MEDIASCAPE: Compare & Contrast

DESIDERATA continues with an examination of the local media landscape, but today's Post is a sort of quick academic exercise (hopie it's not foolish nor in futility!) which maybe of some help to some of my Young ER thinking of a career in journalism. Hey, this is free/flee tuition, so don't rate me, okay!

I'm reproducing four different looks by media on the same vent, the Press Night I believe held annually organised by the esteemed (?) Malaysian Press Institute.

I've taken the liberty of GRADING the three print media reports plus one agency's (online) from a self-proclaimed newsman's point of view, and you can BEG TO DIFFER with my views and grades, just give me a good RATionale, mousey one oso cun.


Following the latest visitor to Comments last night, JUSLO of juslo.blogspot.com (welcome againand where's that platinum goblet?), I am encouraged by his profile statement promtinging 'absolute' FREEDOM OF SPEECH, his boundary even surpassing Desi's bound. Personally, I believe there is a LIMIT BEYOND WHICH I WON'T ALLOW at my blog while Juslo avers it's NOT HIS ROLE TO SET THAT LIMIT.

Just to illustrate: Desi will never allow any commenters coming here using "Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi", or/and "Dr Mahathir Mohamad" when he/she was definitely not the Prime MInister himself, or the ex-PM himself, engaging the blogger and his conversationists. To me it's a blatant "sin" to use another individual's name in vain, especially in frivilous, mocking, and often, downright seditious and expressly inflammatory comments (I'm citing real life case and exprereince here, as sighted in a certain Blog hosted by a Malaysian oversea which I used to visit and even give my 3sen's worth, BUT NO MORE...).


Brave soul that he is, Juslo, I salute your commitment and determination; I pray you don't get dragged into unneccessary situations of dispute, and unjustified trouble. Still we must respect the credo: TO EACH HIS/HER OWN. Again, it's worth reminding that WE MUST BE AGREEABLE IN OUR RIGHT TO DISAGREE, or there is no conversation. Thanks for bearing with Desi is this sermon not from That Mount, breaking back mayhaps.
So let's get started:

From some tycoon/tycoons'-controlled newspaper, theSun, page 2, please appreciate I had to type this item long-hand, so if there's typo, remember Desi's as human as you. Okay, some of mGf are more humane than Des without the I!:


Najib: Media must
play their role
responsibly

KUALA LUMPUR: THe media are a partner to the
government in social and national development but
they must play their role responsibly to ensure
national security and stability, said Deputy Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.

"THe government accepts the reality that a con-
ducive environment is required for the media to play
their role as business organistions and as the fourth
estate to criticise and correc t the three powers in
the country -- the legislative, executive and judiciary,"
he said yesterday at the launch of the 2006 Media Award,
organised by the Malaysian Press Institute and
Petronas.

The print and electronic media, including online
publications and bloggers, can provide objective and
constructive criticism, he said, but added that they
should also take national interest into consideration.

:It is easier to destroy than to build," he said.
"Sensationalising to sell one's product or get a bigger
audience without takig into consideration the interest
of the nation, and going back against the ethics
of journalism, should not happen: he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Desi's grading: 7
for using the "right" LEAD and several
pertinent points related to MEDIA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DESIDERATA1:

TheSun's LEAD (Opening paragraph in journalese) is the DPM's stress on media as "a partner" in national development, which is often the "development" mentality adopted by developing countries' governments, especially in the early days after gaining independence.

Desi's view is that after almost 50 years of independence, the truly MEDIA priority lies here ~~ ***"The government accepts the reality that a con-
ducive environment is required for the media to play
their role as business organistions and as the fourth
estate to criticise and correc t the three powers in
the country -- the legislative, executive and judiciary,"
BUT Desi accepts that this point as "second paragraph" gives it sufficient ranking, and I applaud theSun's "angling" of the press event; hence I belive it's got its LEAD right!


