Forty media professionals and journalism students attended the second National Press Club of Malaysia (NPC) Professional Development Series yesterday (11 January 2024).
Held in Kuala Lumpur at the Tun Abdul Razak Institute of Broadcasting and Information (IPPTAR), the participants from several news agencies in Malaysia, learnt the necessary skills to uphold journalistic ethics, among others.
One of the modules of the one-day programme carried out by The Communications and Multimedia Content Forum focused on self-regulation within the rapidly evolving and dynamic content ecosystem.
Content Forum chief executive officer, Mediha Mahmood said: “With netizens, citizen journalists and MoJos (mobile journalists) out there, and the flood of news that are unverified, sensationalised and even outrightly fake, the role of professional journalists is even more important. We rely on them to provide us with reliable and ethical news, serving as a trusted source amid the deluge of information.”
“We hope we continue to play a role in empowering journalists with the knowledge of global best practices in the field of journalism. By doing so, we can all contribute to maintaining consistently high content standards, fostering the well-being of both the industry and the community at large.”
Mediha added the Communications and Multimedia Content Code 2022 sets out the governing standards and best practices of content, providing attendees with the knowledge necessary to prepare them for any upskilling they receive in future.
NPC president Datuk Ahirudin Attan said the ability of journalists to self-regulate their content is crucial in strengthening the future of Malaysia’s media outlets.
“The training sessions held by Mediha at NPC’s Professional Development Series offer a pragmatic and thorough examination of the key Content Code provisions, equipping the nation’s journalists with the necessary knowledge to effectively navigate self-regulation as it relates to industry standards,” said Ahirudin.
“We are grateful to be working with strong and innovative partners for the NPC PDS, which includes the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Content Forum, IPPTAR, Crisis Management Centre, Dataxet Nama and Telum Media.
Ahirudin also expressed his heartfelt thanks to NPC’s corporate sponsors for their ongoing support, namely Maxis Berhad, Huawei Malaysia, Cheffaro by Eng Sheng Sdn Bhd, Blackmores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, The Gilded Lion Antiques and Art Gallery, West Coast Expressway, and Telekom Malaysia Berhad.”
He added that the NPC hopes to continue playing an integral role in the future of Malaysia’s development by upskilling journalists, and as a result, bolstering the integrity of the nation’s media.
The trainers involved in the second NPC PDS were MCMC head of investigation department, Akmal Hamdy Baharudin; Mediha Mahmood, chief executive officer of the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia; Nordin Abdullah, Crisis Management Centre founder; Bernama TV producer Gerard Ratnam; and Chris Seto, managing director at Dataxet Nama.
The third NPC PDS will be held tomorrow (16 January 2024), at The Royale Chulan Damansara in Selangor, following the first at Dorsett Putrajaya and the second at IPPTAR in Kuala Lumpur.
There are 10 series in all involving over 300 journalists and media practitioners, including in Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Pulau Pinang, Perak, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak. For journalists interested in the programme, pre-registration is required. 
