Author:
Lai Fong Yang,Ahmad Ishak Sidin
Abstract
Abstract
Ethnicity, religion and related issues have always proved to be a difficult topic for reporting in multicultural societies. This study examined the gatekeeping process undertaken by Malaysian newspapers in reporting interethnic conflicts. The gatekeeping theory was employed as the theoretical framework. Interviews with editors from the mainstream and alternative newspapers found that gatekeeping took place at the individual, routine, and organizational as well as institutional levels. Significantly, two newspapers owned by pro-government political parties – Utusan by UMNO and The Star by MCA – claimed that ownership had an impact on their gatekeeping decision. It was found that political reason was the primary external factor influencing the gatekeeping of the newspapers in their coverage of interethnic conflicts. This study indicates that journalists/editors shape a reality that reflects the political, economic and ideological boundaries within which they work. More importantly, gatekeeping was found to reflect a struggle between dominant social norms and efforts for change.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
General Arts and Humanities,Communication,Cultural Studies
Reference67 articles.
1. Abbott, J.P. (2004). The Internet, reformasi and democratization in Malaysia. In: Gomez, E.T. (Ed.), The State of Malaysia: Ethnicity, Equity and Reform, pp. 79–104. New York: RoutledgeCurzon.
2. Abbott, J.P. and Franks, O.S. (2007). Malaysia at fifty: Conflicting definitions of citizenship. Asian Affairs, 38(3): 337–356.
3. Arpan, L.M., Baker, K., Lee, Y.W., Jung, T.J., Lorusso, L. and Smith, J. (2006). News coverage of social protests and the effects of photographs and prior attitudes. Mass Communication and Society, 9(1): 1–20.
4. Atkinson, J. (2005). Towards an understanding of the complexities of alternative media: Portrayals of power in alternative media. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 6(1): 77–84.
5. Atton, C. (2003). What is “alternative” journalism? Journalism, 4(3): 267–272.
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献，注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献，订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献