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http://presspedia.journalism.sg/ 2008-05-10T22:14:24+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/ http://presspedia.journalism.sg/lib/images/favicon.ico text/html 2008-02-03T00:36:57+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=1964_race_riots&rev=1201970217&do=diff The race riots happened on July 21, 1964. According to Lee (1971), there was a sustained campaign in a Malay language newspaper which falsely alleged that the rights of the Malay and Muslim minority were being suppressed (Lee, 1971). Subsequently, this led to riots where 36 people were killed and many injured during a Muslim street procession to celebrate Prophet Mohammed's birthday. text/html 2007-07-05T01:58:45+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=about_us&rev=1183571925&do=diff The research and writing team comprises journalism students at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore: * Daniel Ong Kian Hong * Derrick Ho * Sara Siew If you have any problems with the wiki, please contact the administrator. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:39+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=advertising_and_circulation_trends&rev=1183805739&do=diff Most, if not all newspapers in Singapore are commercial in nature and regularly compete for advertisers. While all of Singapore Press Holding's newspapers are subscription-based, MediaCorp Press' TODAY is circulated for free and therefore is heavily reliant on the advertising dollar. text/html 2007-07-08T13:46:47+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=cases&rev=1183873607&do=diff This is an on-going work of database detailing government action against freedom of expression since the Republic's independence. text/html 2007-06-06T16:03:49+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=constitution&rev=1181117029&do=diff The Constitution is Singapore's most basic and definitive set of laws, setting out a citizen’s fundamental liberties and delineating the state and legal structure, including the separation of powers. With regards to the press in Singapore, two aspects of the Constitution merit attention. The first is the article that protects freedom of speech. The second concerns the limits on government power more generally. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:45+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=criticisms_of_singapore_press_system&rev=1183805745&do=diff There have been many who have lauded Singapore's economic progress within the short period of a few decades. However, there have also been many critics, most notably Western thinkers and professonals, who are unable to come to terms with the fact that the press should operate under laws and guidelines set by the government, which they have labelled as draconian. text/html 2007-06-12T16:15:26+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=defamation_act&rev=1181636126&do=diff It is said that in Singapore, defamation laws are “perhaps the most onerous” (Ang, 1998) among the laws which apply across media. Defamation law is meant, most fundamentally, to protect a person’s reputation – a person’s social standing and image in the eyes of reasonable people. It branches out from the law of torts. text/html 2007-05-30T15:11:54+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=emergency_essential_powers_act&rev=1180509114&do=diff Essential Information (Control of Publications and Safeguarding of Information) Regulations Under the Emergency (Essential Powers) Act is subsidiary legislation that relates to the press. More specifically, these fall under the Essential (Control of Publications and Safeguarding of Information) Regulations. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:46+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=far_eastern_economic_review_feer&rev=1183805746&do=diff The FEER is a monthly publication and is based in Hong Kong, with a focus on Asia-related news. Its parent company is Dow Jones & Company, a financial and business news organisation which is based in the US. The FEER was previously a weekly issue, but it became a monthly publication since December 2004. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:46+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=george_yeo&rev=1183805746&do=diff George Yeo is currently a Member of Parliament (MP), and also holds the appointment of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Cabinet, On a 1995 walkabout in his Moulmein ward then, Yeo reminded clearly those who sought to challenge the authority of the government, saying that everyone has to "remember their place in society before engaging in political debate", and not consider themselves as being equal with the government. (The Straits Times, 1995) text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:46+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=goh_chok_tong&rev=1183805746&do=diff Goh Chok Tong currently holds the appointment of Senior Minister in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Cabinet. He was previously the prime minister from 28 Nov 1990 to August 12, 2004. In August 1985, speaking to a university audience, Goh made it clear that it was not possible to have the press, particularly, the journalists, and the government vying for attention (Seow, 1998). text/html 2008-02-03T00:39:09+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=history&rev=1201970349&do=diff For an overview of the PAP relations with the press in the early years, see PAP-Press Relations in the Early Years. Early Newspapers Some of the early newspapers that have since ceased to exist include: * The Nanyang Siang Pau * The Eastern Sun * The Singapore Herald text/html 2008-04-24T17:52:15+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=home&rev=1209030735&do=diff * This website is an evolving public resource for anyone interested in the Singapore press. It is run by a team of students