KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Today’s journalists must reinvent themselves by writing more analytical and interpretative pieces, according to former Bernama chief executive officer Datuk Yong Soo Heong.
Citing the examples of foreign news outlets such as BBC, South China Morning Post, and New York Times, he said those media gave more value in their news as they provided in-depth perspectives on current issues.
“I suppose we have to change, no more about writing short pieces,” he said during a special interview with Bernama TV titled ‘The Future of Journalism’ in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day today.
Speaking about the closing down of many publication companies these days, Yong, who is also a member of Bernama Supervisory Council, said the situation was a reflection of the competition on social media, the changes in reading habits as well as technology.
Following this, he said, more people were opting to read online news where most could be accessed for free rather than subscribing to or buying newspapers, hence, leading to falling revenues for newspaper companies.
“However, when something serious happens, almost everyone will scramble for authentic information from one of the news outlets. This is when people will acknowledge the true value of journalists rather than information spinners,” he said.
At the same time, Yong said newspaper companies must also fight back on the challenges they were facing currently, besides finding new ways to monetise their products as most companies have not invested in advertising anymore.
As for journalists who might be affected by the shutting down of publications, he suggested they try seeking employment at places that need their skills.
“Just look at the number of organisations that need good journalists to write for them. Good writing skills may not just be about writing in news organisation but they (journalists) can also be at other organisations that need their writing skills,” he added. — Bernama
