Malaysia Is A Multicultural Society Media Essay

Malaysia Is A Multicultural Society Media seekIntroductionMalaysia is a multicultural hunting lodge of which the population is made up by divergent types of culturalal conclaves includes Malays, Chinese, Indian and the Native. In fact, different social groups control their possess history, culture, belief system, value and language, there is thus maven among different ethnics is important in Malaysia (Economic Planning Unit, 2011). However, Malaysia has faced racial and ethnic tension due to the socio-economic and cultural differences after the independence of Malaysia in 1957. This racial conflict has lead to the development of several organization policies much(prenominal)(prenominal) as the New Economic Policy and National Development Policy.Having realised the vastness to maintain and enhance the wholeness among passel of different ethnics, the 1 Malaysian fantasy was introduced in 2009. Under the nonion of 1 Malaysia concept of throng First, Performance Now, t he government is trying to promote unity in the society by considering fair distri notwithstandingion and access in economic in the country (1Malaysia, 2012). It is therefore very important to promote the 1 Malaysia idea and push the acceptance of the citizens of Malaysia.One way promoting the concept to the world is by ungenerouss of the mass media. In the past, mainstream media like television, intelligence developmentpaper and radio has compete an important role in promoting governments ideology and policies (Hashim, 2011). This thus suggested that media is able to shape an important role in promoting the 1 Malaysia concept. It has the capabilities to educate the public on the importance of unity by promoting the understanding and the acceptance of other ethnic culture.. Regardless, the mainstream media in Malaysia everto a greater extent been known as a great piece on nation-building and social cohesion, rather than on vacatedom of information (Kenyon Marjoribanks, 2 007). It focuses in the main on confirming stories reporting that is biased to the political elite (Anuar, 2000). This because just about of the mainstream media outlets argon basically owned by the government of Malaysia or in camera owned by the parties that film close relationship to the Prime pastor or the members of comp anent parties of the Barisan Nasional coalition government (Hassan, 2012).Therefore, the aim of this study is to deal about the ways of the mainstream media are employ to encourage the acceptance of the 1 Malaysia apprehension the citizens of Malaysia and whether this go upes will generate the craved out start.DiscussionThe mainstream media in Malaysia plays a critical important role in realising 1 Malaysia image. The first approach of the mainstream media is used by government as the channel to educate the ideas of 1 Malaysia to the monstrous public. The traditional media such as the television, radio and newspaper generate always been the core me dia of information dissemination (Hashim, 2011). For instances, the largest conglomerate Media Prima as well as a number of television radio bring and Malay, Chinese, English-language newspapers such as Utusan Melayu, The Stars and Sinchew are owned and controlled by the government (Weiss, 2012). As such, the government policies are easily to micturate any publicity and free space in these mainstream media. The nubs of 1 Malaysia belief from these mainstream media often portrayed the desired images of 1 Malaysia, of which the people of different races live together in agreement (Hassan, 2008). Other than that, mainstream media always has been the resistive backbone to the 1 Malaysia fancy as the effort with the government to strengthen peace and harmony in the country.As a confirming argument to the previous discussion, the agenda setting scheme explains the powerful influence in the media that able to create public sentience on important hold outs (Mccombs, 2002). The m edia cannot tell what the people to think but has the index to inform the people what to think about (Cohen, 1963). In other words, mainstream media overdress the importance of an issue such as 1 Malaysia through the repeat of news (Hashim, 2011). The racial riot that happened in the past has caused Malaysians sensitivity to the issue that is related to ethnicity and races. Thus, national unity has become the top agenda to the public and thus it has become a political discourse in Malaysia. By taking this opportunity, the Malaysia Government has utilised the mainstream media in disseminates the messages and information regarding the 1 Malaysia model. Likewise, the government are telling the public the ideas that they wish the public to accept and support. Eventually, 1 Malaysia Concept is aims to strengthen the unity and harmony of people from different ethnics. Therefore, the mainstream media has successfully created the science of the public that unity among differences ethnic s as the important agenda in Malaysia which then attract their attention toward the 1 Malaysia Concept.Example in distributively occasion of the important feast such as Merdeka Day celebration, Hari Raya Festivals, Chinese New Year celebrations and Deepavali, the Prime Minister would deliver the speech with the association with the spirit of 1Malaysia. By that time, all(prenominal) mainstream television channel in Malaysia such as TV1, TV2, TV3, NTV7, 8TV and TV9 will lay down to broadcast his speech. In another