Alleged SPH insider explains why Singapore media is censored
-
SPH: An insider speaks
I had no illusions about the independence of the local media when I first started my job in StraitsTimes, under SPH.
I knew that my work would be edited, and possibly censored for political safety, and I was mostly fine with that – no media channel anywhere in the world is entirely free from some form of editorial trimming, after all. But there is such a thing as a free press but certainly not one in Singapore.
What I didn’t bargain for was individual self-censorship, unspoken policies and rules, and the stoutness with which people swallowed their journalistic dignity and integrity (because it does exist, even strongly, in some places) to toe the company line. Incredible as it seems, reporters in Singapore do have the same fierce pride in their work as reporters anywhere else; only pitifully and sadly they cannot demonstrate their beliefs. After all its a job.The omnipotence of the CPF.
Its on the cards that there will be a general election in 2010. It’s hard for me to swallow the indignation I feel whenever I see the local media doggedly ignoring its news sense. We have seen it all before. We will see it again. And again. We see it every day.
Articles and TV programmes are edited to balance out pro-opposition views; awesome camera opportunities – like the opposition rallies – are studiously left out of media coverage; banal and unfair quotes and tactics are highlighted and headlined simply because they are tools of the ruling party and the lap-dog media will comply. But the truth will out. The voting public are not as blind as they seem. For those that WILL get the chance to vote, that is.
There are many things journalists see that the eyes of the public are not privy to, and that we would like to report on but can’t. Please remember that when you read an article or watch a broadcast that seems particularly, emetically subjective.
And help spread the word that a lot of us in the media are sorry that we can’t do the job we want to. It may not mean a lot to you, but it sucks for us that for every day, people’s opinions of us plummet – despite the fact that we work our asses off in 14-hour days with no breaks on weekends or public holidays to bring you OUR (or it THEIR) version of the news. We are just doing a job..for THEM.
And for those who think it’s as easy as quitting your jobs and following your conscience – grow up. This is a job. It puts food on our tables. We can all get up and leave, but it’s ridiculously easy to replace us with more party-line-spouting drones. And it’s also likely that we’re doing something about it, in our own little ways, even if it’s as small as writing about and expressing our dissatisfaction with the system from the inside. But we cant tell you about it.
After all, walls have ears inside here too. And some of those ears are positioned to hear everything, sometimes for some who want to just get on with company at the expense of dobbing their own friends. But that is another sad story.
Clearly the pressure coming from the head is overwhelming, and it is no surprise whatsoever that that pressure should translate down the chain, so that the executives chastise the editors, the editors chastise the journalists, and so on, if anyone steps out of line, and that perpetuates self-censorship because ‘you might as well mutilate your own article before they get to it, and in any case there’s no point in drawing attention to yourself’.
Will it make some people squirm after reading this.
Doubt it. There is no soul.
EDITOR’s NOTE: This article was contributed by a reader with the moniker helplessinsingapore, copied verbatim.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/11/08/sph-an-insiders-confession/
-
is this news?
no need "insider" to say, we all oredi know mah................. -
Reporters and editors need to eat and feed their families too.
-
æ··å�£é¥å�ƒå˜›....
-
Originally posted by angel3070:
SPH: An insider speaks
I had no illusions about the independence of the local media when I first started my job in StraitsTimes, under SPH.
I knew that my work would be edited, and possibly censored for political safety, and I was mostly fine with that – no media channel anywhere in the world is entirely free from some form of editorial trimming, after all. But there is such a thing as a free press but certainly not one in Singapore.
What I didn’t bargain for was individual self-censorship, unspoken policies and rules, and the stoutness with which people swallowed their journalistic dignity and integrity (because it does exist, even strongly, in some places) to toe the company line. Incredible as it seems, reporters in Singapore do have the same fierce pride in their work as reporters anywhere else; only pitifully and sadly they cannot demonstrate their beliefs. After all its a job.The omnipotence of the CPF.
Its on the cards that there will be a general election in 2010. It’s hard for me to swallow the indignation I feel whenever I see the local media doggedly ignoring its news sense. We have seen it all before. We will see it again. And again. We see it every day.
