So Kosmo! ran an apology in yesterday's papers. I read it only in the evening. I mean, like really... would I rush to see what they've created?... I mean... written?
Here's what it said.
Keluarga Yasmin, Kosmo! mohon maaf
Pada hari Isnin 27 Julai lalu, Kosmo! menyiarkan satu laporan mengenai pengarah filem, Yasmin Ahmad yang baru meninggal dunia.
Laporan bertajuk Takdir Yasmin itu telah menerima pelbagai reaksi. Kosmo! prihatin dengan reaksi-reaksi itu.
Sebagai sebuah akhbat yang dekat dengan masyarakat, Kosmo! ingin meminta maaf kepada ahli keluarga Allayarham Yasmin, sahabat handai dan para pembaca yang tersinggung dengan penyiaran berita tersebut.
Now... I don't know about the family and cannot speak on behalf of them.
But as a friend, and fan, I am wiling to forgive and forget the whole incident. To err is human, to forgive is divine, Yasmin would have reminded us.
The question is - do Kosmo! get off scot free just ike that? After all - their aim of selling more papers were achieved through their little publicity seeking stunt. Is it a genuine apology, or a PR attempt to salvage their pride, if any, after everyone starting speaking out against their despicable action?
Called kak Fati and was told that the stand of the governing bodies of the advertising agencies on their one month boycott beginning 10 August on Kosmo! is not known at the moment.
I have word from those within Kosmo! itself that some staff members among journalists there, DID raise concerns over the horrendous approach they took in their previous story. AND YET they went ahead with it, without any reservations for the sake of sensationalism.
I mean come on - they skewed it to serve their purpose.
So can Kosmo! guarantee it will not happen again? Or will they apologise again if it ever gets too hot in the kitchen if and when they do this again.
Can the person responsible BE NAMED for the sake of journalistic integrity. Both the person who came up with the headline for the front page, and teaser, as well as the writer of the article on Page 2.
Can we be assured that action will be taken against them as a lesson?
And can the advertising bodies PLEASE continue their boycott of the paper for the promised month as a lesson that such insensitivity NEVER occurs EVER again in the future.
What do you think?
Before you answer. Let me just point out one thing about the apology.
Did they mention anywhere that THEY WERE WRONG?
Oh I forgot... they were just being a paper sensitive to the sentiments of the people they're so close too by saying that and they apologised to those who FELT offended. Big difference me thinks...
The apologised to those who felt 'offended'.
That's a big difference from admitting they were WRONG.
WRONG in not getting the facts right. WRONG in printing it. WRONG in sidelining their own journalists who protested against it before it made into print. And WRONG in playing a PR game.
It should have been an unreserved apology - and I hope they pay for it.
PS - Leaving Melaka. Will update on last day's activities there ASAP. Am wondering if Kosmo! if off the hook, how about the Kwong Wah Jit Poh story that did the same thing as Kosmo! Do they get off because we don't read Chinese characters?
PPS - People from Ikea called and said a magazine is interested in featuring my makeover in their magazine. Er... I didn't win did I? So why should I waste time doling out free publicity, pray tell? Panggil je pemenang korang rasa layak sangat tuh.
Here's what it said.
Keluarga Yasmin, Kosmo! mohon maaf
Pada hari Isnin 27 Julai lalu, Kosmo! menyiarkan satu laporan mengenai pengarah filem, Yasmin Ahmad yang baru meninggal dunia.
Laporan bertajuk Takdir Yasmin itu telah menerima pelbagai reaksi. Kosmo! prihatin dengan reaksi-reaksi itu.
Sebagai sebuah akhbat yang dekat dengan masyarakat, Kosmo! ingin meminta maaf kepada ahli keluarga Allayarham Yasmin, sahabat handai dan para pembaca yang tersinggung dengan penyiaran berita tersebut.
Now... I don't know about the family and cannot speak on behalf of them.
But as a friend, and fan, I am wiling to forgive and forget the whole incident. To err is human, to forgive is divine, Yasmin would have reminded us.
The question is - do Kosmo! get off scot free just ike that? After all - their aim of selling more papers were achieved through their little publicity seeking stunt. Is it a genuine apology, or a PR attempt to salvage their pride, if any, after everyone starting speaking out against their despicable action?
Called kak Fati and was told that the stand of the governing bodies of the advertising agencies on their one month boycott beginning 10 August on Kosmo! is not known at the moment.
I have word from those within Kosmo! itself that some staff members among journalists there, DID raise concerns over the horrendous approach they took in their previous story. AND YET they went ahead with it, without any reservations for the sake of sensationalism.
I mean come on - they skewed it to serve their purpose.
So can Kosmo! guarantee it will not happen again? Or will they apologise again if it ever gets too hot in the kitchen if and when they do this again.
Can the person responsible BE NAMED for the sake of journalistic integrity. Both the person who came up with the headline for the front page, and teaser, as well as the writer of the article on Page 2.
Can we be assured that action will be taken against them as a lesson?
And can the advertising bodies PLEASE continue their boycott of the paper for the promised month as a lesson that such insensitivity NEVER occurs EVER again in the future.
What do you think?
Before you answer. Let me just point out one thing about the apology.
Did they mention anywhere that THEY WERE WRONG?
Oh I forgot... they were just being a paper sensitive to the sentiments of the people they're so close too by saying that and they apologised to those who FELT offended. Big difference me thinks...
The apologised to those who felt 'offended'.
That's a big difference from admitting they were WRONG.
WRONG in not getting the facts right. WRONG in printing it. WRONG in sidelining their own journalists who protested against it before it made into print. And WRONG in playing a PR game.
It should have been an unreserved apology - and I hope they pay for it.
PS - Leaving Melaka. Will update on last day's activities there ASAP. Am wondering if Kosmo! if off the hook, how about the Kwong Wah Jit Poh story that did the same thing as Kosmo! Do they get off because we don't read Chinese characters?
PPS - People from Ikea called and said a magazine is interested in featuring my makeover in their magazine. Er... I didn't win did I? So why should I waste time doling out free publicity, pray tell? Panggil je pemenang korang rasa layak sangat tuh.