at the Division of Journalism and Publishing, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. * Because this is a wiki, its content is under constant development and revision, anyone can edit it, and we welcome your inputs. Please see contribute for information on how you can contribute. text/html 2007-06-15T14:37:01+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=industry&rev=1181889421&do=diff Internet regulation in Singapore ropes in a number of players, namely the Media Development Authority (MDA), the industry, and the public and community. The main industry players in Singapore, namely Singnet, Pacific Internet and Starhub Internet, help to regulate the internet. Besides being expected to comply with the Internet Code of Practice, they work with the MDA to block sites which contain prohibited material. Despite arguments that mid-stream access filtering (rather than filtering at t… text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:47+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=instances&rev=1183805747&do=diff One of these instances took place on December 18, 1964. As an opposition Member of Parliament (MP) in the Malaysian parliament, Lee voiced his opinion for an open society and open media system. He argued that the Federal Government attempted to cast 'a shroud of silence in the newspapers' over the PAP and the party's activities. text/html 2007-06-12T16:39:51+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=internal_security_act&rev=1181637591&do=diff The Internal Security Act (ISA) is perhaps most infamously known for allowing detention without trial. Indeed, in its history, the ISA has been used to detain known or suspected Communists. These include Operation Coldstore (1963), where 107 leftist politicians and trade unionists were detained; and the arrest, in May 1987, of 16 people believed to belong to a clandestine communist network. It has also been used against people suspected to be involved in espionage. More recently, the ISA was inv… text/html 2007-06-15T14:45:05+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=internet_regulation&rev=1181889905&do=diff Internet content regulations have existed since 1996 in the form of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority Act, which was succeeded by the Media Development Authority of Singapore Act in 2002. This Act gives the Media Development Authority (MDA) the power to regulate the internet. Licensing, registration, and codes of practice are some of the main tools which the MDA uses to regulate the internet. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:48+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=lee_hsien_loong&rev=1183805748&do=diff Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who succeeded current Senior Ministor Goh Chok Tong on August 12, 2004, most recently spoke on the topic of the media at the seventh Asian-European Editors' Forum on Oct 6, 2006, organised by a German research foundation and the Straits Times, Singapore's main English language broadsheet. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:48+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=lee_kuan_yew&rev=1183805748&do=diff Beliefs Over the years, taking into account his personal experiences and observations, Lee has adopted the view that it is better to have a government that can bring economic progress than to have one that is about championing the rights of people. text/html 2008-02-02T23:28:51+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=maria_hertogh&rev=1201966131&do=diff Maria Hertogh was a Dutch girl who was given to a Malay Muslim woman to look after during World War Two, when the Japanese invaded Malaya and Singapore. Her biological Dutch mother, who rediscovered her, claimed for her return. However, the girl had by then, become a Muslim convert. An English judge, presiding over the case, ordered Maria to be sent to a convent while awaiting the trial outcome. text/html 2007-06-15T14:39:59+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=media_development_authority_mda&rev=1181889599&do=diff The Media Development Authority (MDA) is the statutory board that oversees Singapore’s media industry with a view to developing Singapore into a global media city. The MDA was formed on 1 January 2003, in effect the result of a merger between the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, the Films and Publications Department, and the Singapore Film Commission. This merger was felt to be a better strategy to cope with the convergence of different media. According to the MDA website, the demands of the … text/html 2007-06-01T16:33:07+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=mediacorp&rev=1180686787&do=diff text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:49+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=mediacorp_press&rev=1183805749&do=diff Company Overview MediaCorp Press is the newspaper publishing business unit of MediaCorp, the government-owned national broadcaster. It publishes the free commuter paper TODAY. The business unit was formed in June 2000 when the Singapore government announced a liberalisation of the Singapore media market to introduce competition in the broadcast and newspaper industry. TODAY started circulation in November 2000. text/html 2007-06-06T16:35:04+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=nanyang_siang_pau&rev=1181118904&do=diff Four executives and editorial staff were arrested under the Internal Security Act after Lee's speech during the "Seminar on Communism and Democracy" on April 28, 1971, which marked the start of the government's crackdown on the print media, according to Seow (1998). text/html 2007-06-12T16:32:04+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=newspaper_and_printing_presses_act&rev=1181637124&do=diff The Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (NPPA) came about in 1974, replacing the Printing Presses Ordinance which the