University of Nottingham Malaysia
School of
Media, Languages and Cultures
     
  

Media Reform in Malaysia

Date(s)
11th September 2020
Contact
For more information on this event or to register your attendance, kindly e-mail Dr Gaik Cheng Khoo.  
Description
School of Media, Languages and Cultures Postgraduate Seminar presents Media Reform in Malaysia

This study examines media reform in contemporary Malaysia from 1998 until today. More specifically, it seeks to explain reform efforts initiated by different actors, including journalists, activists and state actors during this period. Media reform is defined as an effort and active engagement to democratise existing media through different initiatives. Therefore, it focuses on the agents of change and considers barriers created by other actors. Guided principally by Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci’s notion of hegemony (1971), this study also analyses conflicts and tensions between the actors who fight for dominant influence in the process of media reform. For Gramsci, hegemony is a process of manufacturing consent for and acceptance of the existing social order. However, Gramsci’s notion of “relative autonomy” and “counterhegemony” also explains the force of resistance. Applying this theory, media reform is understood as a process which involves many actors who embody different understanding, expectation and interest in media reform agenda.  

Judging from the existing censorship laws and overall political-economic development in the country which resulted in controversial political media ownership, the ruling class controls the press with coercion. The main argument in this study is that media reform Malaysia is also challenged by a new form of hegemony –the subaltern groups who give consent to the ruling class to maintain status quo. Examples of subaltern group are government-appointed editors, journalists working in the state media as well as illiberal civil society and media groups who are hostile to reform. Therefore, this research offers insights as to the role of those inside government, government-appointed editors, journalists and activists in hindering media reform.  

This study is significant because media reform in Malaysia consists of fragile coalitions between actors who think that the system as it exists can deliver reforms and those who think that there are structural inequalities that cannot be resolved. My research methodology will include personal interviews with the actors and content analysis of documents, archived information and relevant published works related to the topic.

Details
Date: 11 September 2020, Friday
Time: 15:00 to 16:00
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams 

About the speaker: 
Kow Kwan Yee is a lecturer at the School of Communication & Creative Arts, University of Wollongong Malaysia. She is currently a PhD candidate of University of Nottingham Malaysia. She used to be a journalist who covered a range of areas (crime, court and politics) for The Star and Malaysiakini. Her research interests include press freedom, media reform, journalism regulation, communication policies and practices.

School of Media, Languages and Cultures

University of Nottingham Malaysia
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Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

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