Negotiating Media ‘Balance’ in Malaysia’s 2013 General Election

• Main Author: Ross Tapsell
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2013-01-01
• Series: Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs
• Subjects: Political Sciences; Malaysia; media; journalism; social media; Internet; politics; government; elections; 300; 320; 322; 324; 2013
• Online Access: http://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jsaa/article/view/699

This article will discuss recent trends in Malaysia’s media surrounding the 2013 general election (GE13). It will argue that the GE13 produced two important trends in the media industry. First, there was increased political-party participation in social media, citizen journalism and blogging. In fact, it practically led to a ‘cyberwar’ between political parties, making the realm of the online and social media increasingly polarised and partisan. Second, many mainstream media outlets in Malaysia successfully pursued a platform of more ‘balanced’ coverage, suggesting an increased space of negotiation and contestation amongst the previously muzzled print, television and radio industry. This article will conclude with an assessment of the future trends in the media industry in Malaysia post GE13.