Journalist vs Blogger

What is the difference between a blogger and a journalist?

Whilst journalist will have to be go through his editor, who act as his 'gatekeeper', before his news is published, blogger does not have such 'restrictions.'

I am, again, skating on thin ice here. Because blogging is something that is widely accepted now.

It just that, being someone who was raised in the nitty gritty of the traditional media before I embarked onto the blogosphere, I am 'concerned and worried' about the 'half-truths' that had been dished out by certain quarters lately.

I am not against gossip or whatever bits of news that you heard from the grapevine. I did that too. But before I post something, I normally will do my own checking first.

Just that lately, there are bloggers who simply post something which they casually heard. Or commenting, making stand, influencing or even criticising based on what they would like to believe.

Take, for example, trip by technical group comprised of reps from National Sports Council, Football Association of Malaysia and Ministry of Education to Everton football academy to check out the place, last month.

That trip was quickly branded as a waste of money, that Malaysia should not pick Everton, with one pundit - who obviously doesn't have much information on the topic - quickly wants to be clever and suggested that 'Barcelona is the better destination!'.

Let me ask you something - when you want to buy a car, what you normally do? You go to the showroom and have a good look at it first, right? How about if you want to marry someone? You check the person out, too, right?

So, if that's the case, why must certain quarters make a lot of noise when something is still just at the 'merisik' (finding out) stage? Unless they have hidden agendas which require all 'that noise' in order to realise it!.

To make it worse, little birds whisper to me that at Everton was never a shoo-in. Everton was just a few of the places which are being scrutinised. At the end, Everton might not be the one at all.

But I can also foresee that this certain quarters, if its true that Everton will not be the one, will claim credit that they ACTUALLY prevented the choice.

This is the beauty of blogosphere.

You can criticise something that not yet existed, crucify people whose sins were just to lead the 'merisik' delegation and then claim credit for something which is NOT supposed to happen in the first place! FANTASTIC!!!

Let's be objective, la.

That's why, for all the clamours of the modern era and freedom that the blogosphere provides, it has not won the battle of credibility that still tilts towards the traditional media.

Antara Azizul dan Chong Wei

Updates:

Azizulhasni Awang telah dipilih sebagai pemenang Anugerah Olahragawan Kebangsaan 2009 pada majlis penuh gilang gemilang, malam tadi.

Azizul, dalam ucapan sebaik diumumkan selaku pemenang, berjanji akan berusaha sedaya upaya untuk menjelmakan pingat emas pertama negara pada temasya Sukan Olimpik di London pada 2012 nanti.


Original posting:

Antara dua jaguh sukan negara ini - Azizulhasni Awang dan Lee Chong Wei - tidak banyak jadi pemisah.

Daripada segi komitmen terhadap tanggungjawab selaku atlit utama negara, kedua-dua memang dipuji dan jadi ikutan.

Kesungguhan Azizul memang tidak pernah dipertikai. Chong Wei pula diakui sebagai atlit yang sentiasa mahu memperbaiki persembahannya.

Cuma malam ini, akan ada penentuan terpaksa dilakukan. Kedua-duanya adalah calon utama untuk memenangi Anugerah Olahragawan Kebangsaan 2009.

Apa yang pasti, walau siapapun yang menang, kedua-duanya memang berhak diberi pengiktirafan!

Astro Arena - Nadi Sukan Malaysia

Astro Arena - dengan 'tagline' Nadi Sukan Malaysia - dilancarkan secara rasminya oleh Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, di Wisma Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (OCM), pagi tadi. Himpunan jaguh-jaguh sukan negara - daripada dahulu hingga sekarang - turut hadir menggemilangkan majlis pelancaran itu.

Bersama 'bos' saya, Pengarang Urusan Astro Arena, Dez Corkhill

Saya bertuah dan gembira kerana berpeluang menjadi 'ahli keluarga perintis' kepada apa yang mungkin boleh dianggap sebagai satu lembaran sejarah baru sukan negara.

Astro Arena, di saluran 801 dan 'percuma' kepada semua pelanggan Astro - termasuk yang hanya menikmati pakej asas keluarga - adalah saluran sukan pertama tempatan yang akan beroperasi 24 jam dan menyiarkan majoriti perkembangan sukan tempatan apabila mencecah tahap operasi maksimum nanti.

Saluran ini akan ke udara pada 26hb Mac ini. Antara paparannya - buletin sukan 'Nadi Arena' yang akan disiarkan setiap hari pada jam 7.30 malam. Saya punya watak dan pembabitan secara langsung dengan buletin yang dipertanggungjawab kepada Jabatan Berita Astro Arena.

Turut dalam 'menu' sebaik ke udara nanti ialah rancangan bual bicara 'Kafe Sukan' setiap malam Isnin, rancangan khas bertopikkan bola sepak 'Formasi' setiap malam Rabu dan 'Aktifpedia' yang akan memberi peluang kepada penonton untuk lebih mengenali persatuan-persatuan sukan dan atlit-atlit negara daripada pelbagai jenis sukan - baik sukan utama mahupun sukan yang mungkin sekian lama dipinggirkan.

Dari kiri - Wan Norbazly (wartawan Astro Arena), saya, Datuk Rohana Rozhan (Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Measat Broadcast Network System), Tunku Imran (Presiden OCM), Datuk Ahmad Shabery, Venu Ramadass (Pengurus Saluran Astro Arena) dan Ahmed Faisal Jamal (Penerbit Nadi Arena).

Terima kasih

Kini tahulah aku tentang apa yang dinamakan sebagai 'pengorbanan tanpa mengejar balasan.'

