Alternative Media Is Not Untouchable - Ahmad Shabery

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- The alternative media are not as untouchable as the public may think, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Tuesday.As such, he said, even though the people had the right to write whatever they wish through blogs and other online media, they could still be subjected to actions under the law if they defame others."People think that the alternative media could do what they want. This is not true. Recently there were cases against some of these bloggers," he told reporters after launching the First International Journalism Fellowship organised by the Malaysian Press Institute at the University of Malaya here.Ahmad Shabery also said that the government had the responsibility to protect others from untruths and slander.With technology available today, cyber forensics would be able to trace and detect the identity of online writers or slanderers even though they might use the anonymity of the Internet or a different name as a shield, he said.To a question on the possibility of alternative media becoming more popular than the traditional media, Ahmad Shabery said it would depend on the reputation and credibility of the media concerned."The bottom line is reputation and credibility. If you have that and you report the truth, base on facts, the people will continue to read your articles. This is the new challenge for newspapers and for any form of media out there," he said.In his speech, he said, even though the big names in the media industry had long reach, with glitzy presentations and cool-looking presenters, the media in the developing countries could still do better in terms of substance."Today's media trend is no longer about the business of informing the masses. It's about creating demands and changing opinions," he said.The 40-day fellowship from April 14 to May 24, is participated by 33 young journalists from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Laos, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Seychelles and Malaysia.-- BERNAMA