Staying Relevant Across Platforms Key To Modern Journalism – Suhaimi

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) -- Journalism today requires practitioners to move beyond conventional reporting and adapt to the demands of digital platforms and algorithm-driven audiences, former Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) director-general Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman said.

He said journalists must remain relevant across multiple platforms to stay competitive and shape public discourse.

“When you are relevant, it does not matter who comes on board or which platform is being used. If you are good at what you do, you are the one who controls the narrative,” he said during the session titled How Journalists Navigate the Evolving Media Landscape at the National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2026 Media Forum here today.

Other panellists were Sin Chew Media Corporation Bhd group editor-in-chief Datuk Kuik Cheng Kang, Kuching Division Journalists Association (KDJA) president Ronnie Teo Teck Wei and Sabah Journalists Association (SJA) president Mariah Doksil.

Suhaimi, who is also a former chairman of Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), said journalists today require a broader skill set, including ethical judgment, search engine optimisation (SEO), data analytics, platform literacy and visual storytelling.

“To be a good journalist, you have to be part editor, part strategist and part data analyst. You also have to be good on camera because people do not want to read anymore. They want to listen and watch,” he said.

Suhaimi also emphasised the importance of crisis awareness and strategic thinking, noting that audiences increasingly consume content through social media and digital feeds rather than traditional platforms.

“If we continue just to report and expect people to come to our platform, we are going to lose the battle. But if your story appears on the FYP (For You Page), then your story will score,” he said.

He added that journalists must understand keywords and audience behaviour to ensure their content remains visible and relevant across platforms.

Speaking to reporters after the forum, Suhaimi said professionally trained journalists still held an advantage over untrained content creators because of their grounding in ethics, verification and news judgment.

He added that journalists today must go beyond delivering information and learn how to connect with audiences emotionally and digitally through effective storytelling.

Meanwhile, media practitioners in Sabah and Sarawak called for a shift in the national narrative, urging their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia to move beyond stereotypes and geographical biases.

Mariah said media practitioners in Sabah still faced stereotypical portrayals in reporting about the state.

“Journalists in Sabah have always been asked to write federal-centric stories portraying Sabah as rural and poor. What is the narrative?” she said, adding that issues involving Sabah’s rights were often framed purely from a political perspective.

Meanwhile, Ronnie said business reporting in East Malaysia also came with logistical and financial challenges.

“Most initial public offering (IPO) and stock exchange listing events are conducted physically in Kuala Lumpur, and travelling there involves additional costs, with companies often unable to cover travel expenses for media personnel,” he said.

-- BERNAMA