Where is the comradeship among the Media fratenity?

 

Media rivalry is fine to see newspaper organisations competing against each other to present the best news and scoops.
But when the Media fraternity gathers together to honour journalists for their expertise, skills or their stories, I strongly feel that we should be one. After all, we are acknowledging our own kind.
And even more so when it is organised by the National Press Club (NPC), our very own club.
But newspapers who carried news today of the awards given by our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Wednesday night, saw them highlighting their respective awards.
Nothing wrong with that. After all you need to blow your own trumpet. But what I cannot understand is that none carried the full  list and conveniently left out winners from their rival newspapers.
This is so low down because the fundamentals of news reporting has been ignored - to give news as it is and in full.
What is wrong with printing the full list so that the public is informed of the best in the industry.
Besides this awards is unique and special because for this awards, the candidates  were nominated by their peers. It is always good to see individuals nominating journalists from rival organisations, and this is what makes the NPC Awards all the more credible and rewarding. And yet when it came to announcing the winners, a full list was not published!
In fact, I even think that the story of the awards deserved bigger play up in the respective newspapers.
I really felt sad for Datuk Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, the Group Editor of the New Straits Times and my colleague during his days when he covered sports when he was in Penang, who received the NPC-TM Lifetime Achievement award. His own newspaper run a single column story.
Yes they had a four column picture, but Syed deserved better, even though he himself is a low profile person and would not have wanted the publicity or even instructed that only a single column story see print.

New Straits Times group editor Datuk Syed Nadzri Syed Harun receiving the NPC-Telekom Malaysia Lifetime Achievement award from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. With them are National Press Club trustee Datuk Ahirudin Attan (left), TM group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa (second from right) and NPC president Mokhtar Hussain. Pic by Abdullah Yusoff   - NST Picture

But he was news of the day and for all his contributions, he should have been treated with better honour and respect.
The Media fraternity has to come together and be a family when it is about themselves and throw out of the window all the rivalry on these occasions.

FOOTNOTE: NPC organisers of the award should have been more considerate when coming to the award ceremony itself. It could have certainly been done better.
To have the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on stage to give away 15 awards for such a longtime and having him to sit and stand on the stage on so many occasions was certainly inappropriate.
The organisers could have save a lot of time displaying all the nominees for the various categories on big screen probably during dinner and just give away the awards later. Citation for Datuk Syed and winner of the NPC-Ambank Media Legend award to Datuk Abdullah Mohamad could have been exception to be read before the award was given.
But Kudos to the Prime Minister, he stood through the ordeal with a smile! Mind you he had another two functions to attend after the NPC awards ceremony.

FOR THE RECORD:

NPC Photographer Of The Year Award

Nominees:

1) Glenn Guan- The Star (Winner)
2) Azhar Mahfof- The Star
3) Chuah Khye Kok- Oriental Daily News

NPC - Celcom Young Journalist Of The Year Award

Nominees:

1) Aisyah Sulaiman – New Straits Times
2) Alyaa Abdul Aziz Alhadjri – The Sun (Winner)
3) Stephanie Augustin- Malaysia SME

NPC Social Media Personality Award

Nominees:

1) Dave Avran (Winner)
2) Fauziah Ismail
3) Chok Suat Ling
The winner of each category will be announced at the gala. Winners will receive RM5,000 and a plaque.
The judging panel, which also comprises writer and citizen journalist Datin Halimah Mohd Said, editorial consultant Puan Aishah Ali, author, blogger and founder of zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd Encik Anas Zubedy, NPC Awards organising chairman, Dato Ahirudin Attan and President of the National Press Club Encik Mokhtar Hussain, also selected the winners for the following categories:

NPC – TNB Broadcast Journalist Award

Nominees:

1) Marian Anak Awor- RTM
2) Dato’ Karam Singh Walia- TV3
3) Selina Kong- NTV7 (Winner)

NPC Best Reporter (English Medium)

Nominees:

1) Audrey Edwards- The Star (Winner)
2) M Hamzah Jamaluddin- New Straits Times
3) Elan Perumal & Stuart Michael- The Star

NPC Best Reporter (Malay Medium)

Nominees:

1) Wan Norhayati Wan Alias- Utusan Malaysia (Winner)
2) Syed Azwan Syed Ali- Berita Harian
3) Sophia Ahmad- Berita Harian

NPC Best Reporter (Chinese Medium)

Nominees:

1) Tay Tian Yian- Sin Chew Jit Poh (Winner)
2) Lum Chih Feng- Oriental Daily News
3) Pua Yew Boon- China Press

NPC Best Reporter (Indian Medium)

Nominees:

1) Vivekanandan- Nam Naadu (Winner)
2) Sathyaseelan- Malaysia Nanban
3) Tho Puvaneswari- Makkal Ossai

NPC Best Reporter (Sabah): Mary Chin (Daily Express)

 

NPC Best Reporter (Sarawak): Stephen Tan (The Star)

NPC - DRB Hicom Best Media Organisation (Community Service) 

Nominees:

1)The Star
2)New Straits Times
3) The Malay Mail
4) Nanyang Siang Pau
5) Astro Radio
6) TV3
7) Berita Harian
Each winner will receive RM10,000 and a plaque.(All nominated Winners)

NPC- Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin 1Malaysian Of The Year Award: Pandelela Rinong Pamg

NPC – Scomi Journalist Of The Year 

Nominees:

1) Farrah Naz Karim- New Straits Times
2) Norfatimah Ahmad and Nazura Ngah- Berita Harian
3) Frankie D'Cruz- The Malay Mail (Winner)
The winner will receive RM15,000, a Malaysian Airlines flight ticket and a plaque.


CONGRATULATIONS ALL!