Malaysia launches RM30 million Media Innovation Fund to modernise news while protecting journalists

In a recent podcast, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil detailed the launch of a Media Innovation Fund designed to modernise Malaysia’s media sector. The initial RM30 million allocation will support the purchase of equipment and training programmes to raise productivity amid rapid digitalisation. A second phase is slated for announcement in the coming weeks, though its size remains undisclosed.

While acknowledging AI’s ability to improve efficiency and cut costs, Fadzil warned that it must not replace journalists, cautioning against news produced entirely by AI agents to preserve the country’s news sovereignty. He highlighted a sharp 40-50% decline in traditional advertising revenue, with billions moving to social media platforms, and called on media firms to adopt new mindsets and digital revenue models. The minister also praised the establishment of the Malaysian Media Council under the MADANI Government as a platform for industry standards and warned that media mergers could threaten diversity of voices.