Vol - 2, Issue - 1, January 2011 The Journal of Media Studies Volume - 2 Editor Dr. P. Govindaraju A biannual refereed journal of the Department of Communication Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Tirunelveli - 627 012, India. The Journal of Media Studies The Journal of Media Studies Editor Dr. P. Govindaraju A biannual refereed journal of the Department of Communication Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Tirunelveli – 627012, India. The Journal of Media Studies (JMS) is published Biannually by the Department of Communication Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (DoC-MSU). © The Journal of Media Studies 2011-2012 All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be reproduced in any form or By any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publishers. DoC-MSU or the organizations with which they are associated. ISSN 2249 3263 Body text set in Garamond 11 pt. Layout Editor: T. Jaisakthivel Cover and page design: G. Muthaiyan Vol - 2, Issue - 1, January 2011 THE JOURNAL OF MEDIA STUDIES EDITOR Dr. P. Govindaraju Professor and Head Department of communication Dean, Faculty of Arts Manonmaniam Sundarnar University Tirunelveli- 627012 EDITORIAL BOARD Dr. B.P. Sanjay Dr. K.V. Nagaraj Vice Chancellor Professor Central University of Tamilnadu, Department of Communication Thiruvarur Central University, Assam Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dr. C. Pichaandy Dr. G. Ravindaran Head, Professor and Head Department of Communication Department of Mass Communication PSG College of Arts and Science and Journalism Coimbatore University of Madras, Chennai Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dr. V. Natarajan Dr. Ashok Kumar Professor and Head Professor and Head Dept. of Mass Communication and Department of Electronic Media Journalism Bangalore University, Karnataka Periyar University, Salem Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dr. P.E. Thomas Authors who wish to contribute Associate Professor and Head I/C papers and subscribe may kindly Department of Communication Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore contact the editor on Email: [email protected] [email protected] Edited, Printed and Published by Dr. P. Govindaraju Professor and Head, Subscription Department of Communication Dean, Faculty of Arts JMS is published biannually Manonmaniam Sundaranar University India: INR. 500.00 Tirunelveli – 627012 Rest of Asia: US $ 50.00 Tamilnadu – India Rest of the World: US $ 60.00 Phone: +91 9487999607, +91 9487999703 The Journal of Media Studies Articles 1. AN ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORIALS OF SELECTED MALAYSIAN 279 NEWSPAPERS Haroon Hj Awang, Hamidah Abd Hamid, Adnan Hussein Kamaliah Siarap 2. COVERAGE OF DEVELOPMENT NEWS IN DINAMALAR - CONTENT ANALYSIS 290 OF HEADLINES FROM 1957 TO 1966 M. Shuaib Mohamed Haneef 3. COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF ‘SIRUTHULI’, 301 COIMBATORE Lakshmi L. Lund, Dr. P. E. Thomas 4. MEDIA LITERACY IN POST-GRADUATE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS 308 Aaron Rao, N. V. Prasad, Dr. Mahyuddin Ahmad 5. COMMON SERVICE CENTERS IN RURAL INDIA: AN EVALUATION BY 315 SEQUENTIAL MIXED METHOD DESIGN M. Maani Mabel, Dr. P. Govindaraju 6. THE IMPACT OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS FEATURING CHILDREN ON 329 THE AUDIENCE Dr. M. Neelamalar, Ms. P. Chitra 7. NEGOTIATING CULTURAL PRACTICES: CONSUMPTION OF TAMIL TELEVISION 340 SERIALS AMONG INDIAN YOUTH IN MALAYSIA N. V. Prasad, Dr. Shanthi Balraj, Dr. Thomas Jayaprakash Yesudhasan Vol - 2, Issue - 1, January 2011 8. LANGUAGE REVOLUTION, A NECESSARY EVIL? 349 NEW MEDIA COMMUNICATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON LANGUAGE AND MEANING Dr. Sony Jalarajan Raj, Rohini Sreekumar 9. SEENSAY: PARTICIPATION OF THE CITIZEN MOJO IN 364 INFORMATION DISSEMINATION M. Sripriya, Dr. P. E. Thomas 10. TRIAL BY MEDIA: PROBLEM AND PROSPECTS 376 Dr. G. Rajasekar 11. PARTICIPATION OF INDIAN WOMEN IN THE NEWS PRODUCTION WITH 388 SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TAMIL NADU – A STUDY S. Jenefa, Dr. I. Arul Aram The Journal of Media Studies Message from the Editor... Changing New Media Environment with just an up-to-the-minute set of digital technologies, but is categorised more with newer cultural impressions and media practices. Transformation of cultures got initiated as a result of the undemanding access to the knowledge of distant lifestyles through networked computers and mobile telecommunication devices. ‘Globalization’ engendered from the meeting of the twain-local and global-that was impelled by the new media. The technology provided the avenue to the user and the user’s media practices in turn continued to reshape the technology. This mutual