Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum) has rolled out its inaugural supplementary guideline, ‘The OCC Guidelines’ on updated best practices for online curated content service providers.

Developed through extensive collaboration among local and international industry leaders, the pioneer initiative is set to function as a self-regulation tool for online curated content (OCC) platforms.

The guidelines aim to emphasise and underscore Content Forum’s dedication to nurturing a dynamic creative content environment while ensuring compliance with Malaysian laws and regulations.

Content Forum’s ‘The OCC Guidelines’ will encompass national and public interest, racial and religious sensitivities, as well as improved accessibility standards for persons with disabilities.

Other than this, the guidelines will also cover key points such as content classifications allowing for informed viewing choices, safety features and advisory, consideration of underage viewers on content promotional materials, news contents that cover diverse perspectives and presentations, more accessible consumer feedback mechanisms, and open dialogues with relevant stakeholders.

The formation of the OCC Guidelines highlights how self-regulation can serve to elevate the industry further.

Mediha Mahmood, chief executive officer of the Content Forum, explained, “This guideline is designed as a supportive tool for both local and international service providers, enabling them to self-assess their programming quality and streamline compliance with Malaysian content standards. In line with our dedication to promoting self-regulation, we expect that these recommendations and best practices will further our ongoing mission to foster a creative, forward-thinking, and inclusive content industry.”

Also commenting on the guidelines, Euan Smith, group chief executive officer at ASTRO, said, “The dedication of the Content Forum and the Working Group underscores the power of industry cooperation in crafting meaningful guidelines.”

Echoing this sentiment, Zuraidah Mohd Yatim, general manager of regulatory affairs and intellectual property at Media Prima, shared, “The success of this collaborative policy-making process reflects the strength of industry unity in shaping responsible content practices.”

Also part of the collaborative effort, Clare Bloomfield, chief policy officer at the Asia Video Industry Association, commented, “AVIA has been a strong proponent of self-governance for online-curated content. We are honoured to have been a part of Content Forum’s collaborative effort to deliver this OCC approach for Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, Ruben Hattari, director of public policy for Southeast Asia at Netflix, also shared, “The collective effort behind this monumental task is a true reflection of Malaysia’s progressive mindset and is worthy to be emulated by other policymakers in the region.”

Malaysia – Media Prima, the media and entertainment company in Malaysia, has partnered with Korea’s broadcast network, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), to produce the Malaysian edition of the Korean hit reality show, ‘Master In The House’.

‘Master In The House Malaysia’, which consists of a one-hour ten-episode, follows the journey of five participating Malaysian celebrities, namely singer and songwriter Hael Husaini, actor and actresses Andi Bernadee, Scha Elinnea, and Sharifah Rose, and rising star Meyrasam from local girl-group CASSIA. Together, they will be learning new skills and wisdom from eight reputable masters, who are successful in their own right but aspire to take their careers to the next level.

Among the master line-up, which includes Korean and Malaysian talents, is Thailand-born Korean idol, BamBam, who has proven his explosive global popularity as a member of the K-pop idol boy group, GOT7. The line-up also includes Song Sung Deuk, performance director and choreographer for the world’s biggest boy band, BTS.

Moreover, joining the master line-up from Malaysia are actor Datuk Yusof Haslam, singer and songwriter Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza, badminton legend Datuk Rashid Sidek, celebrity chef Sherson Lian, celebrity chef, and WAU Animation’s founder and CEO Usamah Zaid.

Nini Yusof, the deputy CEO of Media Prima and Primeworks Studios, shared that they are privileged to have collaborated with SBS, learning from the finest throughout the experience, especially during the 10-day filming session with their Korean counterparts in October 2021. 

“We are confident that the ideas, knowledge, and capabilities exchanged will enable us to raise the bar and deliver more top-notch content with international production value,” said Yusof.

Media Prima said that it also secured some exciting brand collaborations, including Korean ginseng brand CheongKwanJang (CKJ) as the main sponsor, hygiene soap leader Lifebuoy as the co-sponsor, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G powering ‘Master In The House’. 

The new show will air every Saturday, from 10.00 pm to 11.00 pm on TV3, starting 15 January 2022.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Media Prima, the media and entertainment company in Malaysia, has recently announced the appointment of Rafiq Razali as its new managing director.

Razali brings with him his comprehensive experience in business development and strategic planning. His track record includes establishing and scaling start-up companies related to digital and information technology. 

The new managing director first joined Media Prima as the chief executive officer of REV Media Group on 15 April 2016 and was subsequently appointed as group executive director on 18 February 2021. 

Prior to joining Media Prima, Razali has previously worked with Maxis Berhad, where he held various positions that included responsibilities in the International Business Division and the Corporate Strategy divisions.

Datuk Seri Syed Hussian Aljunid, the group chairman of Media Prima, said Razali has been pivotal in driving the group’s positive results in recent months, and his many contributions to the group include establishing Media Prima as the local industry leader in the digital realm. 

“He has a strong understanding of the group’s business operations and when combined with his prior experience leading successful digital start-ups and commerce companies, we are confident that Rafiq is the ideal choice to lead Media Prima to new levels of success,” said Aljunid.

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia – Media Prima Audio (MPA), the radio platform of Malaysia-based media and entertainment company Media Prima, has announced a new slew of business revamps, including brand revamps and changes in content strategy implementation, following new leadership appointments set last June.

Two radio stations, namely Hot FM and Fly FM, are coming out with a “very new” and “very different” sound, complemented with refreshed logos, look and feel. Meanwhile, the other two radio stations, previously known as One FM and Kool FM, are now branded as 8FM and Buletin FM respectively. 

According to Nazri Noran, chief executive officer at Media Prima Audio, this marks the company’s first holistic rebrand in over 15 years and it’s all about allowing them to reinvigorate and strengthen its standing as a leading radio station in the country.

“Today we kick it off with on-air programming, new radio talents, fresh logos, and branding across our assets including digital, social and mobile. We are also thrilled with this new journey as it is also being supported by an extensive marketing campaign across all Media Prima group platforms,” Noran stated.

He also added that there will be changes as well in the talent lineups for all the radio stations.

“Our mission is to drive positive and beneficial changes to the company. Thus, the changes of the talent lineup are a part of the new strategy for the brands to appear relevant and competitive in the market. There are lots in store from today onwards for Hot FM, Buletin FM, Fly FM, and 8FM. Malaysia’s radio fans can expect to be thrilled and fall in love with radio all over again with this master brand overhaul,” Noran concluded.

In addition to these changes, MPA also announced the launch of a new mobile app brand called Audio+ which will be the home for all radio, digital and social content such as live radio, podcasts, videos, and many more. Instead of downloading a separate app for each station, all of the brands will now be parked under one easy and fresh app, Audio+. 

The app can be downloaded via Google Play, Apple App Store, and Huawei App Gallery.