KUCHING: Journalists arguably shape and mobilise public opinion like no other. Such is the power of the written word.
A most recent illustration of this power – and the great sense of responsibility that comes with it – was demonstrated after the the Covid-19 pandemic brought society to its knees.
The media,both mainstream and its online cousins, risked life and limb to keep an initially panicked public abreast with the latest on the spread of the virus, the threat it posed, efforts to curb the virus and perhaps more importantly on what people should do to steer clear of the virus.
Day in and day out the media kept Covid-19 on its agenda for the greater good of keeping the people safe with information. And the people sat up to read and hear what the media was saying before drawing their own conclusions.
There is no denying that measures introduced by the government and the tireless efforts of the medical fraternity helped to ultimately to calm the tempest. Credit belongs to them, without question.
But it was the media who collated the whole story and brought it to everyone’s attention. Hence National Journalists Day or HAWANA which is observed every May 29, is a little extra special this year, with the country transiting to the endemic phase of the pandemic outbreak.
The day was aside in 2019, ironically the year Covid-19 became a pandemic,to acknowledge the role the media plays.
New Sarawak Tribune spoke to some veteran journalists to gather their thoughts, on the challenges they face and their worldviews on journalism.
Mahdar Bujang, 51, began his career in journalism in 1996 and has since covered just about the whole spectrum of news.
For Mahdar, the challenge is to always to be ready in any situation, time and place.
“Everything moves quickly, and journalists must be eager to make sacrifices in order to serve as the community’s eyes and ears,” he said.
“The present day challenge is to write news accurately, given that much ‘news’ in the public domain lack authenticity, especially on social media,” he added.
“But, thankfully, even if numerous internet news portals have sprouted out like mushrooms, they have yet to convince and win over those who count on the mainstream media as a reliable source of information,” he said.
As for Haini Darani, 50, she began her career as a reporter at Utusan Borneo in 1994.
“Being a journalist comes with a lot of challenges. Journalism is a difficult career for a woman.
“As a woman, we must strike a balance between career and family. Because we don’t work regular hours, come home late at night, and have to work at home to meet deadlines we need a partner who understands our profession.
“And for those who are married with children, it requires full support from their spouses as well as their employers,” she said.
As for Faizal Bujang, 47, a former entertainment journalist, who began his career in 1997, his passion for journalism grew from there.
In this era of digitalisation, he feels media practitioners must adapt to changes brought on by the demands of the internet revolution.
“‘Consumer habits of acquiring the latest news have changed as a result of digitisation, with newspapers now being produced in fewer pages,” he said.
“As a result, media practitioners must adapt to these developments and discover strategies to combat the digital siege,” he said.
“Whatever the challenge, what’s most important is to get the message across,” he said.
Faizal summed up what should be the ethos of every discerning journalist. There is no greater satisfaction than bringing a story out. It’s the media’s call of duty.
