Ex-Phnom Penh Post Journalist Lashes Out at The Bangkok Post

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CEOCambodiaNews
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Ex-Phnom Penh Post Journalist Lashes Out at The Bangkok Post

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

.......There is a systemic failure in the Thai media, and the Post exemplifies it. Journalists like me are only useful until we disrupt the cozy relationship between government and media. We’re used by senior editors to drum up expat readership in a country where paper hasn’t yet become obsolete—far from it. When we’ve exhausted our role, we’re discarded and replaced by carbon copies of ourselves before we became scared and jaded.

The Thai media model runs on local reporters—who make about $620 a month—and Western copy editors, who start at triple that salary, to turn their work into readable English for a large, mostly business-oriented expat audience. Newspapers like the Post rarely hire staff reporters because it’s not cost-effective. But having no Western bylines in a newspaper for Westerners is damaging to sales, so the Post relies on Western freelancers, intern reporters, and copy editors in their down time to contribute bylines.

And there’s another wrinkle. Thai law prohibits local media outlets from hiring non-national reporters. While the government rarely enforces this law, all foreign hands on deck must be copy editors. The Sunday section of the Post—the most generous section with investigative news and analysis—is allowed by upper management to take on one foreigner as a staff reporter at a time. I was this reporter.

Being the only non-national reporter in a newsroom like the Post’s is terrifying. It creates friction with Western copy editors who want bylines and invites animosity from Thai reporters covering the same scoops for a fraction of the salary. And upper management expects you to catch controversial stories, just like foreign correspondents for wires or big international media organizations. But you’re without any legal protection because you’re illegal. You’re disposable, expendable, a one-man team, and you’ll never forget it.......

Read Justin Heifetz's full article here:

http://www.cjr.org/criticism/thailand_bangkok_post.php
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Soi Dog
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Re: Ex-Phnom Penh Post Journalist Lashes Out at The Bangkok

Post by Soi Dog »

Thanks for posting that. The rest of the article is more about reporters in Thailand living in fear of being sued for defamation, especially when reporting about silly things Thai government or military officials say or do. The ex-reporter in question bailed on his job at the Bangkok Post, apparently without any notice at all - he just hopped on a plane back to America, because he says he lived in constant fear of being arrested and jailed for articles he wrote.

His fears were definitely justified. There is no free press in Thailand, but I'm sure he know that going in. I'm not sure the paper could do much to defend one of their reporters who were in the cross-hairs of an embarrassed navy official over the lack of submarines for his newly built submarine facility.

This articles sounds a bit like someone trying to explain to future employers why his previous employer won't give him a good recommendation.
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Re: Ex-Phnom Penh Post Journalist Lashes Out at The Bangkok

Post by Anchor Moy »

This guy wasn't paying attention ? I remember reading this a few years ago.

Article by Erika Fry for the CJR, Sept 2011.
http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/fry_in_thailand.php
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