example, we always can see the mainstream newspaper published a full paginate of advertising that is related to the 1 Malaysia policies along with the tagline people first, performance now.In addition, mainstream media is being used by government to remind or reinforce 1 Malaysia concept to the public. As we can see, everyday Malaysian citizen and in any case foreigner have been bombarded by with the messages of 1 Malaysian Concept by the mainstream media. The 1 Mala ysia logo is ubiquitous due to mass advertising and commercials in mainstream media (Hashim, 2011). Along with the logo, the tagline people first, performance now has become the identification of 1 Malaysia Concept to the public through the repetition in mainstream media. In fact, mainstream media has champion to promote 1 Malaysia by keep emphasise on the tagline since the great unwashed First, Performance Now in 2009 and the entirely move on to Generating variety in 2010, Transformation Successful People Prosperous in 2010 and public treasury the recent theme Promises Fulfilled in 2012 (1Malaysia, 2012). The purpose is to reinforce perception and behaviours of the public. The repetition of viewing the logo and tagline of 1 Malaysia have indirectly cause on informing the public what the government is focusing on this concept.The homogeneous example can be seen when the public service announcements related to 1 Malaysia are often been aired and published on government and pr ivately owned television, radio and newspaper. The PSA usually related to various ethnic festivals that celebrated in Malaysia and thus signify the meaning that emancipation of festival celebration. Nevertheless, mainstream main media has portrayed these different ethnic celebrations the public by showing the Malaysian are celebrating with each other in the festival regardless of race and religion (Hashim, 2011). In addition, we often can see the ministries or any government agencies tied up 1 Malaysia tagline in every program such like 1 Belia, 1 Malaysia by the Ministry of young and Sports and other programs such Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia. Thus, the government programs usually connotes with the 1 Malaysia identity element by mainstream media.The role of the mainstream media is not just to disseminate the 1 Malaysia Concept but excessively to advocate and shape the attitudes of the public. In fact, the mainstream media has momentively created bandwagon effect in mass business advertising by using 1 Malaysia Concept. 1 Malaysia has eventually received support from various arranging including reach and non-profit organisation. These organisations usually associate their brands product or service with 1 Malaysia Concept (Hashim, 2011). Television and radio commercials created by businesses organisation would likely to include the message of unity with the presence and the voice of different races and ethnics. The first example of organisation association with the promotion of 1 Malaysia is Petronas Corporation. In fact, Petronas has been famous with their social integrated adverts with the purpose of promoting national unity. Since 1 Malaysia Concept has been introduced in 2009, Petronas has created the advertisements that associate with the 1 Malaysia Concept every year in the major Malaysias festival such as Merdeka Day celebration, Hari Raya Festivals, Chinese New Year celebrations and Deepavali. The messages in the advertisement usually consist of i mplied meaning and also able to arouse audiences emotion.Furthermore, large national corporations such as Media Prima, Astro, Tenaga Basional Berhad and Telco such as Telekom, Maxis and Celcom have also come up with the commercial that are related to 1 Malaysia Concept. The commercial often tied up with the concept of 1 Malaysia where the messages of unity has been delivered. The commercials are basically known as issue advocacy advertisement which the advertisement is not intended to sell the product or services, but rather to modification the publics perception and behaviour through political stigmatization (Barrons Dictionary, n,d). In fact, the commercial by in the mainstream media usually showing Malaysia different races particular Malay, Chinese and Indian interact or either get along with each other.Would it generate the desired outcome?In my reliance, the function of mainstream media may not able to generate the desired outcome of the 1 Malaysia Concept. By highlighting the mainstream media are used by government to encourage the acceptance of 1 Malaysia Concept, several social science theories have been selected to support on my opinion.According to limited-effect theory, the media rarely have direct influence on the individuals. The theory also explains that an individuals behaviour and attitudes are not easily changed by their reception and people usually tend to ignore political media content. Although mainstream media are used by government to promote 1 Malaysia Concept, it is still not sufficient enough to encourage the acceptance of the citizen of Malaysia. The definition gives an insight that the people in nowadays is no longer passive and vulnerable only to media content. People are able judge the media content according to their own interpretation from what they have perceived. Individual may exposed themselves to mainstream media in their day-to-day routine, but they might not been influence by the 1 Malaysia Concept by merely just loo king at it.As indicated in the previous