News Stories Should Relate To People, Says Veteran Journalist

Make your stories interesting by relating them to the people in their own language, says a veteran British journalist.

United Kingdom based CPU Media Trust trustee John Spencer said the challenge for the Commonwealth reporters was how to make their stories interesting as it was important for them to produce stories related to the interests and problems of the people.

"While it is important to talk to politicians to gather their views on policy changes, real journalism is about talking to real people, asking what they think and what they want," he told Bernama after speaking at the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) Media Forum 2014, held in conjunction with the CAPAM 2014 biennial conference at the Putrajaya International Conference Centre (PICC) today.

Spencer foresaw that media restriction imposed in certain Commonwealth countries would fade away with their economic progression and amid the emergence of new technologies.

"Over time, politicians will accept that while they don't like to be criticised, criticism is healthy," said Spencer, who has been a journalist for 35 years with senior positions in major evening newspapers and 13 years as group managing editor of the Press Association.

He said new technologies now allowed people to express themselves in different ways.

"If you are not getting the information you want from the traditional media, you can always find it elsewhere on the internet.

"The risk is to differentiate between truths and inaccuracies. We should treat people as adults and let them make their own choices," he said.

Touching on citizen journalism, Spencer said true journalism was still a profession that required professional skills.

"Everybody can be a reporter today by recording and shooting on their smartphones, but true journalism involves three basic principles -- fast, fair and accuracy.

"Failing to deliver the three fundamentals means you are not a journalist," Spencer said.

The inaugural media forum, entitled "Engaging the Commonwealth" and held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here, is jointly organised by the Office of the Chief Secretary to the Government and the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA).

Some 600 participants, comprising mostly mass media and communication students from public and private institutions of higher learning, media practitioners, academicians, top public service employees from the Commonwealth countries as well as representatives from embassies and high commissions attended the forum.

By Jason Tan

-- BERNAMA