[ad_1]
Media Chinese language Worldwide (MCI), a Chinese language-language media conglomerate based mostly in Malaysia, is ready to endure a major workforce discount. In keeping with information stories, MCI plans to combine synthetic intelligence (AI) into its operations resulting in a workforce discount of as much as 44% inside the subsequent 5 years.
CEO Francis Tiong has introduced step by step shut down printing services and scale back the worker headcount from 1,800 to 1,000 over the following 5 years. This restructuring effort spans MCI’s publications, together with China Press, Sin Chew Day by day, Nanyang Siang Pau, Ming Pao, and Guang Ming Day by day.
The workforce discount is in keeping with digital adoption. As soon as AI is absolutely built-in in automation, video content material creation and using AI information readers, the media group anticipates a 3rd of discount in its workforce in as early as two years.
In keeping with native information media, manpower presently constitutes probably the most vital value driver for MCI, accounting for roughly 50% of its prices, adopted by newsprint at round 20%. The transfer comes within the wake of considerable monetary losses recorded within the fiscal yr 2024 as a consequence of a drop in promoting as a consequence of Fb’s information feed algorithm. MCI reported a web lack of RM61 million ($13 million) in 2024, in comparison with a smaller lack of RM1.16 million ($246,455) the earlier yr.
“With inner structural and reorganisation, the merger or consolidation of Sinchew and Nanyang group, closure of Johor and Penang vegetation (supplied the cost-saving measures are justified however not in the meanwhile) and the appliance of AI throughout all models of operations, we are able to scale back our workers to 1,000 all through two, three and even 5 years,” mentioned CEO Francis Tiong to Enterprise Occasions.
Serm Teck Choon, a former head of digital merchandise at Malaysia’s The Star, tells Marketing campaign that as AI and generative AI applied sciences have been growing quickly, they’ll assist revive how publishers function, and MCI also needs to profit from it.
For instance, generative AI applied sciences can assist journalists draft articles and improve effectivity, permitting them to concentrate on non-repetitive duties corresponding to content material planning, interviewing, fact-checking, content material finalisation, and high quality management.
One other instance is how a digital human is usually a information anchor for an internet information programme, which may minimize down super manufacturing time and value. With all these new alternatives, information organisations like MCI should restructure their operations and retrain their staff to embrace the brand new period of stories reporting.
“Whereas leveraging AI for future improvement is important, one other essential activity is positioning its merchandise, particularly Sin Chew Day by day, Nanyang SianPau, and China Press, extra clearly. Sin Chew Day by day, being the flagship product, needs to be positioned as probably the most reliable information model within the Chinese language group in Malaysia (suppose New York Occasions). In distinction, Nanyang ought to place itself because the every day enterprise information for the Chinese language group (suppose Wall Road Journal or The Edge), China Press as only a tabloid reporting,” explains Serm, who’s now the CEO and co-founder of Antsomi.
“MCI ought to not place itself as a newspaper firm. As a substitute, it ought to evolve right into a information firm specializing in omnichannel—beginning with newspapers and shifting on to digital, video, podcasts, brief movies, and different new types of communication, utilizing digital know-how, AI, and information.”
On whether or not extra publishers will flip to AI, Serm believes it’s an inevitable development as globally, increasingly publishers have already been experimenting with utilizing AI to extend their effectivity and effectiveness.
“Nonetheless, one factor for certain is that with know-how, the viewers nonetheless wants high quality content material that’s produced, curated, and edited with coronary heart, ardour, empathy, and feeling. AI is only a means, not a function, for us to get the place we need to be,” Serm says.
In an analogous transfer in April 2023, one among China’s best-known media and public relations outfits, Bluefocus Clever Communications Group Co. made headlines when it determined to switch exterior copywriters and graphic designers with ChatGPT-like generative AI fashions. The $3 billion firm was in talks with Alibaba Group and Baidu to discover licensing choices on the time.
Different information publishers like Information Corp have additionally struck offers with ChatGPT’s father or mother OpenAI to entry and study info from publications just like the Wall Road Journal, the New York Submit, the Occasions, the Sunday Occasions, Barron’s, MarketWatch, and others.
Whereas not pushed by AI integration, Yahoo additionally introduced an analogous workforce discount in April 2024. The corporate is pivoting in the direction of content material curation moderately than manufacturing, with an emphasis on effectivity and alignment with client engagement metrics.
[ad_2]
Source link