Susan Tam

Fund for bloggers and healthy debate

2007-01-25T18:19:00.000+08:00

I hope I do not digress too far from the discourse at hand here at virtual space at Ateneo de Manila University, but I thought it would be interesting to highlight these points.

The battle of the bloggers continue to rally support, with talks of setting up a Fund to finance future support should these crises take place again.

There are mentions that it would be subjudice should the case be discussed outside courts, but it is worth noting that Ahiruddin or popularly known as Rocky, when he was editor of the Malay Mail, and Ooi, who started blogging in 2003, had healthy exchanges via the different mediums they serve.

Read the post here

Healthy debates is what is encouraged all the world around, I hope we can continue to do so here in the Malaysian space of cyberspace.

Walk With Us

2007-01-23T17:31:00.000+08:00

A truly converging world we live in, the line of traditional media, new media are blurring.

An update from the Ooi and Ahiruddin legal battle, we watch as support grows for two Malaysian bloggers up against a defamation lawsuit by English daily NST.

Malaysians, and the global community alike, watch how this tale unfolds in what seems to be a landmark phenomenon in the way Malaysians express, deliver and carry their voices in this dynamic media environment.

Restrictions questions, criticims encouraged, look at newly set up
Walk With Us for an idea on how support is being rallied from blogging community, the Average Joe and you and me.

Blocked blogs

2007-01-19T12:29:00.000+08:00

I thought I'd draw your attention to this piece of news. Two popular bloggers, Jeff Ooi and Ahiruddin Atan (the latter being a former journalist) have been served with lawsuits by local English daily, News Straits Times.

Read story here.

Ooi was served with an injunction to bar postings related alleged defamatory to the publication. Ahiruddin, popularly known as Rocky, has received a suit for defamatory postings too.

This injunction and suit I believe,is a first of its kind, proving that although Internet as a medium is not regulated by the strict license and media laws in Malaysia, it was still subject to basic defamation and copyright laws. It goes to show that to completely have freedom of speech in Malaysia still finds stumbling blocks of various kinds.

It will be interesting to see how the powers that be cope with the very rapid changes in technology that allows information to be delivered freely and pervasively.

A hammer, saw and webcam

2007-01-18T11:07:00.000+08:00

Taking a step back to think of how journalists have functioned all this while. It started as a simple pen and notebook, ways of communicating began with basic telegraph and even the trusty public phones. Typewriters are used to set the stories; it would be catastrophic to have your editor scrunch up your stories and aiming it for the bin.

Today, I'm seated here with my laptop connected to the Internet on broadband links, my mobile phone, blue tooth enabled, 3 G enabled, allows me to connect and transfer data anywhere I want to.

I can be miles away from my headquarters and still file in a page one story. The mobile gadgets I have also has a camera which allows me to snap newsworthy photographs for print or uploaded.

Technology has transformed the way we work and it continues to amaze. Journalists no longer stick to their specific job scopes, able to be writers, videographers, photographers thanks to these tools. Likewise photographers, videographers can start writing and packaging pieces for the consumption of the world.

I refer to a reading from the Online Journalism Review at and how they provide a list of tools available for the multimedia journalist.
The way tools have evolved, it does not confine the journalist or media personnel in one place to access communication links and send their stories. He or she is even more mobile, able to work in makeshift workstations just as long as there are communication links.
It doesn't not restrict the scope of which a journalist can work in, he or she can travel and file stories of any kind without worrying about deadlines, traffic jams and other congestions.
Armed with these tools also comes with price, journalists have to be savvy to use these resources and adapt to the demands of the multimedia newsroom. This means the expectations of a journalist is higher, literally, he or she can be filing any story from any where, just so the infrastructure allows the access.
I always feel overwhelmed with these demands and expectations, as this change is inevitable. I believe then we fall back on the basics, of the audiences we cater and the purposes we write our stories for. It is time to capitalise on these resources for production of better stories, improved information delivery, in hope that we can enrich and raise quality of lives around us.

Mobs and blogs..

