Abdul Kadir Jasin, a member of the PPBM supreme council, alleged that the paper had for a long time failed to adhere to journalistic principles and said the editors, accustomed as they were to slanting news in favour of the Barisan Nasional government, might find it hard to practise what he called “true journalism”.
One of the most important changes the pro-BN media had to make, he said, was to acculturate themselves to giving the right of reply to persons or organisations they criticise.
“They can devote three pages to Pakatan Harapan, but they can also slant the coverage in favour of Umno,” he said. “If that’s the case, then there’s no change at all. It’s really up to them if they want to change or merely want window dressing.”
He added that real change towards good journalism might help the NST attract readers and advertisers again.
Another former NST editor, Mustapha Kamil Mohd Janor, said BN-linked newspapers “just have to start telling the truth” if they were hoping to improve their circulation figures.
According to a news report, NSTP CEO A Jalil Hamid met the staff of the group’s publications on Monday and told them to adjust to the “new political environment” and to be in tune with public opinion.
Media expert Gayathry S Venkiteswaran of Nottingham University Malaysia told FMT she believed it would take time for pro-BN media organisations to improve the public’s perception of them.
She said it might require the retraining of journalists as well as candour on the part of the organisations in explaining to the public that they were returning to the principles of journalism.
“The media outlets need to talk to their audiences and explain they are committed to a new direction,” she added.
She also said they needed to understand that good business for them could come only with good journalism.