In press-controlled Singapore, what do newspapers survive?

robertteh SG

In order to survive in such an anti-press controlled society, the Singapore press media has no choice but to walk on tight rope - on the one hand, it needs readership, on the other, it needs to comply with diverse unspelt wishes of its political masters.

So what must the press media do ?

It is to be noticed that clever journalists in order to make news interesting and wanted by the people often engage themselves in controversies among the people.

They would report on domestic people's petty issues like the anti-social behaviours of people, unreasonable attitudes of citizens, long queue for Vietnamese wives, university professor's courtship with a China girls, complaints of citizens against fellow citizens for any wrongful conduct or lack of neighbourliness.

So I will not be surprised to read a lot of news nowadays in our newspapers about the tiff of our leaders with Mahathir and many inconsequential hot debates on people's having many many different views of problems so as to distract from the main issues.

Parka SG

From a purely business point of view, they should expand their operations overseas. No point exchanging money between Singaporeans. The market is limited in Singapore.

Rock^Star SG

The above are quite alright in my opinion. Anyway, they hold the reins, so even if their intention is to sidetrack from "main issues", so be it. I can go to the internet anytime when I like.

Parka SG

Local paper offers local news. The ST carries some political news but toned down since the public can't take critism very well.

Read a variety of overseas news to gain perspective.

robertteh SG

Waa, if ST ever expands overseas, that will be interesting !!! When that happens, ST overseas edition will probably outperform the local edition in terms of truthful reporting and Singaporeans will no doubt subscribe to the overseas edition. Chee Soon Juan will then enjoy some coverage on his antics in the overseas edition like a hero.

highway69 SG

Don’t worry abt our newspaper survival coz it is the only way gahmen can tell us all that it is doing a ‘good’ job.

nismoS132 SG

channel news asia.

kkyz13 SG

IMO I find local news or CNA a joke compared to other news service.

Political news or stuff happening outside our shores seems better documented on wikinews.

The local section is like a selection of letters that are from commnuity center "complaints department". Few news article ever were interesting, and most seem just an over-exeggeration, half of which seem so impossible to be true to me.

And stuff like The New Paper, is sorta what ST could publish, just that they ran out of space and overcharge the leftovers.

If ST ever got distributed overseas, it would be effective in making Singapore look good, but not address important issues like maid abuse. Do you really think it would report whole truths, from a country that want to be "world class"? I think it would just report the good stuff, and add some weak, common negative things to balance out.

/unsubscribed to ST months ago
//CNA weekend documentaries are the only thing I like watching, not those 5-6mins snips of something happening else where in Asia

mistyblue SG

ST is like Newspaper on prozac