Articles and TV programmes are edited to balance out pro-opposition views; awesome camera opportunities – like the opposition rallies – are studiously left out of media coverage; banal and unfair quotes and tactics are highlighted and headlined simply because they are tools of the ruling party and the lap-dog media will comply. But the truth will out. The voting public are not as blind as they seem. For those that WILL get the chance to vote, that is.
There are many things journalists see that the eyes of the public are not privy to, and that we would like to report on but can’t. Please remember that when you read an article or watch a broadcast that seems particularly, emetically subjective.
And help spread the word that a lot of us in the media are sorry that we can’t do the job we want to. It may not mean a lot to you, but it sucks for us that for every day, people’s opinions of us plummet – despite the fact that we work our asses off in 14-hour days with no breaks on weekends or public holidays to bring you OUR (or it THEIR) version of the news. We are just doing a job..for THEM.
And for those who think it’s as easy as quitting your jobs and following your conscience – grow up. This is a job. It puts food on our tables. We can all get up and leave, but it’s ridiculously easy to replace us with more party-line-spouting drones. And it’s also likely that we’re doing something about it, in our own little ways, even if it’s as small as writing about and expressing our dissatisfaction with the system from the inside. But we cant tell you about it.
After all, walls have ears inside here too. And some of those ears are positioned to hear everything, sometimes for some who want to just get on with company at the expense of dobbing their own friends. But that is another sad story.
Clearly the pressure coming from the head is overwhelming, and it is no surprise whatsoever that that pressure should translate down the chain, so that the executives chastise the editors, the editors chastise the journalists, and so on, if anyone steps out of line, and that perpetuates self-censorship because ‘you might as well mutilate your own article before they get to it, and in any case there’s no point in drawing attention to yourself’.
Will it make some people squirm after reading this.
Doubt it. There is no soul.
EDITOR’s NOTE: This article was contributed by a reader with the moniker helplessinsingapore, copied verbatim.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/11/08/sph-an-insiders-confession/
..........and our favourite Uncle Poh Ah Pak aka angel3070 is actually Bill Gates.The US Manhattan bridge ( and our Coleman bridge also) is for sale for at only S$100!!!! Call me now. Hurry! My handphone number is 999. Dont miss!
-
Is this all u can muster for a reply of this topic? Or simply that is no reason to argue over such tyrancy? U know, sometimes thing is wrong means wrong. A tyrant, no matter how u try to defend him is still a tyrant.
-
Originally posted by xtreyier:
..........and our favourite Uncle Poh Ah Pak aka angel3070 is actually Bill Gates.The US Manhattan bridge ( and our Coleman bridge also) is for sale for at only S$100!!!! Call me now. Hurry! My handphone number is 999. Dont miss!
For a cowardly cur who has no morals, and guts, you are REALLY noisy. You are just a cowardly dog that barks and then scrambles away whining when you are exposed for your lack of empathy, conscience, and knowledge"Statistics is NOT Science" - xtreyier.
Enough said for a cur.
-
Is this insider gonna be fired?
-
Originally posted by tr@nsp0rt_F3V3R:
Is this insider gonna be fired?
was there even an insider in the 1st place?PS: Thanks Soul_rage, for your voluntary effort to be my personal assistant and remind my fellow citizens to be cautious when statistics are qouted. Be aware, as your effort is voluntary, there's no pay and not because of your rudeness or crap about me.
-
Originally posted by xtreyier:
was there even an insider in the 1st place?PS: Thanks Soul_rage, for your voluntary effort to be my personal assistant and remind my fellow citizens to be cautious when statistics are qouted. Be aware, as your effort is voluntary, there's no pay and not because of your rudeness or crap about me.
Stop beating around the bush. Just answer the simple questionDid you or did you not say Statistics is not Science?
You really have no guts to admit your lack of knowledge.
Amongst the pro-PAP supporters, sgdiehard still has some credibility. You on the other hand, really are a disgrace.
But continue on! :) You will help us people to be more aware of bootlickers for the govt that are only good at making rubbish remarks.