Nutgraph article

I read the Nutgraph article on Internet censorship today and these are a few of my comments:

Absurd! Ridiculous,  hidden goal in Internet censorship?

For our or  the government’s protection?

Australian Press Releases

Swimming still most popular sport for kids: ABS

What to do before writing:

• Interview different parties relevant to the press release.

• Speak to a couple of kids .  Visit the local park or go to a gymnasium and ask them what their favourite sport is and why.

• Visit the local high school. Ask to speak to the physical education instructor.

• Get his/ her thoughts on why more children engage in swimming as compared to soccer and Australian Rules football.

• Get a quote from someone from the Children’s Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities’ department. Find out trends between now and 10 years back; what leisure activities kids were into back then.

• Google trends in leisure activities engaged by Australian kids now and 10 years ago.

• Interview a couple of kids. Ask them why they are  comfortable using the Internet at home than at school.

• Go to the library. Ask the librarian what type of books kids read when they visit the library.

Introduction to the article

SYDNEY: While cricket is proving to be popular among kids in India, a survey released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed swimming is still widely practised among Australian kids.

Australian Broadband connections soar to 4.3 million: ABS

What to do before writing:

• Visit the most popular Australian telecommunications service provider. Speak to someone from the Internet services department.

• Ask him/ her from which state do people apply for broadband connection services the most.

• Find out why the particular state has the highest percentage increase.

• Look at the records or the department’s database to find out which categories of people signed up for broadband connections. Are they businessmen, families. Make a not of their income.

• Jot down the contacts of a few customers. Contact them preferably by phone. (Email might not be answered)

• Say you’re doing a story and ask them what they use the Internet mostly for.

• Quote from an official from the Household Use of Information Technology Department on how the Internet has shaped Australians’ lives.

Introduction to the article:

SYDNEY: A study released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that total broadband connections were at 4.3 million, as of June 2008,  marking a 22 percent rise on the previous year’s total.

Business, football and music-you can find it all on BFM

One of the things I look forward to the most in my CAIR (that’s computer-assisted investigative reporting for you) class are the site visits we get to do to different companies or organisations in the media industry. Recently, we had the opportunity to meet Mr. Teoh T. Hoong-the man behind Subang Jaya’s first community newspaper, at his office in Subang Jaya.

Last week, our lecturer decided that our next site visit would be to the radio station, BFM 89.9. Some of you may have heard of it while some of you may have not. For those of you who haven’t heard of BFM 89.9, allow me to brief you on this recently launched radio station. BFM 89.9 is not the kind of station that you would come across every day. Its concept is very different from the radio stations that you would normally listen to and indeed, the first of its kind in Malaysia. The reason behind it being so unique is because it is the first of its kind to be set up in Malaysia. BFM was launched last September and unlike other radio stations, its content is focused solely on business news and current events happening in the world of business. Don’t get me wrong-the station does play music too. However, don’t expect to tune in to BFM to listen to the latest by Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. This is because the selection of music played  is quite different. Tune in to BFM 89.9 and expect to hear music by the likes of Eric Clapton and The Beatles.

Our lecturer, Ms. Anita set up an appointment to meet with the founder of BFM, Mr. Malek Ali. However, he had to apologise due to work circumstances, and so we arranged to meet with Ms. Annie Wong-one of the producers at BFM.

I had never visited a radio station before; hence I’m not one to judge. However, when we reached the premises where BFM is located, I couldn’t help but notice that the setting of the place seemed more like an office than that of a radio station. I expected to see a number of studios with radio deejays; however there were only two studios present. The office was quite small and didn’t have a lot of employees. It has only been a year since the radio station was launched and that explains the small office space. One thing I liked about the office’s setting was the fact that it was set up in such a way so that it was open plan. Employees were not separated from one another by tiny cubicles. In addition, the atmosphere seemed very informal and friendly, where people were speaking on the phone, or chatting to one another and laughing.

We were greeted by one of the staff from the sales team and he informed us that Ms. Wong had not arrived yet. He ushered us to the canteen and the charming, young man left with us no opportunity to get bored, where we had an off-the-record conversation with him about the station. Later on, Ms. Wong showed up and she took us to the meeting room, where she was happy to fill in Mr. Malek’s shoes and answer our questions and talk to us about the station. Through Ms. Wong, I came to know that BFM is targeted to professionals and entrepreneurs, young and old who were looking to be empowered by the issues that the radio station covers in its different programmes. I also found out that the radio station is only broadcast around the Klang Valley and some parts of Melaka, since these were areas where you could find listeners who were interested in listening to the type of content that the radio station has to offer.

