Media must avoid becoming echo chambers to stay relevant

PETALING JAYA: Media organisations cannot afford to become “echo chambers” if they want to preserve integrity and credibility.

In an interview with Bernama at Hawana (Hari Wartawan Nasional) 2026, FMT executive chairman Nelson Fernandez said the principal challenge facing media organisations is not so much politics, but the scale of digital disruption affecting the industry.

He said that with Malaysia’s internet connectivity nearing 98%, audiences are no longer reliant solely on traditional media outlets for information.

Malaysia’s diverse social and economic landscape also requires media organisations to present multiple perspectives in order to remain “useful” to the public, he said.

“We cannot be an echo chamber because that is a route to irrelevance,” Fernandez said, noting that the media must reflect the views of different groups to ensure reporting remains balanced and inclusive.

Fernandez said news today must be delivered in “bite-sized” and “intelligent” formats that suit modern consumption habits. He warned that a “one-size-fits-all” approach is obsolete and media leaders must have a strong understanding of their diverse audiences.

“Given these challenges, if you’re running a media company today and you don’t understand your audience, then you are operating in the dark,” he said.

Asked by interviewer Gerard Ratnam whether artificial intelligence (AI) poses a threat to the media industry, Fernandez said he sees it as a powerful “enabler”.

“I am not intimidated by AI. I think it’s about how we choose to use it,” he said, drawing parallels with how radio once disrupted newspapers, and television later disrupted radio.

He stressed that originality and substance are key to surviving the AI revolution.

AI could never replace the “soul” of a story, he said, which comes from journalists going to the ground to gather first-hand information.

Using the example of reporting on refugee welfare, Fernandez said journalists can provide real-life perspectives that AI cannot replicate.

“As a journalist, you can infuse that soul into your copy with all the other information you have,” he said.

Looking ahead, Fernandez predicted a major shift in the role of newsroom professionals, saying the “modern” journalist must be multi-skilled to survive the next decade of disruption.

He said the days of a journalist merely rewriting statements and passing them to sub-editors are over, adding that the future belongs to “all-in-one” journalists who can write, edit and produce video content, often with the help of AI tools.

“They have to be multi-skilled so that they can maintain their relevance in the new (media) environment,” he said.

Concluding the interview, Fernandez said media organisations cannot think too far ahead given the speed of technological change, and that planning should be measured in months rather than years.

“The only way to survive is to stay ahead of the curve,” he said.

“I would think constant evolution is the way to stay relevant in our industry.”

Hawana 2026 was held today at the PICCA Convention Centre in Butterworth, Penang.

Themed “Media Integrity Strengthens Credibility”, the event gathered more than 1,000 local and international media practitioners and was officiated by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.