The channelling of "news" via the cyber media by members of the public poses a threat to journalism because those engaging in this care little about credibility, says Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) Communications Studies Faculty senior lecturer Assoc Prof Mohamad Md Yusoff.

Mohamad said news contents in the cyber media from these people were often manipulated or "spun".

"They do not have the knowledge and credibility of journalists, but try to play the role," he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur last night.

Mohamad said real journalists are well-trained and would not write news stories that were not factual or credible.

"The "news" posted by the so called cyber journalists are nothing more than opinions," he added.

    

Mohamad said this when commenting on the unhealthy speculation taking place in the cyber world in the wake of the missing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Earlier, he had appeared as a guest on BernamaTV' s 'Soal Bicara' programme titled 'MH370 - Fakta dan Spekulasi' (MH370 - Facts and Speculation).

MAS Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers, including two infants and 12 crew members, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing about an hour after taking off from the KL International Airport at 12.41am last Saturday.

It should have landed in Beijing at 6.30am the same day but is still missing, without any trace until now.

- Bernama