The Era FM presenters (pic) have apologised for mocking the kavadi ritual, but the writer is of the view that such misplaced and offensive humour is the consequence of a larger problem - the steady decline in broadcasting and entertainment content, supposedly to appeal to the masses. - @era.je Instagram pic, March 9, 2025
The ‘Era’ of mindless entertainment — Mohd Said Bani
When broadcast personalities trade moral standards, ethics and manners for laughs
The ‘Era’ of mindless entertainment — Mohd Said Bani
When broadcast personalities trade moral standards, ethics and manners for laughs
Updated 3 hours ago
9 March, 2025
1:36 PM MYT
LET’S call a spade a spade—the Era FM DJs acted like a bunch of ‘clowns’.
What they did was childish, tone-deaf, and plain silly. Was there racial malice behind it? Unlikely. But that’s beside the point. The real issue here isn’t just their foolishness; it’s the thoughtless ease with which offensive content gets thrown online under the guise of “freedom” — freedom of speech, expression, and the all-encompassing right to “just have fun”.
Posting that clip online without an ounce of self-awareness or consideration for its offensiveness to the Hindu community is where things went horribly wrong. And this is what we truly need to worry about—this growing culture of people doing and saying whatever they want, broadcasting it to the world, and then crying foul when backlash inevitably follows. The digital age has empowered every fool with a Wi-Fi connection to offend without consequence, and it’s about time we put some checks and balances in place.
But let’s take a step back, because this isn’t just about a bunch of DJs who lost their common sense. No, this is a symptom of a much larger, more disturbing issue: the erosion of moral standards, ethics, and ‘adab’ (manners) in our broadcast media. This isn’t a one-off mistake; this is just one small example of the circus our TV and radio stations have become.
Hosts who practically scream into their microphones as if the station can’t afford proper sound equipment. Comedians and presenters who think “humour” means crude jokes, body-shaming, and outright vulgarity. A broadcast culture that seems desperate to emulate the worst aspects of Western entertainment—coarse language, rude behaviour, and a total disregard for the traditions and values that define us as Malaysians.
And here’s the kicker: they get away with it. Our TV and radio personalities seem to have a free pass to act in ways that would have been unacceptable just a few decades ago. Words like ‘bangang,’ ‘bodoh,’ and some other swear words are thrown around on live television under the guise of “jokes”. It’s all becoming too much.
I speak from experience. In the 90s, when we set up the second private TV station, long before Astro, NTV7, or 8TV even existed, there were standards. Were they restrictive? Sure. Did we grumble about censorship? Absolutely. But in hindsight, maybe that oversight wasn’t such a bad thing. Maybe having some form of control over content isn’t the enemy of creativity, but the guardian of quality and ethics.
Today’s broadcasters seem to have thrown all sense of self-regulation out the window. And why? Because over the years, the authorities have been too concerned with appeasing the loudest voices crying for “freedom” —freedom of speech, of action, of content creation, all in the name of progress and aligning with so-called “development” modernisation and Western standards. Heaven forbid we uphold any form of moral or ethical regulation—after all, that would be “moral policing”, and we wouldn’t want to upset the very people who think manners and decorum are outdated relics of the past. The fear of losing support, of being accused of censorship, has led to a free-for-all where anyone can say, do, or broadcast whatever they like, regardless of its impact on society. And now we reap what we sow: a generation that believes “rights” mean “no repercussions” and “freedom” means “free from responsibility”.
The Era FM incident is a direct consequence of this moral free fall. There are either no guidelines in place, or if they exist, they’re being ignored entirely. And while I do believe that broadcasters should have creative freedom, there needs to be an ethical framework—something to preserve the sanctity of our culture, our morals, and the simple concept of respect.
Now, let’s be clear: I do not condone what the DJs did, and there must be repercussions. But should legal action be taken against them? No.
Punishment by the broadcast station, a public apology, and a serious overhaul of content vetting processes should suffice. The goal here isn’t to destroy careers—it’s to ensure this nonsense doesn’t happen again.
But here’s where things get even murkier. If action is taken against these DJs for unintentionally offending the Hindu community, then where was the same level of outrage when a non-Muslim individual made an utterly disgusting “joke” about the name of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW, playing on the word “HAM” in our prophet’s name? This selective outrage is a problem. If we are going to uphold standards, they must be applied fairly. Respect and sensitivity should not be one-sided.
