Bloggers or “Meta REPORTERS” - SELF-Indulgent; OPINIONATED Folks Reporting on WHAT has been REPORTED; depend on Mainstream MEDIA for TALKING POINTS
Amateur Bloggers or “
The incoherent statement raised by AILIRAN "'If information in blogs. compelled the public to lose faith in the nation's economic policies'" is in conjuction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2007. We have seen repeated statements by the Defense Minister Najib lamenting about the Llyods declaring the Straits of Malacca as a "War Risk Zone" and this was also mentioned by Transport Minsietr Chan Kong Choy. This declaration gives a bad image to the country and would frightened away tourists and sabotage the 'nation's economic policies'. Similarly Info MInister also complained about reports of dead bodies and crimes in the media.
So this is the loud message they would want media and bloggers to be aware of and project the "right image" but can be "false image"
the following is Bernama Report on "War Risk Zone" in the straits
August 03, 2006 19:30 PM Straits Of Melaka Free From Piracy
LUMUT, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has denied that the busy Melaka Straits is infested with pirates as claimed by London-based Llyod's Market Association Joint War Committee (JWC).
"Contrary to the (JWC) report, the Melaka Straits is in fact the safest in the world," Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Tan Sri Ilyas Din said when asked to comment on the report Thursday.
He condemned the report, saying it had besmirched the world's busiest shipping lane and caused unnecessary fear among the international shipping community.
He said JWC reports about piracy in the Melaka Straits were mostly "inaccurate and unclear" and had somewhat undermined naval policing efforts mounted by the Malaysian navy in the area.
"Small incidents along the straits are being sensationalised...our efforts in policing the straits have been undermined," he said after witnessing the commissioning of the new generation patrol vessel "KD Pahang" at the RMN Armada base here.
He also said that some of the piracy incidents that were reported by the JWC had happened elsewhere and not within the Melaka Straits.
He pointed out that the JWC had obtained most of its information and data from the International Maritime Bureau and commercial ships plying the Melaka Straits.
"Some of these ships could have provided inaccurate information to JWC. Sometimes, the ship captains spotted small vessels plying the straits and assumed that they were pirates' boats," he said.
He added that many ship captains were not familiar with the geography of the Melaka Straits. As such, when they came across incidents involving pirates elsewhere, they assumed that these happened in the Melaka Straits.
and from ST in S'pore;
Blogging's more than idle chatter; It may, over time, help to raise political consciousness
By Andy Ho, Senior Writer;Aug 02, 2006 The Straits Times
THE Government recently ticked off a columnist-blogger going by the moniker of 'mr brown' for airing what were deemed to be cynical and non-constructive remarks. A minister argued that because the views appeared in the print medium, the writer had to be more responsible, as compared to the case if chose views had remained Internet chatter.
Clearly, the Government feels that bloggers have more wiggle room than mainstream journalists whose vehicle can 'push broadcast' to millions while bloggers can only 'pull narrowcast' mainly to the converted.
Some ask if bloggers are journalists at all or merely self-indulgent; opinionated folks expressing their views. This invites the question of what a journalist is in the first place.
Journalists are those who primarily do two things, maybe one more than the other in each individual case:
First, they get accurate information about something new - thus the news - and disseminate it. Secondly, they analyse issues of public concern that this piece of news evokes and comment upon it.
For both of these, but especially the first, that which sets the professional journalist - whose first obligation is to be accurate – apart from the blogger - whose first obligation is to be interesting - is an editorial structure.
This structure entails questioning and challenging assumptions, and editing to ensure that established standards of, among other things, accuracy, truth, objectivity and fairness are upheld.
Most bloggers, on the other hand, do not generally report on something new. Typically, they report on what reporters have reported.
Thus, at best, they are 'meta-reporters'. Yes, in stories like a 9/11, or the July 7 London bombings, where there are crowds, citizens armed with always-on wireless connections, powerful yet inexpensive mobile digital devices as well as easy-to-use, free Internet publishing tools, citizens in many countries can do first-person, grassroots reporting.
This they then publish on their own blogs using tools such as photo-sharing on Flickr, video-sharing on YouTube, or blog-sharing on Technorati.
But this amateur horde will tell few new stories about something newsworthy but which does not have too many people around since they won't be on the scene either. For example, a bomb alert that turns out to be, mercifully, a false alarm has little for them to capture on video, so they will have nothing much to 'report'.
Likewise, the Guardian newspaper's Blair Watch Project - where citizen journalists were asked to contribute mobile phone pictures of the British prime minister on the hustings in 2005 - failed to deliver since that campaign took place mainly before party members, not the public. So bloggers do little news reporting.
A random glance at several blogs will show you that they depend on the mainstream media for their talking points.
