6 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Integrity and quality the key to media success, says FMT chairman
FMT executive chairman Nelson Fernandez says 'technology without content is meaningless'.
PETALING JAYA : Media companies should focus on maintaining their integrity and building influence to remain relevant, says FMT executive chairman Nelson Fernandez.
Fernandez said this would help companies survive in an industry witnessing stiffer competition and shrinking revenues.
Nelson Fernandez ,FMT executive chairman.
Media companies faced an uphill battle against the explosive growth of social media platforms, which had taken a lion's share of advertising revenue, he said.
They should ensure that their priority remains on producing high quality content.
'We can have all the technology in the world but if you don't get your content right, nobody is going to come and pay attention to you or read you or watch you,' he said at a forum on media and nation-building, held in Cyberjaya on Thursday.
Fernandez said that the key to earning the reader's trust lay in being accountable and honest about mistakes made.
'I don't profess to say that FMT does everything right. But if we ever make a mistake, we have no qualms in apologising and admitting that we did it wrong,' he said. 'This whole business of trust is something you earn.'
'We are not in this business to make money because there's not much money to be made. The only currency we have is influence,' he said
Fernandez said social media had the power to create overnight sensations. However, 'technology without content is meaningless,' he said. 'We make sure that our content is uniquely Malaysian so that it appeals to our audience.'
Khalid Ahmad, former chairman of TV3 and NSTP.
Khalid Ahmad, former chairman of TV3 and NSTP, said that media companies should capitalise on the relatively inexpensive media tools to deliver compelling content.
He said creativity is needed for a company to stand out in the media landscape. 'In the end, presentation is what matters.'
Policy on social media
Namanzee Harris, CEO of TV Al Hijrah, urged the government to draft a national policy on social media platforms to ensure local media companies are not held at the mercy of technology companies.
Namanzee Harris, CEO of TV Al Hijrah.
Namanzee was referring to TikTok's ban on 23 local media accounts in February (later lifted) after they reported on a sexual assault case involving a minor.
Namanzee said the incident had exposed the dependence of media companies on social media platforms over which they have no control.
'The idea of needing to go directly to TikTok for answers is deeply concerning. Sustainability in the media sector can only be secured through structured national policy,' Namanzee said, pointing out that countries such as the United States, Indonesia and China were already taking proactive steps.
