Simplicity makes a readable story...

Having worked in mainstream newspapers, English sub-editor Norazian Abdul Raman knows what Bernama worth is to them.

“They still depend on Bernama but they don’t want to think Bernama is better than them, perhaps because of ego,” he said.

He said although some may perceived Bernama as being at its lowest cycle, newspapers just could not ignore Bernama because the news agency covers a lot more areas than they do.

“They go for certain assignments and the rest leave to Bernama.

“And sometimes Bernama come out with nuggets, good stories from events which the papers don’t cover,” said Norazian, 58, who had worked in The Star and The New Straits Times.

Since joining Bernama three years ago as sub-editor, he admits that at times it was ‘frustrating’ to see stories he had edited being used by the newspapers without attribution to Bernama.

“You know that’s your story from the words and style.

“The online version especially are so blatant…they give cosmetic changes here and there and passed it off like theirs,” said Norazian, who joined The Star as a reporter in 1983.

After three years, the newspaper had to close down and he moved to the New Straits Times. He returned  to the Star after a few years.

“When I  joined the Star, I was taught of the do’s and don’ts of journalism, how to write a news story -- the 5Ws and 1H of who, what, when, where, why and how.

“When I submit my story, my editor will call me and make me stay beside him while he  rewrite the story,…only after he had finished would he let me go.

“The important thing is simplicity…one idea to one paragraph..if possible, one paragraph one line .”

““You cannot  have semicolon, colon, datch…. do you expect people to read a six-line paragaraph?,” he retorted.

“This is not for scientific journal but for people in the streets..if they don’t understand, they won’t  read,” he added..

“They must be able to understand what you write at a glance,” said Norazian.

 He believed Bernama should focus on guiding reporters to become competent in their work.

“It cannot  be help if  they get better offers elsewhere or gobble up by NST.

“Regard it as a form of compliment for Bernama and it’s been like that over the years.

 “Bernama should never ease off from training young reporters, from day one they must be trained…people will say that “if you’re from Bernama, then you are ok“.

“It means they believe in your competency and ability to train journalists,” he said.

He said some Bernama reporters do not realise that they have advantage over private sector print media reporters because they are from a government  agency.

He recalled the time when he was based in Terengganu as a Star reporter who wanted to cover an off-shore incident.

“I rushed to the helipad hoping to get a lift and when an air force helicopter arrived, the officer said “Bernama only”`.

“I just stood there in frustration seeing the heli flying off with the Bernama reporter on board,” he said.

Norazian said there were also times when Bernama was given priority such as coverage of official functions and assignments abroad.

Consider ourselves as the chosen people," he said with a smile.