REFLECTIONS

This project has been an interesting one for me. It allowed me to combine my interest in new media technologies with my obsession with politics. So I thought it would be fitting that I centered my blog on how new media technologies and the internet is changing global politics as well as the news media.
As I mentioned earlier, I am a political junkie. Part of the reason is personal. My home country of Malaysia is going through a period of political and economic uncertainty. But there is evidence that major political changes are taking place, in large part thanks to the power of the internet in spreading news and information to a wider audience, bypassing the state run media. In doing this project, I have not only discovered the internet’s huge potential in affecting change in my country, but I discovered that there is an increasing number of enthusiastic and dedicated Malaysian bloggers out there who bravely report on the government’s misdeeds even in the face of several blogger arrests.
Another example of the internet’s growing role in politics can be seen in America, most notably the Obama presidential campaign, who has used the internet and social networking sites like Facebook to expand his donor base and reach more potential new voters. The existence of video sharing sites like YouTube as well as a myriad of independent news websites has ensured 24 hour coverage of the political campaigns, as well as offering alternative news reporting as opposed to the traditional TV news media like CNN etc.
But it is not all about winning elections. Youtube, blogs and news websites have helped foster a healthy skepticism of the mainstream news media. As the general public’s trust of mainstream news media declines, it is left to the internet to ensure a fair and free press.
The undertaking of this project taught me how to use various applications on the internet and has made me more tech savvy. But it has also made me even more convinced of the transformational power of the internet.