2007-01-10T21:57:00.000+08:00

The London bombings in July 2005 were one example of how moblogs take off. In the recent podcast session with Josh, we briefly discussed how ordinary citizens can contribute to journalism, in this case through mobile phones.

The pictures sent through mobile phone to CNN's I-report and BBC's website, helped journalists gather information for news reports and to help inform other viewers in different parts of the world. I find that this additional resource will be helpful to journalists, provided the necessary verification and authorization is sought before information is aired in the news sites. This will lend credibility to the information or images sent by citizens.

I remember discussing this with Josh over the podcast, but I can't recall if it was included, perhaps in the upcoming sessions, this verification is needed by a trained editorial team to avoid abuse. Having information aired through an international or national media organization carries heavy responsibilities and weight, not to mention repercussions, so it is important to check the accuracy of the information and images and sources before making it available on public domain on the labels of CNN, GMA, Reuters and the like.

I believe as journalists working in this converging world, it is our duty to verify these pieces of information as well as share the importance of these processes to mobloggers or bloggers, as we continue to shape the dynamic information delivery systems.

Where do we go from here?

2007-01-06T15:29:00.000+08:00

Malaysia’s ranking in RSF’s Freedom Index 2006 is hardly surprising. With the strict media laws that we are familiar with, media personnel constantly have to work around the system to get materials published, particularly sensitive ones that touch on race relations, religion and of course criticisms against the government.

In earlier blog entries, I noted that Bruce, Erwin had raised issues about Malaysian authorities attempting to restrict bloggers after a heated discussions about race relations at a high profile political assembly last November. Authorities cited reasons to maintain national security, threatening also to shut these blogs down using similar forces already in place to control the print and broadcast mediums in the country.

This move goes against the policy of non-interference on Internet content. The former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, during the development of the Multimedia Super Corridor, insisted that content on the Web to be free of any control or influence. The Internet phenomenon boomed and now we have mass amounts of information being delivered. This I believe authorities did not expect, hence hitting the panic button by threatening to shut down blogging operations was one knee-jerk response.

We are moving to a whole new level of information delivery, it is no longer about reading yesterday’s news, information is delivered at real-time basis today, and it affects policy decisions, investment decisions and even social behavior. I find the environment is challenging but also uncontrollable. Yes, the question is do we need a form of control to hinder the freedom of speech, the freedom to express oneself, but do we also need control to avoid bloody racial riots of 1969, deadly religious clashes from the Danish caricature issue. I believe this space we have created, via blogs, chatrooms and in this class, gives us the opportunity to reflect and reanalyze our roles on to work in this very dynamic environment.

2007 and beyond..

2007-01-01T12:40:00.000+08:00

A Happy New Year to all, Prof Quinn and friends..

It is nice to wake up to freshness of minds, changing of the world's dynamics, mostly thanks to technology.
Amidst the well wishes and hope for a better year ahead, I find the last moments of 2006 particularly intriguing and somewhat disturbing at least in the context of converging media.
I'm sure we all have read, heard and viewed Saddam's execution, done hangman style. The latest reports featured mentions of amateur videos, filmed on a camera phone, of the former tyrant's execution and more importantly being picked up by major networks in the US.
The question raised in the article was about how the footage was caught via mobile phone cameras, the question of access of these gadgets into the gallows and the ethical dilemma of featuring such footage on international television/media.
We all understand the blurring of lines when it comes to sources of information and the changing roles of the media, but in this context of an execution, should authorities have allowed the entry of such unofficial gadgets to record moments of history. We all understand the repercussions of such information being made public, my questions is of control, or is there no control.
I believe then it would be relevant for us to relook at our roles, with this issue being the key theme for Time magazine's latest issue, on the Person of the Year

As most of us know, instead of featuring icons or personalities commonly done in past issues, 2007's piece talked about the general public, bloggers, people behind YouTube and the like, having the huge influence in how they or we shape the media and the world we live in.

The Onion and The Kimchi

2006-12-14T22:12:00.000+08:00

I read the OhMyNews website with interest as I parallel its readings with a parody and satirical news website, The Onion - at www.theonion.com.

