SAME INTERVIEW, DIFFERENT STORIES
My life as a journalist in Thailand never fails to amaze. A week ago I attended an interview with journalists from the kingdom's two English language newspapers. One still hasn't published a report while the other leads on one aspect of the interview that I didn't consider important enough to include within my own piece.
I don't think this example is about media censorship. It's more about how two different reporters view what's being said by the person being interviewed, and perhaps about the editorial stance taken by respective publishers. To me it also says lots about the stance of the newspaper that has yet to publish anything!
The report that's already appeared focuses on how foreign property investors are seeking more clarity and consistency in the market. To me that's not news. It's been said time and time again. My own piece, I believe, is a touch more controversial because it quotes the executive questioning Thailand's competitive advantage in the eyes of businesses wanting to come here, and calling on the country to learn lessons from its competitors and neighbours.
I have to add that quotes directly attributed to the source in the newspaper story are not correct. In one case they're also misrepresenting what was actually said. I know because I've gone back to my recording of the entire one-hour chat.
I don't say this lightly because questioning the accuracy of a fellow journalist is not something to be taken lightly.
5 comments:
No doubt the person quoted in the story can seek his own correction if he really was misquoted, misrepresented or whatever.
It is a matter between him and the newspaper, surely; it doesn't need to be 'outed' on your blog.
You have just the one language; the Thai reporter has her own, and is no doubt trying to master English as well. Give the girl a break!
BkkDreamer - thanks for your comment.
I blog about issues I see relating to the media and publishing in Thailand. It's an issue I've seen often, and indeed one person on Twitter has also commented it's accepted as being "Thai style media". Does that make it right though, and something that should be accepted as being the norm?
And I don't think I have "outed" anyone as I have not mentioned names. I cannot provide links to prove my point right now because my own story will appear in print first and not online.
I could add a whole lot more about your final point concerning language. All I will say is that I cannot write Thai, hence I have employed Thai journalists for that.
Bkk Dreamer
So what you are really saying is quotes can be made up because it's not the reporters first language? Or am I misrepresenting you there?
I would suggest other reasons for the misquote but they I don't want to drift from what you said.
When we have interviewed people here many have been very nervous about being misquoted. I know of one incident where a large firm dealing with a sensitive situation were completely misrepresented in a national paper. The paper apologised to them and re-interviewed them to clear up the story - and repeated the same misrepresentation.
If the reporter's English skills aren't up to scratch, should she be employed as an English writing journalist? Shouldn't she record the interview rather than taking notes? (I would guess this is what she did as it is the usual practice)
In my experience it is fairly common knowledge that the English language newspapers in Thailand misrepresent/misquote their subjects - not intentionally, I'm sure, but it happens none the less.
Poor English is no excuse if you're a journalist for an English-language newspaper. But my guess is that the journalist had reasonable English skills yet wrote the story from memory rather than transcribing the quotes correctly.
"Thai-style media" can be depressing. Not fact-checking, not proof-reading, not challenging interviewees, self-censorship.
No, I am not saying it is acceptable to misrepresent people, or rely from memory rather than taking notes, or send reporters with poor English to assignments which will call on their English skills.
We should consider the role of the lowly sub; sometimes the intended meaning can get lost as the sub, often a westerner, tries to make sense of the mangled English presented to him.
These things happen, because this is Thailand; we are lucky to have English language newspapers at all.
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