Read this in today's ST Forum..
March 9, 2005
Local newspapers must carry S'pore perspective
COMPREHENSIVE and objective coverage of regional issues has been
one of the strengths of Singapore newspapers.
For Singapore to thrive as a cosmopolitan city state, our people
must have a keen understanding of trends and developments in the
region and the world, and their implications for Singapore. Our
media reports, accompanied by analytical and op-ed pieces, help
them to do this.
It is important for Singapore newspapers to distinguish clearly
commentaries on regional affairs which reflect non-Singaporean
views both from Singaporean commentaries and from factual reports
of events.
Otherwise readers may be misled into thinking that these foreign
views reflect the newspapers' Singaporean position. This is
especially so as all the major Singapore newspapers employ
journalists and writers from other countries, who will naturally
from time to time comment on events from a foreign
perspective.
Furthermore, when covering regional affairs, a Singapore newspaper
should present a broad and balanced range of views, enabling
readers to appreciate how different countries see the same
issues.
The newspaper itself should remain detached from conflicts and
disputes involving other countries but not Singapore. It should
neither advance the position of another country, nor take on a
foreign government as if it were itself engaged in such a dispute.
Nor should it become a participant in the domestic political debate
of another country.
Both in its explicit editorial line and in the implicit point of
view of its reporting, its stance should be a Singaporean
one.
One recent example is the editorial and two commentaries published
in the Lianhe Zaobao on Feb 22, on the joint US-Japan statement
identifying easing tensions in the Taiwan Strait as a common
strategic objective.
The unsigned editorial was entitled 'A new flash point in
Sino-Japan relations'. The two articles, entitled 'China faces
US-Japan-Taiwan alliance' and 'A political battle by proxy', were
authored by a journalist and a scholar from China
respectively.
All three were written from a PRC perspective, and took Japan and
the US to task for conspiring to constrain China.
Similarly, several years ago, The Straits Times carried articles
championing the cause of one South Asian country against another,
written by a South Asian journalist. The Government had to remind
The Straits Times not to get embroiled in the complex disputes of
the South Asian subcontinent.
We appreciate the contributions of foreign journalists and writers.
They add to our talent pool of journalists, and provide insights
into the thinking of their compatriots.
However, when they go beyond straightforward reporting to
expressing opinions on regional issues, the newspaper should make
it clear that these are the views of foreign nationals, and take
extra care to maintain overall balance in its reporting and
commentary.
K. Bhavani (Ms)
Press Secretary to the
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts
