Thai, Vietnamese media press for copyright protection - Bangkok Post

Thai Journalists Association members, led by president Norrinee Ruangnoo and adviser Chavarong Limpattamapanee (sixth and fifth from left respectively), meet members of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association in Hanoi on Monday. (Photo: TJA) Thai and Vietnamese media organisations are pushing for stronger copyright protection and fairer revenue-sharing from global technology platforms such as Google and Meta as digital trends erode news publishers’ traffic and income.

The issue was discussed at a meeting between the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) and the Vietnam Journalists Association in Hanoi on Monday, alongside challenges posed by artificial intelligence and the need for ethical standards in newsrooms.

Norrinee Ruangnoo, president of the TJA, said both sides highlighted the impact of “zero-click” searches, which allow users to obtain information without visiting news websites. The two organisations agreed that Asean media organisations should work together to promote legal frameworks protecting copyright and ensuring fair compensation for news content.

Chavarong Limpattamapanee, an adviser to the TJA, said Thai research had identified an imbalance in which news content appeared on major platforms without publishers receiving fair financial returns.

He said the research recommended legislation requiring platforms to negotiate with news organisations over compensation. Google subsequently entered discussions on possible ways to improve returns to publishers, he said.

Mr Chavarong said Thai media organisations would host an Asean media meeting on Nov 16 and 17 to discuss the use of AI in newsrooms and sustainable revenue models, with Vietnamese representatives invited.

Vietnam Journalists Association president Le Quoc Minh said Google and Meta had previously held discussions with his association. He urged Google to take copyright issues seriously, while stressing that media organisations must also adapt and maintain the quality and accuracy of their reporting.

The two associations also plan to renew their memorandum of understanding, covering practical cooperation such as Thai and Vietnamese language training, staff exchanges and disaster-reporting exercises.