Ex-Utusan vs Utusan Part 2

Baharom

TTDI, 4 April: Until August last year, Baharon Mahusin was still tipped to take over the top editorial post of Utusan Malaysia. He was at the time the editor of Kosmo, a steady brand in Utusan's fledgling stable of publications, and was considered "the future" of the the Utusan group.

Another chap in the running for the post was UiTM alumni president Zaini Hassan, the combative Cuit Sikit columnist. If Baharom was viewed as politically moderate and technologically savvy, Zaini was the direct opposite - technologically moderate and politicly savvy -  or so a blogger told me at the time.

Zaini

But a few post-general election changes in the ownership and management of Utusan later, both seasoned journalists found themselves on the way out. 

Zaini wasted no time in helping found bebasnews.my (read also Ex-Utusan vs Utusan) with several other former Utusan journalists in December.  

Yesterday, Kumpulan Karangkraf Media appointed Baharum as its Group Editor-in-Chief cum Chief Content Executive. Karangkraf chairman Hussamuddin Yaacub said Baharum will be the one to transform Sinar Harian,  set its next direction and enhance its branding so as to  "compete with the other mainstream newspapers". 

Quite a move by a media conglomerate that has seen happy growth while most others slide by being a constant throb in the government's side ... 

Note: I first blogged about Sinar Harian in July 2006 h e r e.