First published in 1977, Broadcasting in Peninsular Malaysia begins with a brief analysis of Peninsular Malaysia’s social, economic and political situation so that the reader has a clearly delineated frame within which to understand the development and the present-day definitions of broadcasting in the region. Ronny Adhikarya explores the difficulties facing authorities who have to cope with racial and political tensions within the community and details the laws and regulations constructed to achieve harmony. This is a study wide in its scope. The media structures covered include, in addition to the Government-controlled Radio/TV Malaysia, Rediffusion, the Royal Australian Air Force Radio, magazines, books, telecommunications and newspapers. Yet it is detailed in its elucidation of how broadcasting is structured, what purposes it is meant to fulfil in educational, developmental and other fields, and of how it may evolve in the future. This book should serve as a forerunner of studies on how broadcasting can help to determine the development of plural societies within one nation and will be of interest to students and researchers of media studies, political media, and Asian studies.
