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5/14/2011
What if there was no alternate media?
Goh Meng Seng seems to think that the better performance of the opposition parties this round should be credited to the main stream media and that alternate media was redundant. There were obviously many factors that turned the tide against the govt this time round and not any single factor would have done it.
The PAP had done itself in after years of aloofness for sure. From the word go, their presentation of new citizens and the own goal scored against Tin had already forced them on the defensive. But just look at the role of alternate media in this discussion in particular.
Why did the main media take a more agreeable role of having a little more coverage of the opposition? Why were there lesser personal attacks on the opposition? The main media knew that if they did not give a more balance coverage, the alternate media would do it for them. Not only would they be seen as biased, they would lose readership if the readers found them wanting.
Not only that the alternate media blew the trumpets of the opposition candidates, they forced the news on the main media. With the alternate media, without the twits and facebook, how many would be able to see the huge followings of Nicole? And in the absence of such news, how much coverage would Nicole be given in the main media.
There are many other roles that the alternate media were performing. One of its major roles was to keep the ruling party candidates in check. Anything garbage they said would be amplified to an embarrassing level that they had to be very careful themselves. And if they dared hit below the belt, they could be assured that the alternate media would be there to tell all. The alternate media was the watchdog, the guardian, the rascals that would play foul if tempted or invited by foul players.
Do not underestimate the alternate media. Think of the past elections when the alternate media was not there and coverage was the monopoly of the main media. That could be repeated with impunity if there was no alternate media. Any unfavourable news or remarks today would go viral in an instant. This is much more effective and efficient than going through the printing press and waiting for the news to be broadcast. Alternate media is instant media. Ignore them at your own peril.
The other impact is that more people were willing to wear their votes on their sleeves, via their posts.
ReplyDeleteAnyone, especially politician who ignores the alternative media or believes the new media is not of sufficient influence in the political play, maybe guilty of ignorance and or conceit.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Meng Seng keeps a blog and why was he participating at others' blogs?? How was/is Nicole Seah so popular in Sg and not just MP?? It is all becos of the alternative media, can M Seng dispute or deny the fact?
Can it also be said that NSP had lost marginally due to it's failure to harness the new media? NSP might have won some seats had it made full use of the new media.
It is imperative for political parties and activists to be in contact with the ground 24/7. Other than to be with the people physically, which is impossible, the alternative media will be the link between the people and the political developments of the society.
If what you say is true then I don't know how this politician can arrive at the conclusion that alternative media did not help him much to secure votes.
ReplyDeleteIn the first instance, does he realize that were it not for alternative media, who the fuck would have heard of GMS?
The 2011 election was a watershed election mainly due to the accessibility of alternate news via the new media.
Because of new media, the ruling party knows that control of mainstream media can no longer bring the results that they are after and hence, you see apologies and the desire to revamp their party thinking.
I am beginning to think that GMS should just go to Hong Kong as he said he would if he were not elected and let the WP take control of the NSP via a hostile takeover with Nicole Seah as the prized asset.
LOL.
Without the new media, would he think the MSM would give Opposition the kind of coverage? Would the MSM be less kind to the Opposition if they knew there was no other media to dispense the unspoken truth?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, it is more than what the media does that affect the ground. Some things, like cost of living, crowded trains and buses, the presence of large numbers of foreign workers competing with locals for jobs, higher medical costs are issues that do not need the media to tell the people. It is right there in their faces.
Goh Meng Seng is quite a seasoned politician, but he still is a bit naive in his thinking. Little wonder that he failed to command the kind of respect that we expect from his party members.
The WP knows the influence of the new media, that is why they chose Gerald Giam, who is new media savy, instead of Eric Tan, to be one of their NCMP.
GMS's party NSP would have faded into oblivion if not for the alternative media. If the alternative media has not been so active is reporting all the issues, digging up the dirt, the GE2011 would also have been very different. For one, the MSM would not have reported so much more on the opposition. They have no choice as many cnetizens are reporting have taken the role to report in the alternative and post videos of the events on youtube. The case of DP Dr Chee would again have been smaeared if not for the TOC reporters who on on site, in person and witness the whole event.
ReplyDeleteGMS should have his head examined. If there is no alternative media as exhuberant and active as the Singapore netizens, would the PAP have realised how reep rooted the unhappiness is, that Singaporeans are with them. Now they have actual ground support of the oppositions in line with the reports of netizens online. Not in a million years, would LHL made an apaolgy in the last minute of the election campaign.
GMS should perhaps back his bag and return to HK, as he said sometime agao, that if he lost the election, he will give up and return to HK.
Soojenn, it is just like a religion. When it keeps advertising, proselytising and claiming how popular it is, more fools will rush in.
ReplyDeleteAnd those who think differently will have self doubt that they are on the wrong path. I have known many serious minded people who plunged in to become believers and exhorting silly things.
With the internet, it helps those who are thinking differently to know that they are not alone, that there are many people who think like them. And when these different minded people started to voice out, the voice will get louder, and the fear of being different, being a minority, is no more. They too will gain confidence in their own beliefs and their ownselves.
And they will identify with the same group. You can't stop them after that. It will grow and grow.
This is the power of the media.
Six Levitical priest die trying to move the Ark of the Covenant found hidden in a cave under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
ReplyDeletehttp://viralurl.com/kquinn856/P