12/10/2008

Spread the good news

"In a crisis, it's to 'calm nerves, boost confidence'." This is the role of the media according to Boon Yang. It has a very important part to play in the way it imparts information. The media has been playing a very negative role in the recent financial crisis, fanning the fear, scaremongering etc which result in aggravating the already low morale and confidence of the masses. Shit, I must also have played a huge part in scaremongering as well. Better to spread some good news especially when Christmas is around the corner. I heard my neighbour struck Toto last week, got $1.5m and is buying a condominium soon. And there are a lot of jobs available in the construction industry. And the govt is going to give away hong paos to those badly affected by the crisis. And the minibond victims will be compensated. What is the role of the media if it is not to report news and tell the truth? If a media's role is to spread good news in bad times, or say only the good stuff, what kind of media is it? The first thought that came to my mind in North Korea. The media there only spread the good news.

27 comments:

  1. One should always look at the brighter side of things. The role of the Singapore media must always report the good news and sugar coat the bad stuff. That way Singaporeans will be happier and there might be lesser people having accidents with the MRT trains or accidently falling off the HDB flats. I think the media is doing a fine job. Better to keep people happy with only the good news. Father Christmas is coming soon. Let's hope the presents he brings will be good too.

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  2. come to think of it this is true. can save a lot of lives. the people must know that toto is giving away $650k twice a week.

    there is hope for a better tomorrow.

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  3. Please read these two headlines and their articles:

    Singapore excels in latest Mathematics and Science study
    http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/
    singaporelocalnews/view/395176/1/.html

    Singapore students top in science, beaten in math
    http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20081209/
    tap-education-survey-c3bb44c.html

    Singapore news media says one thing, and others news media says another thing.

    Which media appears to be critical and truthful? Which media appear to have more credibility?

    Francis Chua, Singapore

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  4. Hi maybe can consider this also.

    http://informationreadbyme.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-ok-wait-no-its-not-ok-wait-it-might.html

    There's actually 3 different articles. 1 on Asia One, 1 on ST (Dun ve actual link but AO says it's from ST), 1 on CNA.

    Basically the survey seems to be done by the same company AIA but interpreted different by AO/ST vs CNA.

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  5. hi daniel,

    both reports should not be printed in times like this. they should print reports like singaporeans have a lot of savings in their cpf and living in flats that are worth half a million or more. recession or no recession, singaporeans have a lot of money and assets to keep them going on and on.

    won't this sound better?

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  6. Err... =D u r somewat right.

    I sincerely hope tat more pple can read this and realise wat is going on.

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  7. haha: ) i am thinking or renaming my blog to 'redbean propaganda blog'.

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  8. Better not too... Y, let me bring ur attention to this article by Dear Lucky Tan.

    http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-get-govt-to-relax.html

    So if u wan the best for SG. =D

    Anyway i do somehow feel tat our opinions are basically just tat. Opinions. Currently those commenters, bashers, u name it vs u noe is like Fren A vs Fren B where both having different opinions.

    I sincerely doubt Fren A will sue Fren B or vice versa though.

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  9. the comic MAD has an important role to play in society. so does Playboy and Penthouse.

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  10. Congratulations to Singapore's fourth and eighth graders for achieving tops in the world in science, in the Mathematics and Science Study!

    Francis Chua, Singapore

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  11. >http://informationreadbyme.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-ok-wait-no-its-not-ok-wait-it-might.html

    >No job for 6 months? It's OK - From Asia One

    This is proof that life is no good in Singapore for many Singaporeans.
    The survey findings support my claims.

    Francis Chua, Singapore

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  12. Hi franics, actually u missed the point of my post. The 3 articles although taking from the same survey actually explains the results of the survey different.

    2 is saying pple can survive and 1 is saying pple can't.

    Anyway i agree tat life in SG is hard.

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  13. >Anyway i agree tat life in SG is hard.

    Yes, life is horribly hard in Singapore for some Singaporeans. Examples include having no decent housing and having to sleep on the hard and cold cement floor of the factories in the industrial estates or the public parks and gardens at night, and eating cheap bread and drinking tap water for 3 meals a day. I saw one begger who was injuried but have no money to pay for a bus trip to take him to hospital to seek treatment and has to beg for whatever little money he can get in the broad daylight, with a bandage leg and a rusty bicycle. When I asked the local bus company whether they can give free trips for the needy, the bus official at the Bus Interchange Office retorted: "No Free Rides!". Some poor and elderly Singaporeans are so mentally stressed out, they talked to themselves while walking on the streets. Indignation!

    Francis Chua, Singapore

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  14. the good news is that many of the poor singaporeans have an expensive assets that they can sell. the price of their hdb flats are going up and they can have a lot of money to live on.

    where are they going to stay? not my problem.

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  15. at the local beach of cos

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  16. no, no. you can be fined for sleeping in the beach unless you get a permit.

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  17. Is beach also under N Park? Then slp on road lo.. .U r not a car... wont' get fined.

    PS: The above is not true. i heard tat police can still catch u.
    PS2: There's always void decks.

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  18. already a number of people seen sleeping in the void decks below.., some makeshifts bed on the chairs in the extended coffee shops that are deserted at nite. spotted one or two lying in hidden spots outside the mrt too.. who these people were? no idea. some are old, some young. too early to tell if it is a trend; is it wrong and would these sleepers be arrested?

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  19. I think slp in public still ok. Just some places cannot, like Parks, Roads, etc. I mean if u forgot ur keys, and it's late, u dun wan disturb family, tat's alright right?

    As for the homeless pple, well some of them maybe dun like their own hse, but of coz there will be cases of real homeless. Anyway i thought Homeless in SG is myth? Y r we talking about slping outside, u sure u not seeing things? =D

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  20. maybe they rented out their flats to foreigners and put themselves outside at night.

    sleeping on the 5 footway was a normal thing in the past.

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  21. my friend in the us saw MANY homeless, lying on the streets of seattle. wonder what happened to their wholesome welfare system.

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  22. Lucky they never declare themself first class. Else without the strict laws on protest, etc, there would be riots already.

    Then again, i pity them. Maybe they didn't manage welfare well enough. It's as bad as having no welfare... Well, i guess i need a talented elite to plan my welfare...

    Thank god for rich, highly paid, talented elites.

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  23. hi daniel, you need someone to plan your welfare and retirement with your cpf money? : )

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  24. actually i wish i can take out my cpf and manage it myself... but well, my cpf is 0 now anyway... lol... i used it all just before the 20k limit came out...

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  25. now that's good for you. i am sure there are some left in the special account and medisave. can't be 0.

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  26. Hi, u r right... My apologies. Only my OA was 0. =D

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