PM promises no impact on iTV station and staffs
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has promised not to allow the management change at iTV to impact on the station staff and the news editorial department, assistant news director Kitti Singhapat said Thursday.
"The transition for iTV's management is expected to be smooth and will not affect the broadcasting and staff," Kitti quoted Surayud as saying. Led by Kitti, a group of 20 station newsmen and broadcasting staff submitted a petition calling for the government's intervention to ensure the handover of station's reins in an orderly manner. The petition lodging happened after the incumbent management said it was unable to pay concession fees plus fine for overdue payments totalling Bt100 billion within the 30day deadline. The concession default means that the PM's Office, which oversees the broadcasting concession, would cancel the contract and usher in a new management team. In their petition, station workers made a fourpoint demand. Firstly, the broadcast and programming should not be interrupted by management change. Secondly, the station should remain as an independent news outlet in compliance with the media freedom. Thirdly, the editorial department should be allowed to carry out its professional duty without any outside interferences. Fourthly, the station's 1,070 workers should not be affected by the new management.
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