The Onion is a parody newspaper published weekly in print and online. It features articles on international, national and entertainment issues written with a twist and wry humour. If I remember correctly, the website more than decade old or older and portrays a different way on how issues are approached and written about.
Although The Onion does not accept freelance contributions, I find that it is an avenue to express different thoughts and approaches that traditional media miss out or are barred from doing.
OhMyNews gives that chance to ordinary citizens to post news in possible angle that journalists may not see or not approach due to certain restrictions.
I just want to say that this form of avenue existed way before the trend of Internet caught on, perhaps it is my rather naive way of viewing this issue and how people use the Web to express their thought and ideas, but I felt that what is happening now has always been taking place.
It is just the speed of which things are unfolding that has caught us (or some of us) unprepared. We should not be surprised at how coverages have developed or how new mediums have erupted form underneath us. I find myself catching my breath in trying to keep up with latest in news reporting at least and it overwhelms me. How do we cope, I wonder. Constant learning and constant exchanges. As long as we do not lose sight of our roles as journalists, writers and messengers, we should be on the right path, at least from my point of view.

Citizen who?

2006-12-11T18:56:00.000+08:00

Reading about citizen journalism reminds me of a very lively debate we had in our ethics class last semester.
We touched on the roles of journalists and citizens and whether we can differentiate the two. Certainly in this day and age, the lines are blurred, especially since the speed of which technological advancements take place, it is hard to keep up.
My 60-year-old dad is thinking of blogging or joining a lobbying group to champion the rights and issues of taxpayers in my neighbourhood, he is fond of surfing, reading blogs and posting his comments online, offering different insights to journalists, who sometimes miss crucial angles.
My question is, as journalists, whose priority is to report the truth and serve the greater public, how do we "compete" with this very fast changes in the delivery platforms.Why I speak of competition is because I question our roles in the very near future. At the rate we are going, our vocal citizenry, will in no time, overtake us in information delivery. Surely there will be questions about credibility of information and ethical standards to maintain when gathering information, but how does the journalist keep up with the changes?
I know the necessity of upgrading my skills, keeping them relevant to ensure that I remain a multi-skilled journalist. But there are days when I feel overwhelmed with the information received and the speed of which information travels.
I suppose one aspect that will always differentiate us with citizenry is the fundamentals of journalism and the ethical standards we keep. Stick to truth, avoid sensationalism and always stay loyal to our audiences. This helps us to stay focus on the purpose of our profession, regardless of the medium used to deliver information.

Economic figures up for Malaysia - radio style

2006-12-10T11:49:00.000+08:00

Next year is looking good for the Malaysian economy as it responds well to the growth from East Asian economies.
This positive sentiment led think tank Malaysian Institute of Economic Research or the MIER to revise its forecast gross domestic product or GDP figures upwards.
Its executive director Professor Dr Mohamed Ariff says Malaysia’s 2007 GDP forecast is raised to 5.2% from an earlier estimate of 4.8%.
He says this is because Malaysia is less sensitive to US economy’s slowdown and is benefiting well from intra-trade with East Asian economies.
But, Dr Mohamed Ariff cautioned that uncertainties may increase in 2008 which might result in a recession in a worst-case scenario.
He says if the US dollar does not make the adjustments and goes on a spending spree during its elections, it may lead to a kind of crunch.
MIER hopes that the US economy will slowdown now and for US dollar will take a softer landing to avoid a crisis of global proportions.