To familiarise us on the programmes that BFM usually airs, Ms. Wong went through a quick rundown of the shows aired on the radio station. A day at the radio station usually starts with the 6am-10am ‘Morning Run’ show. In this show, you can look forward to the ‘Breakfast Grill’ segment, where you can expect to listen to interviews with CEO’s and founders of different organisations. If you’re a new entrepreneur, or thinking of setting up a business, tune in to ‘The Enterprise’ from 10am-2pm, to find out about ways in which you could make your business a success. For those of you not interested in business news, don’t worry. There is something for everyone. From 2pm-5pm, you can tune in to ‘The Big Picture’, where topics beyond business are covered, such as lifestyle, parenting, relationships and health. Lastly, from 5pm-9pm, you can tune in to ‘The Late Late Business Show’, where listeners are kept up to date with events that have happened around them whilst they were at work. Basically, the show is to help wind down listeners after the long day. I asked Ms. Wong how the radio station comes up with its different shows. She said that meetings are usually held where everyone is invited to contribute their ideas.

Ms. Wong told us something that I found particularly interesting. She said that the radio station does indeed play Malaysian music and this is because it is a requirement of their license that they have to fulfill.

Later on, we were taken around the station to meet and talk to the other employees of the radio station. They were busy, but that didn’t stop them from taking time off to talk to us and explain to us what they did. Everyone was very chirpy and lively, probably because it was the end of the week (We visited BFM on a Friday).

All in all, it was a visit that enlightened both my classmates and myself. It is definitely a place I would consider doing my internship at because of the exposure I would get, mainly because of it unique concept. Next time, if you’re in the car and on your way to work or college, tune in to BFM 89.9 and you’ll see what I mean when I say that BFM is one of its kind in Malaysia. It hasn’t been around for long but it is definitely here to stay.

H1N1 Do’s and Don’ts

Do

• Avoid crowded places
• Drink plenty of water
• Get plenty of sleep

 

Don’t

• Cough openly
• Leave used tissues lying around
• Take medicines without consulting a physician

 

Source: WHO

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a type of respiratory disease that was discovered in a pig in 1930. It is a type of disease that causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. There are four main types of influenza viruses isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1. However, the virus the most recent isolated virus found in pigs is H1N1. Swine flu normally doesn’t infect humans, however, the recent swine flu outbreak which was observed in Mexico 2009, has been spreading from person to person and spreading to different countries and borders. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of the seasonal flu and they include cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, vomiting and nausea. If not detected early, swine flu can prove to be life-threatening.

Teoh Teik Hoong-the man behind Subang Jaya’s first community newspaper

Last week, as a part of a project for one of our subjects, my classmates and I had the privilege of meeting with Teoh T. Hoong for an interview. For those of you, who haven’t heard of him, let me give you a brief introduction of him. Teoh T. Hoong is a journalist who was previously working for The Star. However, he currently runs his very own non-profit community newspaper that is published monthly called SJ Echo. As you may have already figured out from the newspaper’s name, SJ Echo is catered exclusively for Subang Jaya, which has a population of about 400,000. He is also one of the board members of the Children’s Wish Society of Malaysia, that helps to grant wishes of terminally-ill children, thus putting smiles on their faces.

We headed out to his office, based in one of the districts of Subang Jaya. When we reached the area where his office is based, it was a bit difficult for me to figure out where his office was. After a while, I noticed a not so prominent board that read SJ Echo. Now, when you think of a news publication office or any office for that matter, you imagine having receptionists present at the front desk to assist visitors, secretaries to assist managers and employees stationed at their desks typing away on their respective computers.However, the office that publishes SJ Echo is not like your typical news publication office.

We were greeted by Hoong himself. As we entered, I noticed his office appeared to be deserted. There was no receptionist to greet us and employees were nowhere to be seen. In all fairness, I wouldn’t call the place an office. It looked more like a bachelor’s pad to me. The place had more of a homey feel, rather than a professional working place. I could hear music playing in the background. After talking to Hoong, I found out that SJ Echo is a one man show-Hoong is the editor of the newspaper, the writer and the marketing person all-in-one. I noticed a surveillance TV right in front of his desk which he uses to monitor people entering and leaving his office. Since it was my very first interview, I must admit I was nervous and intimidated. However, after a couple of minutes of speaking with Hoong, I was no longer nervous. I was feeling very much at ease. Hoong was very pleasant and had lots to tell us.

