PENANG: Growing economic pressure resulting from the imbalance in revenue sharing between social media platforms and mainstream media organisations has become one of the biggest challenges facing the country’s media industry today.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said media companies continue to face financial strain as news content produced through significant investments in manpower, operational costs and journalistic resources is widely used on social media platforms without fair compensation.
He said the situation has made it difficult for media organisations to sustain viable business models, despite their content attracting substantial viewership and readership on digital platforms.
“One of the most challenging issues at present, in my view, is the economic pressure faced directly by media companies when social media platforms do not provide adequate remuneration or compensation for the amount of content being published,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference after a Media Dialogue Session held in conjunction with National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2026 at a leading hotel here today (June 20).
Also present were Malaysian Media Council chairman Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan and heads of media organisations from across the country.
In this regard, Fahmi expressed hope that the Malaysian Media Council would play an important role as a bridge between the media industry and social media platform operators in discussing fairer revenue-sharing mechanisms.
At the same time, he said the Malaysian Media Council could take on a more proactive role in gathering feedback, views, findings and recommendations from the media industry to be conveyed to the government, whether on policy matters, proposed amendments to legislation and regulations, or issues related to the sustainability and future of the media industry itself.
“On the government’s side, we are ready to assist in this process, but it is important for social media platforms to understand that the changes taking place include the spread of fake news, 3R-related content and certain types of reporting, such as reports involving suicidal behaviour.
“Mainstream media reports are produced ethically, but sometimes content that is either stolen or uploaded by individuals at the scene does not comply with established guidelines and journalistic ethics.
“We hope there will be discussions on these matters, and I will also convey this aspiration to the social media platforms,” he said.
