Media Practitioners Need To Be Up To Date, Understand Government Policies

By Rohana Nasrah

KOTA KINABALU, May 17 (Bernama) -- Media practitioners, especially in Sabah, need to always be up to date and empower themselves with knowledge and a deep understanding of every government policy in order to be best journalists.

Former New Sabah Times editor-in-chief Emin Madi said journalists should master skills in government policies and current issues in efforts to ensure the development of the profession in the country can be supported well.

“Journalism's role and contribution in the country’s development is indeed very relevant. That is what has happened, is happening, and will certainly happen in future,” told Bernama.

Emin, 74, also stressed the importance of the government having a good working relationship with media practitioners to ensure that they can produce more accurate, holistic, and comprehensive news reports on whatever issues that arise.

He said this is because any weakness that exists in media reports, especially on current issues or news about government initiatives, is sometimes due to the lack of understanding or lack of information from the relevant parties.

“Usually, journalists encounter difficulties to do in-depth reports on government initiatives because they do not have access to the information needed. Therefore, it is very important that cooperation be a two-way thing between the government and media practitioners,” he said.

Emin said media industry players also need to find new, more interesting and creative approaches, and these include increasing the number of human interest stories as well as unique events in order to attract an interest in reading newspapers.

Additionally, Emin, who is a stringer with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Sabah bureau, said the rise and existence of social media cannot be blocked or prevented, so journalists need to accept this reality and always keep moving.

Meanwhile, Utusan Malaysia journalist in Sabah, Suraidah Roslan, 39, when asked to comment on the 2024 National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA 2024), said the programme which has been held since 2018 is seen as a recognition of the profession in the country.

She said organisation of this celebration is expected to have a significant impact considering efforts to set up the Malaysian Media Council have not been realised.

Themed “Etika Teras Kewartawanan Mapan”, HAWANA 2024 is scheduled to take place on May 25-27 in Kuching, Sarawak, and will feature various useful programmes for the media fraternity and public.

Over 1,000 media practitioners, representatives of local journalists’ associations and media representatives from ASEAN member countries have been invited to attend HAWANA 2024, an important platform for the media fraternity and industry experts to exchange ideas and establish strategic relationships.

May 29 has been gazetted as National Journalists’ Day, in conjunction with the first edition of the Utusan Melayu newspaper on May 29, 1939, and to celebrate the contribution of media practitioners in shaping the minds of an informed society, in addition to fostering cooperation and driving positive change in the industry.

-- BERNAMA