trust saw the emergence of amateurs who imbibed the essential skills, over a period of time, to turn themselves into professionals. The explosive growth of the new technology users, by default, have broken down barriers- social, psychological, and cultural-with even speed and the universe of the new media today exists in more of a pluralistic and inclusive form than that of the older media. An array of meanings emerges from the context of new media practices that support movements of manufacture and utilisation. The new media are extended feelers of the previous technologies and, they also direct and restore the interests of the older media. That the new media are a threat to the older ones, forcing them to seek innovative approaches to production and distribution (for instance, most print editions of newspapers have developed their online versions) is a supposedly overt axiom. Conversely, the ingress of the new technologies preceded relatively newer media environment which provides space for each of the media to work independently and also concertedly, when required. For, participatory and interactive media are on the threshold of cementing their own places among the numerous ones. To add, the new technology has become the common thread that connects the otherwise different activities such as banking and newspapers where IT is used to a great extent. Discerning the ever-changing media environs, this issue of The Journal of Media Studies has also been formulated with the objective of covering as many media domains as possible in order to support all scholars working in diverse children and youth in front of the small screen, new media and language, mobile journalism, trial by media, and women in news production make up the blend of this issue, ably supported by the erudition of the seasoned scholars and the opportunity provided to the new ones. Vol - 2, Issue - 1, January 2011 © The Journal of Media Studies Vol: 2, Issue: 1 January 2011 All rights reserved. One An analysis of the environmental editorials of selected Malaysian newspapers Haroon Hj Awanga Hamidah Abd Hamidb Adnan Husseinc Kamaliah Siarapd Abstract An editorial is an article that states the newspaper’s opinion on a certain issue. It is the conscience. The editorials, which normally appear on the editorial page is written by a senior editorial staff or any other staff member assigned to write on a particular issue. This article examines the editorials of major newspapers (including the vernacular newspapers) that focused on environmental issues in Malaysia. Using the content analysis method, it explores the intensity and frequency and nature of the environmental issues highlighted by the newspapers in their editorials (both signed and unsigned) in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The article is based on the premise that newspapers that are concerned about the environment will carry more editorials on environment-related topics, thus setting the agenda for public discussion, or creating more awareness among their readers, or creating a platform for a forum that newspapers carry more editorials on environmental issues, mostly dealing with pollution (air, water and noise) and forestry and wildlife issues. Most of the issues raised were domestic issues with a splattering of global issues that were also relevant to Malaysia. The vernacular newspapers (Tamil and Chinese) barely showed any concern for the environment, judging from the number of editorials on the subject. Key words: signed editorials, unsigned editorials, agenda setting, environmental issues a. Senior Lecturer, School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected] b. Senior Lecturer, School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected] c. Professor, School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected] d. Senior Lecturer, School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected] 279 The Journal of Media Studies Introduction The newspaper editorial is often referred as “the voice of the newspaper”. It is up to the staff to make this description accurate. Mac Dougall (1973) stated that newspaper editorial is often described as the newspaper’s conscience. The role of editorial is the result of the development of other methods by which the function of explaining, interpreting and commenting upon current happening can be performed. Editorial writing offers one of the best opportunities An editorial is an opinion piece written by the senior editorial staff or publisher of a opinion of the periodical. Additionally, most print publications feature an editorial, followed by the letters to the editor section (Hohenberg, 1995). Garrison (1990), on his study on function of editorial and letters to the editor, revealed that editorials are either