CYBERJAYA, Oct 23 — A former editor-in-chief of the Utusan Melayu Group said today he believes the print media can survive despite the competition from the online media.

Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin said this is because the print media is still the main reading material of the people.

He said the newspaper industry can survive if the management is wise enough to manage the company in accordance with the situation and meet the needs of the readers, including by changing the way news is presented.

Zainuddin, who was once the information minister, also said he noticed that the old concept of journalism is no longer applicable today.

"For me, the future of the newspaper is not all gloom, it is just not promising and does not hold a bright future,” he said after handing over a collection of over 500 books and reading materials to Universiti Islam Malaysia here.

Commenting on the financial constraints faced by the Utusan Group, Zainuddin said the company failed to restore the situation despite having changed leadership several times.

He blamed the situation on the inability of the editors to read the current scenario.

"When a newspaper does not follow the people’s sentiments, that’s what happens,” he said.

Zainuddin said that after the 14th General Election, he found that several mainstream newspapers were reporting news more freely than during the era of the previous government.

"Only Utusan has still not changed,” he said.

He said that although some people said that he is not appreciative of Utusan, he is actually appreciative of the group. What has happened today should not have happened after over 70 years of Utusan having been a most successful Malay company, he added. — Bernama