Veteran newsman Kadir Jasin opened the World Press Freedom forum at Universiti Selangor (Unisel) with a bang today.

He claimed that several renowned editors, ex-editors and retired journalists in the country were more interested in informing the world about the happenings in their personal lives, instead of real news.

“I have seen some famous editors in the country, some powerful ex-editors and retired journalists, who have been reduced to posting what they had for breakfast, what motorbikes they are riding, what cars they are now driving and where they are in the world,” the former New Straits Times Press group chief editor said in his speech.

“What press freedom and access to information are we talking about when some journalists are (discussing) what they had for breakfast?” Kadir wondered, referring to the forum’s theme “Access to information and fundamental freedom. This is your right!”.

The veteran newsman cited comments made by Todd VanDerWeff , the culture editor of US news portal Vox.

In October last year, VanDerWeff had published an article proclaiming that the Internet we currently know, is dead.

“VanDerWeff declared the Internet was dead and that a ‘new’ Internet was emerging in which our personal identities can be easily modified. Take Facebook for example: it has changed (reshaped) the identities of many people. They are (no longer) the people we used to know.

“So, are we still the individuals we used to be? Are we becoming less of an individual, or are we becoming more individualistic than ever before?

"According to this chap, the ‘new’ Internet places less emphasis on information and focuses more on providing content that ‘jolts the viewers’ emotions’. This is already happening. We seem pretty ‘senseless’ these days,” the Asian Institute for Development Communication (Aidcom) chairman added.

While some senior journalist figures are more engrossed with posting their personal matters, Kadir believed there were still many readers yearning for more significant news.

“I think a lot of people around us are hungry for ‘real information’, and they still want to know what an old hack like me thinks. That’s why I continue blogging,” Kadir disclosed.

Also present were Singapore's The Straits Times associate editor Ravi Velloor, The Malay Mail associate editor Balan Moses, Malaysiakini CEO and co-founder Premesh Chandran, freelance journalist Bob Teoh, and academicians Professor Mohd Nor Nawawi, Professor Azmuddin Ibrahim and Professor Zaharom Nain.