Friday, October 14, 2011

You Say You Want A Revolution

          The answer to my question in the previous post turns out to be a "nationwide revolution" of Thai media. M2F, short for "Monday to Friday", not "Mother to... Father", is the love child of the publishers of Bangkok Post and Post Today. (I guess more so of Post Today, since the newspaper is in Thai). According to the release information from Post Today (pictured below), 4 million free copies of M2F will be distributed in Idontknowwhat time-frame. Although I have yet to have been lucky enough to pass one of the 200 distribution spots in the city, I understand that the newspaper will discuss topics "relevant to the life of office workers and early morning commuters - snappy and concise news, human interest stories as well as useful information on health, work and modern lifestyle". This, says the editor-in-chief.


Post Today Online discussing launch of 'M2F'

          The answer to one question leads to another: So how will the baby differ from its parents? I mean newspapers are already mainly for the corporate people and the early birds. Newswriting is already supposed to be snappy and concise with human interest stories and information on health, work and modern lifestyle. Is that not what a newspaper is, exactly? M2F could potentially be revolutionary if it were more for the others in society, such as the youth. We're not that useless you know? Remember that a few weeks ago, young Mr. Aekawit Thongdeeworakul, from my own university (REPRESENT!), hacked Ms. Prime Minister's Twitter account to make a few bold statements - each under 140 characters - about her policies.
          What I do see however, is a need to get our book-decaying youth to read. I'm sick of being the only one in my age group who "reads". First I get accused by my peers of reading. Then they accuse me of getting better grades than them. Hello?! They need to start seeing the obvious benefits of reading and stop robbing their potentials by not reading.  The only thing that might attract one of my classmate to M2F is that the paper is free. But I think it would be a better idea to intentionally make the "baby-paper" for the "babies". Then perhaps we've got a real revolution in the making. A revolution of teenage literacy in Thailand.
          I have a dream.

1 comment:

  1. Agree with the last paragraph. "Why do you read so much? Why are your grades so good?" Lol. Connect the dots, people!

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