TalkRUM:
Discovery on Media Industry

On 23rd January 2022, the first session of TalkRUM ended successfully.

Five guests from the media industry shared their years of observation and practical experience with us.

Don’t worry if you missed out on the session, because we have compiled the highlights of the sharing seminar specially for you.

Let’s have a look!

01 Correlation between current society & university students

Yeap Thiam Hoong

Lecturer of Faculty of Communication and Creative Industries, TARUC
Content producer of “野田弘部落格Kenn’ Blog”

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The glamorous appearance of the media industry attracts many students, but in fact, most people lack sufficient understanding of this field.
Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, social media platforms have become the primary way for people to obtain and publish information. The number of people listening to the radio and watching TV is gradually decreasing, and traditional media industries are transforming – TV into YouTube and Netflix, radio into blogs, and newspapers into online media.
No matter how the media industry transforms, “dissemination of information” is always its main goal, while content orientation has become the primary consideration.
Media provides people’s daily “diet”, media workers need to identify suitable articles for each audience and be accountable when sharing content.
“Media literacy” is a skill that needs to be developed by all people from an early age, but Malaysian citizens still lack such awareness. Audiences are waiting to be “fed” by the media and cannot filter the authenticity of online information on their own.
Media workers are the decision-makers of future social direction and trends as well as the key players in shaping society. Media workers need to balance various types of information from multiple perspectives and viewpoints while at the same time grasping the correct direction of public opinion and spreading positive thinking. You may have your position on non-principled issues, but keep welcoming all views.
It is worth thinking about whether the “network porter” is in line with the ethics of journalists and the responsibility in the process of porter. University students are the future communicators who will provide “diet” for the future society, but it is necessary to pay attention to whether they will “provide” the correct “diet”.
The media understands and approaches society, so engaging in the media industry is inseparable from the basic knowledge of humanities and social sciences.
To have a deeper understanding of society, students should keep their ears and eyes wide open, write more and publish more, always be in the state of “preparing” and keep up with the pace of the times and the trend of society.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, but learn to explore in a more in-depth direction. A media worker with constant self-improvement and connotation can seize better opportunities.

02 Challenges faced by traditional media industry and its transition

Wincent Goh

Programme producer of the show “MY 阳光灿烂” at Astro Radio MY

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MY FM has now transformed into MY, a cross-media platform involving multiple fields.
In addition to radio programs with strong accompanying attributes, MY has expanded its market by collaborating with crossover brands and co-branding projects. Besides, MY also produces a series of variety shows, web series, etc., in an attempt to turn radio programs into movies and television.
“MY好玩” series of variety shows (such as “MY好玩测谎机”, “MY好玩木头人” and “MY好玩大侦探”) has collaborated with many Internet celebrities and artists. Many people may not be optimistic about Internet celebrities, but there are worthwhile things to learn from each one of them. By cooperating with Internet celebrities and artists, they may achieve a win-win situation.
The DJ usually speaks for only about 10 minutes on a one-hour radio show, so it is crucial to convey the message accurately to the audience in a short time. DJs will memorize the content so they can express it more smoothly and naturally.
It’s attention to content that makes the difference between average and stunning. What is more important is to output content through the power of radio. As long as audiences receive it, it can be considered good content.
The majority of MY’s content is intended to be entertaining. The future development direction of radio stations is actually based on their own choices. Whether the orientation of the radio program is entertainment or information, as long as you think clearly and do your part, you can call it a success.

03 Career building as a We-Media content creator

Chan Jin Wen

Co-founder and marketing director of Headline Media Sdn Bhd and WeirdKaya

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About Headline Media

Headline Media (formerly known as Kaya Biasa PLT) was founded in October 2020 by a group of young and passionate Malaysians.
Headline Media is a digital media company that focuses on creating trendy and hot content. Its platforms include WeirdKaya (an English local hotspot information platform), LokLokWords (a Chinese platform specially for independent high school students), and ezLokal (a Malay lifestyle and affiliate platform).
Services: article write-up, social media posting, video shooting, podcast, photography, event coverage, etc.
Features: “Keep Users Connected in a Young Way”; team members with an average age of 23, active and open-minded; customized marketing solutions according to customer needs; active in major social media platforms, understanding user habits and strong relevance.

