If one was to read the Star , one would easily be confused about what and how a decision is made about what is news and what is not. I am referring to their reporting of the denial by Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo that there is no corruption in Selangor!

I would have reckoned that the news value is in the survey report that alleges corruption. The Star , by headlining the news as "Khir refutes claims state agencies corrupted", had made what he says or refutes the news, rather than what happened or what was alleged by the report which is the news.

Going by their standards, it would seem that were it not for the menteri besar's rebuttal, the report itself would not have been newsworthy enough to take up space in the Star !

Indeed, not only in the Star but also just about all the broadcast news, the person saying it seems to take more precedence than the news matter. Indeed, the standard opening line on the news broadcast on just about any day on RTM is "The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today..."

Please don't get me wrong here. I do not really believe that these are Mahathir's doings; it's his followers and servants, and the sycophantic media under his control.