Events

CHAIRPERSON

Dr Maznah Binti Mohamad, Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore

ABSTRACT

The dust has all but settled on the 13th Malaysian General Election (GE13), an election that many believed would change the political direction Malaysia would take. Indeed, while the `tsunami’ of GE12 in 2008 was quite unexpected, the belief – at least among many ordinary Malaysians – seemed to be that this time around the ruling BN regime would lose more than just its two-thirds majority in parliament. But it was not to be.

Among the reasons put forward for this outcome – aside from the allegations of fraud and the clearer indications of gerrymandering and malapportionment – the role of the media has frequently been highlighted. Quite substantial research was done during this period on media coverage of the election. Not surprisingly, the bulk of the research findings pointed to media that clearly lacked balance in their coverage of GE13, especially coverage of the individuals and parties involved in GE13.

My aim in this this presentation is to look at and discuss some aspects of the Malaysian media – ownership, control, possible reach, and even false dichotomies between `mainstream’ and `new’ media – and advance some preliminary ideas about the roles the media are playing, the roles the media can play, and the roles the media are likely to play post-GE13.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Zaharom Nain is Professor of Media and Communication Studies at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) and Associate Dean (Research) for the university’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Before joining UNMC, he lectured for more than two decades in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang. He is co-editor of two books, Communication and Development: The Freirean Connection (Hampton: 2001) and Who Owns The Media: Global Trends and Local Resistances (Zed/Southbound: 2004) and has authored more than 100 book chapters, journal articles and conference papers. He recently published a volume on political and cultural developments in Malaysia, titled Rhetoric and Realities: Critical Reflections on Malaysian Politics, Culture and Education (2013: SIRD/CSCC). He has been a columnist for a variety of Malaysian print and online publications, including Malaysiakini, the Borneo Post, The Heat, The Star and, earlier in his career, the New Straits Times.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free. We would greatly appreciate if you RSVP Mr Jonathan Lee via email: jonathan.lee@nus.edu.sg