Conceptualization of Investigative Journalism
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Added on 2019-10-31
Conceptualization of Investigative Journalism
Added on 2019-10-31
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Investigative journalism in Malaysia
Introduction Journalism is a broad field of which investigative journalism is a significant part. As comparednews journalism, investigative journalism has a different agenda as it highlights reporting onsubjects that are considered to be crucial by the journalist in regards to the moral issues andcomplications associated with the subject. An important feature and common aspect ofinvestigative journalism is highlighting on incidents and happenings which are believed on thepart of journalists that it required attention as these subjects result in disregard in terms of theirstandards. Thus, the main focus of investigative journalism is identifying and discovering thetruth in the particular subject along with highlighting the gapes present in it in regards toavailable media. Considering the above discussed aspect, the present essay will analyze andevaluate the challenges faced in investigative journalism with particular emphasis to the presentscansion in Malaysia. From a generic perceive, the practice of investigative journalism in Malaysia is associated withvarious challenges in the process of delivering desired content to the readers. In the presentscenario, investigative journalism plays a crucial role in providing the public hidden informationin order to create awareness and disseminate information to them. In context to Malaysia, thepresence of local governance along with the Ethics of Journalism in Malaysia is among the majorfactors acting as a barrier or challenge for investigative journalism in Malaysia (Hamid et al.,2015). The above discussed fact can be established with the help of an excerpt from Ethics ofJournalism which stated that Journalists are required to be courteous and civil in the process ofperforming their duties. It has also been restricted for the journalists to plagiarize or seditionalong with accusing someone baselessly and bribing someone in some form or other for thepurpose of performing their task. On the basis of this journalist ethics it can be clearlyestablished that “baseless accusations” are prevented from performed on the part of investigativejournalists in the process of conducting their report (Ismail, 2013). Though such ethics ofjournalism have certain advantages associated with it, as it prevents disseminating wronginformation among the citizens however, it also acts as challenge for the investigative reportersfrom making revelations to the audience. It is because of the fact that on the basis of these ethicsthe information disseminated by the journalists can be challenged under the ground of “baselessaccusations”. In case these revelations cannot be established by the journalists with required
prove it will be equivalent to violation of Ethics of Journalism acting as a challenge forinvestigative journalists. The challenge and difficulty level of investigative reporting further increases in a country likethat of Malaysia wherein the journalists are required to be function under different restrictions ofthe country’s laws and regulations. To get in depth of the matter, reports and journalists inMalaysia are bounded by legislations like Internal Security Acts 1967. The legislation gotterminated in the year 2012. The presence of such acts makes it difficult for the journalists tooperate (Chibundu, 2007). The presence of such legislation played a major role in the process ofpractice of investigative journalist. Under the particular legislation, any reporting of militaryactivities without any kind of permission is considered to be breach of the legislation due towhich the particular journalist is punishable by imprisonment. Under the legislation it has beenfurther stated that anything which is considered to be undesirable on the part of the governmentcannot be covered by journalists. This, results in not only preventing the journalists fromproviding any kind of information on military activities to the citizens but any kind of militaryactivities undertaken by the government that is against the interest of the citizen cannot beinformed to the citizen under the legislation (Ihediwa and Ihediwa, 2011). The above madediscussion also helps in representing the challenges in practicing investigative journalism inMalaysia, due to the presence of such legislations that restricts the functioning of journalist in thenation. On the termination of the legislation, new media laws got introduced in the nation which wasassumed to have enhanced level of toleration associated with freedom of investigative journalismpractices. In order to replace Internal Security Act, Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act2012 [SOSMA] got introduced. Under the particular legislation, as stated by the then HomeMinister of the nation that journalist will be still provided to detention without trial, however theprocess associated with appeal of court will be easier for the journalist to ask for, and effect anddetention period will be shorter (Ismail, 2009). This resulted in tension between the mediapractitioners due to the lack of balance between the rights of the accused and safeguarding ofnational security. Thus, it will not be wrong to state that the government of Malaysia is stillhaving control and regulation of the information and stories disseminated to the citizens that mayimpact their interests. The only condition required for effective functioning of media in a nation
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