Can the NEC really prevent TVK to broadcast CPP-biased news?

NEC urges TV, radio neutrality during election campaign

Tuesday, 20 May 2008
By Touch Yuthear
The Mekong Times

“The ruling CPP misuses media. The NEC does not dare to criticize or prohibit it. This is different for parties outside the government. If those parties do something wrong, the NEC will quickly prohibit or fine them” - Thun Saray, Adhoc Director

In a bid to ensure balanced political coverage, the National Election Committee (NEC) met with directors of local radio and TV stations yesterday to discuss broadcasting rules during upcoming election campaigns.

“The NEC’s aim is to make media directors understand the media’s role in terms of hiring out airtime or broadcasting information during the election campaign,” said Tep Nytha, NEC secretary general, stressing that the institutions must remain politically neutral.

Mam Sonando, director of Beehive Radio, applauded the NEC’s initiative, particularly its stressing the need for professional journalism ethics as the elections approach.

“All the power is concentrated in the NEC. If we do not listen and do not follow, it will cause trouble,” he said. “The NEC can control the ruling party by not allowing [it] to use radio and television stations to conduct election campaigns to seek votes.”

Kim Kunvath, general director of TVK, said his TV station is duty bound to follow NEC procedures during election campaigns.

“Political parties broadcasting information, for example policies, during upcoming election campaigns will adhere to media ethics based on the position of neutrality.”

Kem Sokha, president of the opposition Human Rights Party, also welcomed the initiative, saying the NEC “will hopefully be effective in its plans make all radio and television stations stay neutral.”

Thun Saray, director of local human rights group Adhoc, complained that the NEC merely gives guidance to the media and that control of information and punishment for bias is weak.

“The ruling CPP misuses media. The NEC does not dare to criticize or prohibit it. This is different for parties outside the government. If those parties do something wrong, the NEC will quickly prohibit or fine them.”

However, Thun Saray did acknowledge that opposition parties have the opportunity to hire airtime on radio stations for the first time this year.

The campaign for the fourth-mandate election will commence June 26, lasting until July 25, two days before polling.