Significant mentions of key elements that were covered are:
+ electronic media, including online
publications and bloggers
+ objective and
constructive criticism
+ Sensationalising to sell one's product or get a bigger
audience
+ the ethics
of journalism.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the MCA-controlled paper,

The Star, page N16:

Najib: Stick to local agenda

KUALA LUMPUR: The development of journalism in Malaysia must be based on national interest, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said, and cautioned against local journalists emulating the ways of the foreign press.

"In the West, they believe in highlighting conflicts to increase their audience. Even if there wasn't one, they would create one or make a mountain out of a molehill,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.


Najib said the local media should not make it their sole mission to report on controversies and conflicts.

“The media's role is to be successful, strong and confident in achieving the national objective,” he said at the Malaysian Press Institute Media Night yesterday.

The Government had approved an initial grant of RM5mil to upgrade MPI into a training centre, he said.

Najib gave out awards for 13 categories.

Utusan Malaysia senior editor Md Zaini Hassan took the prestigious Kajai Award, winning a RM20,000 cash prize, a gold medal and a certificate.

The Star's Philip Golingai bagged the award for best feature article in English for 'Islanders' idyllic life'.

Pixmen Raja Faisal Raja Hishan won first place in the Photo Media (news) category while Ibrahim Mohtar came out tops in the Photo Media (essay) category with Norafifi Ehsan as the runner-up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Desi's grading: 3

I believe TheStar is getting its LEAD wrong!
It is guilty of "buying" the DPM's
subjective postulation that the "foreign press"
model is inherently inferior and therefore
not worthy of "emulation".
And so many questionable points to boot.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DESIDERATA2:

The second paragraph is even more damning, and a
responsible press must not be an accomplice to selling a premise
that is not grounded. ""In the West, they believe in highlighting conflicts to increase their audience. Even if there wasn't one, they would create one or make a mountain out of a molehill.
+ ... highlighting conflicts ... ~~ is part and parcle of telling the "human" interest story, as any story teller or narrator would tell you. And a journalist is also a story teller, of current events, be it local, regional or international
+ ...make a mountain out of a molehill...~~ any news medium that intends to last and survive (as a business concern) can NEVER do it the "spinning" of gold out of straw method. No, you cannot squeeze water out of stone.
+ their sole mission ~~ Can any press survive on a "sole" mission? So is the reporter thinking when this is the story they "regurgitate" just because the DPM spins it?

+ “The media's role is to be successful, strong and confident in achieving the national objective,”~~ Does the Star reporter, or Desk Editor who cleared this copy, can you EXPLAIN what is the menaing of this quote?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the UMNO-controlled paper:


New Straits Times, page ? (Can any ER tell on what page this item appeared? The following is picked up from the Web edition)»


NST bags nine top awards


KUALA LUMPUR: Journalists and photographers from the New Straits Times Press group bagged nine awards at the Malaysian Press Institute-Petronas Awards 2006 last night.

KL-based journalist Arman Ahmad, who joined the NST three years ago, made the company proud by winning two awards in the English category for news and entertainment.

His winning entries were on the earthquake in Pakistan last year and a nostalgic piece on finalists of the first Bakat TV in 1971. He received a total of RM10,000 in prizes.

The other winners from NSTP were Berita Harian’s Azran Md Jaffar who won the best Bahasa Malaysia feature; Muhamamad Rizal Hashim from Malay Mail in the English sports category; Shahrizal Md Noor who emerged second and Khairul Mazzaman Ghazali who took third spot in the photo category; and Zahari Zakaria who secured third placing for best photo essay.

Azran and Rizal took home RM5,000 each; Shahrizal received RM2,000 while Khairul and Zahari won RM1,000 each.

Berita Harian’s Zainuri Misfar won in the Malay entertainment category while the team comprising Saiful Azhar Abdullah, V. Vasudevan and Sofea Amani Selvarani walked away with the Petronas Environment Media Award.

They received RM5,000 and RM7,000 respectively.

