Though everybody has the right to offer their views, freedom can only blossom if there's true tolerance
However, how we use this knowledge is entirely up to us.
Representatives of major cable TV stations interviewed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva a couple of weeks ago and the consensus that seemed to emerge from the discussion was that having satellite dishes of "different colours" was not such a bad thing.
The "different colours", it was said, should be taken to mean how far Thailand has come as an "open society".
The next challenge, however, is to ensure that this "open society" is truly open, with people having genuine tolerance for each other.
However, the Thai public will have to be smart enough to distinguish the different types of content. This freedom and openness creates all kinds of media outlets, some more neutral or partisan than others. The media outlets themselves will have to be "fair" to their audience, which means that if they are in the business to represent some people or some group's interests, then they must have the courage to say so openly.
As long as everyone respects different opinions, accepts unorthodox presentation and does not mean any harm toward others then the diversification of Thai media will become like an orchard of democracy, whose fruit will only benefit the country. After all, true wisdom comes not from just one source of knowledge, but several different ones.
The so-called "alternative media" is here to stay. The powers that be have come to realise that even if they don't like it, resistance will be futile. The mainstream media has also come to realise that the newcomers offer a strong alliance, not competition. Last, but not least, society as a whole should realise that this "golden opportunity" needs to be grabbed with both hands rather than left to be smeared by people with ill intention.
The term "voice of the people" is easy to utter, but hard to put into practice. Every media outlet wants to be that heavenly voice, but this is a very lofty goal as far as being the media is concerned. It's easier said than done. Therefore, it's probably best for everybody if media outlets do not try to claim to be what they are not and never can be.
The alternative media, including community radio stations that have always played controversial political roles, have achieved the first target - gaining a solid foothold in society. Admittedly, their success was largely due to a bulldozing, partial kind of approach. Taking political sides has become a widely accepted benchmark for several cable TV and community radio stations.
Whether this "formula for success" can sustain itself is another question. There have been times when the yellow shirts' TV station hit the highest rating because it was believed the mainstream media reported "lies" about the movement, and the same goes for the cable station of the red-shirt people.
However, there soon may come a time when both stations will have to review whether they are reporting nothing but the truth or whether the content of their programmes are based mainly on what their audiences want to hear.
Make no mistake. Even partial reporting can be part of democracy's flower garden, as long as it is done with respect for other people's opinions and without any malicious intent to spawn hatred or encourage violence. Some day, somehow, everyone has to grow up and alternative media will sooner or later find itself becoming part of the mainstream. How they evolve could make one of the most intriguing media studies.
