My Post on MediaCorp was Censored and Removed

last SG · 2005-10-25T10:50:01+00:00

hi Profounder, thanks for your insights, i never realised that there were such gems in today. but you must admit that all this mistakes are quite humourous....

Profounder SG

On 14 Oct (Friday), I submitted a post titled "Bad English Standard of MediaCorp") on the Forum of Channel News Asia.

In it, I discussed about the very sloppy editorial standard and bad grammar of majority of MediaCorp's journalists including those from the freesheet, Today.

As an example. I cited the Friday issue of Today in which there were 2 articles written by Jeanine Tan who is on the entertainment beat. In both articles, Jeanine Tan misused the word "practise" as a noun when in fact, it is a verb. E.g. You practise the piano but you go for piano practice.

Also, many of their journalists don't seem to know that "comprise" is a standalone verb and you don't use it with "of". E.g. "The team comprises 2 girls and a guy." as opposed to "The team comprises of 2 girls and a guy." One such journalist is Cubby Leong.

A further proof of such sloppy and bad grammar occurred On Friday night in a CNA programme on roses. Being all superficial style and no substance, CNA always likes to run those trailer with smart-alecky one-liners. For this programme, the one-liner read, "Roses are not just flowers; they are also herbs that can aid in heart problems."

Now, wait a minute" "...aid in heart problems"???

Did they mean "...aid in ameliorating or solving heart problems"? How do you aid a problem?? By aiding in a problem, you contribute to it.

All the above were censored and didn't even pass the moderator.

Well, so there you go. This is MediaCorp for you. They can throw brickbats at people and their competitors but people can't criticise them!!

OH-FF SG

Welcome to Singapore , Home of self-made Elites.

Spirit of Fire SG

It’s sooner or later one, these self-made elites will crack & crumble, & they can blame no one but themselves. It’s extremely dangerous when one doesn’t own up to his or her mistakes.

no_1_idiot SG

Wah,,,,,U so lucky sia..nvr kana sue by dem..Later i visit u in jail cos u no money pay dem.HA Surprised Very Happy Smile

Profounder SG

They don't have grounds to sue because what I stated are facts; and the biggest fact is that the journalists at Today write really badly in terms of style and grammar.

To make it worse, they never hesitate to publicise their so-called achievements including being the so-called "2nd most widely read paper in Singapore" as well as the paper that "sets you thinking".

I'm not in the employment of SPH but I think this self-praise is just too much to bear considering that they write so badly. Also, they never hesitate to throw brickbats at their competitors when they fall short of the most rigorous journalistic standards.

sbst275 SG

In the 1st place, it is not a better way to express it through forums

Because it can end up into flammings and attacks

robertteh SG

I have experienced deletions of my posts by CNA too. It was just my objective views on past policy errors but they just got deleted.

I fail to understand how in today's widespread telecommunications we must still have this kind of control of information so that for those giving their views to CNA, they will only give good views favorable to the establishments to avoid being deleted.

If the feedbacks and openness and the intention to build an inclusive cosmopolitan society is for real we will not have so many deletions of this kind of views and opinions happening in what is supposed to be a leading news in the region.

The whole system is so filled with falsehoods and pretentious look-good news and views liked by the establishments but sadly devoid of creative ideas from people who really have something to offer. The people who continue to work the system are supposed to be talents and capable but sadly they cannot tell that by covering up problems like the NKF, they will be postponing solutions to be exploded by more powerful forces one day with greater consequences when problems cannot be covered any longer.

That is why we are seeing more building and worksite collapses and more MRT and LTA fiascos, more souzhou losses and more 7 wonders because of disdain for facts and fictions. What future do we have if people cannot and do not have the means to point out mistakes or what are facts.

oxford mushroom SG

Your criticisms are just and fair.

stellazio SG

people censor us,we don't censor them.. Laughing

Xprobe SG

dont you get it or heard it by now (in fact, several timesfrom the horse's mouth)? the media's role in spore is to be responsible for nation-building - a concept defined by the establishment and thus not exactly similar to the western standards that you are talking about

thus revelation of bad-english is also a taboo because it will "aid" the growing lack of credibility of its already irrelevant role to the people - another concept defined as a group of trishaw riders, coolies and hawkers who lack in making sound judgement of what is good and bad for them, aka dumb ass peasants

so my friend, you are comparing apples with oranges, they may all be citrus, but they are born to taste different

kaobeikaobu SG

send it to overseas papers then…

Profounder SG

A bit harsh...But the issue here is not whether our press should conform or not to the western standard of the liberal press. Or how the press is being used as a tool for nation-building.