The other winners were Sistem Televisyen Malaysia (TV3) news and current affairs senior general manager Datuk Chamil Warya who received the Jury Special Award and TV3 reporter Pang Chinn Fei and cameraman N.C. Gunasegaran who won in the best TV feature category.

Utusan Malaysia senior news editor Mohd Zaini Hassan was named this year’s winner of the Kajai Award which came with a RM20,000 prize.

Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, a veteran journalist, received the Eminent Journalist (Tokoh Wartawan) Award in appreciation of his contributions to journalism in the country.

NST’s Arman was happy his two winning stories had not only enriched his experience and knowledge but had also brought him luck.

"I am thankful for the experience and exposure gained while covering the earthquake in Pakistan," he said.

The winners received their prizes and certificates from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Also present were Petronas president and chief executive Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican and MPI chairman Datuk Azman Ujang.

***In his speech, Najib said the role of the Press is to play watchdog while at the same time help the government in its development efforts.

In acknowledging these functions, he said he looked at the Press as friends who could help, criticise and understand efforts to develop the nation.

As in any friendship, he added, misunderstandings and differences did occur at times.

"But we have to accept them as we need each other to develop the country," he said.

The government, Najib said, understood the need for a conducive climate to allow the media to play a healthy role as a business entity, even as the Fourth Estate, to criticise the country’s legislative, executive and judiciary.

"(But) we have to keep in mind that Malaysia is a country with a rich diversity in races, staying together in peace and harmony.

"It is your (the media) role not to raise sensitive issues that were settled by the previous generation during the struggle to achieve independence.

"Instead, the media should work with us to give correct information on these matters (solved issues) and strengthen basic foundations which all have agreed upon. We perceive the media as our friends who can help, criticise and understand our aims to develop the nation," he said.

Any criticism, Najib said, should be done in a proper manner that could help to solve issues and bring the nation to greater heights.

"The tendency to sensationalise issues to sell one’s products or to seek a wider audience should not take place. We must not forget the national interests as it is easier to destroy what has been built than to build them."

He also suggested that the MPI host foreign journalists, especially those from Third World countries, for a familiarisation programme in Malaysia.

He said MPI should invite a small number of journalists to undergo two to three-month training in this country so that they would be exposed to the myriad aspects of Malaysia.

He mentioned the Thomson Press Foundation in England; the Berlin Institute of Jounalism in Berlin; and the American Foundation Press Institute in New York as some examples that MPI could refer to when embarking on this programme.

"Hopefully, when the MPI-sponsored journalists return home, they will have a better understanding about our country. Indirectly, they will become our unofficial ambassadors in their respective countries."

Najib also suggested that foreign journalists be offered a short-term attachment with local media organisations.

"I also feel that MPI should play an active part in any research and publication works related to the local media.

"The publication of such findings must be disseminated widely to those in the country and abroad as a source of reference on studies about Malaysia’s media," he said.

The Cabinet, he said, had approved the Information Ministry’s proposal to upgrade MPI with a RM5 million grant for the purpose.

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Desi's grading: 5
The NST played up its staff achievements in WINNING AWARDS as the LEAD. Hey, there is a time and place for blowing one's own trumpet!
Okay, it redeems womewhat with several MEDIIA points later, too much later!

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DESIDERATA3:You LOST the big picture,Mr Editor at The NST, the country's OLDEST newspaper. BUT as I introduced the paper,
the political party's interests supercede everything, yes?
Well, the deserving LEAD "***In his speech, Najib said the role of the Press is to play watchdog while at the same time help the government in its development efforts. is well BURIED after the 15th (?) para..., it's okay if the NST deems itself a school magazine, I guess.
+ friends who could help, criticise and understand efforts to develop the nation.
+ "The tendency to sensationalise issues...
+ "I also feel that MPI should play an active part in any research and publication works related to the local media.
"The publication of such findings must be disseminated widely to those in the country and abroad as a source of reference on studies about Malaysia’s media," ~~