Esther Lee

Co-founder and editor-in-chief of Headline Media Sdn Bhd and WeirdKaya

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About Weirdkaya

Founded in October 2020.
Initial content orientation: use English as the medium language to share interesting news about China. However, the growth rate was relatively slow, and it was necessary to find a new position and direction.
The Chinese-language We-Media market in Malaysia is relatively saturated. In contrast, there are still vacancies in English-language We-Media. Since WeirdKaya changed its positioning to “local news” in December 2020, it has gradually gained the attention of local readers. The current fan base has exceeded 790,000.
Content Spotlight: interviews, top stories, reader opinions (views on social issues).
We hope to produce content that is beneficial to our audience. In addition to general news articles, we also have interesting graphics/infographics, videos, blogs, and memes.

About LokLokWords

Founded in June 2021.
Develop a niche market and currently has a fan base of over 200,000.
A learning and entertainment platform for independent high school students, hoping to promote the cultural exchange of independent high schools in Malaysia.
Content Spotlight: articles, stories, and intellectual content related to teachers and students of independent high schools.

Dylan Tan Ying Ren

Founder and editor-in-chief of Loklokwords, general affairs director of Headline Media Sdn Bhd

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Opportunities and Challenges of Entrepreneurship

Opportunities:

A group of complementary and hard-working teammates.
Market vacancies.
Team members with relevant experience in the fields of journalism writing and marketing.

Challenges:

Funding (Initially, we started We-Media with enthusiasm, but as it continues to grow and develop, sufficient funds are needed to maintain the company’s operations, such as advertising, video production team, etc.).
The impact of social media algorithms.
Recruitment (with professional skills, and agree with company’s operating philosophy ).
Innovative content creation, good ideas.

Interactive Session

Question:

There is an argument that the media is born for the audience and everything the media does is influenced by the audience. On the other side, people think that the media can manipulate the audience, and the media can guide the audience’s actions. In the communication process, do you think the media has a greater influence on the audience than the audience has on the media?

Yeap Thiam Hoong: The question itself is the answer. The media and the audience influence and interact with each other – the media is born for the audience. In another way, the media can also manipulate the audience and sway the direction of the entire society.

Different social atmospheres and educational environments will also affect it. In Malaysia, the media seems to have a greater influence on the audience. This is because most of the audiences do not know how to distinguish the authenticity of the information.

Question:

Plagiarism and copyright infringement in the media industry are not uncommon. What do you think?

Wincent Goh: The media industry has a wide range (e.g. radio, variety, movies, TV series, music, etc.), and it is difficult to find the original source. The copyright awareness has yet to be strengthened, so it is generally challenging to determine what constitutes plagiarism or infringement in the legal sense. As a media worker or content creator, the most important thing is to have a conscience and take responsibility for the content you produce.

Question:

In the new media era, information has become easily accessible. But at the same time, there is a lot of false and vulgar negative information being widely and quickly spread. How do you think students, who are still immature in their thinking, should maintain their independent review of this massive amount of information?

Dylan: In the era of new media, everyone is a reporter, a spokesperson and a communicator. If we want to maintain independent thinking, we need to read more and take in more information from different aspects before making a judgment.

Chan Jin Wen: Since online information has become an integral part of society, education must also keep pace with the times. Media literacy should be cultivated from an early age.

Question:

Would you recommend studying media? What kind of personality does the media suit? What are the prospects?

Wincent Goh: Many people think that students majoring in media studies are “not very good at studying” and that they “want to become a popstar” However, this is not the case. Anyone who wants to contribute to the media industry is suitable for media studies. This industry is suitable for people who are thoughtful, outgoing and good at communication, and it has a wide range of career paths (We-Media, radio, TV, etc.). There is always a way if you’re committed, go for it!

Question:

I’m currently a freshman majoring in communications, but I don’t know if I like this major, and I’m confused about the future. How can I do ?

Chan Jin Wen: You have to learn about your interests through practice, try a few more internships in different positions. You will know whether you are suitable and like it or not. Action is the foundational key to all success. Explore, and you will find your own path.

Esther: Keep trying. Even if it’s not related to your major, try it out and you may accidentally find yourself in a particular industry.