CHANGE and controversies are part of the heave of the seas in newsrooms, the best of which are steered by calm captains.
An English Literature honours graduate of 1984 from Universiti Malaya, Goh joined SMG that same year, debuting a page one scoop in just her first quarter as a rookie reporter. Behind that feat, she says, were The Star newspaper’s founding bosses and their work ethic: “I found the first three months really exciting, especially when I had my first front page exclusive.
“For that, I must thank a very good mentor, PK Katharason, who was senior journalist then; he never took no for an answer and pushed us to deliver our stories.
“News editors then would say: Don’t use the phone, go out, meet people, build your contacts – valuable advice I would later pass on.”
Goh rose to editorship of the paper’s Education section and Sunday Star – both elemental towards SMG becoming a public-listed company – before taking on the top editorial role.
Journalism, however, had not been part of the plan as Goh’s father had wanted her to follow the family’s tradition in teaching.
“The irony though, is that I became an Education editor who ended up writing about and working with teachers, and students!
“I soon grew to love reporting on education and was practically camping at the Education Ministry, so much so that one director-general passed the remark that the ministry was my second home,” she shares, adding that she misses being in the thick of things.
Such experience meant Goh was able to support SMG when it explored readership and profit increases through partnerships with Malaysia’s educationsector.
“I was lucky I became the Education editor when private education experienced a trajectory growth in the 1990s.
“This plus the expansion of public universities boosted SMG’s reach and advertising revenue,” she recalls.
Of the company’s social outreach programmes, Goh shares insights into the newspapers- in-education (NiE) initiative: “I’m grateful that the late Datuk Ng Poh Tip, who was the group chief editor at the time, encouraged me to build a strong Education desk, produce content, and run projects.
“In September 1996, Poh Tip sent me to the United States to learn about NiE and to set up Star-NiE.
“We established a solid team of local NiE trainers to train English teachers, invited American and British NiE practitioners for teacher workshops, and created a monthly NiEpullout.”
The NiE pullout was distributed with the main newspaper and used to interactively teach English to students who could improvise on content to do class presentations, thus building oral presentation skills that were lacking in schools.
“Over the years, we came across many young English teachers who told us they had used Star-NiE when they were students and were motivated to continue the legacy.
“Apart from national schools, we also introduced an English newspaper to a generation of readers from Chinese and Tamil schools as well as private schools,” notes Goh, adding that the programme won global awards that saw it spread to Thailand and Indonesia, and gain recognition in the United States and Australia.
Of far-reaching company events, Goh highlights the Star Education Fair that placed public and private institutions of learning under one roof for the ease of students and parents seeking information: “Established by the then group managing director Datuk Stephen Tan, it was another first in the media landscape that put SMG ahead.”
As she rose through the ranks, Goh – one of the few women chief editors at the time – helped shape SMG’s work culture to one that became more inclusive for women, especially those with children.
“When I first joined, we had to put up with cussing and sexist remarks. But over time more women journalists found their place in the newsroom,” she shares.
An insight Goh remembers is how, in the late 1980s, “crusty old bachelors” became outnumbered by mums-to-be who fought to have a smoke-free environment, breastfeeding facilities, and equal promotion opportunities.
Observing Ng systematically guide the newsroom to better outcomes boosted Goh’s confidence to improve the workplace for women.
“As a working mother myself, I was always empathetic with other mothers and would allow them flexibility when needed.
“But these women were hard working and committed people. So there was never an issue.”
Good governance was another of Goh’s aims as SMG navigated the rapid rise of social media.
“I wanted to make surethat the newsroom worked effectively without having excesses.
“It was challenging to have something more to offer in print when other platforms were ahead.
“So we had to take the news forward and have up to date reaction and commentary.”
To ensure SMG audiences got factual info, a “True or False” section was started at The Star Online where viral news was fact-checked.
Challenges, be they from the media scene or external political pressure, never kept Goh down for long as she remembers enjoying each work day.
“I was energised by the people I worked with and inspired by those I met outside.
“For the people who laid the foundations at The Star, those who journeyed with me to build SMG, and the ones now creating new chapters, I thank everyone.”
Social outreach
Goh with Pizza Hut Restaurants Sdn Bhd then senior general manager Low Kang Moon (left, in white shirt) together with SK Taman Maluri, Kuala Lumpur headmistress Rokiah Ahmad (right, in red tudung, pupils and teachers at the launch of the Star-NiE and Pizza Hut Tale Spin 2014 storyboarding contest. The NIE is an integral part of SMG's social outreach aim to promote the English language in the country.
Goh (right) was happy to be able to contribute to the growth of education as a key business component at SMG. — Photos: Filepic/The Star
Goh (second from left) with news editor Dorairaj Nadason (left), then GMD Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai (right) and former EIC June Wong in The Star's newsroom for a story in conjunction with The Star's 45th anniversary. — Art Chen/ The Star.
The Star-NiE programme introduced the English newspaper to a generation of readers from Chinese and Tamil schools as well as private schools, says Goh.
