The Malaysian National News Agency (), is a news agency of the government of Malaysia. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Communications. Headquartered at the Wisma Bernama, off Jalan Tun Razak near National Library, Kuala Lumpur, it was created by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and began operating on 20 May 1968. Most of the news media in Malaysia and Singapore and international news agencies subscribe to Bernama.
Apart from providing services to its clients using wires, Bernama also provides news broadcasts through its own namesake radio and television channel, which operated 24 hours a day as well as its social media platforms. Apart from Malay and English, it also publishes content in Chinese, Tamil, Spanish and Arabic. Bernama (usually stylized in all caps) is an abbreviation of Berita Nasional Malaysia (Malaysia National News); it also means named or titled in the Malay language.
History
Formation Bernama traces its roots to 1959 when the Malay Journalist Association on 30 March have adopted a resolution that urging the Federal Government to set up a news agency that could contribute to the "furtherance of the national interests and of understanding between Malaya and other nations".
In 1962, the then-Director of Information Services, Mohamed Sopiee felt that the Malayan press "should get together and run a national news agency on a cooperative basis" and insisted that the "news in this country properly collected and sent out to other countries". On 14 July the same year, the Malayan press and media practitioners decided in principle to create a news agency, which will be a "cooperative, non-profit making and independent organisation" and "promote the free flow of news within the country and true understand of Malaya abroad". Sadao Roy Otake, the executive news editor of Japanese news agency, Kyodo News Agency fled to Malaya on 26 November to help in forming the national news agency. He said that the formation of the unnamed Malayan news agency as a non-profit organisation raising concern without the interference from the Government and demanded that Malaysia, known as Malaya at that time, needed a news agency to disseminate news to Malayan people and the rest of the world. He also disclosed that the unnamed news agency of Malaya is expected to be launched by August 1963, a month prior to what would have been the formation of Malaysia.
The then-Deputy Prime Minister, Abdul Razak Hussein on 5 August 1965 announced that the Federal Government agreed to set up a news agency as soon as possible, revealing the Bernama name to the public. In November, the then-Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Senu Abdul Rahman announced the establishment of Bernama, and expected to launch in 1966, or in February 1967 in the following three phases:
Phase 1: Recruiting officers who would operate the agency. Phase 2: Carry out smaller tasks to send news to the local newspapers. Phase 3: Sending correspondents to certain cities in the world.
A white paper containing a proposal to establish a news agency received approval from the Cabinet in July 1965. D.J. Dallas, an international news specialist from Reuters was sent by UNESCO to investigate each aspects of Bernama's establishment thoroughly. The upcoming news agency will be operated in two languages, Malay and English. On 22 December 1966, the establishment of Bernama was approved by the Cabinet. It also revealed that Bernama will incorporate a new system called teleprinter connection system which will "incorporated between its office in Kuala Lumpur and its branch in Sabah and Sarawak". A bill on Bernama's establishment was tabled to the Dewan Rakyat on 19 January 1967; vital changes to the bill were made when Senu move important amendments to Bernama. However, the bill was amended again in which the new amendment replaced the old amendment that distributed before. The new bill ensure Bernama could provide news content with "credible and accurate, without touching public, national interests and community's views". The bill passed on 8 March 1967. Senu said that the formation of Bernama is "not intended to blocked the press freedom", but instead to "developing news contents even more". The Dewan Rakyat assured that Bernama will be an "independent, corporate body and not a government news agency".
Bernama was established under the Act of Parliament on 6 April 1967 and launched a day prior to what would have been 10th anniversary of Malaysia's independence, on 30 August 1967 and officiated by the then-Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman.Sources on Bernama's establishment and launching:
Abdul Aziz Yeop become its first chairman. In September 1967, Bernama was invited to be the member of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) and officially became a full member a year later, in September 1968. A month later, Bernama is looking for three top executive posts to fill the position.
Beginning of operations On 9 April 1968, Bernama announced that it would start operations by 1 May, but it officially commenced its operations on 20 May. At the time it began operations, Bernama has only 20 staffs with its headquarters located at the four-room bungalow at Jalan Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur. In its inaugural meeting on 30 July, the then-Secretary to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Junid Abd Rahim said that the Government will spend RM500,000 for Bernama, which was part of the RM1.5 million launching grant to Bernama.
In June 1968, Bernama received 9 subscribers to its news service. In December the same year, it sought assistance from the Thomson Foundation for its expansion programme.
In 1971, Bernama partnered with Indonesian news agency, Antara for news partnership. In 1972, Bernama planned to take control on foreign news while it was in talks for sole distribution rights in Malaysia with four international news agencies, including Reuters and Associated Press.
