The National Reform Steering Assembly’s committee on media reform claims its draft law will protect media rights and freedoms as well as boosting professional and ethical standards in journalistic practice. Media organisations disagree and have launched a vigorous campaign against what they say is illegitimate interference in the basic right of free expression.

Elsewhere opinion has split into two camps, though neither have much sympathy for the media.

On one side, supporters of the ruling military clique are voicing strong support for a law that would broaden the junta’s tight grip to encompass journalists.

They argue that the media all too often exercises its freedom without responsibility, risking confusion and social disorder. Their message seems to be that, for the sake of peace and order, it’s better to limit ourselves to one-sided information from the government, filtering out differing views from others.

On the other side are those who oppose restrictions on free expression. Yet many in this camp are of the opinion that the media deserve their fate under the new draft law, having been broadly supportive of the May 2014 coup and a junta that pledged to achieve reform and reconciliation.

Following the power seizure, a number of media representatives were appointed to the National Reform Council. Meanwhile many news outlets voiced support for the coup-makers, with criticism of their actions muted and scant. Media organisations seemed to forget that military authority does not tolerate press freedom in the way that an elected government does. Top brass are not used to people challenging their orders and that stance is unlikely to change when they move from the barracks to Government House.

In order to win society’s support for their campaign against the controversial bill, media groups have to decide which kind of political environment best suits them.

Obviously the answer is a democratic one that encourages freedom of expression. In order to win back respect and social standing, the media must stand up and protect their own standpoint and credibility.

Outlets also face the challenge of improving quality, in terms of both veracity and the presentation of news. Many in the mainstream media are spooked by the rapid growth of online social media. But it’s easy to forget that a major strength of the mainstream media is its credibility, which rests on the ability to seek and verify the facts of a story.

But in order to report accurately and in-depth, journalists have to be given freedom. This is the media’s most valuable asset, and it is worth protecting.