Economic figures up for Malaysia

2006-12-10T11:40:00.000+08:00

As required, the second story.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) has revised its 2007 GDP growth forecast upwards to 5.2% from an earlier estimate of 4.8% given that Malaysia is less sensitive to the US economy.
Malaysia has become more sensitive to the growth of East Asia, especially China, said executive director Prof Dr Mohamed Ariff.
He said there were signs that the US and European economy was slowing down but Malaysia has shown resilience.
“What is becoming more important is East Asia, especially China. Intra trade with East Asian economies accounts for more than 50% of total trade in the region, Malaysia can ride on East Asian growth," he told reporters after the opening of the National Economic Outlook Conference 2007-2008 recently.
He said compared to Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, Malaysia’s growth rate stands better as the local economy was more diversified and would also benefit from expenditure boost in the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
However, Dr Mohamed Ariff cautioned that uncertainties could increase in 2008 which might result in a recession as a worst case scenario.
“It much depends on how the global imbalances are addressed. If the US dollar does not make the adjustments and goes on a spending spree due to its elections, it may lead to a kind of crunch,” he said.
He said hopefully the US dollar would take a softer landing and the US economy to experience a slower growth now to avoid a crisis of global proportions.
“We can’t completely rule out the possibility of a recession but the chances are slim.
“The adjustments will have to not only come from the US economy but also East Asian economies and there are signs of this taking place,” he said.
He also said assuming that the US dollar would undergo an orderly correction and that oil prices would remain largely stable if not lower, Malaysia could record a 5.5% growth in 2008.
Dr Mohamed Ariff added that it expected adjustments to be made in 2007 to allow the economy to be on an expansionary path in 2008.
For this year’s GDP growth, MIER revised it upward to 5.9% from 5.6% on the account of better business and consumer confidence.
The think tank’s surveys found that this was possibly buoyed by incentives offered in Budget 2007 and the 9MP projects. Consumer confidence was boosted due to news of bonuses for the civil services and stable job market.

Empowering the disabled

2006-12-10T11:34:00.000+08:00

Caption: Kok (second from right) explaining engineering concepts to Lim(in wheelchair,white top) and other students

SHARON Lim is excited about her plans to visit Sipadan Island early next year. She wants to put her newfound diving skills to the test.
“My friends tell me that among the best ways to enjoy the island is to go diving,” she says.
Lim, 27, is not only passionate about diving but other sports. Recently, she attended a fencing event in Thailand as part of the Malaysian delegation to hone her fencing skills.
But Lim is “not so ordinary” – she has been wheelchair-bound for almost five years now, but this has not dampened her spirit in any way.
Her latest venture is the Lions Engineering and Drafting Services (Leads) Programme.
This telemarketeer says as a person who likes challenges, she took up the course to make herself more employable.
More importantly, the programme is exceptional as it affirms the commitment of students through its unique structure.
The programme, designed for the disabled, was launched late last year and is a collaboration between the Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur, charity portal Hati.org.my and Taylor’s College Petaling Jaya Campus.
Students pay a RM500 (US$143) deposit, which is fully refunded upon completion of all assignments and all class attendance in the programme.
If they fail to hand in an assignment, a RM50 (US$14) penalty will be imposed.
The programme was considered a success, because out of the 10 students that graduated, two successfully gained employment. The first batch of students comprised of wheelchair-bound individuals and transsexuals. Lim is in the second batch of 20 students.
Other than her personal commitment, she is inspired by her trainer, Clancy Chung.
Chung, with over two decades of draftmen’s experience, suffered from polio when she was five years old. She works from home and used to teach hearing-impaired students at the YMCA many years ago.
“I tell students that it is simple to work from home and that it is an option they can explore. They just need is a computer and a printer and they can accept jobs from clients via e-mail,” she says.
Trainer Kok Hee Poh says the programme requires full commitment from the students.
“There is no free lunch as we all know it. The students know they have to take the course seriously.
“We want to help, but students are also encouraged to help themselves,” says Kok.
During the three-month course, the students undergo practical training in basic engineering drafting and computer skills.
Upon graduation, students are encouraged to contribute to the programme through sharing of ideas and perhaps teaching other disabled individuals.
Taylor’s College School of Architecture.Building.Design programme director Tony Liew says this programme has the full support of the management when providing the facilities and assistance when needed.
“It is a non-profit effort and if we can help, we should help every little way,” he explains.
As reflected in the sharing by these individuals, life is not a bed of roses, but when opportunities beckon, it is up to the individual, disabled or otherwise, to take up the challenge.

Cyber-wannabe-journalist

2006-12-04T21:44:00.000+08:00

Cyberjournalism may not be the trendiest catch phrase in the Malaysian media, but there is no short of multimedia elements in delivering news and images to our global audiences.