They feed on traditional media for content, remaking news the latter may have overlooked or handled (in) differently. Its purveyors are more interested espousing views not regularly covered by the mass media.
The blogging world has no professional writers, publishers, printers or distributors. There is no top-down structure. So who weeds out inaccuracies, lies, spoofs or plain bad taste - and bad writing? Other blogs? If so, who determines the hierarchy of blog believability?
What readers end up with, at best, is truth by majority vote - assuming they have the time to read several blogs on the same matter to carry out a poll of diverse views on a particular issue?
In regard to the journalist's other duty - that of offering fair comment - democratic deliberation and constructive dialogue represent hard work that few bloggers can afford the time to do, even if they had the knowledge and the skills needed. As a result, much of what bloggers offer is either misinformed, self-indulgent opinion or thoughtful but unargued ones.
Of course, bloggers occasionally come up with gems. But in the main and on the whole, we over-romanticise all that Internet chatter if we think that somehow the alternative media will rise up and supplant mainstream media.
For now, that is.
For the blogosphere continues to expand. The significance of the fact that publishing on the web has become so easy is that the barriers of professionalism and specialisation have been removed such that 'ordinary' people come to see media production as something they can do and as part of the everyday, according to Dr Chris Atton, a reader in journalism at the Napier University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
As Dr Atton told The Straits Times, participating in this alternative media can 'shape one's political awareness by raising one's consciousness'. How? Liken the activity to glue, he suggested, but one that is subject to refinement to make it a more effective social glue.
The activity itself provides an opportunity to research, write and reflect on issues that impact upon our status as citizens. It also encourages a more thorough going relationship with one's community.
Finally, that communication also works outwardly to government bodies, city councils, business corporations and nonprofits, Dr Atton added.
Essentially then, blogging provides an opportunity for citizens to reflect on their place in the world and develop solidarity with and communicate their needs, demands or desires to others, he said.
At the heart of this activity is creativity. It is not about joining a protest group or going to a demonstration. It is, Dr Atton said, about developing a personal voice through which to make sense of the world, both for oneself and for one's community.
So while blogging may not impact government institutions in radical ways for now, it has the capacity to change the polity in small, indiscernible ways that may accumulate to make a difference - even at the polls - some day down the road.
With Technorati, the blog search engine, showing more than 940,000 blogs that are associated with the search word '
As seriously as the mainstream media, perhaps.
____
and the AP's account
Malaysia may crack down on rumor-spreading blogs; says harmony at risk
Aug 1, 11:45 PM EDT
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia's prime minister said authorities will begin cracking down on bloggers who spread rumors that could destabilize the economy and cause disharmony, local media reported Wednesday.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's comments late Monday from the northern state of Terengganu were the latest from his administration on its intent to patrol cyberspace. Officials have said proper Internet governance is needed to prevent disunity in the multiethnic Southeast Asian nation.
"If blogs and SMS (short message services) are used to spread false reports which can cause disharmony and destabilize the economy, those responsible should be detained and questioned," said Abdullah, according to the official Bernama news agency.
But one blogger said the move was simply an effort to govern the flow of information.
"The Malaysian leadership does this every time they are under siege: Try to control the media, and hence, what they think are the means of information to the public," said blogger Ong Hock Chuan on his Web site.
Abdullah has recently come under scathing attack from his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, over decisions that run contrary to Mahathir's policies.
Mahathir said the mainstream media, which he once controlled, is now giving him scant coverage, forcing him to seek coverage elsewhere. Independent Internet Web sites have been quick to pick up on his comments.
Abdullah said there was enough liberty online, and bloggers had been given much more freedom than print or television media.
"These people are practicing the sort of freedom where they spread lies if they feel like doing so ... Where can you find that sort of freedom in the world?" the New Straits Times reported Abdullah as saying.
and from
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/54802
Go after real culprits, Zam
Aug 2,
[...]
Meng: Again, its double standards time. The former PM, Tun Mahathir has been spewing out what, according to current cabinet ministers, as half-truths and inaccurate facts. The former PM maligns Pak Lah, refers to the current president of Umno as weak and inept to run the country.
Can the Information Minister please tell all of us if it is Tun Mahathir's statements which he is talking about when referring to the Internet bloggers? Rather than warn Netizens and bloggers, why not warn the former PM as well?
What is the percentage of Malaysians who have access to the Internet? I would think many in the rural heartland do not even have access to the Internet. The ceramahs which Tun Mahathir is having definitely has more coverage than Internet websites
**************
and from the Malay Mail and comments by some BLOGGERS
Blog attack -by RAHMAN DAROS -
THE Government's warning to bloggers to stop rumour-mongering and spreading malicious gossip has caught the ears of the on-line community.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned that offenders could be detained and have their websites or blogs investigated.