SJ Echo was launched 4 years back. When I asked him about the factors that motivated him to start a community non-profit newspaper, he told me a couple of his mates had proposed a challenge to him to start a non-profit newspaper. Initially, he was reluctant and had turned down the offer. However, after he gave the matter much thought, he accepted it and launched Subang Jaya’s first community newspaper.

He tells us that working in the mainstream media has a lot of perks. For instance, he had more exposure to hard news stories. Also, his job as a journalist in the mainstream media meant that he had to travel alot. His job has allowed him to travel to every nook and corner of Malaysia, as well as around the globe. He shared with us some of his experiences while travelling abroad. One country he visited was Bangladesh. He told us he had to stay at a government facility that  resembled a prison cell. He says, “One of the beautiful things about such poor countries is that jobs are scarce that people would do anything to make money”. However, now he says, he is content with working for a community newspaper, in which he strives to instill the ‘kampung’ spirit back to the community where everyone knows one another.

Hoong-a self-proclaimed fan of roadside fruit stalls, tempts us with a durian seed. Source:Facebook

Like any other newspaper, it starts out empty at the beginning of every month. He receives inspiration for his stories from the residents of the community and Subang Jaya’s council. You may also spot him around the streets, taking photos and chatting up locals to get an insight into what their thinking, to get their feedback on certain matters, and to listen to their complaints if there are any. Being a monthly paper that it is, Hoong says he has to scrutinise every article and publish the best ones.

One of the biggest challenges the humble journalist says he faces is time management. He considers his work space as a ‘home away from home’, and since his job is a one man show, he has to be disciplined. Another challenge is flexibility and having to switch between roles as a resident of Subang Jaya and an editor of a community paper. He tries his best to cater to the whims and fancies of his clients, but at the same time, he edits each and every article and makes sure that anything he publishes is free from any political slander. He says his paper is for the community and has a strict policy of staying away from anything regarding politics.

Before we left, I asked him if he thinks newspapers like SJ Echo have a future in Malaysia. Initially, he is hesitant to reply, but when probed further, he comments, “Withdraw all mainstream licenses and start community newspapers. After all, most stories in mainstream newspapers are the same. ’’ After this statement, I’m sure you’ve already figured out Hoong’s stance on mainstream newspapers today.

Citizen Journalism For the Citizens

With the advent of technology, the phenomenon of grassroot or citizen journalism has led to a shift in the way that professional journalists go about doing their job. Because of this new phenomenon, ordinary citizens like you and I can now go online and with the click of a button, we can make news as we see it and publish it online for it to be seen by literally everyone who has access to the Internet. An event that has occurred in front of us that one thinks is news-worthy can be captured by a digital camera or a mobile phone and then posted on to the World Wide Web for the world to see.  The concept of news organisations and journalists accumulating and communicating all sorts of information and then passing it on to us the consumers is – I wouldn’t say non-existent, but it is definitely not as it used to be. Right now, we, the consumers, are taking matters into our own hands and we’re participating in the news-making process too.

A person who definitely knows what he’s talking about and has even documented his thoughts on grassroot journalism by publishing a book is business and technology columnist, Dan Gillmore. His book, ‘We the Media: Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People’ has done a lot of justice is helping to shed light on this emerging phenomenon that we call grassroot journalism. This is a book for all those involved in the news making process, be it media organisations, journalists, and consumers and explains in detail how the phenomenon works and places equal emphasis on each of the parties involved and how they are affected by this new shift in journalism.

One of the chapters I read is Chapter 12-Making Our Own News. In this chapter, the writer basically has gone about giving an overview of the whole purpose of writing the book and that is to inform the readers of this new media that has come along in the form of web blogs, forums, discussion groups, chat rooms etc. He moves on to talk about how we, the audience who were previously just passive contributors are now more active when it comes the news making process and we’re using the different technological tools available out there to do the same job that once upon

