Berita televisyen dan kebebasan media di Malaysia: suatu kajian terhadap berita televisyen bahasa Inggeris TV2 Dan NTV7

Kebebasan media tidak pernah dipinggirkan dalam wacana dan perbincangan ilmiah. Baru-baru ini, indeks kebebasan akhbar di Malaysia telah dilaporkan jatuh dua kaki tangga ke kedudukan 147, berbanding dengan 145 pada tahun sebelumnya (Reporters Without Borders, 2014). Perkara ini telah menunjukkan betapa pentingnya untuk pengkaji meneliti ruangan kebebasan media, khususnya terhadap kewartawanan dan pemberitaan bahasa Inggeris di televisyen tidak berbayar (free-to-air television), iaitu TV2 dan NTV7. Berita bahasa Inggeris yang dilaporkan di kedua-dua televisyen telah dijadikan sampel kajian dan rujukan dalam kajian ini. Walau bagaimanapun, kajian ini bukanlah sebuah kajian kuantitatif yang melibatkan kajian analisis kandungan. Namun, artikel ini menggunakan analisis konteks yang menumpu kepada asal usul kewartawanan di Malaysia dengan meneliti dasar dan akta negara ini seiring dengan pemilikan saluran televisyen di Malaysia. Seterusnya, sampel kajian telah dianalisis berdasarkan daripada pemerhatian terhadap mitos-mitos seperti nasionalisme dan perpaduan kebangsaan. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa output berita yang bertindak sebagai agen penstabilan dan pembangunan kebangsaan berkait rapat dengan kawalan dan pemilikan terhadap televisyen di Malaysia. Oleh itu, usaha dalam memperolehi ruang kebebasan media merupakan suatu proses yang berterusan dan hanya akan berhasil dengan melangkaui kesemua isu yang dibincangkan dalam artikel

Selling the past in films: Shaw Brothers and the Japanese occupation of Malaya

This article aims to examine the representation of Japanese occupation of Malaya in films produced by Shaw Brothers during the Golden Era of Malay cinema, namely “Sergeant Hassan” (1958) and “Matahari” (1958). Currently, films depicting the past are relatively less prevalent in Malaysia, and scholarly analysis is comparatively less conducted on such films. Hence, the authors try to analyse how the films, in a given context, which reconstruct and reflect the historical past are experienced by the society at large. Bearing in mind that the films are based on a similar subject (Japanese occupation as its backdrop), it is important to determine why different receptions were registered from the audiences on both films. This prompted the authors to examine the reasons why these two films received a different level of popularity from their contemporary audiences (in the late 1950s). In this article, both the textual and contextual analysis will be employed: the former method is used to interpret the meanings constructed through the film’s text and promotional materials for both films. The latter would explore the historical circumstances that shaped both the production and reception of the films. This is mainly through promotional materials as well as secondary sources through interviews conducted by third party researchers who had interviewed Shaw Brothers and those who had experience working with them. The findings of this article indicate that the Shaw Brothers were ambitious with their films projects about the Japanese Occupation by widening the promotion of “Sergeant Hassan” to a wider audience and not limited it solely to the Malays1. By capitalising on the historical pasts that the contemporary audiences (in the late 1950s) had personally experienced, Shaw Brothers had embarked on the complex relationship of socio-political and economic conditions which had also shaped different receptions towards these films

Time to shake the world, shall we?

A shocking news reached many of us when a high scoring student from Penang, suspected suicide, is found dead at the compound of his apartment. The boy is said to have gone though miserable months of stress due to his increasingly burdening study. This kind of news has generally made many of us feel down, that it has become a trend recurring every year, particularly near the exam or result announcing month

On MH370 and Autonomy of Information

IT was a poignant encountering for Malaysians when receiving news on the missing flight, MH370 on its way to Beijing last Saturday. It was a week ago. Has the sad feeling ceased? Probably no, as there are many moral guardians who tried to impart humanity among us while, literally, slaying their swords towards those who deviate from the way they want us to be - empathise with the victims and say nothing other than that

FACA’s Faculty Member Won Grant to Produce Documentary

Late July this year, a faculty member from the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak was given a grant by Projek Dialog in conjunction with the inaugural Pesta Filem KITA which aims to feature local young talents with films that could possibly promote critical discourses among Malaysian society

Cens*rs on our doorsteps and yes, they knocked

This year marks the 120th anniversary of cinema – one of the precious treasures of arts and media in the contemporary society. This year alone, many film festivals has celebrated the anniversary by putting up greater hope for a better cinema which embraces diversity

An Exciting Cinematic Year

2014 observed one of the most exciting cinematic scenes locally and internationally. Many international (award winning) films had been brought into Malaysia and screened at our local theatres, mainly through film festivals which strive to offer an alternative film culture to Malaysian audiences

Curating Regional Film Related Events: Tackling Both Global and Local Audiences, Simultaneously

Running a film festival can be a challenging task to handle. This is particularly true after the pandemic struck as it has inevitably compromised existing approach in organising arts and cultural events throughout the world. While there is little sign that COVID-19 will cease its grip at the time of writing, film festival organisers have to adapt, re-strategize and reinvent their approach to keep themselves abreast with the changes

The non-Muslim fasting sensation: Real or fabricated?

In less than two weeks time, our Muslim friends will celebrate Syawal. Before Syawal, there is Ramadhan in which they will undergo a month of fasting without food and beverage from dawn to dusk, a period of nine to twenty hours a day, depending on where they are. Generally, Muslims living near to the North pole (e.g. Denmark, Iceland and Sweden) will fast longer than their counterparts in the Southern hemisphere (e.g. Argentina and Chile)