Media Democratization at the Crossroads: Community Radio in Thailand and Malaysia

Abstract

Community radio can serve as an important national resource, giving local voices access to media and providing an alternative to mainstream broadcasters. This study examined the status of community radio in two contrasting settings: Thailand where community stations number in the thousands and Malaysia where community radio has so far not been allowed. Although Thailand's community broadcasters started their operations without formal authorization, successive governments have not taken action to force their general closure. However, steps to create a legal status for them have moved at a sluggish pace. In Malaysia, authorization for community radio stations seems never to have been seriously considered even though public groups have expressed enthusiasm for the idea. In both nations, political considerations have been major factors governing the slow development of policies for community radio.

Notes

¹Owing to the fact that mainstream radio stations are dominated by the state and by corporations, there is very little opportunity for individuals to establish commercial radio stations. One way of circumventing entry barriers was to build a low power radio station under the guise of a community radio station. However, such stations operated for profit like ordinary commercial stations. About 97% of Thailand's existing CRSs were initially established for this type of commercial purpose. These stations were opposed by grassroots CRSs and accused of undermining the principles that guide Thailand's community radio system. Nuntaporn Techaprasertsakul estimated that only 150–200 CRSs were bona fide or grassroots stations in Thailand (“A Mess,” 2009).

²According to the FAA of 2000, two independent agencies would be formed—the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC; this agency has been successfully established) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to supervise broadcasting and telecommunications businesses separately. However, Article 47 of the 2007 Constitution which replaced Article 40 of the previous constitution of 1997 stipulates that there will be only one agency to supervise broadcasting and telecommunications. Therefore, NTC and NBC will be dissolved and replaced with a new agency having the name of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). Although several social organizations and activists opposed the idea of a single agency, so far there have been no amendments to Article 47. In addition, the new FAA has been enacted on December 20, 2010. By law, the eleven members of NBTC must be recruited within 3 months. On January 4, 2011, the Senate drafted three sets of regulations dealing with procedures for selection of NBTC members (“Committee to Submit,” 2011).