Critical Minds For Critical Times, The Media Role in Advancing Peaceful Just and Inclusive Societies are the theme for the 2017 World Press Freedom Day. On this date May 3 every year was the day where Journalist and the world were remind regarding the press freedom. Editor in Chief of MalaysiaKini said that –yes today the media has the freedom to express and to write but unfortunately they become not free after they write. So there is no more exclusive for the Journalist and to the media to report. For example in Malaysia we saw few presses were arrested and investigate especially when issues on the government. The court has the right to “interpret’. This interpretation is beyond the people, presses, journalist to determine whether it’s the actually mean that we are trying to express. To be honest the judiciary institution when it comes to the government cases, they become biased. That is why the word “interpret” was use in the Constitution.
In the democracy country, raising the authoritarian and regressive politics signal is a new front in the fight to protect and extend press freedom. For me, Journalist are the gate keeper and with this responsibility to tell the people as they have right to know and to be informed what is happening in the country on any matters. Even sometimes its comes to ethical values, but regardless of the Law that were made to “control” the media expression, the journalist has the right to reveal the truth.
Media and Journalist are needed. The world is still depend on the media and presses to obtained information nationwide. Due to this, that is why we saw many presses and media still under the control from the government. Agenda setting, propaganda all this were spread into the media to the people. In Malaysia we still rely on international media for the news outside the country such as BBC and CNN. These agencies even were not too controlled by the government directly but indirectly yes the politician playing the import roles in influencing these agencies. That is why said by – Ms Annette Gartland that critical for journalist to dig for the truth and accuracy in order to maintain the press reputation and trust.
Today media being attacked and governed by many rules, thanks to the politician who made the Law! Due to this the press has no freedom to give the right information to the people or society. Like the Judiciary, the media also has to be independent.
Hypocrisy
Media are not Hypocrisy but these hands (politicians and government) made the media become Hypocrisy. Telling the people to believe something its wrong is very unethical. The major role of free press is to enable the people and the society to openly exchange information and ideas in order to promote democracy and social development. So its prevent the journalist to seek for the answer. but somehow, towards these Hypocrisy, the media tend to seek the truth for the answer. When the journalist able to find the truth, unfortunately its become something unlawful the reveal in order to protect the society interest or to maintain the national stability. We see how the 1MDB crisis was the biggest issues hit in our country and no proper information were channeled in the media. The people have the right to know. Suddenly the report from the Audit become under the Secret Act. Under the Secret Act any presses can be charged if reveal something is protected under the national law, and the person who has the power uses the media to maintain the interest. So the “truthful” of the fact would likely being perceived as an alternative fact. People have no more trust to the media, especially the mainstream media controlled by the government.
New challenge
We see, today, the media face a whole new challenge in giving the information. Digital media has become part of the media. The traditional ways in spread the news through news paper or printed are not the main priority in converging towards the media. And its also become a critical business as people won’t buy these printed material to consume the information. So now online has become the major reference to the society such as online news papers, magazines and social media such as Facebook. So most of the presses today has slowly moving forward to this new type of media in giving the information to the society. So it’s a new challenge because these type of media moving fast as the information were continuously updated. So the journalist has to maintain the accuracy of the information to prevent fake news was delivering to the society.
In order to give the right information and the truth to the world, Journalist faces the most critical situation obtaining the news. The risk faces in today realities and environments are beyond the limitations and expectations. Reporting in such country in war or unstable in politics might be the biggest fear and concern to the journalist. From the reports almost 115 journalist were killed while reporting. So this is such a new challenge for the journalist. Why? Because journalist are the messenger, they tell the world the truth and something normal people can’t see. Not everyone likes to be seeing as a bad person, no countries want be label as violence.
