With the advancement of
technology, we can clearly see that more and more choices we can go for. For
example, when you are using e-hailing service, there’s Uber and Grab for you to
compare prices; while you are going to book flight ticket for a vacation,
there’s so many websites await you to visit and so you are able to compare.
From this point of view, one of the advantages from the emergence of Internet
is it allows us to compare contents without putting much effort.
Same goes to news portal today. By focusing on Malaysia, we
have printed mainstream media. At the same time, they have their own digital
news and website for subscription. Besides that, we have online independent
media and also online news blog. Nowadays, we have so many choices for
information gathering purpose.
Regardless
the “post truth era” which is resulted by social media that putting the world
in chaos by sharing the fake news. Based on the credibility of news sources by
the news portal, how many percent of the content would you tend to believe? How
much are you willing to believe while viewing these news portals?
Malaysia Today is a
Malaysian news blog owned by Raja Petra Kamarudin which is claimed for being
value-neutral as it critiques both government and oppositions. (http://www.malaysia-today.net)
Malaysiakini is an
independent online news portal which is launched in 1999 by Steven Gan and
Premesh Chandran. It is published in four languages: English, Malays, Chinese
and Tamil. (https://www.malaysiakini.com)
The Star is a
Malaysia’s English-language mainstream newspaper and its major shareholder is
the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) political party. It has its own online
news websites as well. (https://www.thestar.com.my/)
Of course, there’s more than
these three news portals we have in Malaysia. And back to the question above:
do you really compare their news contents like you compare the price rates for
e-hailing services?
My answer is no. I do read
articles from different news portals but I seldom compare their contents. But
by taking Malaysia Today, it’s always objectionable to me. As I mentioned
above, Malaysia Today critiques both government and opposition. However, the
practice of this news blog is totally different from being claimed as
value-neutral. Yes, it is neither pro-government nor pro-opposition, but it
takes its own value and make judgement in the article to incite the feeling of
dislike to certain people. And while viewing the comments, you are able to
understand the meaning of “jump on the bandwagon”.
Thus, I would like to strongly
recommend you to Malaysia Today if you’re really a jump on the bandwagon
person. But if you’re wise and willing to remain the so called value-neutral,
please, compare the articles from both independent and mainstream media, this
somehow trains your critical thinking.
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