Media Consultative Council on the cards

Scene: Restoran Raju

Mohan: Today is world Press Freedom Day. You have not forgotten have you, Azman?

Azman: Of course not.

Mohan: A day to celebrate?

Azman: Of course not. For us journalists there is nothing to celebrate. But we do organise gatherings where we talk about press freedom. Mostly it is where we collectively sigh for something we don’t have. That’s what we do on May 3 every year.

Chong: You mustn’t forget the non-journalists. Last year Cikgu, Mohan and I attended one of your gatherings, remember? There were other non-journalists as well.

Azman: We thank you and others for your sympathy and support. In fact there should be more. In fact these gatherings should be huge, a demonstration of support for the press to be given more freedom. Everyone talks about the need for press or media freedom but no one wants to stand up to be counted.

Zain: So we deserve it.

Chong: Deserve what Cikgu?

Zain: Deserve the media that we get. Deserve the radio, deserve the TV, deserve the newspapers, deserve the periodicals and magazines … in fact no one should complain. No one should say "there is a lot of crap in the newspapers these days". They deserve the crap.

MOHAN: Luckily there is the online media. They seem to enjoy much greater freedom to report on what happens but the newspapers do not report. And that’s why young people prefer to get their news from online sites and the blogs. Also, many older newspaper readers are gradually migrating to the online news sites and blogs.

Azman: Most unfair.

Zain: I agree with you, Azman. People traditionally have been getting their news and information from radio, TV, newspapers and other periodicals. These media are, of course, constrained by all sorts of laws and regulations, chief of which are the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) and the Broadcasting Act. On the other hand, the online media are almost unconstrained. Of course there is the Communication and Multimedia Commission Act under which is a commission which sort of oversees what goes on in cyberspace. But they are not as restrictive as the PPPA. And so we have a much constrained traditional media and an almost unconstrained new media.

Azman: Thank you, Cikgu. If only the traditional media are given more free space within which to operate as the new media enjoys, we can arrest the migration of readers, listeners and viewers to the online news portals and blogs.

Mohan: I think it is about time that the PPPA and the Broadcasting Act were reviewed. There are more than 20 laws and statutes that regulate the Malaysian media. Our media are over-regulated by the government.

Chong: But what happens to the idea of the media regulating itself, the media policing itself?

Azman: Oh you mean the Press Council or the Media Council? No, no, the idea hasn’t faded away. After it was first mooted in 1970s, the idea of a council made up of editors and several representatives from the public is still very much alive.

Chong: More dead than alive!

Azman: I resent that.

Chong: Sorry.

Azman: Why I say it’s very much alive is that it was only last month that there was further discussion on the setting up of the Malaysian Media Council by the National Union of Journalists. There were some foreigners who gave their input on how it could be set up. I think the NUJ is very serious about it and may come out with some solid suggestions soon.

Zain: Good! I think it is about time that the long conceived media council is finally born.

Chong: So the media regulates itself through the council.

Azman: Yes, it will also see to it that the media abide by a code of ethics. It will conduct training to improve professionalism among journalists and also receive complaints from the public.

Mohan: But what’s this Media Consultative Council (MCC) which Information Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim talked about at the Petronas Media Awards Night on Friday?

Azman: Not very clear yet. But you can be sure that it is not something like the proposed media council. A media council is a project by the media. At the moment the Malaysian Press Institute, of which most newspapers in the country are members, is babysitting the project. The MCC is a government initiated project which to me is to ensure closer collaboration between media and government.

Mohan: As if there isn’t enough collaboration already.

Azman: We will know more when the publishers, editors and media owners meet at a discussion at the end of this month. I am told Rais and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein will jointly chair the meeting.

Zain: Oh, oh. I think the Media Consultative Council is as good as formed.

Mohan: So what will happen to the proposed media council?

Zain: I think it will be stillborn.