New Media, Old Rule in Malaysia

Abstract

The changing nature of communications technologies, including the increasing dynamic capacity of the Internet to connect and transmit information, has contributed to rapid changes around the world. 'New media' technologies have been utilised to organise mass rallies, assist with clean elections and have generally provided a space for greater freedom of opinion and expression on a variety of issues and events throughout the region. At the same time, digitisation of media content has seen existing media business models thrown into disarray. As Internet penetration increases, newspaper circulation generally declines. From the deterioration of quality journalism in democracies, to assisting the so-called 'social media revolutions' in authoritarian regimes, the impact of digital media is a hotly debated topic among scholars and the general public.