A QUALITATIVE FRAMING ANALYSIS ON THE REPORTS OF THE CONTROVERSIAL THANKSGIVING DINNER IN DUMC BY THE STAR AND UTUSAN MALAYSIA NEWSPAPERS

The study was conducted to examine on the controversial religious issues reported by The Star and Utusan Malaysia. The aim of the study was also to compare the reports between the two newspapers. The religious issue related to the study was the reporting of the raid conducted by the Enforcement Division, JAIS on a Multiracial Thanksgiving Dinner organized by the Harapan Komuniti at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on the 3rd of August 2011. Thus, this study finds it interesting to examine the difference in the way that the issue was reported between the major printed media companies in the country. The objectives of this study are to determine the news frame used by both press in reporting this issue as has been introduced by Robert Entman in 1993. The results showed that both press had framed this issue by emphasizing on political conflicts in the coalition party (Pakatan Rakyat), especially on the approach that was taken by PAS in addressing the issue. These newspapers however, had shown differences in the framing of the issue with; The Star newspaper focusing on the moral ethics as its framing, while Utusan Malaysia had framed the issue from the perspective of the constitution.