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Saturday, April 19, 2008

Reply to comments on media topic/ 回应留言

Thank you for responding about the press and media freedom.

For a long time, the conventional wisdom was that as a political party and when you control the media, you can actually shape the opinion of the public, so as to be favorable to you, or your policies. Unfortunately, over the years, most political parties are so used to it and have become complacent.

The presence of new media, has provided alternative channels for desemination of information, which, may not necessarily be true. However, it does give a different version compared to what is reported in the main stream media. This neglect of the importance of new media is obvious especially from BN parties. Part of the success of the Opposition is that they fully utilized the new media which has a substantial following, without the BN knowing about it because they are so used and so dependent on the traditional media to convey their message.

Of course, political spinning and sugar coating government policies has been such an old practice that politicians have forgotten that the rakyat have changed because of education, and with the advent of the new media, people have alternative sources of information which because it is new, provides excitement and also opportunity for them to read what they preceive as truth. In short, the rakyat have moved forward as far as reading habits are concerned, while politicians are mired in the traditional or mainstream media.

MCA was thrown into a crisis in our purchase of Nanyang Press. Of course shareholding has been reduced substantially, if I am not mistaken MCA has only 20% left in the star, which is regarded as the jewel in the assets owned by MCA because of the dividend received. Again I have said that probably there is a need to relook at this shareholding, if ownership of these newspapers in anyway caused rakyat to shun these 2 newspapers and affect people’s confidence in MCA.

About the media...It is a huge topic where we will have neverending discussions and arguments. I have already said again and again, that what is reported in the new media, we have to read in between the lines in the same way as the main stream media. For wider perspective and justification, READ BOTH.

Here, we have a different point of view on mainstream media:
http://www.malaysiainsider.com/mni/did-you-get-that-sms-to-boycott-newspapers-dont-heed-it-what-we-need-is-more-newspapers.html

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谢谢大家踊跃提出意见。

前一篇“主流媒体vs新媒体”引起大家热烈讨论,可见大家对媒体认知的程度和态度的大跃进。过去,政党有一种传统的观念,以为控制媒介能塑造公众的观点、掌控民意倾向。更可悲的是,大多数政党多年来惯性操纵媒体而渐渐失焦,还自鸣得意。新媒体在我国非突然崛起,只是我们不以为意。尽管它的讯息不一定准确,但却为人民提供主流媒体以外的资讯平台。国阵忽视了新媒体的重要和影响力,而在野党则充分善用为他们传递信息,而且奏效。

政府的糖果政策已经不管用了,但由于政治人物已经习惯这种方式,没有意识到随着教育普及和水平提升,人民的视野思维已经改变,人民懂得应用新科技汲取资讯,多角度探索每一件事,无疆界的新媒体资讯世界,给了读者另一个选择。总括来说,今天人民的阅读习惯已经改变,而国阵政治人,物却还停留在主流媒体左右大局的思维,无法顺应趋势。

马华当年爆发的党争,收购南洋报业事件是最具争议的课题,AB两队一度僵持不下。马华曾是该报业的主要股东,不过,党的股权到后来已大幅度递减,我所了解的是目前马华在南洋报业控股只有20%股权。至于星报,因让马华赚取可观的股息,所以一直被视为马华资产中的明珠。无论如何,如我早前所声明,如果马华的收购行动是导致有关报业的公信力滑落,马华应该正视和作出检讨。

关于媒体,我不想进行无休止的争辩,而且也没有必要去争辩。因为我认为每一个读者或观众都有智慧去辨别和分析任何形式媒体资讯的虚实。我还是那一句,不能只靠单一管道汲取资讯,更不能尽信单一媒体。正确的心态应该是客观看待每一个媒体报道,才能掌握更多层面的资讯让自己从不同角度进行分析。

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Those stakes undermine the country's democracy. If MCA wants dividends, buy something else. There's lots of other choices.

But don't got the way of Maika.

Sobbez said...

很感动能够再次看到敢怒敢言的蔡医生!
相信有了部落格,很多年轻人都会浏览您的文笔及一些 “原滋原味” 的真相!
老实说,现今执政党的领袖都一直 “自我陶醉” 着,单单一篇文告,就有几个不同的报导,发生在不同语言的报章。

所以,现代的人比较相信网际网络的文章,尤其是部落格。条件就是要大大方方。就如您蔡医生的部落格,能够留言。至于一些禁止留言的政治人物部落格,相信应该不会得到很乐观的效因。

就好像有你讲,没他人讲《第二度自我陶醉》
好好加油蔡医生!“原滋原味” 的真相!

Stanley Yeo said...

Dr Chua, 我可以叫你蔡伯伯或是Uncle Chua吗?因为我觉得在网际网络里这样的称呼你,我会觉得比较有一种亲切感。因为网络是无界限的。这样的称呼可以好像朋友的关系来交谈。

很开心你终于拥有自己的部落格了,但是我很希望你不会和其他人(政治人物)一样,“你有,我也要有”。希望这里的文章都是你的心声和你的看法而且是原汁原味的,这样才会让我们这些部落客追随你的信念。我相信,今时今日部落客已经是最有力量改变人类社会的一群人。

今天读了你的一些文章,重点不在于你看到什么,而是在于看到之后,能马上想到去做,马上落实下去,这就是我杨总欣赏你的执行力。

加油,我会一直追随你的文章 !!!

Stanley Yeo said...

蔡伯伯,还有一样东西是,既然你敢放你的部落格给人看了,为什么不直接让我们承上我们的回应在你的部落格呢?我可以说这不是一个部落客的做法。因为这种行为就是怕让人批评。希望你能改进作为一个部落客的心态。谢谢。

Kevin Z said...

Perception is worst than reality.

Image this:-
You are one of the board of directors that recently awarded a multi-million dollar contract to a company linked to your brother.
Whether you had any influence in that decision doesn't really matter. The perception that the company got the contract because it was owned by your brother is damaging enough.
The correct thing to do would be to excuse oneself from the decision making, or the company not bid for the contract.
Like that also need to teach meh?

Any political party or government controlled media will ultimately give the perception that it will be favourable only to the party or the government that controls it.
The media will have to work extra-hard to criticise and question the party/government to prove itself not biased.

Like that also need to point out to you meh? All BN people not young anymore leh.

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