PM Lee highlights importance of high-quality, authoritative mainstream media at Zaobao centennial celebrations
PM Lee Hsien Loong, flanked by Ms Lee Huay Leng, editor-in-chief of SMT's Chinese Media Group and SMT chairman Khaw Boon Wan, with Lianhe Zaobao editor Goh Sin Teck (sixth from left) and SMT chief executive officer Teo Lay Lim (next to Mr Khaw), as well as other guests at the gala dinner to mark the paper’s centennial celebrations on Friday. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
SINGAPORE - No matter how the format of the news changes, what remains is the need for high-quality and objective coverage, trusted and influential journalists, and a Chinese media that continues to unite and inspire generations of Singaporeans, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday.
Speaking at the gala dinner at the Shangri-La Singapore hotel to mark the centennial celebrations of Lianhe Zaobao, the flagship Chinese-language daily of SPH Media Trust (SMT), PM Lee said Zaobao is well aware of the need to develop itself into an all rounded multimedia news platform to retain its audience.
However, no one knows how the media landscape or media consumption habits will change in the next decade and beyond, he said.
“The Government is providing support to SPH Media Trust because we see the importance of having high-quality, authoritative and influential mainstream media. Henceforth, the Government will continue to support Zaobao, so that Singaporeans can continue to trust it as a source of news and information and stay relevant to their lives.”
PM Lee, who reads Zaobao daily, highlighted three key aspects of it that makes it an authoritative Chinese media outlet not just in Singapore but also in Asia.
First, Zaobao has been a beacon of journalistic integrity, he said.
“Particularly in today’s digital age, it is Zaobao’s professional and quality reporting as well as its insightful analyses that continue to draw readers, despite competition from other new media,” he said, adding that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Zaobao kept readers informed of the latest and most accurate news, helping to fight the spread of “fake news” online.
Second, as the main Chinese paper in Singapore, Zaobao continues to play an important role in strengthening social cohesion and the Singaporean identity.
It helps Singaporeans dissect and make better sense of complex issues, as well as domestic policies or external developments that may affect them.
“This helps to build national consensus, which is critical in keeping our society united, especially amid a more fractured information landscape,” he said.
Zaobao also plays an integral role in enriching Singapore’s diverse cultural heritage and promoting the unique Singaporean Chinese culture, by organising various educational and cultural activities. It also regularly invites overseas writers to Singapore to showcase Singaporean culture to the world.
Third, it provides a unique Singaporean perspective on global issues, and serves as a platform for diverse and rational viewpoints.
“For instance, when covering news on mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, Zaobao offers its own independent analyses, and interprets these developments from Singapore’s perspective,” PM Lee said.
In addition, Zaobao publishes a wide range of perspectives from all over the world, including China and the United States, so that both local and foreign readers have more comprehensive information with which to analyse current affairs.
PM Lee said that in today’s international environment, where countries are not just trying to influence each other’s people but also attempting to sway them through their media, it is critical for Zaobao to maintain a clear editorial stance and have sufficient independent content. This is so that it can continue to speak for Singapore and safeguard its interests.
“Zaobao must not be used by others to put out views that are detrimental to Singapore’s interests or are not aligned with our national sentiment,” he said.
