SingaporeInc

SPH and Mediacorp

I need to first declare that I have shares of SPH. (Mediacorp is not a listed company) However, I dont think this affects my impartiality.

SPH and Mediacorp are the PR department of Singapore Inc, and are required to consider the economic interest of the country in their work. SPH, in addition, need to make a profit and face its shareholders now and then. When the two organizations were required to compete with each other with SPH operating a TV network and Mediacorp publishing a newspaper (Today), SPH had a harder time because it was less able to accept financial losses. The government soon saw fit to put a stop to this sibling rivalry.

I myself find Straits Times a fine newspaper, but poor in commentary. Its own columnists hardly ever say anything new at all, and the few foreign commentary articles usually dont offer much either, because most of the time I have already read something along the same lines on the web. In any case, I do not grudge the 80c I pay now and then, and also advertised in its classified sections now and then.

The ST Forum section has been Singapore's public advocate for many years, and SPH acted as the whistle blower in the NKF case. The whole saga says a great deal about the social system of Singapore.

"To have spontaneous fun - here is how."

Far eastern economic review, a regional economic and current affairs journal published in Hongkong, for over 30 years had an uneasy relationship with the Singapore government. A number of times its resident reporter in Singapore was denied employment pass renewal and had to leave at the end of his tour.

The above headline was supposed to be on the front of Straits Times some day during the 80s, and FEER mockingly reproduced it as an example of the low level of spiritual life in Singapore. It was presumably also reaffirming Hongkong's cultural superiority. However, Hongkong suffered a period of low self-confidence after return of sovereignty to China in 1997 - one could perhaps trace the start to the problematic opening of the new airport (reproducing the bad experience of the KL airport opening a year earlier - both used the same luggage software that failed to work at first) followed by the Asian financial crisis and SARS, and some newspaper editorials even envied the Singapore government's firm handling. It was also during this period that FEER downgraded from weekly to monthly. However, with Chinese money flooding into Hongkong, complancency has returned.

In the mean time, fun is very much in fashion in Singapore. I am unable to judge how spontaneous it might be, not being a fun person myself...

companion site

Outlook Singapore - singazen.com

A Current Affairs Commentary Site for the Post Lee Kuan Yew Singapore

Home Contact Us ideology election opposition Singapore Inc Complaints Links

http://sinazen.com
http://singazen.com
http://yuenco.com
location: singapore