point, the limited-effect theory also explains two-step flow of media influence. Media does not have direct influences to the population which from the mainstream media, the 1 Malaysia Concept are usually allude to the mass population through the dissemination by the opinion leaders. The opinion leaders must be someone that is credible and usually an spry media user. People constantly turn to opinion leader for advice particular when come to something that is new in the society like 1 Malaysia Concept sooner of getting the cite of information from the media. Therefore, mainstream media is less influential compare to the mankind communication.Moreover, human behaviour attitudes and belief is hard to predict and influences because it may change from time to time. The main factor that determines a person attitude is positive, prohibit or maybe neutral. A person attitude towards 1 Malaysia Concept might be changed based on the personal exper iences, environment and etcetera Therefore, the selective exposure explains that people tend to expose themselves to messages that are unchanging with their pre-existing attitudes and belief. The mainstream media might be able to influence those who are supportive and have positive perception toward the government policies. However, for those people that tend to have negative attitudes and belief towards the government such as the citizen that support to the opposer political parties, the outcome may be different. If the opinion leader that has been encountered consists of positive or negative beliefs and value towards the government policies, the followers might been influenced by him.Besides, 1 Malaysia Concept has faced up with various challenges including the new media technologies. The uses and ecstasy theory argued that different people use the media for different purposes (Sheldon, 2007). One of the assumptions of this theory explains that the audiences have the choice to select different kind of media. Thus, the audiences use the media more own their own benefits than the media can manipulate them. The audiences have the right or control to received any information from the media rather than been influenced by it. In fact, people now have much choice of media compare to the past, Mainstream media such television, radio and newspaper has compete with the new media. The internet technologies allow freedom of expression where everyone can write, criticize and comment anything on the internet. The alternative online news organization like Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today who always stand to challenge of the governments effort, aims mainly to present news, especially from the different perspectives that not already covered by mainstream media (George, 2006). Thus, it has become one of the challenges for 1 Malaysia Concept to be full sure by public.This is due to the development of internet technologies allow the users closer to the bona fide informati on compare to the other media (Hashim, 2011). Therefore, because of internet, human behaviours changed and mainstream media has been view as a medium to brainwash the audience for the government interest. When 1 Malaysia concept has been shown in the mainstream media, the audiences will tend to doubt about motives behind it. Therefore, the internet has fall the people perception and thus becoming active and sensible media users who do not simply accept and agree with government policies particular has been shown in mainstream media.In addition, nearly the younger generations are seldom exposed themselves to the mainstream media. On the other hand, mainstream media has become alternative medium for information to some group of people. Internet served as a new inspirational medium of information without barriers. According to Ramasubramaniam (2011) explained people that with minimal interracial direct contact or which their source for information is only the mainstream media are mor e easily been manipulated by the government policies. The audience that only exposed themselves to only one source of information which had been controlled by the government are more vulnerable to accept the information from the mainstream media.ConclusionAs a conclusion, mainstream media in Malaysia has perceived as an important role in the government policies like 1 Malaysia Concept. This is because most of the mainstream media ownerships are closely tied to the government and ruling political party. Therefore, 1 Malaysia Concept being one of the government policies has the advantage being gap through the mainstream media in the country. The three main approaches of the mainstream media in Malaysia are used by the government are to educate the meaning of 1 Malaysia Concept and thus to reinforce and advocate the acceptance of the concept by citizen of Malaysia.However, these approaches would not bring the desired outcome of 1 Malaysia Concept because only the mean of mainstream me dia is not sufficient enough to influences the attitudes and beliefs of an individual. Besides, human communication is more powerful than mainstream media when particular related to something that is new. The emerging of the new media like internet technologies has also bring a significant impact to the mainstream media, thus it has become one of the greatest challenges for the 1 Malaysia Concept. Therefore, mainstream media is important to educate about 1 Malaysia concept but not to encourage the acceptance of the citizen of Malaysia.