IIUMTODAY celebrates its 10th Anniversary!

By, Sarah Jamil

GOMBAK, 18 December 2024: The official online news portal run by students from the Department of Communication, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kuliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS) of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), celebrated its 10th anniversary on 6 December 2024, with a special celebration held at Human Sciences Building.

Over the past decade, IIUMTODAY has emerged as a leading source of news and information about IIUM, providing up-to-date coverage of academic activities, programmes, campus events, and community initiatives.

IIUMToday Advisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aida Mokhtar mentioned in her speech of her wish that the news portal will continue to live and report accurate news ethically.

IIUMToday was established in May 2014, co-founded by Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed Arabi Bin Syed Abdullah. Its website mentions, the objective of establishing IIUMTODAY was to provide a platform for students to improve their journalism skills, enhance their understanding of media ethics, and contribute to the university’s communication efforts.

Prof. Dato’ Sri Syed mentioned the case of Nadi Bangi, a UKM newspaper run by students that grew together with the Bangi township; in the case of IIUMToday, it was born independent of Gombak but more as a platform for IIUM students to apply their journalistic writing skills mainly on IIUM stories.

This celebration had brought together students, faculty, staff, and alumni to commemorate IIUMToday which contributes to the IIUM community. The event featured a variety of activities, including a forum by experts on “The Arts of News Writing in the Digital Age” 

This forum was for the 10th IIUMToday celebration that involved two guests, Chief Content Officer, Datin Paduka Esther Ng, from Star Media Group Berhad and Content Editor of Bernama.com at Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Mohd. Razman Abdullah. Lastly, the moderator was Shafiy Nordin, The Head of Social Media of IIUMToday.

Datin Paduka Esther Ng emphasized the importance of adapting to evolving audience habits, where short attention spans demand concise, visually appealing content. “Stories today are very visual and interactive, with embedded videos and graphics,” she said.

She highlighted the strategic use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the newsroom, particularly for creating graphics and converting long-form features into digestible, listicle-style content for digital platforms. 

Community news, through The Star’s Metro section, remains a critical component of the paper’s coverage. “Metro focuses on issues that directly affect readers, like water supply, electricity, and local council matters,” said Datin Paduka Esther, adding that such content is a significant platform for advertisers.

Datin Paduka Esther also urged young journalists to embrace video storytelling. “This is your time. You don’t need professional cameras anymore; a smartphone can do the job. But always ensure your reporting has context and is accurate,” she advised.

During the forum, Mohd. Razman shared key insights into the evolving landscape of journalism, emphasizing the need for adaptability and responsible reporting.

He highlighted the critical role of technology in modern journalism, where smartphones serve as essential tools for communication, visual documentation, and content editing. “Smartphones, particularly those with HD capabilities, have become essential for journalists to produce professional-quality visuals,” said Mohd. Razman who stated the preference for Samsung and iPhones amongst journalists.

Reflecting on journalism’s social responsibility, he urged reporters to prioritize ethical reporting. “Journalists play a key role in maintaining social harmony by avoiding sensationalism, especially on sensitive topics involving race, religion, or royalty,” he said, adding that responsible journalism fosters unity and economic stability and the 3Rs.

These points reflect how journalism has changed and emphasize the need for accuracy, speed, technology, and responsibility in reporting.

The two panelists sharing their insight of ‘The Arts of News Writing in the Digital Age‘

After the forum ended, there was an announcement of the competition winners followed by a prize-giving ceremony for those involved. The competitions included the Feature Writing Competition, Editorial Cartoon Competition, and News Headline Competition. The winners were as follows:

Feature Writing Competition

1st place: Syammi Matuz Zuhra Binti Sapawi

2nd place: Mohamed Najdan Bin Che Mohamed Nizam

3rd place: Mariah Akalili

Editorial Cartoon Competition

1st place: Anis Ruhaya Amani Binti Abdul Jalil

2nd place: Salmah Maksum

3rd place: Hanania Binti Md Faizal

News Headline Competition

1st place: Nurul Addini Binti Karulzaman

2nd place: Farisya Haidzir

3rd place: Nik Maisarah Alisya Binti Nik Mohd Rizal

The IIUMToday 10th Anniversary celebration concluded with a group photo and cake-cutting ceremony***

The IIUMToday 10th Anniversary celebration concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony alongside journalists