Even more concerning is the farce of this so-called ‘freedom’ and ‘rights’—because despite all the grandstanding, there seems to be a selective approach in taking action against certain categories of wrongdoing. Action is swift when it is politically or socially expedient, when there is pressure to maintain support from specific quarters.
In a multiracial, multicultural, and multi-religious nation like ours, ensuring sensitivities are respected is crucial—but this must be done fairly and with balance. Unfortunately, over the past decade or so, the pattern has been clear: stern action is disproportionately taken against transgressions that offend the most influential groups, while other cases are brushed aside with minimal consequences. This has led to growing frustration, particularly among the majority population, who feel that their sensitivities are increasingly neglected. To me, toying with and insulting the name of Prophet Muhammad SAW is the ultimate insult to Muslims, who form the majority in this country. Yet, the perpetrator of such an offence was let off with nothing more than a fine—think about that. The inconsistency is glaring, and the imbalance in response only fuels further division. If we are to truly uphold respect and sensitivity, it must apply across the board, with fairness and justice for all, regardless of race, religion, or influence. Anything less only weakens the very foundation of our unity.
And then, of course, we hear the same old excuse from content creators and broadcasters: “We’re just giving the people what they want”. Ah, the classic chicken-and-egg scenario. Who exactly shaped the public’s perception of entertainment in the first place? Who decided that crude jokes, shouting matches, and tasteless humour are what the audience craves?
The truth is, public demand is largely driven by what is fed to them. If broadcasters continuously push out low-quality, morally questionable content, then over time, the audience becomes conditioned to accept it as the norm. So, where does it end? The responsibility must fall on content creators to take the first step. Instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator and justifying it as “public demand”, they should set higher standards—content that aligns with our culture, traditions, moral values, and ethics. If they lead the way, public perception and preferences will gradually follow. People will consume what they are consistently exposed to, so why not expose them to something better?
So, let’s take a moment to think. Think about the kind of media environment we are fostering. Think about the consequences of unchecked “freedom”. Think about the double standards that we allow to fester. And most importantly, think about how we move forward—because if this is the direction our broadcast and entertainment industry is heading, we’re in serious trouble. – March 9, 2025
9 March, 2025
1:36 PM MYT
LET’S call a spade a spade—the Era FM DJs acted like a bunch of ‘clowns’.
What they did was childish, tone-deaf, and plain silly. Was there racial malice behind it? Unlikely. But that’s beside the point. The real issue here isn’t just their foolishness; it’s the thoughtless ease with which offensive content gets thrown online under the guise of “freedom” — freedom of speech, expression, and the all-encompassing right to “just have fun”.
Posting that clip online without an ounce of self-awareness or consideration for its offensiveness to the Hindu community is where things went horribly wrong. And this is what we truly need to worry about—this growing culture of people doing and saying whatever they want, broadcasting it to the world, and then crying foul when backlash inevitably follows. The digital age has empowered every fool with a Wi-Fi connection to offend without consequence, and it’s about time we put some checks and balances in place.
But let’s take a step back, because this isn’t just about a bunch of DJs who lost their common sense. No, this is a symptom of a much larger, more disturbing issue: the erosion of moral standards, ethics, and ‘adab’ (manners) in our broadcast media. This isn’t a one-off mistake; this is just one small example of the circus our TV and radio stations have become.
Hosts who practically scream into their microphones as if the station can’t afford proper sound equipment. Comedians and presenters who think “humour” means crude jokes, body-shaming, and outright vulgarity. A broadcast culture that seems desperate to emulate the worst aspects of Western entertainment—coarse language, rude behaviour, and a total disregard for the traditions and values that define us as Malaysians.
And here’s the kicker: they get away with it. Our TV and radio personalities seem to have a free pass to act in ways that would have been unacceptable just a few decades ago. Words like ‘bangang,’ ‘bodoh,’ and some other swear words are thrown around on live television under the guise of “jokes”. It’s all becoming too much.
