KUCHING: Radio still plays a significant role in disseminating news and government policies, especially in the rural areas, said Special Advisor in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Amar Adenan Satem.
KEEPING ABREAST: Head of CJA Sarawak branch Caroline Jackson (second left) presents a souvenir to Adenan as Ng (left) and Dr Jerip look on.
Adenan, who is also Tanjung Datu state assemblyman, said as an elected representative of a rural-based constituency, he found that no other medium was more effective than radio.
“The radio is still relevant even till today, especially in rural areas such as Tanjung Datu. It is still effective because it is the cheapest medium of news transmission compared to television, newspapers and telephones,” said Adenan at the Election Reporting Workshop organised by the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) Sarawak branch here yesterday.
Adenan added that radio had a very wide reach and was able to penetrate further than any other medium of communication.
On another issue, Adenan, who was formerly a journalist, advised journalists that in as far as news reporting was concerned, reports must be based on facts.
“Democracy is a two-way street, so journalists must understand the fact that currently the BN is able to deliver for the people, especially in the rural areas, because they have the means to do so.
“Whereas the opposition can just make promises but will not be able to fulfil them. This is fact.
“So, as journalists you must report on development projects which have been implemented for the people,” said Adenan.
Meanwhile, Bengoh state assemblyman Dr Jerip Susil, who was also present at the workshop, stressed that reporters must keep their promises not to write news which were ‘off the record’.
“By and large, in my last two terms as an elected representative I am very grateful that local journalists have been giving fair coverage to me,” he said.
Dr Jerip also called for better coverage of projects implemented in the rural areas.
Padungan state assemblyman Dominique Ng, who was also present, said more news coverage should be given to the opposition as they too were elected representatives of the people.
“There is a need for a more balanced reporting which must include members of the opposition to reflect a fair democracy,” he said.
The workshop is being conducted by CJA vice president Chris Cobbs from Canada. It ends tomorrow.
Some 30 local journalists, mostly from the print media, are attending it.