Crisis Reporting and Journalistic Sourcing in Malaysian News

Abstract

The media plays vital role in the tapestry of our lives and its function is heightened during times of crisis. Information presented by the news media in particular influence public perception especially when dealing with unprecedented events such as a health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the global community and brought huge impact in various aspects of our lives. This study analyses types of source-selection adopted by two online newspapers in regard to the COVID-19 reporting in Malaysia. It collects data from The Star Online and Malaysiakini, representatives of one mainstream and one alternative online news. Data for this study were gathered from March to June 2020 which is during the nation’s initial lockdown of the pandemic outbreak in Malaysia. Findings from this study expands current literature on journalistic-sourcing practices. Additionally, this study provides further understanding on the role of sources in health crisis reporting from mainstream and alternative news media.