KUALA LUMPUR: The rapid growth of online media publications necessitates proactive measures by the government to ensure that print media companies remain relevant, say experts.
Academics believe that among the measures that can be implemented is to require ministries, agencies, and government departments to purchase advertising space in local newspapers to create continuous demand and supply.
Universiti Malaya Political Science, Public Administration and Development Studies Department senior lecturer Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub said this step was timely, considering the increasing challenges faced by print media companies due to technological advancements that were driving readers towards digital content.
"The government should also mandate subscriptions to printed newspapers in all government offices and implement specific initiatives for civil servants who purchase newspapers, such as incorporating it into their annual KPI (key performance indicator) evaluations, which could help boost newspaper sales and revitalise print newspaper subscriptions in the country," he told Bernama.
Additionally, he suggested that the government could reduce paper taxes to offset production costs and provide other tax incentives for print media companies, such as transportation tax relief, to help ensure the industry's longevity.
Tawfik stressed that the print media industry played a crucial role for segments of society seeking information and the latest news, as not everyone was tech-savvy enough to use online platforms.
Security and political analyst at the Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, said the survival of local newspaper companies was essential to provide checks and balances to online news.
He further noted that print media also served as a reference for readers seeking verified news in a physical form.
Therefore, he suggested that the government should continue to pressure online platform owners like Google, Meta, and TikTok to pay for news content from local media companies, which also publish print newspapers, to help cover the rising costs of printing.
He also urged local media companies with print platforms to intensify their efforts and be more creative in attracting more advertising from private companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations.
"Continuous efforts are needed to ensure the survival of print media companies because the public needs a form of reading material that is officially recognised and tangible, which can stimulate interest in reading.
"In addition, the role of print media is vital in shaping the thoughts and perceptions of the public with more ethical and controlled reporting, as opposed to some news components on social media that may be misleading," he said.
UiTM Faculty of Communication and Media Studies journalism lecturer Fadzillah Aishah Ismail believes the government should encourage the public to buy or subscribe to reading materials by increasing individual tax relief under the Lifestyle category, which is currently capped at RM2,500.
She said this step could encourage public participation in continuing to use physical reading materials and represented a win-win effort to foster a reading culture among the people while also boosting demand for print media.