KUALA LUMPUR: Staff of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) must remain agile, efficient and innovative to ensure the 58-year-old news organisation stays relevant, its Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said.
She said the evolving landscape of journalism requires Bernama to adapt and remain competitive alongside other media organisations.
“To all Bernama staff, I understand it’s not easy to maintain integrity as news agency professionals in today’s challenging media environment,”
“But I believe that all of us here can succeed if we hold firmly to the principles of delivering the truth and fostering public understanding,” she said in her speech at the 58th Bernama anniversary celebration here today.
Also present were Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, deputy editor-in-chief (news service) Nasriah Darus, deputy editor-in-chief (economic news service) Azlina Aziz and executive editor carrying out the duties of the deputy editor-in-chief (international news service) Mohd Shukri Ishak.
Meanwhile, Nur-ul Afida emphasised that Bernama today is no longer the Bernama of the past, as it has to operate in a much more challenging media environment.
“Our content is increasingly vulnerable to ‘spun’ narratives or outright fake news, often circulated as misleading or unauthenticated information.
“One of Bernama’s major challenges lies in meeting the rising expectations of its clients and stakeholders, especially as other media organisations are capable of offering more, in line with technological advancements such as Artificial Intelligence (AI),” she said.
To address these demands and ensure that Bernama’s workforce remains competent and competitive, Nur-ul Afida said the agency is placing greater emphasis on training and upskilling, particularly in journalism courses and AI-related education.
