Analysts flag circulation and earnings slump among Malaysian govt-linked media
Kuala Lumpur
A SIGNIFICANT decline in readers and viewers of government-controlled newspapers and television and radio stations is worrying Putrajaya.
Notwithstanding the slump in ratings and hence, earnings, the government's concern is whether its messages are getting out to the target audience - especially since snap polls are anticipated this year.
For example, Media Prima Bhd, the media stable controlled by Umno (the United Malays National Organisation, Malaysia's biggest political party), has four TV and three radio stations and three dailies, with the dailies parked under its subsidiary, New Straits Times Press Bhd (NSTP).
In the third quarter to end September, Media Prima slipped into the red with a loss of RM109 million, mainly from the restructurin…
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
South Korea government offers first compromise to end doctors' strike
Japanese AI tool predicts when recruits will quit jobs
India votes in gigantic election dominated by jobs, Hindu pride and Modi
Britain’s retail sales disappoint in sign of lacklustre recovery
Explosions in Iran, US media reports Israeli strikes
US veto sinks Palestinian UN membership bid in Security Council