Kuala lumpur: Media organisations must continuously earn and preserve public trust in an increasingly crowded information ecosystem dominated by digital content and unverified information, said Karangkraf Media Group Chief Executive Officer Firdaus Hussamuddin. She emphasized that competition within the media industry extends beyond traditional media organisations to include social media platforms, content creators, and algorithms vying for public attention.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Firdaus highlighted during the Thinkers Forum: Media Evolution and Industry Transformation programme that media relevance must be continuously earned through innovation, credibility, and understanding the audience's needs and expectations. The forum, organised by the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI), also featured veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, TV AlHijrah Chief Executive Officer Namanzee Harris, and Vanakkam Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Thiaga Rajan Muthusamy as panellists, with Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chief Executive Officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin in attendance.

Firdaus shared Karangkraf Media Group's transformation journey, emphasizing that sustainable growth for media organisations relies on diversifying business models, strengthening digital capabilities, and embracing innovation without compromising editorial integrity and professional ethics. She noted that the successful media organisation of the future will be one that sustains public confidence in its reports rather than simply having the most advanced technology.

Meanwhile, Kadir stressed the importance of mastering artificial intelligence (AI) as a new competency for journalists, while underscoring that technology cannot replace human judgment, field experience, and editorial accountability. He advocated for AI to serve as a tool to enhance the journalistic process, while maintaining that fact-checking and verification must remain a human responsibility.

Now in its third year, the forum serves as a strategic platform for discourse on the transformation of the media landscape, exploring the challenges and opportunities shaping journalism in the digital era.