Media Game

The media game explains relationship between media and politics or journalist and politician. Government and political parties need the media to spread their ideology and policies while the media need news from government and political parties to be reported. In order to gain popularity, the government wants to spin news so that media would report something good about them while journalist is searching for negative news which could make a bigger headline. After the raise of private media, competition emerged between state owned and private own media.

Reinforcement strengthens existing ideas, believes, and opinions from media and individual. That’s explains self-selected news. Peoples read news of their interest and benefits from time to time and keep searching for news which confirm to their opinions.

Media is so powerful in setting our personal agenda as well as government’s agenda. They influence what we think and talk about. Media is very important. Without media, nothing become serious issue and without serious issue, why the government should respond. The media in Cambodia during the last two years make us talk about Preah Vihear conflict with Thailand by repeatedly report and debate about single situation at the border on TV, newspaper, radio, web site, and so on. Is Preah Vihear cast the only serious problem now? What is happening to price of gasoline? About a year ago, we all talk about price of gasoline and that time it was 4,400 Riel per liter. But now because all the news is about Preh Vihear, we don't talk about other stuffs anymore event if the price of gasoline now is 4,900 Riel per liter. Media somehow purposely or unintentionally make us stop talking about gasoline, but Preh Vihear. Media could also bring attention to government to debate on some certain agenda by reporting people living standard, problems, gasoline, and other requests from the people.

How journalist report on any event contribute differently on how we see it. Media frame our image on particular events. For example; the event of 9/11 which was reported as terrorist attack. Our view of that event could be different if the media reported as a group of Muslim hijacked the plan as robbery case and hit the building by accident. Another example of framing would be the recent Ms. Mu Sochua case against prime-minister Hun Sen. The event could be reported as personal case or political case which needs different response. A description under the photo of Mu Sochua walking on the street after the court room could be reported as “Mu Sochua as a law maker caused traffic jam in front of the royal palace” or “Mu Sochua express her demand of justice by demonstrating in front of royal palace” or “Armed police violate citizen (Mu Sochua and her supporter) right to freedom movement”. These descriptions frame and bring our attention differently.

PS: Dear Media people, please take some of your interest from Preah Vihear conflict to price of gasoline. The price of gasoline now is almost 5,000 Riel now. Please do something, Please!