Entry 08 : Individual Project ( Week 5 - Task 1 )

#Task : Write a short essay of about 400 words about the below stated issue: news and you, again. Who owns the newspapers and TV stations in your country? Do you think this has an effect on the news that you hear?

Who owns the newspaper and TV stations in Malaysia? It look like private corporation owns these but is it the truth? Let's us see some comments about this.

According to Wikipedia, the media of Malaysia include television, radio, newspapers, and web-based media such as bloggers. Many media outlets are either owned directly by the government of Malaysia (e.g. Bernama) or owned by component parties of the Barisan Nasional coalition government (e.g. the Media Prima group, which is owned by the United Malays National Organisation). Since conventional media is so tightly controlled by the government, Malaysia has a lively alternative media scene, characterized by such news portals as Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider which take advantage of the government's pledge not to censor the Internet despite its stranglehold on most mass media outlets.

Furthermore, BBC News stating in their research on Malaysia media profile, 

Malaysia has some of the toughest censorship laws in the world. The authorities exert substantial control over the media and can impose restrictions in the name of national security. 

The government is keen to insulate the largely-Muslim population from what it considers harmful foreign influences. News is subject to censorship, entertainment shows and music videos regularly fall foul of the censors, and scenes featuring swearing and kissing are routinely removed.

The TV sector comprises commercial networks and pay-TV operations. TV3 is the leading national private, terrestrial broadcaster. 

State-owned Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) operates two TV networks and many of the country's radio services. Private stations broadcast in Malay, Tamil, Chinese and English. 

Newspapers must renew their publication licences annually, and the home minister can suspend or revoke publishing permits. 

Around 17.7 million Malaysians were online by December 2011 (InternetWorldStats). 

Malaysia is listed as a country "under surveillance" by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its "Enemies of the Internet" report. In particular, the watchdog cites the harassment of bloggers.

In Malaysia, we have the Freedom of Speech, but in this situation, are we still free to speak? As we know, Malaysia newspaper and TV station are mostly owns by government and although it is self-owned by private corporation, it is an pro-government agency. All the news are obviously and also inconspicuously controlled by government. As an example, Astro cut the BBC's original broadcast news about BERSIH 3.0 happens in Malaysia which censored the interview of protester and videos of  incident and fight. It was first found by public audience and blew up a big conflict within people. Then Astro stands out and admitted to censoring the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Bersih 3.0 coverage but expressed disappointment with the global news channel for failing to understand the satellite pay television provider did so to comply with local guidelines(Ref).

No even in Malaysia, in many other countries, there are media censorship on newspaper and TV stations too. It is due to government need to protect the image of the country and also themselves. Some of the content which is not appropriate or may harm the country or government will be deleted. But, the news reported by Malaysia media is far different from the media from other country. Only pro-government news will be shown and aired especially as headline. The truth is not longer the truth. Although we have been given the freedom of speech, it has a transparent restrictions within it. It does highly affect the news that we all - the Malaysian can seen and heard. And recently, even the personal whom talk about some "sensitive" issue online or at anywhere are being caught by the police and sued by government in the clause of causing the citizen's chaotic. On such, we can easily know how free can we speak and how true are the news that we can see and hear.

By the moments this post are posted on this blog, I might be already in the range of within the risk of being warned. So, do you think who owns the newspaper and TV stations in your country has an effect on the news that you hear? The answer is vividly portrayed. But, truth will never faded. With the advancement of internet and especially the social networking, the truth of the news and the true information of the country are now can easily been known and shared by all people. The twisted message and story will be reveal soon but people also need to be extra careful to identify the true since online news cannot be 100% trusted too.

Entry 07 : Individual Project ( Week 4 - Task 1 )

#Task : Write a short essay of about 400 words about the below stated issue : News and You. How often do you read the paper or watch the news on TV? How important is it for you to keep up with current events?

Are there any connection between news and you? Or it’s just related with you when it is celebrity gossip and entertainment news? Honestly, for me, it’s just sometimes. I've been reading the newspaper and watch the news on TV every day in the past. But now, seriously less and even no. Two years ago, when I am still in home, I will read the newspaper and watch the news on TV every day with my dad. This is due to we have bought the annual subscription of newspaper and also affected by my dad since he will watch all section of news channel every day as long as he is at home. Maybe due to the environment factors, I get affected easily by dad and follow up with all news every day. There are lots of topic can be shared with any others in anytime.