PAP government had inherited from the British. Under the NPPA, the PAP retained the spirit, but not the style, of the Printing Presses Ordinance. The licensing rules of the Ordinance were retained – licenses, granted on a discretionary basis, were needed to operate printing presses, as well as to print or publish newspapers. However, the style of administration was changed. The PA… text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:50+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=newspaper_companies&rev=1183805750&do=diff Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) is the dominant newspaper publisher in Singapore. From 1984 until 2000, it enjoyed a monopoly of the English, Chinese and Malay local daily newspaper market. Since 199x??, it has also owned the country's only Tamil daily. Its highly lucrative monopoly of the English newspaper market was broken by MediaCorp in 2000. MediaCorp's sole newspaper title, TODAY, turned profitable in the financial year 2004, entrenching the new duopoly in Singapore's newspaper industry. text/html 2007-06-01T16:31:23+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=newspapers&rev=1180686683&do=diff text/html 2007-06-06T16:13:00+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=official_secrets_act&rev=1181117580&do=diff The Official Secrets Act (OSA) is basically an act which prohibits the disclosure of official documents and information. Although it targets spying, all prosecutions that have taken place since it came about in 1935 have fallen under section 5. Section 5 is about the “wrongful communication...of information”; more precisely it states as an offence the disclosure of information to unauthorised parties. Article 5 (1) (ii), moreover, counts it as an offence when the information is used “in any mann… text/html 2007-06-29T19:21:58+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=opposition_party_publications&rev=1183116118&do=diff In general, opposition party publications in Singapore figure few and far between. As an example, the opposition’s lack of access to the state media was one factor that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) cited in explaining Singapore’s low press freedom ranking – 140 out of 167 in 2005. And it is through the law that opposition parties in Singapore face restrictions in putting forth their publications. text/html 2008-02-02T23:37:29+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=pap-press_relations_in_the_early_years&rev=1201966649&do=diff According to Seow (1998), the earliest trace of the relationship between both parties was anything but cordial. There were strong exchanges of words over a few months between the English language press – mainly the The Straits Times and the Singapore Standard, the latter of which the PAP felt was less of a concern - and the party over accusations and claims by the latter that there was press partisanship during the 1959 general elections. text/html 2008-05-03T00:23:07+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=pap_press_philosophy&rev=1209745387&do=diff Singapore has been ruled by the People’s Action Party (PAP) since independence in 1965, with its first secretary general, Lee Kuan Yew, being the city state’s first prime minister from 1959 to 1990. He currently holds the appointment of Minister Mentor in Singapore's Cabinet, while his son Lee Hsien Loong is prime minister. The PAP has been the single most important determinant of media developments in Singapore. text/html 2007-12-26T19:09:36+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=political_party_newspapers&rev=1198667376&do=diff The main political parties in Singapore are the People’s Action Party (PAP), Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and the Worker’s Party (WP). The People’s Action Party: Petir Petir is the main party organ of the People’s Action Party. Taking the format of a magazine, it is published once every two months. text/html 2007-06-27T22:47:20+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=press_laws&rev=1182955640&do=diff The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore guarantees for “freedom of speech and expression”, and this has been interpreted to include freedom of the press. However, the Constitution allows Parliament to restrict this freedom when deemed necessary. text/html 2007-06-15T14:46:18+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=public_and_community&rev=1181889978&do=diff Besides the Media Development Authority and the internet industry players, the public and the community also play a part in internet regulation. One of the chief players in this field is the National Internet Advisory Committee (NIAC), a body that was sanctioned by the Ministry of Communication and the Arts (now MDA) in 1996. Its job is to act as an intermediary between the public and industry on one hand, and the Government on the other. These are some of its duties: text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:52+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=publications&rev=1183805752&do=diff Singapore's newspaper titles are: * The Straits Times and The Sunday Times (English, daily) * TODAY and Weekend TODAY (English, 6 days a week) * The Business Times (English, 6 days a week) * The New Paper and The New Paper on Sunday (English, daily) * Lianhe Zaobao (Chinese, daily) * Lianhe Wanbao (Chinese, evening daily) * My Paper (Chinese, Tuesdays to Saturdays except public holidays) * Shin Min Daily News (Chinese, evening daily) * Berita Harian and Berita Minggu (Malay, … text/html 2007-06-12T16:24:17+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=references&rev=1181636657&do=diff Books, Book Chapters & Articles * Ang, P.H. & Yeo, T.M. (1998). Mass Media Laws and Regulations in Singapore. Singapore: Asian Media Information and Communication Centre. * Chauvinism and Mr. Lee. (1974). Hongkong Standard, June 1, 1974. * Chan, G. & Lee, P.W. Articles on Singapore