PUTRAJAYA – Media practitioners should strive for ethical communication, especially when it comes to choosing headlines, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He added that journalists, editors and those with similar roles have a lot of space when choosing headlines for their stories, which could dictate how readers perceive the respective article.
He was referring to news articles reporting on the KL Sessions Court’s decision about convenience store chain KK Supermart & Superstore yesterday, where some media outlets opted to put the company director’s acquittal in their headlines, while others put up their RM60,000 fine.
“They are both referring to the same issue (which was) the decision in court. But, which is the truth, and which is ethical?” he said in a speech during the World PR Day celebration at his ministry today.
“Deciding on the headline can (influence) the sentiment of those who read it. It is likely that (one) has already judged the news without reading (it) all the way through.”
Fahmi said while both versions of the headlines appear correct, the decision ultimately falls on the kind of message that should be sent out, and for whom the news is written.
“The reality is that people sometimes do not read the news but only snapshots, and posts on social media while discussing (accordingly), although (the posts) may not describe the news as a whole.”
He advised the soon-to-be PR practitioners present to ensure that the news they provide for the media to carry has truth, honesty, and ethical journalism – which he said is a dynamic aspect.
Yesterday, Scoop reported that KK Mart founder and executive chairman Datuk Seri Chai Kee Kan and his wife Datin Seri Loh Siew Mui were acquitted of their criminal charges over the “Allah”-printed socks fiasco.
The same decision was ruled for Johor-based manufacturer Xin Jian Chang Sdn Bhd’s directors Soh Chin Huat, Goh Li Huay and Soh Hui San.
However, the Shah Alam sessions court handed the two companies an RM60,000 fine each. – July 16, 2024