ntv7 host ‘reassigned’ over jibby’s bad scorecard

ntv7 host ‘reassigned’ over jibby’s bad scorecard

All her guest did was to give premier Najib Abdul Razak a ‘C’ or ‘D’ rating for his first 100 days in office.

It was enough to see ntv7 talk-show host Florence Looi being issued a warning letter and an immediate transfer to the news desk of the private television station.

Looi, who hosts the popular ‘Point of View’ current affairs programme, was said to have ‘breached editorial policy’, according to ntv7 sources.

The two guests on the talk-show, aired on July 5, were author Syed Akhbar Ali and consulting editor Leslie Lau of news portal Malaysian Insider. It was the latter’s remarks that landed Looi in trouble.

The sources said she was verbally told that she should not have asked her guests to rate Najib’s performance. As Looi is the host-cum-producer of the programme, she was the only one who received the warning letter.

Looi, who is assistant assignment editor, has since been reassigned to cover news, ostensibly because of a shortage of human resources at the news desk

This incident might well seal the fate of ‘Point of View’, which has just concluded its second season. There has been no announcement yet as to whether there will be a third season.
However, the sources believe that, even if the programme is continued, a new host will be appointed.

Looi refused comment when contacted, while efforts to reach the management were futile.
Ntv7 is one of the four free-to-air private TV stations belonging to media giant Media Prima Bhd which is closely linked to Umno. The other three stations are TV3, 8TV and tv9.

Media Prima has also spiked news about the mansion that former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo is building in Shah Alam. The blanket ban was applied after the ntv7 Chinese news slot at 5.30pm aired the bulletin.

‘Only an opinion’

Centre for Independent Journalism executive director V.Gayathry took ntv7 to task for practising self-censorship.

“The comment by the guest on the performance rating is not anything critical, but just an opinion,” she said.

She said that Looi was punished for asking an important question at a time when everyone else was evaluating Najib’s performance.

“The show has provided a lot of space of good discussion (and Looi has been doing a good job),” she noted.

Gayathry recalled that, when Najib took office, Media Prima had issued orders to the four television stations not to name political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda when reporting the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case. Razak is Najib’s confidante.

”We would like to ask if it is Najib’s policy to put people in the TV station to practise censorship,” Gayathri added.

‘Point of View’ has been broadcast at 6pm on Sundays. Guests are invited from either side of the divide on such hot topics such as the Internal Security Act, language-switch policy, vernacular education, police accountability and the recent PKFZ scandal.

Since Najib assumed power, top media personnel aligned to former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have been replaced.

Those who had served during the tenure of Dr Mahathir Mohamad have made a return, leading to the perception that there is a return to a more restrictive media environment.

Former New Straits Times group editor Ahmad Talib is now Executive Director, News and Editorial Operations, at Media Prima, as well as the Executive Director (Editorial) of New Straits Times Press.

Former Berita Harian Sdn Bhd group editor Manja Ismail is Media Prima news and current affairs editor, assisting Ahmad.

Ng Ling Fong & Yong Kai Ping, Mkini

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