Who says you need to be a reporter to break the news? Our next
story could very well come from you - a television viewer, a radio
listener or a newspaper reader.
This year, MediaCorp's television channels, radio stations and
TODAY newspaper have received thousands of tip-offs from hotline
callers, hundreds of which have been turned into stories for the
entire nation.
Callers have alerted the various MediaCorp newsrooms through their
own individual news hotline numbers.
Now, to make things more convenient for hotline callers, MediaCorp
has set up a centralised News Hotline at 68 2222 68 to replace the
four existing hotlines.
This "one network one hotline" approach means that if you want to
reach MediaCorp's TV channels, radio stations or Today newspaper,
there's just one number to call.
The new hotline service will also supplement the efforts of
MediaCorp's reporting teams which fan out all over the island each
day to bring viewers, listeners and readers the latest and most
relevant news.
Debra Soon, MediaCorp News Executive Editor, said: "People
sometimes assume that we know what's going on out there all the
time. But, remember, when you are at an incident you are normally
the first person there with an eyewitness account. You call and
then we'll know what's going on. In fact, sometimes we interview
these people who call us as well because they really make a
difference out there."
In other words, you can make a difference to the news and even
improve the way it's presented.
So, are you ready to be the eyes and ears of the newsroom, and to
see your tip-offs turn into news reports for the entire
nation?
Some of the MediaCorp news stories which originated from tip-offs
include: hundreds of people fleeing Golden Mile Complex after they
felt tremors from an earthquake in Sumatra; thousands of homes
plunged into darkness after a two-hour blackout; a makeshift
prostitute den in a forested area in Jurong West; an invasion of
swallows in Yishun; and a wild boar on the loose at the Changi Golf
Club.
By tipping off MediaCorp with these stories, television viewers,
radio listeners and newspaper readers not only shared them with
just the rest of Singapore but, sometimes, also with people living
elsewhere in Asia - through the satellite broadcast of Channel
NewsAsia. - CNA