Bernama's credibility

Sometimes the blogger needn't write anything, because, as in this post, the editorial from The Malaysian Insider titled Bernama’s credibility says it all.

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JAN 20 - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took exception to state news agency Bernama’s coverage of his speech in Alor Star yesterday in which it reported that he wanted a discussion with Datuk Seri Najib Razak instead of a debate.

This after the letter the PKR de facto leader had sent to the prime minister inviting him to debate about the Pakatan Rakyat PR 100-day programme.

Whether Najib will eventually take up the challenge and make Anwar break into a “fever” is another question.

What is in question is Bernama’s coverage of Anwar’s comments.

The state news agency did not skip a beat and reported Anwar’s objection to the reporting but made no attempt to say its report was wrong.

Unlike the July 24 2010 article that made Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng livid when the national news agency filed a story with an incomplete quote and suggested when it was not so that he had accepted in good faith a reproach from the prime minister and deputy prime minister.

Bernama later apologised for the mistake.

Is there a pattern to Bernama’s reporting that upsets only one bench in Parliament

After all it is a federally-funded news organisation that must serve Malaysia not just the government of the day. Its duty is to report accurately and impartially not to favour the ruling government over its political foes.

Bernama has to be careful about its role. Its reporting is used by almost all media organisations in Malaysia and also by foreign news agencies and newspapers such as Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Kyodo and Bloombery to name a few.

And it counts The Malaysian Insider and other news portals as its clients.

If any of its reporting raises doubts then its credibility is at stake. And it will lose clients and only report the news that Putrajaya wants to hear which is not what any good media organisation is all about.

Malaysians have punished news organisations which abdicate their roles of reporting fairly by boycotting several newspapers and driving down their circulations and ability to make money.

Bernama should not tempt this fate It won’t just lose money - or get the government to top up its deficit - but it will lose its name pun intended.

As a client and more so as a Malaysian we expect Bernama to report accurately and fairly And if mistakes are made to correct them swiftly and apologise appropriately. Keep to professional standards and don’t go the way of some media outlets in the country.