted the growth of New Media in the past decade. The first factor is that the new age of communication technology allows the interactive flow of news in its real time. It also enables people who have access to communicating devices to be 'Message Senders' because they can write or interact with the news. The second factor is about the regression of mainstream media which was shown during political crisis in the last decade. It is because the mainstream media has become business-like needing capital and political power. The reduction of journalist quality, side taking and self-censorship were also the reasons. The third factor is about the changes of Thailand society and circumstances which divide people into groups of different ideas leading to color and power group crisis.

Consequently, the need for space and communication space creation for group and individual were rapidly increased. From the era of small alternative media and citizen media having horizontal communication within the particular issue, it shifted to level of more professionalism and employed more advanced technology. Strength of organization was built and promoted, especially after the incident in 2006. From digital era 2.0 to 3.0 where information is in the hand of every individual including on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Line, etc.

Moreover, this does not include the competition of mainstream media and media business that has moved into platform of New Media with the aim to expand their customer base and advertising.

The interesting point is how a large number of New Media for individual, group and public division that could firmly settled down and has shown quality news and article is setting a different media agenda from mainstream media to the point where mainstream media referred to their news, particularly during the political crisis. All of these show significance to re-define alternative media, especially those alternative media with deliberate intention to balance the news and become a part of Thailand mass media such as www.prachatai.com / www.tcijthai.com / www.thaipublica.org / www.siamintelligence.com / www.mediainsideout.net / www.prachatham.com / www.isranews.org / http://www.deepsouthwatch.org/blogs/WARTANI  / www.deepsouthwatch.org / www.isaarnrecord.com

Re-defining Alternative Media

A study, Re-defining Thailand’s New Media: Challenges in the Changing Political Regime, by Akkanut Wantanasombut and Kunnawut Boonreak has gathered literature on the origin of Alternative Media. It suggested that it was started in western society in the beginning of 1900s when publication and radio were the only form of Mass Media. Radio has completely changed the pattern of consuming media because radio technology allows information access to the illiterate directly. It was the first period of time where media consumption, the benefit of news and the duty of mass media were so stimulated.

It was said that ‘the incentive to find new alternative media was not limited to the circle of academics, intellects or writers but international organization as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also emphasize this issue as they mentioned the necessity of horizontal communication system, democratization of communication, redistribution of communication power and assistance to those whose access to media production and distribution are restricted”. In their annual report in 1976 and later on, this issue about access to alternative media, participation and self-management were raised in the conference.

In 1980, editor of the book ‘Alternative in Print’ proposed three qualities of alternative media (1) Alternative Media should clearly identify their objectives as a non-profit media (2) They should focus on presenting societal issue, giving constructive opinions or both (3) They should define themselves as Alternative Media.

In the same year, Raymond Williams, a well-known Welsh academic, introduced a crucial concept to the development of Alternative Media today in his book ‘Problems in materialism and culture: selected essays’. He proposed three aspects of Mass Media structure;

• Professionalization,
• Capitalization and
• Institutionalization.

Williams recognized these three points as barriers to wide public cooperation and this lead to the proposals of James Hamilton, journalism scholar, about the difference of general Mass Media and Alternative Media. He pointed out three characteristics of Alternative Media;

• de-professionalization,
• de-capitalization and
• de-institutionalization.

After that, some scholar attempted to categorize alternative media into four groups (1) Media for Community (2) Media with different information from mainstream media (3) Media as a part of public division with different information from government and commercial media (4) Media advocating for campaign connecting local to world society. However, some considered this as incomprehensive because it does not cover some types of new media. Also, it was suggested that alternative media is a form of Critical Media and different from general media that is called Capitalist Mass Media in several aspects as follows;

* Fuchs, C. (2010). Alternative Media as Critical Media. European Journal of Social Theory, 13(2), p178.

Thailand’s Alternative Media Today

Re-defining Thailand’s New Media by Akkanut addressed the proposal of James Hamilton to examine alternative media organizational structure of its case studies. It was found that these organizations are attempting to de-institutionalize and de-capitalize by achieving independence. Most of them rely on donation and fund from independent national and international organization. They are concerned about their transparency that some reveals their financial information on their website. Some website searches for funding by being hired to engage in activity within their expertise (not relevant to journalistic production) such as conducting a seminar or videotaping a seminar. The revenue from this job will be used to produce website content.

Case studies of alternative media have horizontal organization structure with no lines of command. Administrative section does not have a complete control over the organization, the cooperation of the team is emphasized instead. Furthermore, some case study involves in Knowledge management system and some collaborates with university to develop curriculum on alternative media.

About the production process

Most of case studies try to de-professionalize by not limitng the degree of the team, which most of the mainstream medias have mainly recruited reporters with a degree in mass communication. They do not require a degree in mass communication but they would consider their determination, attitude and ideology. This is because the job position is unstable and not financially rewarding. Most of them do not interfere with the work of the jounalist. Editors work with them closely and usually give advice even though there is no self-censorship. However, it is found that some case studies self-censor and avoid presenting risky issue under the context of current political circumstance.

It can be said that, current Thailand’s alternative media adopt several styles of presenting content with technology; through text, photograph, voice, motion picture and info graphic via social media like Facebook or Twitter. Reproduction and distribution could be done easily and free of charge. The consumers then have instant access to information. 

 ‘More’ or ‘Less’ Challenges and Argument

Although technology has made the cost of alternative journalism production extremely lower, but they still do need fund for production. While funding in the country is limited and there is an increasing number of alternative media. So there is a competition to acquire the same funding. Also, the choice for self-reliance is difficult. Several case studies are the selector of funding because they desire to be free from funder domination.

National funding is not entirely independent from power of government and politics, therefore alternative media might be controlled indirectly. Besides, it was found that case studies of alternative media have acquired considerable knowledge and also have set up a large database. However, they seem to lack integration among their knowledge management and mutual cooperation despite their similar intention and ideology.

As for proposition of James Hamilton about the characteristics of alternative media 1) de-professionalization 2) de-capitalization and 3) de-institutionalization which the study, Re-defining Thailand’s New Media, seem to conform to. Nonetheless, Suchada Chakpisut, the director of TCIJ, argues that “during the battle of information, alternative media is usually mocked for their lack of professionalism and limited capital. The study has pointed out this weakness and questioned why alternative media is not seeking for more funding. In order to compete with other commercial media in this battle, professionalism, quality of news production, quality of journalist and professional ethics must be taken seriously. As the mainstream media takes professional ethics for granted, this would bring about the loyalty of the mass or fan. Professionalism in this case is being a trustworthy institution. Therefore, these three factors; capital, professionalism and institutionalization are connected and cannot be isolated.”

 “Many case studies are registered as a foundation, reflecting the need for being a sustainable institution. Institutionalization facilitates attracting process of funding and promotes transparency. The problem about institutionalization is in the process not the target. We must contemplate and create ways to institutionalize alternative media that will be able to obtain funding and spirit of free media at the same time.”

 “If we believe that alternative media was created with the intention of citizen political division for freedom of expression and exercise the rights to know, we need to strengthen this path for this battle.”

 

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