Social and Cultural Influences on Journalism Values in Asia
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This document is downloaded from DR‑NTU (https://dr.ntu.edu.sg) Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Social and cultural influences on journalism values in Asia Ramanathan, Sankaran. 1995 Ramanathan, S. (1995). Social and cultural influences on journalism values in Asia. In AMIC Seminar on Asian Values in Journalism Seminar Nilai‑Nilai Kewartawanan Asia: Kuala Lumpur, 24‑25 August, 1995. Singapore: Asian Media Information and Communication Centre. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87288 Downloaded on 29 Sep 2021 21:06:38 SGT ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library Social And Cultural Influences On Journalism Values In Asia By Sankaran Ramanathan I 10 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON JOURNALISM VALUES IN ASIA* by Sankaran Ramanathan Principal Lecturer, MARA Institute of Technology, MALAYSIA ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library 1. Introduction Commenting on different perceptions of news values eight years ago, JACK LULE notes that news is in the eyes of the beholder (1). Lule further distinguishes between news values as practised in the First World (comprising the libertarian Western countries), the Second World (comprising nations aligned with the Soviet bloc) and the Third World (the developing nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America). Since the classification constructed by Lule can be a useful starting point for the discussion on journalism values in Asia, it is pertinent to note that classification, as follows: * Paper Presented at the AMIC Seminar on Asian Values in Journalism, Kuala Lumpur, 24 - 25 August 1995. l First World News Values (a) Timeliness, eg. yesterday^'s newspaper is fit only for wrapping fish (or nasi lemak, as in the case of Malaysia). (b) Proximity, eg. 10,000 deaths in Nepal equals 100 deaths in Wales equals 10 ATTENTION: The Singapore Copdeathyright Acts ap pliiens t o thWese use tof this Virginidocument. Nanaya nequalg Technolosgi caonl Uneive rsdeatity Librahry next door. (c) Personality, eg. coverage of Elizabeth Taylor's numerous marriages. (d) Unusual Events, eg. The man-bites-dog variety. (e) Human Interest, eg. unexpected fortune or tragedy. (f) Conflict, eg. fights and disagreements. Second World News Values (a) Ideological Significance eg. that which supports the current ideology. (b) Party Concerns eg. news of the Communist party. (c) Social Responsibility eg. news that is responsible to society. (d) Education eg. news that is educational/ instructive. 2 Third World News Values (a) Development, eg. news about progress and growth. (b) Social Responsibility, as explained above, ATTE(cNT)I ON: The SEducationingapore Copyrigh/t Acat asp pliexplainees to the use of dth is daboveocument. N. anyang Technological University Library (d) National Integration eg. news which promotes national unity. Since the earlier session of this Seminar has already discussed the guestion of whether there is such a thing as Asian values in journalism, this writer does not wish to beg the guestion further, at least not at this early stage. He proposes instead.to report the findings of a research study involving Malaysian journalists working in the English Language, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil newspapers. This will be followed by a discussion on social and cultural influences affecting journalism values, especially vis-a-vis Malaysian journalists. The final section of this paper will discuss whether some of these influences can be identified as being predominant in Asian cultures. 3 The discussion in this paper refers primarily to news papers in Peninsular Malaysia. However, reference will fje made to journalism in Sabah and Sarawak as and when appropriate. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library 2. Journalism Values in Malaysia This section begins with an overview of Malaysian journalism, followed by a profile of 91 gate keepers working in eight major Malaysian news papers. The final part presents a content analysis of a structured-week sample of the eight newspapers studied. 2.1 Malaysian Journalism - An overview Though the first newspaper was published in 1802 (Prince of Wales Island Gazette), journalism in Malaysia has not fully developed neither as a profession nor as a business entity. 4 Many factors account for this situation, the primary one being the plural characteristic of newspapers, which reflects the plural society they serve and mirror. Hence, there are basic differences in the ownership, ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library operation and management of Tamil and Chinese newspapers as compared to their more robust counterparts operating in English and Bahasa Malaysia. Another basic characteristic is the partisan ownership of not only the major newspapers but also other mass media including a private television station, advertising and publishing companies. Ownership (and ensuing control) is vested with individuals or institutions connected with the leading political parties. A third factor is the differing levels of education and training to which journalists working in the various media are exposed, as will be discussed later on in this paper. 5 Historically, the development of Malaysian journalism has been influenced by the British presence in the Malay Peninsula. Hence, English journalism took root in the former ATTENTION: The SingapStraitore Copyrigsht Act Settlementapplies to the use of sth is odofcu mPenanent. Nanygan g Te(fochnolorg ical Usomatimniversity Libraery known as the Prince of Wales Island), Malacca and Singapore. The last-named city was in fact the birthplace of not only the early English newspapers (such as the Straits Times and Singapore Journal of Commerce in July 1845) but also the early Chinese newspapers (such as Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh) and early Tamil newspapers (such as Tamil Nesan and Tamil Murasu). By and large, Malaysia and Singapore share a common history inso-far as the early development of journalism is concerned. That the leading Bahasa Malaysia news paper Utusan Malaysia was born in Singapore in 1939 should therefore come as no surprise. 6 Even after this country's independence as the Federation of Malaya in 1957, major newspapers operated in both Malaya and Singapore without becoming legally-separate entities until 1973, ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library when Malaysia amended the Printing Presses Act to restrict foreign ownership of the print media. Hence, The Straits Times spawned The New Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur, whilst almost all the other major newspapers retained the same name but became separate entities, with operations in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Two developments have affected Malaysian journalism over the last quarter-century, as foilows:- (a) Emergence of Bahasa Malaysia as the foremost language for education and communication, resulting from the implementation of the government's national language policy. Hence, literacy in Bahasa Malaysia rose from 4 3 percent in 1977 to 85 percent in 1985. (2). Current literacy in Bahasa Malaysia can be estimated at more than 90 percent. 7 The direct result has been the increase in circulation of Bahasa Malaysia newspapers and magazines, so that Utusan Malaysia has become the biggest-circulation daily (see Table 1) • (b) Newspaper ownership changes resulting from the amendments to the Printing Presses Act (referred to earlier), ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Acouplect applies tod th e wituse ofh th is dothcumee nt. Nemergencanyang Technoloeg ical Uonfiv ersity Lneibrawry newspapers such as The Star, The Sun, Leader, Kanban, Watan and Harakah. These changes have ensured that major newspapers in Malaysia are owned and operated by Malaysian citizens. Nonetheless, as observed earlier, Malaysian journalism is still at its nascent stage and needs to develop much further, particularly in terms of its acceptance as a profession and status as a business entity. The picture is not entirely bleak, as we can note some positive developments that atjgur well for the future, including the following :- (a) Increasing emphasis on education and training in Journalism, as exemplified in courses taught and student enrolments in local universities and colleges (including the latest entrant, the Akademi Penulisan). (3). 8 (b) Increasing influence of organisations devoted to promoting journalism as a profession, particularly the Institut Akhbar Malaysia (IAM - Malaysian Press Institute) which has ' successfully organised annual journalism awards since 1980. In addition, IAM has conducted 172 short courses in journalism for 3,251 participants since its inception in 1974 as the Southeast Asia Press Centre. Other noteworthy organisations at the national level are the National Press Club, The ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act appEnvironmentalies to the use of this dolcu menJournalistt. Nanyang Technolosgi cal UAssociationiversity Library n and the National Union of Journalists. At state level, the Sarawak and Sabah journalists1 associations are active in organising the annual state journalism awards. In fact, some of the winning entries have exhibited high standards of journalistic writing. Private organisations which have helped promote higher standards of journalism are Esso, Shell and the ICI group. (c)