Thread: Why so serious? New MCOT chief prefers 'happy' news to brutal reality

Why so serious? New MCOT chief prefers 'happy' news to brutal reality | Bangkok Post: news

Why so serious? New MCOT chief prefers 'happy' news to brutal reality

• Published: 21/10/2012 at 02:11 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Anek Permvongseni, the new head of MCOT Public Company Limited, says that in the fractious Thai media landscape in which every outlet is accused of being owned by, siding with, or at very least leaning towards one side of the political divide or another, what people really want is ''happy'' news.


KEEP IT POSITIVE: New MCOT president Anek Permvongseni wants to modernise the state enterprise, while pushing cheerful news.

''The people don't have to always know the truth,'' he said. ''Divisions and conflicts do not have to be news.''

And when it comes to the MCOT's direction of the news policy that is just the approach Mr Anek plans on taking. He believes that given social divisions, it is best to focus on happy, peaceful and reconciliatory news rather than the sad, brutal truth.

Mr Anek said that when parents and their children sit to have morning breakfast, for example, they should be able to enjoy bright and happy news, not tales of death, crime and conflict.

''We want to bring news that is constructive and helps with reconciliation,'' he said.

The MCOT's presidency is much sought after, as the job entails overseeing one of Thailand's largest media networks.

MCOT operates Modernine TV (formerly Channel 9), MCOT Satellite TV and a nationwide network of 62 radio stations. It also owns Channel 3, but contracts out that station's management to a private operator, BEC World. In addition, MCOT operates the Thai News Agency wire service.

In addition to the huge responsibilities that come with the position, there is also its transitory nature to consider _ no one has lasted in the post for more than two or three years.

Mr Anek doesn't expect things to be any different in his case. He says he took the job to re-engineer the bloated state enterprise, which is plagued by testy internal politics and falling revenue.

He wants to set it on the right course by upgrading its technology, reforming its corporate culture, setting a modern news policy and raising its revenue _ and he expects he will likely be gone in two and a half years' time.

Why MCOT heads come and go is an old story. Like any state enterprise, the post is a political appointment and the job changes hands with each government, as each ruling party wants its own man to head the state media arm. After all, information is power.

Mr Anek is a career bureaucrat who rose quickly under the second Thaksin Shinawatra administration. He is reputed to have close ties with Padung Limcharoenrat, a close aide to Thaksin. He doesn't deny the link.
''It's the nature of the job [as a bureaucrat],'' he said.

''We serve every government. We worked with Democrats [when they were in government]. We worked with the coup-appointed government [under Gen Surayud Chulanont]. We work in all dimensions. That's the job. We can't choose.''

Mr Anek also candidly admitted political interference is simply a part of how things work, repeating his claim that it was the nature of the job.

''As a bureaucrat, you can't choose,'' he said. ''We work for the people and the country collectively.''

As to the issue of whether MCOT is just an arm of government public relations, as critics have accused it of being under each government which comes to power and each political appointee, Mr Anek said the opposition is welcome to request a platform.