Kuala Lumpur: Media practitioners are reminded not to produce news at the expense of rushing through the fact-checking process. Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) editor-in-chief, Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, emphasized the importance of adhering to strict standard operating procedures (SOP) for fact-checking in news production, especially for mainstream media.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Arul Rajoo highlighted that media practitioners should not cater to netizens who swiftly spread information without verifying facts. He stressed that the fact-checking or information verification process is a crucial part of news production that should not be overlooked. This process involves gathering and reviewing background information before broadcasting or publishing news stories. Editors and sub-editors play a critical role in ensuring that the content is verified before it reaches subscribers or is published online.

Arul Rajoo also addressed the pressure faced by journalists from readers and higher-ups to deliver news quickly. He warned against compromising the fact-checking process due to competition from netizens, as mistakes made in published news are challenging to retract. Furthermore, he cautioned against relying solely on artificial intelligence (AI) for news production, as the technology is still developing and may lead to errors if fed incorrect information.

Despite AI's potential to streamline operations and help media practitioners manage multiple tasks, Arul Rajoo emphasized that it should be used as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for thorough fact-checking. He acknowledged the evolving role of journalists, who now often need to handle writing, photography, videography, and video editing, and recognized AI's utility in supporting these multifaceted demands.