Dan gillmore; author, business and technology columnist

a time, we used to rely solely on professional certified journalists to do. He has made no secret of the fact that some if not all news organisations are a bit slow in realising the potential of this new shift in media but he has faith that it’s only a matter of time until news organisations accept this phenomenon and start using it to their advantage instead of looking it as a hindrance or a disadvantage because of the fact that certain matters cannot be hidden and secrets can easily be unveiled. Dan Gillmor has made it very clear to his readers that he is not a supporter of plagiarism, however he believes that copyright only to some extent is beneficial. He firmly believes in the system of Creative Commons Copyright, where the creator or publisher of the work can reserve copyright on certain areas of his/her work while allowing the public to use the rest of the published work to build up on ideas and for this reason only, he has allowed for the book to be published online for readers to use at absolutely no cost. He strongly believes in innovation and moving forward and believes that in this way, the public can use their creativity to advance the message that he is trying to communicate to the world. In his words, ‘Your voice matters. Now, if you have something worth saying, you can be heard.’

Comparison between Malaysian and Western government websites

This post will focus on the similarities and differences of the Malaysian and Western government websites in terms of layout, navigational options, user friendliness and other physical attributes.

1. Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia and Whitehouse

Prime Minister’s Office

-  Links to other prominent government websites

-  Search option for easy navigation

-  Under ‘Other Features’, a user can subscribe to RSS Feeds, has the option of browsing the website using their mobile and a link is provided for disabled users for easy navigation.

-  Option to view the website in Bahasa Malaysia, English and several other languages.

-  Quite organised – different subheadings for each category provides for easy navigation.

-  Latest news and press releases box is flashed on the first page of the website.

Whitehouse

-  Search option on first page of website.

-  Several links present on website to stay connected to the website and recieve updates  through facebook, twitter, Youtube, Flicker and various other networking sites.

-  Website is not dull; reasonably colourful and user friendly. Links to different categories available on the top of the first page include Briefing Room which provides information to presidential speeches  and latest media releases, Issues  provides information on the United States’s stand on different matters such as civil rights, poverty, etc.

-  Link present to enable users to provide feedback regarding the website.

-  Latest information regarding swine flu to inform readers on what precautionary measures they can take.

-  Interactive slideshow/videos for several visits, events.

2. Department of Statistics Malaysia & Australian Bureau of Statistics

Department of Statistics Malaysia

-  Language of website can be set to either Bahasa Malaysia or English.

-  Latest statistical releases on different themes can be seen as soon as one opens the link to the website.

-  Search option available for navigation.

-  Poll available to rate the website.

Australian Bureau of Statistics

-  Option available to search the website.

-  Latest statistical releases available in the beginning of the page and arranged according to either product or media releases to make it easier for the user.

-  Towards the lower right hand side of the page,  there is a bar present that mentions different themes such as economy, industry and people which provides latest information and statistics pertaining to each of these themes. Also, different statistics such as regional and national statistics are arranged together , making it easier for the user to retrieve any particular statistic.

-  Poll available to rate the website.

To conclude, after scanning the different websites mentioned above, I’d have to say that the Western government websites were more user-friendly and organised.

The Virus That’s Got Everyone Talking

Today was an interesting day, quite insightful actually. I was sitting with friends and catching up on the latest that’s been happening in each of our lives over coffee. when suddenly the conversation shifts to how most people are having the flu or experiencing flu symptoms these days. Usually, when one has the flu, he/she doesn’t tend to get too worried as it’s a seasonal sickness that most people suffer from every winter. However, now everyone’s getting anxious when they or someone close to them is having flu-like symptoms.

Obviously we know why- it’s all thanks to the H1N1 virus outbreak, a type of influenza that spread from pigs onto humans, causing serious illness and in some cases, resulting in death. According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Protection, the H1N1 virus was first found in North America and has now spread throughout the world in the same way that the normal seasonal flu spreads, i.e. through contact with a sick person or touching something with germs and then touching their mouth or nose before washing their hands.

One of my friends was telling me she’s become so paranoid about the H1N1 virus that she makes sure she and her family carry bottles of hand sanitiser wherever they go and wash their hands with soap thoroughly.

Now I’m starting to wonder, the symptoms of the H1N1 virus is similar to that of the flu that infects people around the world every winter and sometimes causes death, therefore are we over-reacting to this new strain of virus? A few other people I’ve talked to say they’re not really worried, life will still go on and as long as one is healthy and fit, they’re safe.

Maybe so, but the World Health Organisation has already declared a global flu pandemic on June 11 after the virus was confirmed in 2 regions of the world AND according to flutracker.com, there are 9029 suspected cases of H1N1 virus in people around the world.

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!