He said that the freedom given had been abused, resulting in some people spreading lies.
We checked with some well-known bloggers for their take on the issue.
Most, however, agreed that 90 per cent of blogs are not malicious as they mainly deal with trivial issues, serving as a diary of sorts.
Most believe that only the remaining 10 per cent touch on sensitive issues, and whether intentionally malicious or not, are involved in spreading half-truths and gossip.
All the respondents felt that the Government should not cast aspersions or blame the community squarely because some blogs ran malicious comments.
They said blogs are media to express constructive opinions and other thoughts, in the name of freedom of speech. Here are their comments:
- Mack Zulkifli, 35, www.brandmalaysia.com:
"First, the authorities should investigate thoroughly before detaining the person running the blog or website. "Once found guilty of the crime, only then can they act on it.
"But I don't want to see a scenario where only certain bloggers will be investigated, because their opinions run contrary to the 'official' stand.
"I also hope the public as well as the authorities know the difference between blogs and other types of media. A blog is a medium to express a person's thoughts and share it with other bloggers.
" It's like a diary. Most bloggers speak about themselves and diary up their life. However, some abuse it for political or personal gain.
"Most of the time, there'll be disagreements on certain topics among bloggers which is healthy, though. Bloggers should not fear action by the Government. I think as long as you know you're telling the truth and not posting rumours or malicious comments to damage the other person's reputation, you're okay.
"I think disclosing your identity for the readers don’t necessarily enhance a blogger's credibility. You can be anonymous for many reasons. Maybe you don't want your employer or family to know about your stand on an issue. It's the freedom you choose. If you are an anonymous blogger but still have your comments linked to other sources of information from the reliable mainstream media, you can still maintain credibility."
- Muzaffar Mustapa, 31, sultanmuzaffar.blogspot.com:
"The Government can take action but they must get those who are involved in making malicious comments.
"What Pak Lah said is important because, apart from having their views aired on topics, bloggers should also be more responsible when giving constructive criticism.
"When there's a medium to voice their concerns, they should also have the responsibility to give the correct information.
"The freedom to blog should be used wisely and responsibly. Like everything else, there're pros and cons to blogging. We can read and learn a lot of constructive comments and suggestions from it.
"The Government can closely monitor the content of blogs or websites but proper investigations should be made first before they detain someone. People shouldn't generalise blogs as negative or malicious. It's like pornography and the Internet. Just because web-based porn exists, it doesn't automatically mean that the Net does more harm than good."
- Terrence Smith (aka TV Smith), in his 30s, www.mycen.com.my/duasen:
"It's not practical. The Government can detain bloggers who publicly disclose their identities, but what about the anonymous ones? There are many bloggers who remain anonymous and have a tendency to come out with malicious comments. If the information or comments on the Internet or blogs are wrong, the Government should dispute it and come out with their side of the story. Detaining the owners is a little extreme.
"We should leave it to people to decide what's good, what's bad, what's
malicious and what's not.
- Patrick Teoh, 58, actor/former radio deejay, patrickteoh.blogspot.com:
"I don't agree with the Government's plan to control the Internet. It should be a free medium to express views on something.
"The Internet should be treated as any other media. Give freedom to it."
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/54822
LETTERS: Time to cut ISA's tentacles from nation
Suguna Papachan Aug 2, 06 4:28pm
Yesterday marked 46 years of the Internal Security Act (ISA). Forty-six years of tyranny, torture, cruelty and oppression.
For 46 years, the ISA has been used by the Malaysian government to muzzle the voices of those who dared speak out on the many wrongdoings of the government of the day. People who dared to speak about omnipresent corruption from the highest echelons of government to the lowest levels, unfair elections, clampdown on rights of women, minorities, students and workers, poverty in the rural areas and many more other issues.
We have now moved into the 21st century and we still hold on to an archaic piece of legislation that does not even allow the detainees the right to question their detention.
Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor's (PSWS) own president, Irene Xavier, along with a few hundred was detained in 1987 under the infamous 'Operasi Lallang' (Operation Weed) for about a year. These people who were detained were not criminals but honest folks who dared to struggle for change for an oppressed community.
Is it wrong to struggle for a community who cannot get their grievances heard by the government of the day? Is it fair to arrest these people who spent their time struggling for change to improve the lives of people in our society? Is it fair to arrest them under obnoxious legislation such as the ISA?
To the families of those who had been arrested and for those being detained today, no words can aptly describe their suffering, their sacrifices, their undying love and dedication to their loved ones.
If
We, from PSWS, request that the government of
----------------------------------------------------------------
The writer is secretary, Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (PSWS).
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
UPDATE: lastly comments from ALIRAN
Please support Aliran by buying a copy of Aliran Monthly from your nearest
news-stand. Better still take out a subscription now. If you prefer to read
the web-based edition, please support their work and make a donation.
