Mainstream Media Vital For Accurate Information In Social Media Era - Bernama CEO

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- Mainstream media plays a crucial role in disseminating accurate and reliable information while countering sensational news and speculation that dominates social media, said Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin.

She said that although social media content, especially speculative reports, managed to capture public attention, it remains the responsibility of mainstream media to debunk such content by providing accurate information where necessary.

“If the news is incorrect, we must counter and refute it. On social media too, we have a role to ensure the information shared is truthful.

“I hope and believe the public will turn to Bernama and other news agencies or official government sources to verify the authenticity of news items,” she said.

She said this during the Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme (Survival of Mainstream Media: Strategies to Combat Decline), aired live on RTM1 this morning in conjunction with Malaysia TV Day.

Nur-ul Afida said that Bernama’s mission as the national news organisation is to provide objective and up-to-date information and news items, in line with the agency’s tagline of a trusted news source.

“For instance, during the sinkhole incident on Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur, we conducted a live broadcast on Bernama’s social media platforms, which garnered nearly 11 million views within an hour.

“This was because we provided continuous live updates on the developments at the scene. Ultimately, when people sought official and reliable information, they turned to trustworthy channels or platforms,” she added.

Echoing her views, Broadcasting Director-General Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman said audience habits in the era of technology and social media show that people tend to refer to reports from multiple media organisations on a particular issue to gain a more comprehensive and objective perspective. 

However, audiences eventually rely on agencies or media organisations with proven credibility, he added.

“That is essentially our role, and this is why we must continuously work hard to ensure that our credibility remains intact,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA