Columbia Journalism Review in US hails R.AGE’s success
PETALING JAYA: The story of R. AGE, the award-winning investigative journalism and activism outfit based in Malaysia, has once again made it to the world stage – this time on the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR).
The CJR, an American magazine for professional journalists by the prestigious Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, published an article yesterday on R.AGE’s successful transition from a youth pull-out in The Star into a profitable “advocacy journalism” team.
The article starts by highlighting R.AGE’s Predator In My Phone investigative series on child sexual crimes in Malaysia – produced by “a team of millennial reporters” – and how it helped push through the comprehensive legal reforms on sexual crimes throughout the country.
In that process, the article says R.AGE “stumbled upon a new business model”, by “dreaming up” social impact campaigns which can be sponsored by socially-conscious companies.
One example cited was the #StandTogether bullying prevention campaign, where R.AGE worked with property developer SP Setia to advocate for a National Kindness Week in Malaysian schools.
The article also mentioned several of R.AGE’s investigative projects, including its award- winning Student/Trafficked series on human trafficking syndicates operating through bogus Malaysian colleges, and Refugees No More, an ongoing series on the Myanmar Chin community losing refugee protections.
Many of these projects have already helped the young R.AGE team, mostly in their 20s, receive international acclaim over the past few years.
Since its late-2015 revamp, the 15-member R.AGE team has won over 30 major local and international awards, including a few for activism and public service.
However, many “old school reporters” in the US disagree with the approach of mixing journalism and activism, according to the article.
“What a lot of journalists do too often is we focus on reporting the problem,” R.AGE deputy executive editor Ian Yee is quoted in response.
“If you really do your research properly as a journalist, you should also know what the solution is. And if you know the solution, then I think there’s sort of a moral obligation to take it to the next level.”
On whether advocacy funds could affect the team’s reporting, Yee added that sponsors were not allowed editorial input in stories.
“All our sponsored projects clearly spell out who is involved and what their roles are, so if we ever soft-shoe our coverage in the future, our audience can take us to task.
“If it means we have to lose a sponsor to maintain our editorial integrity, then so be it,” said Yee.
Outgoing Star Media Group CEO/ GMD Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, who was in charge during R.AGE’s transition into investigative journalism, was also quoted.
“When lawmakers or politicians do not do their work, then the media can play its role to help our lawmakers,” he said.
SMG chief special projects officer June Wong added: “If there is an important issue that affects society that is crying for attention and relief, and if a journalist or a group of them take ownership of it and show why and how they are doing it, it is indeed an honourable thing.”