In 1978, Bernama planned to introduce a photo service by 1979 and a radio teletype service by 1981. These services were meant for overseas transmissions purposes. In 1979, Bernama proposed its plan to open its office in Manila, Philippines before the year-end. It would be the news agency's first regional office outside of Malaysia.
In 1981, Bernama was selected as a host for the four-day Asean news agencies conferences which expected to held in October, which took place officially from 2 to 5 November and attended by 23 international news agencies.
In September 1982, Bernama partnered with Kyodo News Agency to launch a 24-hour communications link for better news exchange between the two agencies. Days later, Bernama opened its bureau in Singapore and managed by two Bernama officials.
On 1 February 1983, Bernama held a new daily news file on developments in ASEAN countries.
In July 1983, the Government decided to turn Bernama as a sole distributor of foreign news from international news outlets. Editors and publishers in the country have been consulted to Bernama following the move. A month later, it was reported that Bernama would likely to sold to private investors. Information Minister at that time, Adib Adam clarified that the privatisation of Bernama could run on a "profit-oriented basis". In September that year, Bernama steps into foreign news distribution plan, inline with the government's decision to channel foreign news to Malaysian newspapers via its platform, albeit received objection from newspaper editors. It also took the responsibility to provide a teletext service that could help to generate its income.
In January 1984, Bernama signed an agreement with the German news agency, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) to enter a commercial arrangement for the distribution of the latter's service. In February, the news agency announced that it will introduce an AP-Telerate financial information service.
On 16 March, Bernama signed an agreement with the United Press International (UPI) for the distribution of the latter's news and picture services in Malaysia by Bernama. Starting on 1 May 1984, Bernama will transform as a standalone news distributor from all international news agencies operated in Malaysia. At the same time, it moved its new headquarters from MCOBA Building, Jalan Syed Putra to Jalan Tun Razak.
Bernama became the first news agency in Asia to incorporate editorial computer in its operation in 1984.
In September, Bernama launched the Bernama AP-Dow Jones Telerate Service, a financial news service that allowed international business community to obtain access to global information on the world's financial market.
In November of the same year, Bernama pivoted towards teletext service with the launch of the Bernama Newscan service which provides up-to-date news via video terminals. The service made available in Malay and English and targeted to hotels, banks and other business premises. Days later, the then-Information Minister, Rais Yatim announced that Bernama would likely to be privatised.
In September 1985, Rais confirmed that the agency will be corporatised into a private entity, pending approval from the Government, citing that it is "being studied", including the review of the Bernama Act. The plan was later abandoned.
On 14 December 1985, Bernama in collaboration with Xinhua News Agency to signing their inaugural bilateral news exchange agreement.
In 1986, Bernama began supplying news materials, articles and information on current development to Malaysian diasporas. The cost of sending news contents to Malaysian diasporas would be bore by the Government. It also signed an agreement with Sime Darby's wholly owned subsidiary, Sime Darby Systems to create a nationwide voice grade communications network which covers all major towns in Malaysia.
The Government in September 1987 have considered the idea to amend the Bernama Act in which Bernama would likely to be "profit-oriented" organisation rather than a non-profit organisation and allowed the agency to operated commercially. In October that year, Bernama set up an online real-time information database, known as Bernama Livecom. The service aims to provide packaged business information to all business premises.
On 13 April 1988, Bernama partnered with the Turkish news agency, Anadolu News Agency as part of its expansion of the international news exchange network.
In December, Bernama secured RM16.5 loan from two banks, one of them is Permata Chartered Merchant Bank, to recover the existing loan for its headquarters in Jalan Tun Razak.
In 1989, Bernama began to increased its presence in the electronic media marketplace by launching Bernama Monitor and Newscan II, awhile at the same time, it acquires 400 personal computers for both services.
Later years On 27 February 1990, the Government tabled a bill at the Dewan Rakyat to grant Bernama a specific rights to determine the types of news materials from international news agencies which it "considered suitable for local publications". Ahead of the privatisation of Bernama, the then-Information Minister, Mohamed Rahmat said that the proposed privatisation will only involves certain aspects of its operations.
In June the same year, the amendment of the 1967 Bernama Act was tabled again in Parliament. The amendment was "not intended to restrict, control or abuse press freedom in the country". A day later, Bernama was given sole rights to receive and distribute news in the country and allowed to ventured into business to ensure it is self-financed after the Parliament passed amendments of the act.
In January 1991, Bernama partnered with Hongkong Bank to launch a daily facsimile news service, known as Bernama-Hongkong Bank Five O'Clock Digest.