Unfair Media Coverage

Since the day one starting of election campaign, there is a lot of media coverage on it. However, you can find most of the stories are on BN and seldom on the opposition. The BN even have advertised in the newspaper everyday..Wonder how much they spend on it? Mind you, they are colored advertisement. The following is an email receive from a friend on a complain by a reader on The Star.....

To :
> Manager,
> Editors
> and staff of the
> Star Publications (M) Bhd
>
> C:C to all Contacts.
> 28/2/08
>
>
> IS STAR PUBLICATION A SHARE HOLDER OF BARISAN NASIONAL?
>
> Dear publisher,
>
> With much regret and disappointment over the star publication i am writing
> this letter.
> I strongly condemn and object all your articles in the star the pass few
> days. Very clearly i can see that your articles on the coming general
> election is giving a one sight report and supporting the barisan Nasional
> Government. I view this as something not healthy and a threat to the future
> of the the media.
>
> You use the caption MALAYSIA DECIDES 2008 in your General election report.
> How to decide when you don't even give a report on the opposition party.
> Lim kit siang, Anwar Ibrahim and other oppositions gave many ceramah`s in
> penang, But i don't see any detail or article on that events. and even if i
> had see, It would be a negative report on that party. What kind of practice
> is this in a democratic country ? We as the rakyat and reader of the star
> expects and demand equal coverage and news on all parties in the general
> election. Yes it`s good to tell the nation what the barisan has done for
> it`s people and the development it has brought to this country, at the same
> time it is also important to hear from the opposition their views and
> vision for the country. Whether they are giving empty promises, or lying,
> it is for the rakyat to decide. Not for the government or for your
> publication to decide or come to an conclusion.
>
> In your publication today 28/2/07 page N 11, there is an advertisement from
> MIC. What kind of advertisement is that. Is MIC trying to instill fear in
> the nation and getting votes by threatening us. It say`s IF YOU DON'T VOTE
> FOR MIC THEN BE PREPARED TO PAY THE PRICE.... What the hell does MIC mean
> by that. That statement has already breach the election campaign law which
> prohibits nominee's from threatening the voters. I see only Barisan
> Nasional `s advertisement in the star.. Aren`t there any other parties
> contesting in this coming general election? Every single day i see so many
> full page BN advertisement, Have they not yet exceeded the campaign budget
> limit approved by the election commission for all parties. I know how many
> thousands it cost for a single page advertisement in the star. Or is the
> star sponsoring the pages for BN... If yes, then why is the star not
> sponsoring also for DAP, KEADILAN and PAS. There are also readers whom
> support the opposition as much as the readers whom supports BN. This is
> such and insult to all readers of the Star. We give you business and you
> pay us back in this way ?
>
> When reporting on news which refers to Dato seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and
> Datuk seri Najib Tun Razak, your publication refers them as the Prime
> Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Has your editors forget
> that the Parliament has been dissolved. What right do you all have then to
> officially call both this people current ministers of Malaysia. Aren't` you
> all then giving false information to the readers.
>
> I send this email as and warning to the Star Publication to give and equal
> coverage to all parties on the General Election. It`s is also a call from
> the Election Commission President of Malaysia to give and equal and fair
> coverage to all parties. If your company were to still publish report on a
> one sight view after reading this email, I am going to launch a boycott on
> the star publication and urge penang people not to buy the Star. I will go
> all out for it using my contacts and influences and make sure people do not
> buy the Star. There are alternative paper like the SUN which provides equal
> news to the nation. Why then spent more to buy news which is not fair and
> equal to all. I hope this is the start for a change in the way your reports
> are being published. Let the Nation decide, and dont fool your readers.
>
> Sudhagaran Stanley,
> Coordinator,
> Islanders Tamil Youth Network.

Well, this does not happen only to The Star but almost every local media except a few. These media actually should play a neutral role in the election campaign. They should have covered stories on both the BN and opposition just like what the US media are doing during their presidential campaign. Sadly, this is not what happening here....