HAWANA 2026 Platform Strengthens Media's Role In Addressing Challenges of Digital Era

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- The National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2026 celebration continues to be strengthened as a platform for the media industry in facing the challenges of the digital era, particularly involving aspects of trust and the influx of unreliable information.

Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said that the current media landscape demands a greater role from industry practitioners, not only in delivering accurate information but also in countering the spread of false content.

"Our main challenge today is the overwhelming amount of content on social media, most of which is false and distorted.

"This burden haunts our officers, including journalists, to continuously monitor and ensure that the information reaching the public is authentic and credible," she said while as a guest on the ‘Focus 30’ programme, titled HAWANA 2026 and the HAWANA 2026 Media Forum, which was broadcast on Bernama Radio here today.

Nur-ul Afida said that although mainstream media companies adhere strictly to journalistic ethics, the emergence of many “pseudo-journalists" who lack a foundation in seeking accurate information has become a major challenge for the industry.

"We often remind those out there to be careful. Even though some act as citizen journalists, as long as the facts are inaccurate and the sources are unreliable, it will cause problems.

"Finally, the authorities and media agencies are also the ones who need to address and correct those inaccurate facts," she said.

Commenting on the organisation of the HAWANA 2026 celebration, Nur-ul Afida, who is also the chairperson of the HAWANA 2026 Working Committee, said that the selection of Penang as the venue of the celebration also presents the best opportunity to promote Malaysia to international media friends, especially from ASEAN countries that will also be invited.

"I see Penang as a state that we know is vibrant in terms of food, tourist attractions and so on.

"Considering that this time we have plans to invite friends from ASEAN countries, I see this as an opportunity for us to introduce another interesting state to visit, which is Penang, to our international media friends and leaders of international media companies," she said.

Commenting on the strategic collaboration, Nur-ul Afida said this year's celebration will witness a difference with the inaugural involvement of the Malaysian Media Council in the HAWANA platform to empower the journalism profession in the country.

"The Malaysian Media Council carries a great responsibility in helping media practitioners perform their duties professionally and ethically, while also safeguarding the welfare of journalists, sub-editors and editors," she said.

She said that this year's event also received cooperation from agencies under the Ministry of Communications, including MyCreative Ventures (MyCV), to enliven the HAWANA summit in Penang, with a three-day programme filled with various activities.

Meanwhile, the HAWANA 2026 Media Forum, which will take place on May 7, will bring together media leaders, industry practitioners, academics, and students to discuss critical issues including the sustainability of media in crisis situations, the reality of the journalism profession, and the adaptation of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

"For this edition, we are taking a different approach due to time constraints and the need to avoid an overly packed programme in one day. That's why we started with the media forum and it was brought forward," she said.

Nur-ul Afida also emphasised the need for the media to bring constructive narratives that benefit the country and not just focus on negative or speculative issues.

"We cannot view everything from a negative perspective. As responsible journalists, we need to ensure that the narratives we present can help the country remain peaceful, advanced and prosperous," she also said.

Additionally, she said that the HAWANA 2026 will also feature events such as the HAWANA Fun Walk, the Riuh@HAWANA Programme, and the HAWANA Exploration with Students, which will also involve community participation.

The HAWANA 2026 Summit, which will gather around 1,000 media practitioners from both domestic and international backgrounds, will take place at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Butterworth Arena in Penang on June 20 and is expected to be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

HAWANA, organised by the Ministry of Communications with Bernama as the implementing agency, is the pinnacle platform in appreciating the contributions, diligence, and professionalism of media practitioners in Malaysia.

--BERNAMA