Starting out as a rookie, I've always acknowledged the importance of staying multi-skilled, to be able to write, report on air and package news items, in order to stay marketable in this fast changing environment. But I didn't acknowledge the speed of this development. A recent coverage of the Umno General Assembly jolted me back into the reality of this situation and the fluidity of mediums.

During the coverage of this political event, the colleagues that we had to work with from various mediums ballooned over the years, with many equipped with digital cameras, handheld camers and some also using camera phones to document the event for audiences. Even the political figures expressed their surprise, uttering remarks like, "wow there are so many of you there this year" and the like. Journalists turning photographers and camera men and women, and vice versa. And what has sped up this development, is as we know it,our far reaching medium, the Internet.

I use the word jolted because during the coverage, we were pushing each other to snap photos and record comments and this makes me realise how important it is to have multimedia skills.

At The Star, the idea of multimedia journalism was mooted more than 10 years ago, with the setting up of Star Online, our electronic version of the newspapers. About six years ago (or maybe further back), the company's multimedia section was set up, feeding content for mobile phone subscribers and later a video section to produce clips for webcasting.

Today, this humble multimedia section has grown from a 4 man team into team of 10 or more personnel, tasked to gather material for the online version of the publication. But it does not stop there. Journalists from all the different sections are expected to be ready to write scripts fo webcast and our sister radio station, Red FM, some are also trained to do stand-uppers and package stories for webcast.

Journalists are also expected to be able to put together news flashes for our mobile phone subscribers and also to upload on the news website. All this happened in the last five years,from my observation that is. Yes, The Star is embarking heavily multimedia aspect of journalism, in fact the publication now has a studio for audio and visual recordings of events.

The infrastructure is there, with the emphasis on the importance of serving different audiences' demands, but I feel that the publication needs to find tune its directions and objectives as a content provider in this changing environment.

Big fish and small fish

2006-11-30T20:31:00.000+08:00

We speak about convergence of mediums, and also convergence of ownership. The latter phenomena is taking place right here in Malaysia, and I sit back think about the impact to the other media players in the country.

Media Prima, a company owned by one of the major political parties forming Malaysia's ruling coalition, is on a buying spree. It recently concluded a major acquisition of an advertising company, Big Tree and has plans to also purchase another two advertising firms. Media Prima owns four television stations and english daily New Straits Times and several Malay dailies Berita Harian and Harian Metro.
Two days ago it announced plans to acquire Malay daily Utusan Melayu, currently holding one of the top readership and circulations in the country. This massive merger is being strongly opposed by shareholders of Utusan Melayu but gauging from the business logic and justifications, it would most probably be sealed by early 2007.

Critics to this merger raise concerns about a media monopoly and threat to press freedom. Malaysia's situation as we all know already faces the challenges of strict press regulations and licensing controls. The press has been allowed some leeway in the past few years, but what will happen now with fewer players in the market?

My trusty pen and notebook

2006-11-28T21:23:00.000+08:00

Oddly enough when I joined the profession, I was curious to try writing in the different mediums that The Star was dabbling in.
Aside from writing for the newspaper, I was working on the multimedia desk, at that time, producing very amateur video clips of news events. Using my little training at a tv station before The Star, we worked on stories that we thought were visually enticing for our readers. The idea of producing broadcast quality clips did not cross our minds as we were learning the ropes on editing, producing and webcasting.

The Star's multimedia section has grown and I must say we have improved from five to six years ago. Our sister radio station uses content from our print reporters and webcasts are also done based on print story ideas. But the video team also works fairly independently from the print desk as it sources stories suitable for its webcast viewers.

Having these experiences, it does help draw out the strengths and weaknesses of the different mediums. As a print journalist, I find that it is very easy to work independently and at my own pace as I do not need to rely on technology to aid in my story packaging process. Gathering content can be as simple as making a telephone call to a contact and a quick phone interview. Time spent working on a story is shorter, at least I find, during crunch time, as one person is required to write out a 500 word story for instance. There is less concern to worry about other content like pictures or sounds bytes and cutaways. We do not also worry about the breakdown of our cameras or microphones, only the occasional tape recorder malfunction, which in any case, the trusty pen and notebook will do the job just fine.

