PHA-Exchange> Need to work with the media? (2)

[Claudio]

> Padmaja Padman is too kind if she's referring to the Malaysian mainstream
> media as well.  We often hear of state-controlled media vs.
> corporate-controlled media.  In Malaysia, the beast is one:  all the major
> dailies (in Malay, English, Mandarin) are controlled by the corporate arms
> of the ruling political parties, similarly with broadcast media (TV and
> radio).  BBC (blemishes and all) still managed to shake up a sitting
British
> prime minister (a publicly-funded broadcast agency, to boot), and Thaksin
> (learning from Mahathir?) has raised his personal stake in The Nation
> (Bangkok) to 25%, but the editorial staff is admirably fighting to retain
> editorial independence.  No such spine from the likes of VK Chin.  At a
> recent HAI-AP meeting in Penang, I circulated a feature article from The
> Star, on (dis)information management during infectious epidemic outbreaks
> (SARS, Nipah) which appeared only because of factional infighting within
the
> Malaysian Chinese party, i.e. I was used as a pawn, but I got to say what
I
> wanted to say, unedited.  Such rare opportunities aside, there are few
> worthwhile occasions for "engagement" with the Malaysian establishment
> media, which I would happily see collapse.
>
Chan Chee Khoon
Penang