Malaysian radio sings the BN tune

While the radio showed definite bias towards the Barisan Nasional during the period monitored (17 Feb - 21 Mar), a more disconcerting factor was the lack of any debate on English language radio.

From the day Parliament was dissolved, voters were urged to vote, generally in terms that brought the BN to mind. However, never once was any indication given of what the issues might be or why voters should turn out to vote.

Alongside this was blatant propaganda for the BN parties, which reached a nadir on 26 Feb, on Red 104.9, which broadcast the Umno deputy president’s appeal to voters to vote for the BN. However, across the entire period, other items considered newsworthy were that BN component parties had started, or were ready to start, campaigning (e.g. Red 104.9 on 18 Feb, Radio 4 on 24 Feb etc), the PM (or caretaker PM) would visit various states (e.g. Red 104.9 on 20 Feb, Radio 4 on 21 Feb etc), and the BN’s seat allocation (eg Light n Easy, 29 Feb).

PAS was mentioned neutrally thrice, but was referred to negatively four times (e.g. members defecting, the weak electoral pact with Keadilan) – a total of eight mentions, one was in relation to the PAS member who pulled out after nominations and the allegations that he was bribed (Mix FM 17 March). DAP was mentioned once (briefing its candidates), the same number of times as Parti Socialis Malaysia. Prior to Parliament’s dissolution, Keadilan was the only opposition party mentioned, and that was only in terms of members defecting.

The BN was sometimes mentioned more often in a single news broadcast than the others over the entire period monitored.

All news presented the BN as the party or coalition of government. The ministers remained ministers, the PM was never referred to as the caretaker Prime Minister. Even when the results were announced it was in terms of whether BN had won or lost.

Another matter of broad concern, is the amount of time given up to news broadcasts, and the proportion of local news. Red 104.9, for example, has news bulletins five times a day, sometimes with only one local news story. Each newscast lasts around five minutes. Radio 4 had the most in-depth news broadcasts, with hourly bulletins, and longer broadcasts at peak periods. Despite listening to the radio for around six hours daily each day over the election period, there was not a single current affairs programme (excluding news) on during that time, nor was one advertised.

Judging from the news bulletins and other programmes broadcast, Malaysian radio promotes a materialistic, individualistic mentality with little room for non-commercial decisions. It does not help to prepare an electorate for making informed decisions about which party they want to run the country.