Law. * Chew, K. C. (22 Oct, 1987). "A statement of beliefs". Far Eastern Economic Review. * Chua, M.H. (25 October, 1997). "Is Singapore's legal system getting a bad name?". Singapore: The Straits Times. … text/html 2007-06-06T16:08:16+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=sedition_act&rev=1181117296&do=diff The Sedition Act prohibits sedition, though what exactly is defined by “seditious” is less obvious. Any act, speech, words, and publication can be considered seditious if it has a “seditious tendency”. This is a tendency to: * cause one to have hatred or contempt, or to excite disaffection against the Government, or against the administration of justice; * “raise discontent or disaffection” among Singaporeans; or * “promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or cl… text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:53+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=singapore_government_philosophy_of_the_press&rev=1183805753&do=diff text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:53+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=singapore_herald&rev=1183805753&do=diff text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:53+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=singapore_press_holdings&rev=1183805753&do=diff Company Overview The Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) is a publicly-listed company that publishes all but one of Singapore's dailies and over 80 magazines in Singapore’s four official languages. The group’s stable of newspapers includes The Straits Times, Lianhe Zao Bao, Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu. The company has some 1,000 journalists, including correspondents in 16 overseas bureaus. Its headquarters, News Centre, has been located in Toa Payoh North since 2002. In 2005, SPH’s publication… text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:53+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=sph-mediacorp_competition&rev=1183805753&do=diff Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and MediaCorp have been competing in the newspaper market since 2000 when the Singapore government decided to liberalise the media market. MediaCorp which core business was in broadcast was issued a license to publish a newspaper in June 9, 2000. Similarly, SPH, whose core business was in newspaper was given a license to operate TV and radio channels. text/html 2008-03-10T00:33:51+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=table_of_contents&rev=1205080431&do=diff text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:54+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=the_business_times&rev=1183805754&do=diff The Business Times was launched on October 1, 1976 and is Singapore's only financial daily. The paper received a daily average circulation of 31,361 copies in 2005, according to its current parent company, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). The paper came about as The Straits Times strengthened its business coverage in the late 1970s. The Straits Times began the practice of attaching young staff for training with the Financial Times in London. The paper then incorporated a 'Times Business' Section… text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:54+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=the_new_paper&rev=1183805754&do=diff The New Paper was launched on July 26, 1988 and is Singapore's only afternoon weekday-tabloid. The paper received a daily average circulation of 113,331 copies in 2005, according to its parent company, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). Its Sunday edition, The New Paper on Sunday, which was launched in April 11, 1999 received a circulation of 148,273 in 2005. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:55+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=the_singapore_herald&rev=1183805755&do=diff The Singapore Herald was an English language newspaper set up in July 1970. It was originally conceived by three journalists: Ambrose Khaw, Norman Siebel and Francis Wong, who became the founder-editor (Seow 1998). Its primary investor was Tan Sri Datuk Donald Stephens, the then Malaysian high commissioner to Australia, who invested through a holding company registered in Hong Kong. text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:55+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=the_straits_times&rev=1183805755&do=diff First published on July 15, 1845, The Straits Times is the oldest newspaper in Singapore and is the dominant English-language paper of the country.The paper is also Singapore Press Holdings' flagship paper, and received a readership of 1.3 million in 2005. text/html 2007-06-01T16:30:05+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=the_sunday_times&rev=1180686605&do=diff text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:55+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=today&rev=1183805755&do=diff The TODAY newspaper is MediaCorp's official foray into newspaper publishing. First launched on November 10, 2000, TODAY is a commuter paper that is distributed free in Singapore from Mondays to Saturdays. Its Saturday edition is known as Weekend TODAY. text/html 2007-06-01T16:32:40+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=today_newspaper&rev=1180686760&do=diff text/html 2007-07-07T18:55:56+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=undesirable_publications_act&rev=1183805756&do=diff The Undesirable Publications Act (UPA) restricts the importation, sale and circulation of publications that are felt to be in conflict with public interest. Accordingly, a publication can be felt to be obscene or objectionable. Section 3 of the UPA defines an obscene publication as one which would “tend to deprave and corrupt persons” who are likely to come into contact with it. text/html 2007-06-01T16:26:28+08:00 http://presspedia.journalism.sg/doku.php?id=weekend_today&rev=1180686388&do=diff