Dalam hidup, ada kalanya kita beruntung kerana diberi kesempatan untuk belajar dan merasai pengalaman serta pendedahan baru. Bagi aku, antara rintisan peluang terbaru yang hadir ialah sepanjang tempoh sama-sama berusaha untuk menjayakan penganjuran Majlis Anugerah Persatuan Penulis-penulis Sukan Malaysia (SAM)-100Plus-KBS yang berjaya dilangsungkan, Sabtu lalu, 20 Februari 2010.

Alhamdulillah, semuanya berlangsung dengan lancar. Di luarannya, segalanya nampak sempurna. Ramai yang gembira, ramai juga yang terharu dengan beberapa 'sentuhan peribadi' yang SAM jelmakan.

Namun banyak juga cerita 'di sebalik tabir' yang mencipta gelisah, menimbulkan rasa panik, mahupun mencetus detik yang ada kalanya membuatkan darah menyirap ke muka.

Cuma pada kesempatan ini, aku mahu mengingati semua 'yang baik-baik sahaja.'

Aku telah katakan ketika memberi ucapan sebelumnya. Cuma kali ini, aku mahu rakamkan juga penghargaan di laman blog ini:

Saudara Eric Samuel dan Asan Ahmad - dua naib presidenku yang juga Pengerusi Bersama Majlis Anugerah SAM-100Plus-KBS 2009 - pujian ikhlas di atas kegigihan, kesungguhan, semangat kental dan ketabahan menangani segala macam cabaran yang menjelma. Anda berdua punya watak dan kualiti selaku pemimpin yang wajar diketengahkan. Anda berdua bukti betapa masih ada yang rela berkorban, tanpa langsung mengejar sebarang habuan!

Juga terima kasih dan pujian buat seluruh ahli-ahli exco lainnya. Anda semua tahu bahawa anda sudah memainkan peranan masing-masing. Berat sama-sama kita pikul, ringan sama-sama kita jinjing.

Terima kasih juga kepada ahli-ahli SAM yang 'sudi untuk kembali hadir' ke majlis kali ini. Ia bukti anda semua masih menyokong SAM. Betapa SAM masih relevan, kerana anda semua masih mempercayainya.

Aku juga terharu dengan kesanggupan barisan pemimpin nombor satu sebelumnya - Datuk Fauzi Omar, Shaukei Kahar, Mustakim Aminuddin dan Abu Bakar Atan - untuk menerima jemputan hadir ke majlis kali ini. Sumbangan tuan-tuan kepada SAM amat besar dan tidak ternilai harganya.

Terima kasih. Banyak yang aku pelajari. Semua ini adalah penambah pengalaman.

Thank you 100Plus. SAM Awards 2009 is officially on!

In a well-attended Press Conference, yesterday, Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) renew it's partnership with 100Plus for the annual 'SAM-100Plus Awards' ceremony. This year, the awards ceremony will be held on the 20th February 2010 at the PJ Hilton.

100Plus was represented by Datuk Kamal Harun and Jen Yin. SAM Exco, led by myself, were present. Overall, there were more than 30 media personnel who came and cover the press conference to officially launch the 'SAM Awards 2009', yesterday.

For more details, check out sammalaysia.blogspot.com.

Thank you, Berita Harian

Honestly, I never thought that I will go down this road again.

When I accepted Berita Harian offer to rejoin them in November 2005, I thought that the second homecoming will be a permanent one. I was happy to be back in familiar surrounding, meeting and working together again with friends who I know very well.

But life, and Allah, have other plans for me. The opportunity comes for me to expand my horizon. To utilise whatever knowledge I have, the experiences that I had accumulated, the networking that I have cultivated over the years, in the new environment.

To Berita Harian, and all the good people that I have the pleasure and honour to work with - especially in the Sports Desk - I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Berita Harian will always have special place in my heart. This is an organisation which presented me with my very first opportunity to embark into journalism. I was only 18, fresh out from school, when I started my sojourn in the newspaper.

My sincere thanks to my first boss, Zian Johari who steered me into the right direction. My second boss, Datuk Hishamuddin Aun for allowing me the freedom to grow as a journalist and writer.

In mid-2001, I left Berita Harian. Briefly, for about four and a half years, to join FA of Malaysia - a period which allowed me to learn many other things - especially in the management of people.

Sincere thanks to Badrulhisham Othman - my 'third boss' - for initiating and opening doors for me to come back to Berita Harian. Last, but not least, to my boss and close friend, Norbakti Alias, thank you so much for your confidence in me.

Yesterday was my last 'working day' in Berita Harian. Overall, I had the opportunity of serving Berita Harian for more than 15 years. I must say that it was difficult to say my goodbyes. I will need a few more days to pack my stuffs.

I would like to apologise for any mistakes and wrongdoings. For any individuals which I might have hurt, intentionally or unintentionally, I humbly seek your forgiveness. I would like 'the bridge' that I have with Berita Harian and all the good people there, to remain strong for the rest of my life.

Thank you, once again.

Labours of love

It's been a while, even by my own 'lazy' standard, since I updated this blog. Been too busy.

Firstly, I have been worrying about the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) 2009 Awards Ceremony, which will be held on the 20th February 2010. The first hurdle was overcome when Deputy PM, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, agreed to be the Guest of Honour.

Now the hard work. Been having weekly meeting with my overworked SAM Exco to prepare for this event. Must give credit to my deputy, Haji Ibrahim Abu Bakar, for his role in securing Muhyiddin's presence.

Loads of credits to my two VP - Eric Samuel and Asan Ahmad, who are the main organisers. They have been visiting the event venuescountless times, discussing, haggling, tormenting etc etc, in our effort to make this event a success.

The rest of SAM Exco are excellent too! I sincerely hope all the time and efforts that we invested in this will produce the desired results.

I, too, sincerely hope the Members will help us make this an even 'GRANDER' event than last year!

More details at sammalaysia.blogspot.com.