Berita Harian launches news platform for youth on social media
TO REACH out to a more youthful audience, Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian (BH) has launched a young audience platform that presents the news on social media in a captivating and relatable way.
This includes using various storytelling formats, such as images, infographics and long-form videos, on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to better engage Malay readers between the ages of 21 and 34 years.
At the official launch of OMGxBH on Friday (Aug 30), Berita Harian editor Nazry Mokhtar said the initiative is a response to the results of a readers’ survey by the newspaper in 2023. The young Malay respondents wanted news delivered in attention-grabbing ways and more lifestyle content.
The new platform will feature short videos, as well as in-depth Malay-centric and youth-related discussions on how to transition into adulthood. The segment called Spotlight features candid interviews with inspiring personalities such as those championing social causes and local Malay leaders, such as former president Halimah Yacob and former Bank of Singapore chief executive Bahren Shaari.
BH said OMGxBH’s content is guided by analyses of social media data that measures the performance of various posts, and is presented in Malay and English to appeal to audiences in Singapore and the region.
Since its soft launch in December 2023, the platform has gained 37,000 followers on its social media pages, more than double the initial target of 16,500, said Nazry.
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A popular post on translations of Gen Z lingo at the workplace has racked up more than 1.3 million views on TikTok. A chat with Madam Halimah has been viewed more than half a million times in total on TikTok and Instagram.
In May, the platform started a series of monthly dialogue sessions at the Working Title cafe in Lasalle College of the Arts. At the sessions, participants can seek advice from guest speakers, and share their aspirations.
The guests include Madam Halimah and past recipients of BH’s Achiever of the Year award, such as Shahrin Abdol Salam, SingPost’s chief executive officer for its Singapore business. The award recognises Malay/Muslim individuals who excel in their chosen fields.
The dialogues are in English, and are open to all youth between 18 and 35 years old, particularly tertiary students and young PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians).
At the Aug 30 launch, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad noted that consuming news through social media has become the norm for younger Singaporeans, and he applauded BH for its efforts to offer new content to grow its audience.
Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad applauded BH’s efforts to offer new content to grow its audience.
“I am happy to note that based on BH data, more than 80 per cent of OMG’s audience are aged between 21 and 34 (years old),” he said. Those in this age group may not read traditional print media, but BH can reach out to them through platforms such as OMGxBH, he added.
Zaqy said BH continues to play an important role in informing and educating the Malay community on current affairs, and that government agencies and Malay/Muslim organisations such as Mendaki will tap the new platform to reach out to young audiences. THE STRAITS TIMES
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