The Intermedia Agenda Setting of Interpersonal Violence Cases in the Malaysian Mainstream Online News, Independent News Portal and Social Media

Media plays an important role in illustrating the issue of interpersonal violence. Online media such as news portals and social media platforms are highly used in spreading the information virtually and digitally. However, the issue of interpersonal violence is still growing and has recently shown a significant spike. There are not many studies analyzing the exchange of information between these platforms digitally due to online news portals, which are operated by traditional media, and social media being treated as different entities. Yet, real-time posting may lead to an exchange of contents as they follow each other's agenda. A study on intermedia agenda-setting (IAS) - through issues published, agenda-setter, and sentiment - will enable us to understand how agenda setting plays a role in illustrating the issue of interpersonal violence. A content analysis study was conducted on six selected online media, consisting of mainstream and independent news portals and social media. A total of 815 samples of online news, articles and social media postings from five distinct issues were extracted to investigate the content and every 40 relevant comments from each news item were selected to identify how public opinion the portrayal of the issue in these selected online media. In-depth interview was conducted to eight field experts to gain clarification of the result from the content analysis study. Chi-square analysis on three hypotheses were significantly associated. Results revealed that public officials played a major role as the agenda setter. The Star which represents mainstream online news led in setting the agenda on interpersonal violence issues while Facebook which represents social media followed next in setting the agenda. During the process of intermedia agenda-setting, negative sentiments were hugely expressed and exchanged which indicated the uneasiness, feeling disturbed and dissatisfaction on the interpersonal violence cases, which in the end resulted in the sharing and exchanging of news between mainstream news portals and social media. The agenda on social media was set by the public. This confirmed the effects of the flow of elite--non-elite-elite on IAS. Hence, this study contributed to the understanding of the agenda pattern used that also coexisted in different types of media which were created through the intermedia process. Keywords: Intermedia agenda setting, interpersonal violence, mainstream online news, independent news portal, social media.

The Impact of Career Concerns and Cognitive Dissonance on Bureaucrats’ Use of Benefit-Cost Analysis

Previous research shows that Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) is seldom done in Sweden, and that the results e.g., in Norway and the Netherlands do not influence the ultimate policy choice. We explain why bureaucrats may choose (not) to do a BCA with cognitive- and search costs coupled with career concerns. Given the initial policy chosen by an agenda setter, bureaucrats who stay working at an agency have policy preferences close to the initial policy; those with reservation wages above a threshold quit and therefore do not influence policy. The bureaucrats’ preferences converge to the initial policy level over time. A BCA reveals the inefficiency of the initial policy and the bureaucrats consequently have no incentive to do one, except when the policy is restricted by a binding governmental budget constraint.

El agenda setting legislativo español entre 1979 y 2015

En este artículo se analiza la producción legislativa de las Cortes Generales en diez legislaturas desde el enfoque del «agenda setting». Se consideran las dimensiones institucional y partidista en la producción legislativa. Se estudia el desarrollo de la agenda legislativa considerando la iniciativa legislativa según tipo de ley y actor, la actividad en las comisiones y en el Senado. Se comprueba que ha habido una gran renovación legislativa en el periodo, aunque en términos comparados el número de iniciativas legislativas no es muy elevado. El gobierno es la principal agenda setter mediante los proyectos de ley y decretos-leyes. Los partidos de la oposición utilizan su capacidad de iniciativa en su estrategia opositora. Los partidos nacionalistas consiguen actuar como veto players con los gobiernos minoritarios gracias a su posición central en la dimensión izquierda-derecha.

Evaluating the EU as a Global Leader in International Development

ESAANZ ESSAY PRIZE WINNERAs the second-largest economy in the world and as the largest provider of development assistance, the EU is a major actor and agenda-setter in international development. This paper seeks to examine the tools used by the EU in providing assistance and the ways in which its approach to development are different to those adopted by other major actors. The EU's use of ODA and market access are distinguished as two major tools employed by the Union to promote its vision for development. Major challenges to the EU's pre-eminence in the field are also outlined, particularly focusing on challenge arising from the emergence of the Chinese model of development assistance. Drawing on reports produced by the European Commission and academic studies, therefore, this paper finds that while there are inherent shortfalls in its approach, with strong normative underpinnings and a long-term oriented approach, the EU remains a successful and prominent actor in international development.