I prefer to watch and listen to the news on TV since it is more interesting and less boredom if compared with reading news on newspaper. I will skip lots of the news and only read those news which have an attracting title. Yet, I not very like those celebrity gossip news. It’s just annoying. But now, living alone in Cyberjaya, my habit of reading newspaper everyday is gone. Now, I will only know some of the news that are publically shared on Facebook many times. There are no TV in the rented room and also no newspaper delivered and I seldom bought the newspaper. It’s just like lose all the connection with the world outside. And again, the environment factor is the big influencer. 

Although there are the advancement of technology which allow us to watch the news online and also read the newspaper online, I still prefer to read the actual newspaper. This is due to the habitual of the composition of typesetting. Maybe the other language newspaper done a good job with their website and online news sharing, but the Chinese newspaper company still not so flexible. Hard to find the latest news of the day and also the whole news of the day on the website. Now, they even cut off half of the news that are visible to public because of the sales of actual newspaper are decreasing and less people buying it. The online news can be read only very simple with no much details now. And the news shared on Facebook are mostly concern about the government and celebrity which not really caught my attention.

The times of reading newspaper and watching news on TV is getting lesser and lesser and even no at all. But, luckily, when there is holidays and I get to back home, I still will read the newspaper but less to watch it on TV. Keep up with the current events is quite important for every people and also students. This is because it is the basic knowledge and also direction of the world. We need to know what is happening in the world and especially in our own country so that we are on the track with the progress of all level. Keep track with current event also essentially important to us, the design student so that we know the direction of trends flow and what is attract people now.

Entry 05 : Individual Project ( Week 3 - Task 1 )

#Task : What is theatre? How do you think theatre, as a media form, communicates messages to its audience?

Theatre (sometimes theater in American English) is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance. Elements of design and stagecraft are used to enhance the physicality, presence and immediacy of the experience. The specific place of the performance is also named by the word "theatre" as derived from the Ancient Greek θέατρον (théatron, “a place for viewing”) and θεάομαι (theáomai, “to see", "to watch", "to observe”).

          The history of theatre charts the development of theatre over the past 2,500 years. While performative elements are present in every society, it is customary to acknowledge a distinction between theatre as an art form and entertainment and theatrical or performative elements in other activities. The history of theatre is primarily concerned with the origin and subsequent development of the theatre as an autonomous activity. Since classical Athens in the 6th century BCE, vibrant traditions of theatre have flourished in cultures across the world. Theatre probably arose as a performance of ritual activities that did not require initiation on the part of the spectator. This similarity of early theatre to ritual is negatively attested by Aristotle, who in his Poetics defined theatre in contrast to the performances of sacred mysteries: theatre did not require the spectator to fast, drink the kykeon, or march in a procession; however theatre did resemble the sacred mysteries in the sense that it brought purification and healing to the spectator by means of a vision, the theama. The physical location of such performances was accordingly named theatron.

          Theatre has many purposes. It started as religious ceremony, then branched off into social and political commentary. It can be educational, entertaining, or off-putting. It can be the highest and lowest form of art. And even though folks tend to trivialize it, there is some form of theatre in just about every culture that has ever existed on this planet. Its purpose is expression, communication, and entertainment, and probably a hundred more things that don't immediately leap to mind.  In my personal opinions, I do agree that theatre is a very good form of media which communicates multi-meanings and multi-feelings to the audience. Theatre is a different type of media which transmit the stories of different culture or people to the audience with a special feeling. The whole story, characters , stagecraft, stage props, background music, music effects, lightings are  produced in accordance with each play and are to fully convey the whole message. It make  theatre has strong integrity and good appealing. Every elements in the certain play are a media form that used to convey different things even though the dialogue spoken and facial expression can communicate with audience and tell them a message.  Theatre does help to develop the understanding of the ideas, attitudes, beliefs, and feelings of diverse people in different times throughout history .

Ref : 

Definition of theatre : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre

Origin of theatre : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_theatre

Purpose of theatre : http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/general-advice/7166-what-purpose-theatre.html 
on 10th November 2012