Latest news with #BRATs
The Star
4 days ago
- General
- The Star
Letting go of eldest child pressure
Growing up as the eldest child, I often wondered if I had ever made my family proud. Working hard and getting good grades would earn me praise, but amid it all, I forgot that my life did not depend solely on others' recognition. Receiving my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results last year was nerve-wracking. My heart pounded as I searched my sister's face for any sign of a reaction. She didn't respond at first – then she ran off to tell our family and relatives: 'Nittila got straight As!' Wait, I did? No matter how much effort I put in, it never felt like enough. I constantly believed I had to do more – more exercises, more reading. Back then, that mindset only pushed me into a deeper slump, worsening my mental health. But like all difficult phases, it eventually passed. That very experience helped me juggle my subsequent matriculation life better. I learnt to give myself space to make mistakes and not let the fear of judgement hold me back. I also realised I needed to share how I felt with my parents. They, in return, offered guidance. When I got sick a week before one of my semester exams, it felt like everything was weighing on me at once. But my parents made sure to check in and see how I was doing. They made sure I never felt alone. They gave me home remedies to try, reminding me that even if they couldn't be there physically, they were always supporting me. Looking back, I realised the pressure I had placed on myself was far heavier than the expectations of those around me. I used to believe that being great at something made my loved ones love me more. In reality, that wasn't true – they also saw me for who I was, not just what I achieved. Do I still feel the pressure of being the pride of my family as the eldest child? Yes, but not in the way I used to. Before, I thought I had to be 'perfect' to earn their pride. Now, I understand that their pride doesn't come from perfect grades – it comes from effort, perseverance, and staying true to myself. My family is proud of me, not just because of my results, but also because of the hard work I put in. And more importantly, I have learnt to be proud of myself. Nittila, 19, a student in Perak, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to
The Star
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Star Media Group to launch initiative to empower youths in digital content creation
Photo: FAIHAN GHANI/The Star KUALA LUMPUR: Star Media Group Bhd (SMG) is planning to create a digital ecosystem through a comprehensive talent development programme. Aimed at strengthening engagement with its young audience, the initiative would focus on empowering youths to create the kind of content they want to consume, said Deputy Executive Editor Christina Chin ( pic ). 'We want to equip young participants of our BRATs (Bright, Roving, Ambitious Talents) programme with the skills, ethics and training of a professional journalist. 'With these, they will have the ability to craft relevant, authentic and most importantly – engaging content, for their peers. 'It's about stories they want to read,' she said, adding that the initiative would encompass the revitalisation of SMG's award-winning platform. Chin said a recent survey by the organisation found that while youths were interested in news, they were particular about how it is presented. She was speaking during the WAN-INFRA Digital Media Asia 2025 session on 'Digital News Consumption Trends and News Avoidance' on Thursday (April 24). 'They are keen on educational, hyperlocal and global trends. 'The challenge lies in delivering concise, entertaining, relevant, informative and authentic content—elements that hold significant value for this demographic,' she said, adding that collaborations with learning institutions would be key to ensure the initiative's success. Fellow speaker Amy Ross Arguedas, who is a Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University, said trust in the news media has remained stable in many countries last year. She said the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024 found that an average of 40% of people trusted news media most of the time. She said Malaysia, along with Philippines, Japan and South Korea, were among the countries which stood out due to a notable rise in trust levels towards news media. 'There's been a slight uptick in recent years, possibly linked to the Covid-19 pandemic,' she said. At another session on Thursday, Star Media Group's Head of Technology, Kevin Seng, shared with the audience the Group's success in improving its customer data platform. Seng spoke about Star Media Group's data-driven strategy in a session titled, 'Effective Use of Data in Newsrooms.' The two-day WAN-INFRA Digital Media Asia 2025 event ended on Thursday.