Strengthening Malaysian Parliamentary Democracy Through Private Member’s Bills

At present, the ability of the Malaysian Legislature – specifically the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) – to effectively check and balance the powers of the Executive is impeded by the lack of a formal mechanism enabling the deliberation and debate of Private Member’s Bills. The Government or the Executive branch remains the primary agenda-setter in Parliamentary sittings, thus undermining the full extent of legislative independence and representative debate taking place in the August House. Drawing on local and international examples, this article argues in favour of allocating space to Private Member’s Bills within the parliamentary agenda and consequently returning legislators their rights and agencies towards strengthening Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy.

Novel interfaces in science communication: Comparing journalistic and social media uptake of articles published by The Conversation Africa

Science amplifier platforms such as The Conversation have gained popularity in a changing media ecosystem in which the traditional roles of journalists are eroded, and scientists are urged to engage with society. The Conversation constitutes a blend of scientific communication, public science communication and science journalism, and a convergence of the professional worlds of science and journalism. In this study, we investigated the nature and impact of the Africa-focussed edition of this platform, The Conversation Africa. We analysed articles published over a 5-year period since its launch in 2015 ( N = 5392). Contents from South Africa dominate the platform, but contributions from other African countries are increasing. Regarding the role of The Conversation Africa as an inter-media agenda setter, mainstream media more often republished stories related to politics or economics, while stories about social issues such as education, conservation and art were more often shared on social media.

Aggregated Roles of Smartphones in Young Adults’ Leisure and Well-Being: A Diary Study

Young adults spend most of their leisure time in the company of their smartphones. Drawing on the theory of digital well-being and on the concept of psychological sustainability, our aim is to investigate the relationship between digitalization-dominated leisure-time consumption to identify the aggregated roles of smartphones. We suggest that smartphones play different roles in young adults’ daily life. To test our predictions, we used a qualitative method, a two-day time-use diary with structured interviews; two sample groups were recruited for data gathering. The results of the content analysis and of the qualitative sentiment analysis show that mobile devices have a marked agenda-setter function, along with the functions of ‘separator’ and ‘enabler’. The use of smartphones leads to idleness and perceived timelessness while staying physically immobile. Results expand our knowledge on the aggregated role of smartphones in young adults’ activities. Wider society can benefit from the research findings, stimulating young adults to acknowledge the aggregated roles and functions of their smartphones and to develop their digital well-being.

Italy and Euroscepticism – political uncertainty gives way to temporary political relief

The 2018 elections in Italy produced an electoral outcome that caused much concern for the EU and often led to confrontation between Rome and Brussels, particularly over budget spending and migration policy. The coalition between ‘populist’ Five-Star Movement and the far-right League (Lega Nord) demonstrated a nationalist agenda and strong anti-EU sentiments. With over a year in power, the government saw the emergence of Matteo Salvini, whose dominance as the agenda setter continued to grow through his tough stance against migration. This was evidenced by the increased popularity and favourable results in the European Parliamentary elections of May 2019. The most recentofpolitical crises,in Italy which saw Salvini undermine his government to trigger new national elections to win the majority has backfired and left him sidelined with the creation of a new coalition between PD and the Five-Star Movement. This paper wishes to highlight the opportunity for the EU to show solidarity with Italy by supporting the new government on issues such as migration management and allowing flexibility on its budget. Taking this chance to improve Italian citizens’ attitudes towards the union is imperative to reducing the risk of Salvini returning to power.

South Africa’s International Relations: A New Dawn?

Over the last 25 years, South Africa’s regional and global stature has been in flux. Although there is continuity in its foreign policy objectives, there have been changes in emphasis and application. These changes, together with shifts in the domestic political and economic landscape, have impacted negatively on South Africa’s international relations. President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his 2018 State of the Nation Address, boldly proclaimed a ‘new dawn’ for South Africa. A key aspect of the intended new dawn is the repositioning of South Africa regionally and globally. This paper examines the shifts and the continuity in South Africa’s foreign policy, and the reasons for its waning global and regional stature. The paper argues that South Africa is once again in a position to be a norm- and agenda-setter, especially in relation to peace and security, but that this will be a lost opportunity if there is a lack of the necessary reflection, visioning and redress needed for transformation.