Sunday Lite - A Joke By My Friend Azman Ujang

• MALAYSIANS are urged to continue buying and reading newspapers, which do not cost much, to support the role of the press in the country’s development and progress.
• Bernama chairman Azman Ujang, who made the call, said the information technology boom had drastically reshaped the media industry and brought new challenges.

My comments :  Hello Dato Azman.  Another friend sent me this news report about your statement. He said 'Sunday joke'.  Indeed it is a joke. 

People do not read the newspapers anymore because they prefer to read OutSyed The Box (ha ha ha).  I get over 30,000 visits per day. Sometimes over 50,000. That is more than the number of people who may read the New Straits Times, Berita Harian or Utusan. Utusan now has no more money to pay salaries. 

Ok lah I wont crow too much. The point I am making is this is the 21st century. Everything is online. For Malaysian news I usually read articles from Star Online,  Free Malaysia Today, The Malaysian Insight and Malay Mail Online - and all through Google News (Malaysia).  I also read online Middle Eastern media (Israel, Lebanese, Iran, Gulf), NYT, Washington Post, The Guardian (UK), Pakistani, Indian news and last but not least  my favorite RT News (Russia Today). 

Thats me.  Other people, especially the young people, keep in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, email etc.  

Maksudnya the Internet is now the mainstream media. 
The entire Internet is the 'media'.  

The printed newspapers are no more the mainstream media in Malaysia.  In our family we stopped buying printed newspapers since more than 10 years ago. Everything can be read online - for free. 

Dato Azman, you forgot to share with the people that New Straits Times has sold their building in Jalan Riong Bangsar to PNB for RM260 million.  It was a bailout.

According to Dr Muhd Khalid (the PM's Economic Adviser) in his book 'The Inequality of Colour' or something, the average ASB investor has just a few hundred Ringgit in their ASB accounts.  

The makcik nasi lemak, the pak cik bawa teksi, the cikgu sekolah etc have invested their meagre earnings in the ASB. And what does PNB do with the money? They bail out NST.  Banyak cantik.  Ambil duit orang miskin bagi kepada kroni korporat yang tak tahu niaga.  

I say Hamad Kama Piah have you informed the ASB and ASN unit holders that you have spent RM260 million of their money to buy the NST building?  What was the valuation for the building? 

And then the building has been leased back to NST.  I say, if NST cannot sell their newspapers, then how are they going to pay the rent?  Err . . .what is the rent? Market rate or special 'underwater' rate?

And that NST building is very difficult to rent to anyone else. Because it is a custom designed building - specially built for a newspaper with a printing plant attached.  Now PNB is stuck with NST as their "anchor" tenant.  If NST closes shop, who else can rent that building?  Just like Amanah Raya bought that Chartered Bank building in Jalan Ampang. Is it still empty? Just standing there. 

About a week ago, the PM's Media Advisor Kadir Jasin also made an appeal to Malaysians to read the New Straits Times. Here is the news (from the NST ok - bukan saya cakap tau. Jangan marah saya.) 

COMPLAINTS about govt not communicating well partially true, said Kadir Jasin

bigger problem people fail to read news to keep themselves well-informed

“very least, NST provides 100 news items daily, but do you read it?”

(OSTB : Huh??)

those who complain govt lack of communication dont read mainstream media daily

(OSTB : Huh?? What ??)

Kadir  said Malaysians no longer picked up a newspaper 
and read reports prepared by those with the knowledge and skills — the editors

(OSTB : Huh?? What?? If the NST's Editors - for example-  had any skills then how come their circulation is around 30,000 newspapers (or less) per day? I get more hits on this blog. 

If their editors are so skilled, then how come even the NST building sudah pi jual kat PNB? Nak bayar hutang pun tak ada duit. 

If the editors are so skilled then how come Media Prima boleh hutang RM3 BILLION? With no idea how they are going to pay for all that hutang? What type of 'skill level' is this?)

• actually boils down to people not finding the avenue to get the information.
• govt is communicating well, it’s the people who are not reading newspapers 
• it is they who did not go to the right place to get the information,” Kadir said.

(OSTB : Dear readers, this is what Kadir Jasin says about you. You folks are not finding the avenue to get the information. It is your fault. The government is communicating well. You folks dont read the newspapers. You dont go to the right place to get information. What say you?)

Internet and social media helped society stay connected, Kadir said 
it also created an uninformed society that lacked knowledge about own country

(OSTB : Huh?? Really? In what way?)

He said culture of “reading social media” had caused many, including media practitioners, to be unprotected from wild and unconfirmed news, which then led them to be exposed to the “terrible psychological disease” of being misinformed.

(OSTB : Huh?? So even the media practitioners themselves do not read the newspapers which they produce and hence they suffer the “terrible psychological disease  of being misinformed" ?? You mean even the newspaper people dont believe their own newspapers?)

“I know for a fact that there are many senior journalists and editors who don’t read the newspapers anymore."

(OSTB :  Baru kejap tadi you said that the editors are skilled and knowledgeable people - "reports prepared by those with the knowledge and skills — the editors".  

Now you say 'senior journalists and editors dont read the newspapers anymore??'

So if even the senior journalists and editors dont read the newspapers which they themselves write and publish, how do you expect the more intelligent Malaysians (and there are many of them) to read their newspapers?)

When you read online, you read by choice 
not what you should be informed about
this is like living in a world without editors
Editors perform a very important role. 
They cover and report events. 
They select appropriate news for you 
and they put it in a manner where it’s easier for you to read,” he told NST

(OSTB :  So the 'skilled' editors will feed you what you should read. Ok folks, if you want to throw up now, you are excused.)

people should at least give newspaper reading a chance
the most important news will be on the first few pages, so read that at least

(OSTB : Here is a screenshot of todays front page from NST Online.

So what is so great about their front page news today.  India is "probing"? Maksudnya? French waiter shot dead. Ok thats great news. Azmin slams Pasir Gudang MP? Who cares? 

Read or we will have more ‘Donald Trumps’ as leaders in the world

(OSTB :  I dont think you are in a position to compare with Donald Trump lah Dato.) 

Dr Mahathir admitted PH had communication issues due to unclear explanations 
Following that, he said a committee would be formed to address the problem.

(OSTB : Yet another committee, that will makan karipap, minum teh and waste taxpayers time and money.)