KUALA LUMPUR: The Media Innovation Fund 2.0 is seen as a crucial catalyst in helping local media companies upskill journalists and invest in technology to produce high-quality digital content amid a significant decline in advertising revenue.
Sinar Harian Group Editor-in-Chief Zamri Rambli said nearly 90% of the organisation’s work was handled by individual journalists, while the shift towards a video-first approach required journalists and editors to acquire additional skills and use appropriate equipment.
"Alhamdulillah, the support from the government and the ministry through this fund will enable media companies to focus on training and acquiring the latest technological equipment,” he told Bernama.
On Oct 30, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil announced that the government had allocated RM30mil for the Media Innovation Fund 2.0. Applications are open until Nov 14 via the fund’s website at https://danainovasimedia.komunikasi.gov.my/.
Zamri said Sinar Harian had used the grant under the fund’s first phase last year for skills training and the purchase of equipment and software to meet the demands of both newspaper reporting and digital platforms, ultimately improving the quality of its coverage.
He said conventional media companies were facing shrinking revenue as technology companies such as Meta, Google and TikTok captured a substantial share of the advertising market.
As a result, media organisations often had to prioritise payroll over spending on training, equipment and software.
He said Sinar Harian intended to apply for the Media Innovation Fund 2.0, focusing on strengthening its video programmes through targeted training and investments in equipment and software.
Meanwhile, Media Prima Berhad Group Deputy Managing Editor (News and Current Affairs) Datuk Farrah Naz Abd Karim said the fund had helped accelerate efforts to upskill journalists and provide the equipment needed to meet the demands of digital content production.
She said Media Prima’s News and Current Affairs department had used the first-phase allocation for technical training and the provision of mobile journalism (MoJo) kits, which had helped boost journalists’ confidence in producing content for various platforms.
Farrah Naz, who is also New Straits Times (NST) Group Editor-in-Chief, said the transformation was essential but would have taken considerably longer without the funding, given the company’s annual budget constraints.
She also proposed specialised training for senior editorial leaders to help steer the organisation’s transformation and ensure business sustainability.
Sin Chew Daily Editor-in-Chief Chan Aun Kuang said the Media Innovation Fund 2.0 offered vernacular media an opportunity to accelerate digital transformation and reach new readers while preserving their linguistic and cultural identity and editorial character.
"Ultimately, technology should help us strengthen our identity, expand our reach and build bridges across communities, rather than dilute what makes vernacular media distinctive,” he said.
He said the funding could support investment in digital platforms, mobile journalism, multimedia production and data analytics, alongside technology and skills upgrades for newsrooms.
Chan added that digital platforms could also introduce Chinese perspectives and traditions to other communities, while artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted translation, subtitling and content production could help vernacular media reach younger and multilingual audiences.
However, he stressed that AI should remain an assistive tool, with journalists retaining editorial responsibility.
Makkal Osai Managing Director Datuk S. Gopalakrishnan said the financial assistance was significant in helping traditional newspapers transition to digital platforms while supporting operational sustainability and the welfare of Tamil media practitioners amid declining print advertising revenue.
"For a prominent traditional newspaper like Makkal Osai, the primary challenge lies in converting existing print readers into loyal digital users, while leveraging a brand that is already well-established within the Malaysian Indian community,” he said.
He said the funding could be used to develop news portals and mobile applications, strengthen social media presence to attract younger readers, and provide training in data journalism, multimedia and cybersecurity to improve reporting quality.
Gopalakrishnan said support for Tamil media was crucial to ensuring that the Indian community in Malaysia continued to have access to local news and current affairs reported through the lens of its own culture and language.
The Media Innovation Fund 2.0 covers five areas, namely training for media personnel; software and technology adoption; equipment, hardware and supporting facilities; content research and development; and two newly introduced areas involving news service subscriptions and media content.
On Saturday (Oct 31), Fahmi said that media companies receiving funding under the programme would be required to refrain from arbitrary staff retrenchments, even when facing financial constraints. — Bernama
