Industry players, experts convene at Hawana forum to discuss future of media

IPOH: Around 150 industry players and experts have convened at Casuarina@Meru Hotel here to explore the next course of action for traditional media and conventional journalism in the digital age, in a forum held in conjunction with the National Journalists' Day (Hawana) 2023.

Themed 'The Future of Media', the forum was officiated by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil at 8.30am on Sunday (May 28).

The first part of the forum will discuss the relevance of traditional media, the shift from print to digital and ways to attract advertising revenue.

Jakarta Post’s editor-in-chief, M. Taufiqurrahman is expected to share his views on the survival of the traditional media in Indonesia and how it has maintained its advertisers.

Another panellist, Mohammad Kadri Taib, who is the Malaysian Advertisers Association senior adviser is set to share information on how the association can help redivert advertisers to traditional media, while chief executive officer of Mindshare & Msix, Sheila Shanmugam will discuss her take on strategies to attract advertisers.

Meanwhile, Rev Media Group chief operating officer Nicholas Sagau is expected to talk about Media Prima's experience with digital transformation and how the media conglomerate promotes its digital platforms while maintaining market share in traditional media.

Moderated by Petra News executive director, Datuk Ahirudin Attan, the second part of the forum will be centred on conventional journalism, adapting to a digital environment and the new media.

Suhaimi Sulaiman, the former Malaysian National News Agency's (Bernama) chairman who is currently Radio Television Malaysia's (RTM) director-general, is slated to share his experience in transforming several leading TV stations in the country, the importance of conventional journalism in the age of fake news, as well as digital and mobile journalism.

The country manager at Agence France-Presse (AFP) for Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei Alric Manickam is expected to speak on the global AFP transformation experience and challenges and what it takes to transform AFP.

Meanwhile, branding expert Andrew Arnold Ambrose will focus on marketing in the conventional media versus social media influencers, the challenges of managing brand reputation in the digital age, data analytics, and tailored content.

Jointly organised by Bernama and the Institute of Broadcasting and Information Tun Abdul Razak (IPPTAR), the participants include journalists, correspondents and academics from Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Kuwait.

The Hawana 2023 celebration is hosted by the Communications and Digital Ministry and is being implemented by Bernama.

Themed "Media Bebas, Tunjang Demokrasi" (Free Media, Pillar of Democracy), Hawana 2023 will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday. - Bernama