Rather it is about MediaCorp's crop of mediocre journalists who pretend they are the best in the local scene, particularly those from the freesheet "Today".

This is what they wrote on their website, www.Todayonline.com:
[color=red]"With a team of talented reporters and worldwide correspondents, TODAY covers a diverse range of interests..."

Talented? I think there is an element of shamelessness here for I don't associate bad writing and grammar with being "talented". How do you call someone talented when he writes like that:
"Whenever Today runs its feature on the Singapore Idol, that's when it's letters' day".

Mind you, that came from a Today journalist. I can't remember the exact wording but I'm very sure she used "whenever" with "when". Worse, somewhere down the article, she went on to criticise other newspapers!

And try reading anything written by their chief editor. Not an ounce of fluency or style in his articles.

The same applies for Channel News Asia which is basically a channel for posers and pretenders. Posers as in the glamourbabes (including the male journalists) they hire. Pretenders as in lots of superficial style and almost zilch substance.

Tell me why do I want to watch their coverage on the Iraq war when during the blitz, ABC, CNN, BBC etc had reporters embedded in tanks in the thick of the battle?

Nation building. That's the prerogative of the PAP Government. I disagree with it but hey, there's CNN and there's internet.

Nelstar SG

They really set you thinking about how bad their English can be.

Laughing

Salman SG

Today employed young punks for journalists & subeditors to cut costs, fresh out of uni.

LittleTiger SG

To make it worse, they never hesitate to publicise their so-called achievements including being the so-called "2nd most widely read paper in Singapore" as well as the paper that "sets you thinking".

I'm not in the employment of SPH but I think this self-praise is just too much to bear considering that they write so badly. Also, they never hesitate to throw brickbats at their competitors when they fall short of the most rigorous journalistic standards.[/b]

Yeah, they used to post in their TV and radio that they are so great and no. 1..... when fighting with SPH. Felt like vomitting when heard to self brag post.
So lame, they are in the TV and Radio for so many yrs of course gain the most market shares lah.

Somemore report others bad things can but NEVER acknowledge their own mistake. Yeah this is what i called MEDIA.

bohiruci SG

instead of being unhappy , y not take the more proactive approach
go to forum to write a "nice letter"
on the need to promote good english

i think it is betta than heartache at forum bah Smile

shade343 SG

You should join Medicorp as a journalist... Laughing

Profounder SG

No lah...I'm not unhappy. What's the point of being unhappy over a freesheet that has no impact on my life.

The grouse I have is in the fact that Today and CNA are extremely smug and keep SHAMELESSLY trumpeting their so-called "achievements". You see this being done very blatantly in Today even though the entire paper is ridden with holes in logical reasoning and grammar. And hell, their journalists can't write for nuts!!! Try reading articles written by this woman called Tshola Bering, a PR from Nepal. 9 out of 10 of her articles start with "In a move...", "In a bid...", "In an attempt...".

And yes, I did write to Today's editor to highlight their mistakes and tell them not to be so smug. And you know what, they published an article showing that they are the most read paper among PMEBs!

How do you compare a free-sheet with a newspaper that costs 80 cents?

Profounder SG

Until now, only Temasek Polytechnic (TP) was offering a tourism and hospitality diploma. Then, in May, Ngee Ann Polytechnic said it would consider offering a tourism diploma focusing on resort management.

The plans have been firmed up and it is now awaiting approval from the Ministry of Education (MOE). As are Republic Polytechnic and Singapore Polytechnic, TODAY understands.

This is an excerpt of an article in today's Today, by Derrick A Paolo. Does it make grammatical sense to you?

The 2 sentences in the first para contradict each other.

As for the 2nd para, there's no grammatical logicity. "As are RP and SP..."? "Are" what?

LittleTiger SG

what talking they(Today)