Should children be protected from watching Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej discuss issues of state on television because of his 'improper' language and slips of the tongue?

PM Samak Sundaravej's aggressive talk on his Sunday morning radio and television programme has prompted critics to call for it to be rated.

Ratings officials and the news media have mixed reactions to this.

Chulalongkorn University's mass communications' school's Wilasinee Piphittakul - a member of the national rating committee - says the programme should be designated "Nor Nu 13+", which requires parental guidance for viewers younger than 13.

She says it's a programme that contains personal views and comment which demand audience discretion to determine credibility.

Wilasinee says the Public Relations Department, which oversees the rating committee, has not called a meeting of the panel since this government came to power in February.

"So there's been no discussion of what rating his programme should get," she says.

The prime minister's "Talking Samak Style" show airs every Sunday between 8.30 and 9.30am on state-run NBT, formerly known as Channel 11, and PRD-controlled radio stations.

Itthiphol Pritiprasong, a Mahidol University lecturer who sits on a working group charged with developing a new rating system, says Samak's show is a news programme and therefore requires no rating.

But because of the host's aggressive manner and use of "impolite" language, parental discretion is required if minors are watching.

He adds that impolite language, mostly due to slips of the tongue, are common today in news programmes, where anchorpersons often add personal views.

"This is a problem of ethics. The law cannot be applied in this respect, but if there is some kind of social control, viewers can choose to ignore bad programmes," he says.

Uajit Wirottrairat, head of the Institute of Private Sector Media Development, believes if Samak's show is rated it would be for "general" viewing, or for people of all ages. She has never watched the programme.

In early broadcasts Samak often used the words dat jarit, or fake, to describe his critics. Sarcastic messages are also part of counterattacks on those who oppose him.

However, Samak has appeared more careful recently in picking his words, although there are still "slips of the tongue".

For example, in his programme last Sunday, the PM at one point used the derogatory word ai in reference to the Constitution. He quickly retracted it.

xtra

potty mouth?

Some examples of Samakisms:

>> "... I wonder why they keep their mouths shut ..."

>> "... idiot radio station ..."

>> " ... where on earth do they hide their heads ..."