To subscribe to Aliran, go to: http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/subsform.html
To donate to Aliran, go to: http://www.aliran.com/content/view/1/7/
__________________________________________
http://www.aliran.com/content/view/114/11/
and from ALIRAN
PM takes two steps backwards with Web warning Thursday, 03 August 2006
Charter 2000-Aliran is deeply disturbed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's warning to rein in those who supposedly 'spread untruths and slander' using the Internet and cell-phone text messages.
We understand the gravity of slander and lies in public life, but we feel that such a warning does disservice to blogs, portals and websites that provide democratic space for well-intentioned discourses on politics, economics and culture. A nation, as we know, doesn't live on bread alone. These alternative sites have provided intellectual and political nourishment, which is vital for the growth of a nation.
Abdullah's warning also may be construed as a veiled and unjustified government attempt to censor the Internet, thereby going back on the Mahathir administration's public pledge not to do so. Equally disturbing is that the premier's remarks signals a dramatic reversal of his electoral promise to introduce meaningful reforms and to promote accountability, good governance and transparency.
Malaysians who long for broader freedom of expression are most disheartened to learn of Abdullah's move to monitor and effectively censor the communication of views and ideas - even to the level of monitoring cell-phone text messages. This would have far-reaching implications for democracy. Right-minded Malaysians are appalled by this turn of events.
Notions such as 'untruths' are often subject to the final decision of the Executive which can be quite arbitrary. Such arbitrariness can have a crippling effect on Internet users, making them more wary, overcautious, and even scared and prompting them to practise self-censorship.
And what does this incoherent statement really mean: 'If information in blogs. compelled the public to lose faith in the nation's economic policies' ? Are Malaysians to believe that the government's economic policies are cast in stone so that the public is compelled to have confidence in them for eternity despite obvious social contradictions and shortcomings staring them in the face? Should a discussion on economic policies in a sober and mature manner on the Internet be construed as trying to create social instability?
The mark of a thriving democracy is when citizens are able to discuss, agree or disagree in the most intellectual fashion possible. Since this space is not available elsewhere, the Internet fulfils a pressing need. The government needs reminding that the more curbs are imposed on public communication, the more they are likely to spawn a culture of gossip, backbiting and rumour mongering.
The government would then fall out of touch with the needs and desires of the very people it supposedly serves. If the Abdullah administration is serious about extricating Malaysians from a "Third-World mentality" syndrome, the most logical and democratic thing to do would be to lift the curbs on the peoples' right to communicate, to discuss and to dissent.
Dr Mustafa K Anuar & Anil Netto; Coordinators, Charter 2000-Aliran ;
##############
UPDATE:
And some sane comments from the SUN Newspaper;
Control the hot air over media control
When all else fails to convince, national security is often invoked. To be fair, quoting national security is not the prerogative of our government alone. Other governments, including those of the
States
make some unpopular decisions especially those affecting personal
privacy and freedom.
In the so-called war against terror following Sept 11, a number of
countries passed tough security laws which entailed the curtailment of
some personal freedom. Frightened by what happened on that fateful day in 2001 most people and their elected representatives acquiesced quite easily when their governments proposed those tough laws. They must have consoled themselves with the thought that after all who else knows best if not their governments.
We do that too, and often. Thus, when Information Minister Datuk
Zainuddin Maidin suggested on Sunday that the popular internet media should be put on a leash, in keeping with what has been done to the mainstream media, and quoted national security as a reason, need we remonstrate?
Certainly not. After all as information minister he must be well-informed about all national security issues.
The public, of course, are out of the loop, and kept out of it - for
security reasons. And so when the minister said that it is for reasons
of national security that some form of control must be exercised on
the internet media, there's no need to demur, since the honourable
minister knows best.
Even though security and media come under the purview of the internal security ministry - as pointed out by one of its deputy ministers - Zainuddin as a good information minister makes it his business to keep abreast of all developments in the country so that he could explain them to the rakyat whenever he is on the ground.
Also, as a former newspaper editor-in-chief he knew what he was
talking about when he also said that control is good for the internet
media as it has been good for the mainstream media. He said in his speech in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of agencies under the information ministry that control has given credibility to the
mainstream media.
Thus, he reasoned, control should be welcomed as it could accord the
internet media similar credibility while at the same time preventing
them from being used as tools to spread national disunity and racial
disharmony. Nevertheless it must be reassuring to internet media
writers to hear him say that they would not go to jail for writing
about racial issues. They should thank him deeply.
And while we are at it, we should also control if not outright ban all
politicians from giving speeches since more often than not they are the ones who stir up racial and religious emotions, as we often see
happen even in parliament.
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