A Netnographic Analysis of Media Framing on Malaysia’s Tobacco Generation End Game

The Generation End Game (GEG) policy in Malaysia aims to establish a smoke-free generation and has prompted substantial media attention. This qualitative cross-sectional study employed a netnographic approach to analyse Malaysian online news articles published between January 2022 and January 2024 in response to the policy. Data from news portals were collected via NCapture and analysed in NVivo using thematic content analysis. A total of 441 news articles were analysed and categorised into three timeframes: the initial announcement, the official announcement and the removal of the GEG provision from the bill. A positive slant prevailed across all timeframes with 52.2%, 42.1% and 37.8%, respectively, while negative slants were observed with 32.6%, 30.3% and 21.6%, respectively. Supportive arguments emphasised anticipated public health benefits, whereas opposition centred on concerns of the enforcement challenges. Most online news articles reported the GEG policy positively, suggesting that online media predominantly played a role in garnering support for the policy.