But having said that, I find that capturing the sense of the event, for instance a tragedy or joyous moment, is lost in print. Although people can argue that descriptive words and creative writing can make up for this loss, nothing works better than visual of a grieving mother or a audio clip of a baby crying. The reach is also wider as these materials can be posted on the Internet, reaching not only a local audience, but viewers from all parts of the world accessing the publication's website. Often, I find that I lose out to journalists who write for news website as they can upload news almost immediately and in a real-time fashion, as opposed to a print journalist who will only see his product the next day. Again, some argue that the print journalist has the luxury of time to produce his piece, but like we discussed in earlier weeks, time is no more a luxury. My print story is published the next day, and often is 'stale' unless written differently.

This is one of my greatest challenges, I find, to write a story that is different and stands out from other mediums. Also to be comfortable to write for webcast, radio and websites.

Convergence is everywhere

2006-11-21T09:58:00.000+08:00

Convergence is definitely taking place in Malaysia, as cited in examples in Quinn and Filak’s book. This involves traditional mediums taking on new appearances and roles either through news websites, producing webcasts, and sending news flashes via mobiles phones or through emails. Some local publications have got to the extent of acquiring radio stations and television stations (if their financials permit) to have complete control of all mediums and have better outreach to their audiences

As discussed in many editorial meetings and some I’ve had the chance to attend, time seems to be the precious commodity for all readers. Readers/viewers do not have the luxury of time to read a newspaper or magazine from back to front or even sit through a news programme. They want information delivered close to real time as the even takes place and in small doses where it does not take up too much time digesting it.

In The Star and in other dailies in Malaysia, information sent has been reduced to couple of lines transmitted on a mobile phone or PDA and on news websites, fulfilling the speedy demands of the reader/viewer.

Also As publications clamour to fight for reader’s time to deliver news to them (as well as advertising space), publications are looking to enlarge market share or readership. Since the younger generations are more likely to turn on their laptops, PDAs or mobile than to read a newspaper, publications are all turning their news websites into trendier, eye-catching sites to lure new readers.

More importantly, these news websites provide advertising space, which advertisers would be keen to pay for, tapping into the younger generation, which potentially have higher spending power.

These trends are not unique to Malaysia alone, as pointed out by Erwin, in the Philippines and I’m sure in other parts of the world. The push towards convergence is inevitable, yes, I agree with Erwin. It is unavoidable due to the demands of readers/ viewers, changes in the way we live and receive information and more obviously to the advancements of technology.

Who am I?

2006-11-13T14:50:00.000+08:00

Susan Tam is my name, ironically enough, I was unknowingly named after a veteran business journalist and often get mistaken for her during the course of my work. I've been a print journalist with The Star, an English daily based in Kuala Lumpur, for six years now.

I started my career in the political and general newsdesk covering politics, health and social issues, environment concerns and occasionally the off-beat issues. During the five years on the general desk, I had the chance to produce and present video reports for webcast on the newspaper's website and recently, did voice reports for Red FM, the daily's sister radio station. I do not write for the online version, but our print reports are reproduced in the website, which is popular among Malaysians abroad, so we are told.

After five years of covering the political and social beats, I decided that it was time for a change and moved to the business desk, venturing into what many have termed it as a “dry and boring desk.” I agree that the business topics are somewhat technical and less colourful than political scandals, but learning financial terms and reading the trends of the stock market is challenging in itself. With the experiences at the political and business desk, I hope to learn all the traits as a well-rounded journalist, as well as improve my skills with emergence of new mediums and adapt to the different ways of how journalists have to work in this changing environment.

I have not the chance to fully explore my skills as a multi-medium journalist, I hope to do with with the guidance of this course, Dr. Quinn and also through sharing of experiences of my colleagues in the industry.

If not spending time chasing after corporates and ordinary folk for stories, I spend my weekends volunteering for a charity portal, orphanages, and meeting the disabled. I love latin dances, it is my dream, which I claim as my only sporting activity.

I'd like to be able to teach one day, perhaps to some (poor) unknowing journalism students, but am more inclined to volunteer for underpriviledged communities, not my dancing skills, I hope.:)