I speak from experience. In the 90s, when we set up the second private TV station, long before Astro, NTV7, or 8TV even existed, there were standards. Were they restrictive? Sure. Did we grumble about censorship? Absolutely. But in hindsight, maybe that oversight wasn’t such a bad thing. Maybe having some form of control over content isn’t the enemy of creativity, but the guardian of quality and ethics.
Today’s broadcasters seem to have thrown all sense of self-regulation out the window. And why? Because over the years, the authorities have been too concerned with appeasing the loudest voices crying for “freedom” —freedom of speech, of action, of content creation, all in the name of progress and aligning with so-called “development” modernisation and Western standards. Heaven forbid we uphold any form of moral or ethical regulation—after all, that would be “moral policing”, and we wouldn’t want to upset the very people who think manners and decorum are outdated relics of the past. The fear of losing support, of being accused of censorship, has led to a free-for-all where anyone can say, do, or broadcast whatever they like, regardless of its impact on society. And now we reap what we sow: a generation that believes “rights” mean “no repercussions” and “freedom” means “free from responsibility”.
The Era FM incident is a direct consequence of this moral free fall. There are either no guidelines in place, or if they exist, they’re being ignored entirely. And while I do believe that broadcasters should have creative freedom, there needs to be an ethical framework—something to preserve the sanctity of our culture, our morals, and the simple concept of respect.
Now, let’s be clear: I do not condone what the DJs did, and there must be repercussions. But should legal action be taken against them? No.
Punishment by the broadcast station, a public apology, and a serious overhaul of content vetting processes should suffice. The goal here isn’t to destroy careers—it’s to ensure this nonsense doesn’t happen again.
But here’s where things get even murkier. If action is taken against these DJs for unintentionally offending the Hindu community, then where was the same level of outrage when a non-Muslim individual made an utterly disgusting “joke” about the name of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW, playing on the word “HAM” in our prophet’s name? This selective outrage is a problem. If we are going to uphold standards, they must be applied fairly. Respect and sensitivity should not be one-sided.
Even more concerning is the farce of this so-called ‘freedom’ and ‘rights’—because despite all the grandstanding, there seems to be a selective approach in taking action against certain categories of wrongdoing. Action is swift when it is politically or socially expedient, when there is pressure to maintain support from specific quarters.
In a multiracial, multicultural, and multi-religious nation like ours, ensuring sensitivities are respected is crucial—but this must be done fairly and with balance. Unfortunately, over the past decade or so, the pattern has been clear: stern action is disproportionately taken against transgressions that offend the most influential groups, while other cases are brushed aside with minimal consequences. This has led to growing frustration, particularly among the majority population, who feel that their sensitivities are increasingly neglected. To me, toying with and insulting the name of Prophet Muhammad SAW is the ultimate insult to Muslims, who form the majority in this country. Yet, the perpetrator of such an offence was let off with nothing more than a fine—think about that. The inconsistency is glaring, and the imbalance in response only fuels further division. If we are to truly uphold respect and sensitivity, it must apply across the board, with fairness and justice for all, regardless of race, religion, or influence. Anything less only weakens the very foundation of our unity.
And then, of course, we hear the same old excuse from content creators and broadcasters: “We’re just giving the people what they want”. Ah, the classic chicken-and-egg scenario. Who exactly shaped the public’s perception of entertainment in the first place? Who decided that crude jokes, shouting matches, and tasteless humour are what the audience craves?
The truth is, public demand is largely driven by what is fed to them. If broadcasters continuously push out low-quality, morally questionable content, then over time, the audience becomes conditioned to accept it as the norm. So, where does it end? The responsibility must fall on content creators to take the first step. Instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator and justifying it as “public demand”, they should set higher standards—content that aligns with our culture, traditions, moral values, and ethics. If they lead the way, public perception and preferences will gradually follow. People will consume what they are consistently exposed to, so why not expose them to something better?
So, let’s take a moment to think. Think about the kind of media environment we are fostering. Think about the consequences of unchecked “freedom”. Think about the double standards that we allow to fester. And most importantly, think about how we move forward—because if this is the direction our broadcast and entertainment industry is heading, we’re in serious trouble. – March 9, 2025
Prof. Mohd Said Bani CM Din is a prominent PR Practitioner and communications expert
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