The media framing of Bernama Twitter in strengthening public diplomacy during Malaysia’s 15th general election

This research comprehensively examines how Bernama Malaysia's national news agency framed its Twitter content during Malaysia's 15th General Election (GE15) with a specific focus on its role in strengthening public diplomacy. This study used a mixed-method approach that combined quantitative content analysis with qualitative methods to analyse 1,103 tweets containing the hashtag #PRU15Bernama. The analysis covered four months across three main phases: before the election (starting from the dissolution of Parliament), during the campaign and after the election (from the announcement of results to the formation of the new government). This approach helped to understand how Bernama adjusted its messaging during different stages of the election. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine Bernama's editorial team members to gain deeper insights into their editorial decision-making processes and strategies for framing news. The analytical framework adapted five generic frames (human interest, responsibility, conflict, morality and economic consequences) with 20 attribute statements developed by Semetko & Valkenburg (2000) to identify and address issues related to media bias and prejudice. The findings reveal significant framing patterns where human interest and responsibility frames dominated Bernama's coverage reflecting a more humanistic and responsible approach to news reporting. Conflict and morality frames were used moderately while the economic frame recorded the lowest usage. Additionally, this study emphasises strengthening public diplomacy through media framing in Bernama's tweets to enhance internal stability and foster international relations. The integration of quantitative and qualitative data revealed a deliberate editorial strategy where Bernama's digital desk consciously prioritised a human interest approach in their news delivery demonstrating a significant evolution in government agency news reporting approaches. These findings lead to the conclusion that Bernama has successfully adopted a more sophisticated public diplomacy approach through the Twitter platform prioritising people-friendly content over conventional confrontational political reporting. The implications of this study indicate a positive transformation in the national media's news reporting approach which now places greater emphasis on public interest and engagement in national issues.