SE Asian stations gang up on West<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Several Southeast Asian television stations have united to
\nprovide a unique platform for regional leaders to air their
\nopinions to 300 million viewers in a move to counter alleged
\nWestern bias.<\/p>\n
Networks from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and
\nThailand on Tuesday night launched a program called In
\nConversation, which officials describe as a first in the region's
\nbroadcast history.<\/p>\n
The opening program in a 13-part monthly series featured
\nMalaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 75, who has been in
\npower for 20 years and is considered the elder statesman of the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).<\/p>\n
Malaysia's TV3 said in a statement on Wednesday the objective
\nof the program was to provide an outlet for leaders to share
\ntheir thoughts with the region's people.<\/p>\n
\"It is also aimed to break free from Western media domination
\nwhich has a tendency to air interviews with regional leaders on a
\nselective basis to meet the demands of their station or their own
\nagenda,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
Privately-owned TV3 said some 300 million people in the 10-
\nmember ASEAN would be able to tune in to the programs broadcast
\nby iTV Thailand, RCTI Indonesia and ABS-CBN Philippines.<\/p>\n
A TV3 executive told AFP the program planned to present all
\nASEAN leaders as well as some feature items on the region.<\/p>\n
He said the next guest would be Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
\nShinawatra, while Singapore Premier Goh Chok Tong had also agreed
\nto come on air.<\/p>\n
Efforts are also underway to get Philippine President Glorio
\nMacapagal Arroyo and Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nto participate.<\/p>\n
In the first hour-long pre-recorded interview, Mahathir was
\nquestioned by four journalists -- one from each participating
\nstation -- and dealt with subjects ranging from terrorism and
\nIslam to regional economies.<\/p>\n
He said regional leaders would discuss the economic fallout
\nfrom the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States during the
\nASEAN summit in Brunei next month.<\/p>\n
\"I think whether we like it or not, we will have to discuss
\nwhat happened in the U.S. simply because ASEAN is actually a
\ntrade bloc and our prosperity depends on trade,\" he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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