The Comparison between online journalism:The Malaysian Insider and offline journalism:New Straits Times

The comparison between online journalism: The Malaysian Insider and offline journalism: New Straits Time

The article on 17September has been discussed about the opening school for pregnant teens in Jasin, Melaka that was officially start the operation on 17September.

The article in NST entitled ‘school for pregnant teens finally opens its door’ reported that Sekolah Harapan (School of Hope) for pregnant teenagers has finally opened its door. The Principal Datuk Ab Rahaman Ab Karim said two government buildings had been renovated into the school building and hostel at a cost of RM100, 000.

"The school under the Melaka Islamic Council (Maim) is waiting for application from pregnant students.”They may still be shy but we will remain open to give them a picture of the environment here," he said flanked by Maim deputy chairman Datuk Ghazale Muhamad and Sekolah Harapan supervisor Saimah Hiran. Ab Rahaman stressed that the identity of students of the pioneer school located in Jalan Pegawai will remain confidential. The

Sekolah Harapan comprises three air-conditioned and carpeted classrooms capable of accommodating 10-12 students per class at any one time.

Instead of that, The Malaysian Insider which is included in online journalism category has reported that the school for pregnant girls opens, but no students. The large signboard in white with blue letters read “Sekolah Harapan, Rumah Harapan” the only indicator that you are nearing the most controversial facility in the country. Perched on a steep hill, the two-storey schoolhouse painted yellow-and-white was screened from the road by a row of casuarinas trees. Dark glass panes fronting the upper floor provided extra privacy. Malaysia’s first school for pregnant teenagers opened its doors here today, but without fanfare and more perceptibly, no students. “The School of Hope for pregnant teenagers is officially open today… but we haven’t any students yet,” the chairman of the school board, Datuk Ab Rahaman Ab Karim admitted to reporters during a media visit this morning.

The Pantai Kundor assemblyman was upbeat that the state-funded school would be occupied soon.

“The response at the beginning may be a bit slow…but I am confident we will have students soon. I am confident the school will be a model to other states to start their own too,” he said.

The state Islamic department (JAIM), tasked with running the private school, had received six phone inquiries to date, Ab Rahaman said. Two were from out of state – one from Penang, the other from Johor.

“But priority will be given to those from within Melaka,” he added.

The Melaka government under its Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, has set aside RM500, 000 to manage the school and the hostel.

The two buildings were sparsely-furnished and understaffed.An administrative clerk, a security guard and a driver to take the future students to-and-from their hostel next door had been hired, but not the principal.

“This is the computer lab,” Ab Rahaman pronounced as he opened the door to a large room on the upper level of the schoolhouse. It was bare.

Three of the four classrooms in the schoolhouse sported desks and chairs. The fourth and biggest classroom, meant to accommodate Fifth Formers, sported a brand new air-conditioning unit and a thin carpet.There appeared to be little renovations made to convert the former the state water utility company’s office into a maternity-friendly school.

The washrooms sported Asian-style squat water closets. There were no bars fixed to the walls to assist a heavily-pregnant woman.

The single-storey, three-bedroom, three-bathroom hostel was similarly-equipped except for the ensuite bathroom in the master bedroom, which had a Western-style sit-down toilet. Five single beds with thin, foam mattresses and three large mirrored wardrobes filled up the space in the master bedroom. The middle room was similarly furnished, but with three single beds. A middling-sized bedroom branching off a corridor from the dining room had a wooden clothes-horse in one corner. Two large red carpets were laid over the vinyl floor tiles.

Ab Rahaman said the room would act as the prayer room for the students, until one of them delivers. The new mother would then be allowed to move into the room with her baby for the next 40 to 44 days, what the Malays term tempoh pantang (taboo period).At the end of the 40 days, the new mother and child will be required to leave the home and school, and return to society and regular school.

The style writing for NST article is quite straight forward, simple and short compared to offline journalism which is The Malaysian Insider news because the writing is too details and sometimes it provide us with extra information and picture that can give people imagination of the situation that has happen. For example in The Malaysian Insider, the article cover the whole story about the Sekolah Harapan in terms of condition of the school and what was the chairman comment regarding on the school. But, usually people who are searching news through online do not really care about the picture, they only want to know the content of the news unlike offline journalism, the readers usually look for the content and also the picture because they can see it clearly. Besides, even though the writing style is clear, but what can be clarify here is, the writing is too straight forward no filter such as the headline itself “School for pregnant girls opens, but no students”. They did not filter the headline and it is actually can make people misunderstand it and think negatively about the issue that is supposedly a positive action taken by some organization. We can see that sometimes the headline itself can determine the quality of the story and how effective the headline towards the readers.

Because NST article about this issue is short, it makes easier for people to read and understand. But then, the content is not compact compared to The Malaysian Insider because, if we look at the article, it is only announced the opening of the school and a bit information about the school rather than The Malaysian Insider that explain all about the school including the school facilities and condition of the school and also include the picture of the school so that people get the view about it.

About the differences between NST newspaper with The Malaysian insider of course in terms of the method that they use which is through online and offline. For the Malaysian Insider, because it was published through online website, people can give comment or feedback immediately while finish reading it and their comments will be appear on the website but for the NST newspaper, people unable to comment anything because it’s already printed and there is no such comment regarding the issue. But one thing about offline journalism that benefits the readers is they can read it repeatedly and refer it anytime they like. For example, if we want to cut the article, there is no problem because we already buy it, unlike online journalism, it is a bit difficult for us to get the article, because we have to sign in the website and it’s actually depend on the speed of the internet connection if the weather is not so good, it might hang and many problem will occur. Other than that, some website, we have to subscribe and pay for the news monthly. It is actually wasting because not everyone has time to read news every day furthermore it charged monthly. Besides, with offline journalism such as NST newspaper, we can read it while watching TV or eating and also can continue read it when we have free time. So, everyone could enjoy reading while doing other things and because offline journalism is a traditional method and still be used nowadays with the low cost, offline journalism is suitable for all ages especially for the carrier and busy person. In addition, for those who want to learn spelling and reading in English also are recommended to read newspaper. So, there are many functions of newspaper instead of spreading news to the community.

Conclusion

As I can see here, the Malaysian Insider is more straight forward and the content is very clear with the compact content that can make people understand about the story. But the writing style sometimes might be negative and can make people judge negatively about some article. As we know, the Malaysian Insider is pro-opponents and the writing probably more to the opponent party and that is why the writing is free.

For the NST, the style writing is more ethical because we know that everyone read it, no matter what religion, race and age. But, the news is too short and for those who wants to know more about the school can’t get the information. So, people have to find other material to get extra information.

As the conclusion, from my observation offline and online journalism give different impacts towards their readers because each of them has their own style writing that capture readers attention even though it is same issue or news but how effective the news depends on the writing style quality.