The legendary Malaysian rock band Exists has offered a nostalgic yet thoughtful perspective on the evolution of entertainment journalism, highlighting how media gatekeeping once served as a protective buffer for artists navigating the complexities of public life. Speaking after performing at the Riuh Pi HAWANA concert at the PICCA PICCA @ Arena Butterworth Convention Centre in Butterworth, band members reflected on an era when journalists and editors wielded considerable influence not merely as reporters but as custodians of artistic reputation.

During the dominance of print media, the band explained, mainstream outlets maintained rigorous editorial standards that fundamentally altered how stories about entertainers reached the public. When fans or detractors submitted complaints or alleged wrongdoings, editors subjected these submissions to careful scrutiny rather than rushing them into publication. This gatekeeping function, though sometimes questioned by press freedom advocates, created a measured environment where unverified claims about artists did not instantly achieve mass circulation. Lead guitarist Along described how journalists would actively seek comment from the subjects of stories, ensuring that artists had opportunity to address allegations or provide context before their reputation became collateral damage to sensationalism.

The consequence of this editorial discipline was tangible protection for entertainers' personal and professional lives. Misunderstandings between artists and their audiences, or between rival artists, were often resolved through dialogue facilitated by responsible journalists rather than festering into public feuds amplified by rumour and hearsay. Along acknowledged that this approach helped preserve the boundary between public performance and private existence, allowing artists to maintain dignity even when their work drew critical commentary. The practice reflected an implicit compact between media and entertainment industry, wherein journalists recognised their power to shape public perception and accepted responsibility for wielding it judiciously.

The contrast with contemporary media dynamics has become stark and, according to Exists members, increasingly difficult for today's entertainers to navigate. The democratisation of publishing through social media platforms has eliminated the editorial gatekeepers entirely. Any individual with a smartphone can capture images or video of a public figure, accompany it with commentary ranging from observation to defamation, and broadcast it to thousands within seconds. Along noted the velocity of this process—the speed with which uncontextualized content circulates, gathering comments that often veer into harsh criticism or outright abuse. For artists, the psychological toll of instantaneous public judgment, multiplied across countless digital platforms, has become a professional hazard unknown in previous generations.

Vocalist Mamat emphasised that the supportive relationship between Exists and Malaysia's entertainment journalists has been foundational to the band's ability to remain relevant across more than three decades. Rather than merely documenting the group's career milestones, journalists had consistently provided encouragement during difficult periods, sometimes embedding advice and affirmation within their reporting. Mamat acknowledged his particular visibility in the media landscape, yet stressed that despite the inevitable controversies and setbacks accompanying any long career, journalists had afforded the band sufficient latitude to reinvent itself and move forward. This stands in contrast to the contemporary tendency toward pile-on criticism, wherein a single misstep can trigger cascading negativity across social platforms.

Bassist Musa offered a revealing anecdote that crystallised the relationship between artists and journalists during the mid-1990s. Around 1997, an entertainment journalist followed the band's activities so closely that he rented a recording studio specifically to experience what it meant to perform alongside them, eventually jamming with Musa and another bandmate for nearly two hours. The episode illustrated how professional journalism at its best transcended mere transactional reporting, evolving into genuine relationships built on shared passion and mutual respect. That journalist's investment of personal time and resources reflected both curiosity about artistic process and commitment to understanding his subjects authentically rather than superficially.

Musa contended that professional journalists remain indispensable to the entertainment ecosystem precisely because they possess training, editorial judgment, and ethical frameworks that untrained commentators lack. Professional communicators understand linguistic sensitivity, can distinguish between legitimate public interest and prurient gossip, and recognise what ought to remain unpublished regardless of its audience appeal. Their role extends beyond mere reporting toward setting standards that can influence the broader digital discourse. When professional journalists demonstrate responsibility and thoughtfulness, they establish benchmarks for what quality entertainment coverage should resemble, potentially encouraging other writers and content creators to emulate higher standards of accuracy and fairness.

The band's reflections arrive at a moment when Malaysia's entertainment industry continues adjusting to fragmented, decentralized media landscapes. The protective function once monopolized by mainstream newsrooms has largely dissipated, displaced by blogger networks, YouTube channels, and social media accounts operated by individuals with no training in journalistic ethics or legal considerations around defamation and privacy. For emerging artists, particularly those from modest backgrounds without powerful agents or legal resources, this represents a vulnerability their predecessors did not face. A false rumour or unflattering video, amplified through social networks, can irreparably damage a nascent career before fact-checkers or apologists have opportunity to intervene.

Yet Exists' perspective avoids simple nostalgia or technological determinism. Along acknowledged that modern entertainers must develop resilience and caution that previous generations could neglect, effectively building personal resilience alongside professional skill. The band suggests that while the protective infrastructure of print-era journalism has crumbled, artists bear responsibility for managing their own digital presence, understanding the permanence of internet publication, and maintaining private boundaries that social media culture relentlessly pressures them to dissolve. This represents a shift from institutional protection toward individual agency, an evolution with both liberating and exhausting dimensions.

Looking toward the industry's future, the band's remarks gesture toward continued relevance of professional journalism even as its reach and economic model face existential challenges. Musa noted his ongoing involvement in preparations for the Memento Mori Concert, scheduled for August 1 at Unifi Arena, indicating that established artists continue operating within traditional frameworks that include media relations alongside digital presence. The persistence of professional entertainment journalism in Malaysia, though diminished from its peak, continues fulfilling functions that algorithms and unmoderated social platforms cannot replicate. As entertainment industries worldwide grapple with how to sustain quality reporting in an era of fragmentary attention and economic disruption, Exists' reflection offers Malaysian audiences a useful historical perspective on what was gained and what has been lost through the transformation of media systems.