5/07/2013
Singapore’s media ranking – 149th
Singapore hits record low in World Press Freedom Index ranking
'Singapore fell 14 places to a record low of 149th position from the previous 135th position in terms of press freedom index in the latest annual ranking by Reporters Without Borders (RWB) [Link].
It is Singapore’s worst ranking since the index was established in 2002.
Singapore is even behind countries like Ethiopia (137th), Tunisia (138th), Oman (141st), Congo (142nd), Cambodia (143rd) and Russia (148th)….'
Now, what is this Reporters Without Borders or RWB? How could they ranked
Singapore’s award winning media in the company of countries like Ethiopia, Tunisia, Oman, Congo etc etc? Does RWB know that Singapore is a First World country, rule of law, and one of the most open society in the Free World?
This ranking of 149th is very disrespectful of Singapore even if there are still 20 or 30 countries ranking lower than us. Our people are free to read all the news in the world and can tell the difference between craps and truths. Even if craps are printed, the readers will know they are craps, so does not make any difference really. It would be different in closed countries when the citizens only read state media and knowing one side of the story. In our case, telling lies is simply naïve and easily exposed and sneered at by the well educated and well informed readers.
RWB should take this into account when rating our official media. And don’t forget, many of our reporters are foreigners or new citizens. So they cannot be as blind as daft Singaporeans. And our official media also reposted many great and highly rated articles from the New York Times, Washington Posts, from Reuters, AP, AFP etc especially those on China and North Korea. The writers of these articles were often renowned academics from the West. With such great names from the Free World, how can our media not be free and get a better ranking?
Or they may want our editors to be westerners to gain more credibility and score more points. This ranking could be a subtle pressure for our local media to recruit and pay westerners to be our journalists and editors. CNA has already taken the first step to have anchor programme host from the West, a kind of compromise to allow westerners reporting and commenting on Asian news and Asian affairs. It used to be the locals reporting on their national issues to give the local flavor. Maybe in order to sell, western flavor is still important. And we have quite a number of western journalists too, but apparently must be too small to gain more recognition and a higher ranking.
Like the university ranking system, the ranking system for the Press by RWB can also be gamed, and spending some money could get us to a better ranking. We should aim to be in the top 10. It would be money well spent, if money can do the trick. Money can do wonders.
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26 comments:
Wah. As if Singaporeans need to know from RWB how fucked their MSM is. Most people in Singapore who draw breath and are capable of operating an Ezy Link card know that their press is the de facto communication/ marketing arm of the PAP government.
Shanmugam already told the "free" Americans and the rest of the (so-called) "free world" why media controls are necessary. He did this standing on freedom-loving and freedom-giving American soil, no less. He is a talented Indian lawyer -- he can sure talk up a storm :-)
There is NO WAY Singapore can have a free press as long as the PAP are in power. The reason is because if there were a free press, all the stinky dirty shit of the last 5 or so decades will be made public, and global. Singapore's status from "Third World to First" will instantly disintegrate and our cuntree will be akin to a corrupt African state run by warlords and corrupt tin-pot dick-tasters -- where the ordinary people are bullied and stolen from by a coterie of "elites", and any dissent of the government is immediately punished under sedition laws.
Better to keep the peace and live a lie...don't you think? ;-)
Nope, better report the facts even if the facts get rated 149 or lower. Cannot pander to or spend a cent to gain any favour from the West and Reporters Without Borders. We believe only in facts.
Balls to them
Singapore's media ranking - 149th.
So does this mean the senior management of SPH gets a bonus for "managing" Singaporeans' viewpoints well?
Maybe it is SPH's KPI to achieve the lowest ranking in the world?
How else to manage our expectations?
Lucky Tan is much alive and back with new posts ! Lucky Tan should start taking Redbean dessert.
Party B: We are corrupted, come vote for us.
Party P: We are clean and white, come vote for us.
Who is more honest? How many people out there still think that the current ruling party is clean and uncorrupted?
Majority people prefers to live a lie and only when they have nothing to lose - after they have lost their jobs, land and housing -will they try the other side.
ConYou: from third world to first
AhLong: from first world to third
ConYou: Hard truths to keep singapore going
AhLong: Half truths to keep singapore sinking
If there is any sin Sinkies are guilty of, it is that they are as pragmatic and greedy as their leaders, some worse and some less.
Not just Sinkies are guilty of the sin of greed. The majority of the people in the whole world are born with the same kind of outlook. Greed is an inborn human trait. It is just a question of whether one can temper greed with moderation or worship greed like a religion.
Why I vote PAP?
Because of the overcrowded MRT trains.
I get a chance to rub, rub against all the sweet young things.
Giving them my old man's version of the hard truth?
The newspaper company almost always must be helmed by a former party cec cadre, which is in turn controlled by yet another ex- party very senior cec cadre as its hoilding co chairman.
The newspaper man was seen giving away bottles of ketchup for those uncles buying wanbao, sin ming dailies last week at the market.
On the other hand they ,
the state media is now going into grand awards ceremony for company, throwing big concerts, snapping up property, shopping malls, who cares about the ranking.
PLease, ranking who cares !
Just ask mr neil their new mouthpiece, would Spore still be sexy without the freedom of press ?
Something so very important in the west where he hails from.
Singapore Reporters, Journalists and Others in the State Medias are rated locally for their integrities and truthfulness in their works. They are found to be most factual and honest. So, it does not matter to Singaporeans even if they are at the bottom in intetnational ratings.
