ID :
130989
Fri, 07/02/2010 - 13:49
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/130989
The shortlink copeid
NEWS AGENCIES NEED TO KEEP NEWS AND PUBLICITY SEPARATE, SAYS AAP CHIEF
KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Bernama) -- News agencies that run publicity material on behalf of their clients need to separate them from news stories, Australian Associated Press Chief Executive Bruce Davidson said.
News agencies, he said, existed for the purpose of disseminating news.
But Davidson said the lines of communication between news, publicity,
advertising, entertainment and so forth had become somewhat blurred with the
emergence of a host of new tools.
"We are suddenly bombarded with a host of new tools like interactive videos
and channels where messages keep popping up," he said, adding that news agencies
need to let visitors to their websites know exactly "what is journalism,
advertising, publicity and entertainment".
He said that although the media industry environment differed from one
country to another, it was important to keep the news releases distribution
business separate from traditional news gathering, said Davidson, who co-chaired
the recent Asianet board meeting here.
Asianet provides news release services as well as translations to news
organisations worldwide. Through its news agency partners, news releases by
clients are distributed in full to reach the general and industry-specific
media.
Davidson said news agencies might want to generate other businesses based on
their news content as such efforts would not cost them much in terms of
distribution.
"But as long as there are clear differences between journalism, advertising,
marketing or publicity, it is all right, otherwise people won't trust
journalists anymore.
"If we always come back to the primary purpose of a news agency (in our
thinking), then this is the best thing we need to do."
Asianet General Manager Leigh Mackay said people these days were not just
looking for hard news but also for something entertaining while having their
breakfast or reading on a Sunday morning where the lines between genuine news
and publicity were somewhat blurred.
In addition to traditional sources of information like newspapers, he said
the development of more advanced tools to spread information or news was already
taking place.
As people look for more evidence on certain pieces of information, they
would also look at a video footages and pictures and may want to interact with
the information provider, Mackay said.
As an information provider, he said Asianet need to stay unique and
competitive in delivering its services.
He also said that Asianet would be working with Bernama to help the latter
to promote more business stories from Malaysia to other countries.
-- BERNAMA
News agencies, he said, existed for the purpose of disseminating news.
But Davidson said the lines of communication between news, publicity,
advertising, entertainment and so forth had become somewhat blurred with the
emergence of a host of new tools.
"We are suddenly bombarded with a host of new tools like interactive videos
and channels where messages keep popping up," he said, adding that news agencies
need to let visitors to their websites know exactly "what is journalism,
advertising, publicity and entertainment".
He said that although the media industry environment differed from one
country to another, it was important to keep the news releases distribution
business separate from traditional news gathering, said Davidson, who co-chaired
the recent Asianet board meeting here.
Asianet provides news release services as well as translations to news
organisations worldwide. Through its news agency partners, news releases by
clients are distributed in full to reach the general and industry-specific
media.
Davidson said news agencies might want to generate other businesses based on
their news content as such efforts would not cost them much in terms of
distribution.
"But as long as there are clear differences between journalism, advertising,
marketing or publicity, it is all right, otherwise people won't trust
journalists anymore.
"If we always come back to the primary purpose of a news agency (in our
thinking), then this is the best thing we need to do."
Asianet General Manager Leigh Mackay said people these days were not just
looking for hard news but also for something entertaining while having their
breakfast or reading on a Sunday morning where the lines between genuine news
and publicity were somewhat blurred.
In addition to traditional sources of information like newspapers, he said
the development of more advanced tools to spread information or news was already
taking place.
As people look for more evidence on certain pieces of information, they
would also look at a video footages and pictures and may want to interact with
the information provider, Mackay said.
As an information provider, he said Asianet need to stay unique and
competitive in delivering its services.
He also said that Asianet would be working with Bernama to help the latter
to promote more business stories from Malaysia to other countries.
-- BERNAMA
