Media And Politics In Pacific Asia

Drawing on first hand research and written in a clear and accessible manner this is a highly original book providing a detailed account of the political influence exerted by both domestic and international media in the Asia Pacific region.

This is the first book in the English language to examine the tangled web of relationships linking newspaper owners, editors and reporters, with leading politicians and power-holders. Duncan McCargo has been granted unique access to the editorial meetings of Thailand's leading newspapers, and drawing on this, the book uncovers the contradictions and dichotomies which underlie political coverage in the Thai press.

The past decade has seen a major structural shift in broadcasting in Southeast Asia, with the development of digital satellite and cable broadcasting. This shift has impacted upon some of the most information-sensitive governments in the world: Singapore, Malaysia and, until recently, Indonesia. Atkins traces this development in five countries, showing that the challenge to authoritarian regimes, anticipated by modern theorists as a result of the globalization of news and information, is not materializing. Instead, a new commercial elite has arisen, Southeast Asia's own mini-moguls, who act as gatekeepers for state interests, as partners to global media companies.

This book analyzes the relationship between political power and the media in a range of nation states in East and Southeast Asia, focusing in particular on the place of the media in authoritarian and post-authoritarian regimes. It discusses the centrality of media in sustaining repressive regimes, and the key role of the media in the transformation and collapse of such regimes. It questions in particular the widely held beliefs, that the state can have complete control over the media consumption of its citizens, that commercialization of the media necessarily leads to democratization, and that the transnational, liberal dimensions of western media are crucial for democratic movements in Asia. Countries covered include Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

A central problem for the European Union is said to be that of the "politics of identity". Within this, the concept of the EU’s international identity requires exploration in terms of how it is both constructed and represented globally. To address this issue, this book identifies measures and compares public awareness and perceptions of the EU within the Asia-Pacific region. It deals with the under-researched issue of the public perception of the EU outside the Union and the role of the media in shaping such perceptions. It builds on what has been described as the EU’s ‘communication deficit’, a phenomenon which has typically been explored as an internal EU dynamic but has yet to be applied to the EU’s external relations. The volume presents findings from a systematic research project designed to measure the EU’s external ‘communication deficit’ and to raise the level of its awareness in other regions through three perception levels: The study of EU images in news mass media production A survey of general public perceptions and attitudes on the EU A survey of the elite perceptions of the EU. Drawing on research from New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Thailand, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of politics, communication studies, European studies and Asian studies.

Public Relations in Asia Pacific reflects the growing professionalism in the practice of public relations in the world’s fastest expanding economy. It is a carefully drawn road map, both strategically and tactically, for all manner of entities, for profit and not-for-profit on how to establish and maintain effective relationships with their numerous stakeholders. Particularly insightful are the many examples of public relations in action within the Asia Pacific region. It’s a “must” read for those interested in public relations careers and those new to the profession; and it’s a first-rate refresher for the established professional. —Harold Burson, Founding Chairman, Burson-Marsteller Worldwide Mary Devereux and Anne Peirson-Smith have combined their considerable talents and experience to produce a bible of how public relations is—and should be—practiced in the Asia Pacific. One of its many virtues is that it debunks the myth that PR is just one long lunch hosted by caricature Svengalis and Spin Doctors. Rather, it sets the profession in a cultural context that will be valuable to those starting at PR 101, professionals and corporate executives who want to know how truth can be well told (with all due credit to McCann Erickson). —Kerry McGlynn, Special Adviser, Corporate Communication Department, Cathay Pacific Airways As greater social pluralism, stakeholder influence and internet driven consumer sophistication and empowerment grow relentlessly across nearly all Asian societies, Public Relations in Asia Pacific is a timely guide to the critical role of good public relations. Clear, helpful and with a wealth of good examples of how best practice PR in action can make real and tangible contributions to governments, businesses, NGOs as well as to ordinary people, this is essential reading for anyone concerned with how to communicate well in the world’s fastest growing economic region. —Tim Sutton, Chairman Asia Pacific, Weber Shandwick In an increasingly globalized world, public relations practices and strategies become critical for organizations to communicate effectively to their diverse audiences worldwide. This book is therefore an extremely timely and relevant contribution to PR students and practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region as it provides not only a comprehensive overview of the essential concepts and skills of public relations but also specific case studies which illustrate tactical uses of public relations across a wide range of issues and countries. In my opinion, this book fills a major gap in the understanding of public relations concepts and practices and will constitute a fundamental resource for all those who aspire to excel within the field. —Dr. Indrajit Banerjee, Secretary-General, Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC)

Using China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines as core examples throughout, this major new text provides a comprehensive, up-to-date and very accessible introduction to the politics of an increasingly significant and dynamic region of the contemporary world.

Successful transitions to enduring democracy are both difficult and rare. In Scandal and Democracy, Mary E. McCoy explores how newly democratizing nations can avoid reverting to authoritarian solutions in response to the daunting problems brought about by sudden change. The troubled transitions that have derailed democratization in nations worldwide make this problem a major concern for scholars and citizens alike. This study of Indonesia's transition from authoritarian rule sheds light on the fragility not just of democratic transitions but of democracy itself and finds that democratization's durability depends, to a surprising extent, on the role of the media, particularly its airing of political scandal and intraelite conflict. More broadly, Scandal and Democracy examines how the media's use of new freedoms can help ward off a slide into pseudodemocracy or a return to authoritarian rule. As Indonesia marks the twentieth anniversary of its democratic revolution of 1998, it remains among the world's most resilient new democracies and one of the few successful democratic transitions in the Muslim world. McCoy explains the media's central role in this change and corroborates that finding with comparative cases from Mexico, Tunisia, and South Korea, offering counterintuitive insights that help make sense of the success and failure of recent transitions to democracy.