Okay, Desi can accept this could be a triable initiative; my hesitation to support it openly is the RESERVATION AT THE BAK OF THIS NEWSHOUND'S MIND is that the "findings" have to udergo MPI/Government vettings. Anything "negative" to Malaysia would be censored out or the entire report rejected.
(This reservation is well grounded in the troubled waters that renowned academician Dr Lim Teck Ghee found himself in for undertaking an ASLI study,and independently stood his ground in defending his findings while other RATS did otaccept his RATionale and abandoned ship. Dear ER, you didn't hear? Well, please go back to Rip van Winkle's terrortry, Desi's Place is not an oasis for thee!:)


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OKay, *reluctantly, from His Master's Voice, the national news agency, what's the page?:

November 30, 2006 02:12 AM

Najib Advises Media Not To Use Conflicts To Draw Audience


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Wednesday night advised media practitioners not to use conflicts to draw audience but to write reports with full responsibility.

He said media practitioners should not draw audience by blowing up any conflict or issue.

"Journalism institutes in other countries teach one of the importance of drawing audience by writing reports on fights or conflicts.

"Small conflicts are intentionally blown up to sell the newspapers," he said at the Malaysian Press Night 2006, here.

Najib said the Malaysian media, on the other hand, should exercise responsibility in shaping society in its own mould.

"This does not mean that the Malaysian media cannot report on conflicts but the method of reporting should be exercised with a sense of responsibility and in the name of the truth," he said.

Najib also outlined four points that were necessary to create a responsible media that could convince the people of the reports it produced.

He said the media should have the freedom to report but with restrictions, the reports must be balanced and fair, the reports must have objectivity, and the reports must state the truth about any matter.

He also expressed the hope that the media would be a good partner of the government in the effort to develop the mind of society towards achieving the national mission.

At the function, Najib presented the Petronas-MPI Journalism Awards 2005.

The main "Kajai Prize" was won by Mohd Zaini Hassan of Utusan Malaysia who received RM20,000 cash, a gold medal and a gift of appreciation.

Najib also presented prizes in several other categories, including for photographers and journalists in the electronic media.

-- BERNAMA

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Desi's grading: 5
Okay, I can live with its LEAD quite similar to The STar's approach.
It follows witha few relevant MEDIA points.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DESIDERATA4:

The "reluctance" stems from the fact that it's commonly perceived that Bernama depends a lot for its sources of funding on the government; but surprise! SIRprise, the agency's copy could have been mistaken as that used by The Star
The LEAD used by Bernama highlighted on one aspect or role of what MEDIA PRACTITIONERS SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT DO, but it did not blindly "buy" into the DPM's biased selling points that the STar was guilty of commiting!
+He said the media should have the freedom to report but with restrictions, the reports must be balanced and fair, the reports must have objectivity, and the reports must state the truth about any matter.
+ Malaysian media, on the other hand, should exercise responsibility in shaping society in its own mould ~~ I am neutral on what this call from the DM is about, especially "its own mould" implications, as if a developing nation like Malaysia cannot aspire towards the grounds or territory eralier trodeen by advanced countries. With implied advice we must "re-invent the wheel" again?

Ala- making Teh-tarik plus Miss Sunthi, or Testing what throwing Batu Seremban in zero-gravity would turn up some Nobel Prize winning scientific truths?


The Star highlighted on a similar aspect of what the media event was all about, but it got caught up in the DPM's opportunistic "lambast of the foreign press".
There was no mention pertainig to THE FOURTH ESTATE vi-a-vis the OTHER THREE ESTATES the DPM mentioned by both The Star and Bernama. So I think the national news agency's copy rrated slightly better thahn The Star. PASSABLE.

A score of "5" means it's 50-50 mathematically, or SO-SO in layman's language.
Better than North Korea's propaganda which I would score at ZERO, or can I give a minus-ONE?