Traffic jams are the bane of existence in Kuala Lumpur. As people commute to and from work each day in unpredictable conditions (flash floods are common), sitting in traffic is part of everyday life. At least one has access to the radio. BFM Malaysia, an independent business radio station, cycles out acronyms of its name to keep listeners amused: ‘Building First- World Mindsets’, ‘Bribe- Free Malaysia’, ‘Balming Frustrated Minds’, and so forth. Talkback radio attracts all sorts to debate the national concerns of the day. Alternatively, drivers in a traffic jam can use their smart phones to voice their opinions. Complaining about traffic on social media instils feelings of camaraderie; solidarity through suffering. Why not use news feeds to see if your friends are similarly afflicted and get updates on congested areas before the mainstream media scrambles to cover the event? Or perhaps just use the time to catch up on personal news. Malaysian media celebrity Niki Cheong recounts, ‘When a car doesn't move at traffic lights, mum used to say the driver must be on phone. Now, she says, must be “playing” Twitter’. Each day, Malaysians are exposed to different information sources and have choices as to which media they use to take action (perhaps choose a different traffic route based on feedback from other drivers). Information media is pervasive in everyday life, even in traffic jams.

This chapter situates social media information in the wider Malaysian media ecology by surveying traditional and new media choices that users have in their search for everyday information. The rise of global media platforms and local regulatory frameworks are both factors that influence how Malaysians consume different types of media. I argue that Malaysian users prefer different forms of media for trusted or useful information- seeking in everyday life, reflecting a complex and sometimes confusing media environment. Information- seeking in everyday life refers to day- to- day information practices that serve purposeful outcomes, helping users to maintain order in their lives (Savolainen 1995). Everyday information in the media has value when the user regards it as useful or trustworthy. Useful information has relevancy to users in their objectives for meeting everyday outcomes.