Singaporeans trust their own media workers very much.
Voices, TODAYonline
[More clarity needed on Public Order Act]
From Edwin Dai
"Last month, it was reported that
six Malaysians were investigated by the police for holding a public assembly without a permit
and were warned that 'foreigners should refrain from importing their domestic political activities into Singapore'
('Police investigating voting drive', April 16).
On May 2, only days before the Malaysian general election,
Mr Abdul Ghani Othman, who was contesting the parliamentary seat of Gelang Patah, travelled to Singapore,
and his trip received much media coverage.
There is a need for the authorities to clarify the Public Order Act and its enforcement.
Specifically, it is unclear
whether Mr Abdul Ghani’s visit flouted the Public Order Act
or, at the very least,
was in direct opposition to the police’s position on 'foreigners' and their 'domestic political activities'."
http://www.todayonline.com/voices/more-clarity-needed-public-order-act
TODAYonline 08May
[CPF, Medisave minimum sums to be raised]
"CPF members turning 55 between July 1 and June 30 next year
will have to leave at least S$148,000 in their accounts for monthly payouts in their later years.
This is S$9,000 more than last year’s minimum sum of S$139,000."
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/cpf-medisave-minimum-sums-be-raised
Editorial, The Bangkok Post, Thailand
[Free speech under threat]
"The prime minister
and now the Democrats are making a mockery of free speech.
The answer to offensive speech, including lies,
is not the criminal courts, threats of prison time
and the chilling hand of the dictator.
The answer to this problem, simply,
is more free speech.
If Ms Yingluck and the Democrats hate what people say and write about them,
then tell us all why that is."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/348909/free-speech-under-threat
Reuters
[Philanthropic campaign by Gates and Buffett gets more pledges]
"9 more wealthy families and individuals have pledged to give at least half of their fortunes to charity
as part of a philanthropic campaign by 2 of the world's richest men, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/usa-givingpledge-idUSL2N0DO2PZ20130507
Tattler
[An Inconvenient Truth]
"It would appear to all and sundry
that heaven and earth are being moved to protect Teo Ho Pin from the malodour of AIMgate.
For starters,
the official mouth piece, now ranked 149th by Reporters Without Borders in the latest World Press Freedom Index,
tried its darndest best to put a shine on the fallacious MND Review of a sordid saga."
http://singaporedesk.blogspot.sg/2013/05/an-inconvenient-truth.html
At the moment and for sometime yet, there can never be a free and independent press in Singapore.
A free media is a by-product of free speech and expression.
Free speech and expression will never be part of the cultural fabric as long as there are people who will complain to the government the moment their sensitivities are "offended".
Therefore the "default" situation, as welcomed by the majority of Singaporeans, is that the government ultimately decides what you can say and what you can't -- i.e. no free INDEPENDENT speech.
Thus everyone is "happy" that they are protected from being "offended".
...and as the sun set on the fascinating Magic Island for one more glorious day, the people collectively smiled and were grateful for their blessings....and they lived happily ever after.
Wah redbean - I am shocked!!! You mean Straits Pravda Times ranked so high???
I would have thought they should be ranked 179th in the world.
I think they are probably studying the criteria and working towards a top 10 ranking.
Press that are free does not mean they are true. True press are very rare and only for people who can accept the ugly truth.
/// Anonymous said...
Press that are free does not mean they are true. ///
Maybe. But press that are not free are even worse. And worst of all are the places where they arrest or investigate people for speaking the truth.
@325:
>> Press that are free does not mean they are true.
This is one of the most common arguments by authoritarians who attempt to control everything in The Sheeple's Cuntree.
In a free society -- i.e. where the people are free to associate, speak, move about and conduct their various enterprises; liars, cheaters and fraudsters get found out and dealt with very quickly.
It is only in "controlled" societies where fraud, deception and living lies can go one from generation to generation -- with the full knowledge of EVERYONE, but they just "accept" it like docile, suppressed and oppressed serfs.
In a way, the Sheeple who choose to live this way -- in full knowledge of the lies and coercion oppressing them are more dishonest than their oppressors. This is the MAIN REASON I have nothing but disdain and disrespect for the scum scraping bottom-feeding losers of society. I have ZERO compassion for such people.
They know they're screwed by the government. But they don't do anything about it. However they do scream and whine alot, and are VERY JEALOUS of those who are living well and are happy.
Misery loves company ;-)
Today at the void deck in the west's pap-controlled notice board, residents are informed of the bus service under the transport enhancement scheme with logo of the transport company printed!
Would the state media shed light why these public transport companies
which is controlled by parent State holding company which has hundred of billions of assets need the S$1B dollar to buy buses?
It is also reported at least twice thses company are buying buses OVERSEAS since the announcement of
$1 Billion (one thousand millions of state monies) injection from state coffer by the finance ministry.
Should the chair, a former cabinet minister, of the holding company look into matter ?
Would the media ask why since the transport minister already said before it is not going to benefit the transport co. then why the notice has logo of these printed?
If only we have an independent media .
If only.
The report.
Wah. Malaysia @145th place.
Beat Singapore lah. How can lah?!? I feel sad. ;-)
Walan eh, in what aspect is Malaysia inferior to Sin?
Thought the girls there are cheaper, better anf faster to satisfy their customers. Their beer, stout and food are oso cheaper, better and tastier. The Malaysians are friendlier and more sincere.
Of course Sg is better in many areas too such as Sinkies are more kiasu, kiasi and kiachenghu.
This is cool!
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