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[h=2]ST finally reports Roy’s fund raising news[/h]
June 4th, 2014 |
Author: Editorial
Finally, after the whole world got to know that the amount of money raised by blogger Roy Ngerng through public donations has exceeded his target of $70K in 4 days, the Straits Times decided to publish the news in print today (4 Jun).
Roy is raising the money for his legal defence. He is currently being sued by PM Lee for defamation, due to an article he posted on his blog The Heart Truths.
Roy originally announced in the evening of Monday (2 Jun) [Link] that his fund raising has hit the $70K target.
That night, international news wire AFP immediately sensed that it is newsworthy and picked up the news. It released its news on the same day (‘Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit‘, 2 Jun) [Link].
AFP’s report was subsequently picked up by other news media around the world and published on the same day and yesterday (3 Jun):
Since the news was out on 2 Jun, ST could have published it yesterday (3 Jun). However, it didn’t do so until today (4 Jun), when the rest of the news media in the world have already published.
It’s not known why ST didn’t think Roy’s fund raising, reaching his target of $70K in 4 days was newsworthy enough to be published earlier.
According to a WikiLeaks document [Link], an ST bureau chief once told a member of the American Embassy in Singapore that reporters are frustrated with the obstacles they face in reporting on sensitive domestic issues. They have to tread carefully, as the powers-that-be will likely come down hard on anyone who writes negative stories about the government or its leadership.
The bureau chief disclosed that there is a growing disconnect between ST’s reporters and its editors, with the reporters wanting to write more investigative and critical stories than the editors would allow. He lamented that ST editors have all been groomed to be supportive of the PAP government and they are careful to ensure that all reporting of local events adheres closely to the official line. He observed that none of the editors has the courage to publish any stories critical of the government.
He also revealed that the government exerts significant pressure on ST editors to ensure that published articles follow the government’s line. While he admitted that he knew of no editors who had been fired or otherwise punished for printing articles critical of the government, he said that is because all of the them have been vetted to ensure their pro-government leanings.
Roy is raising the money for his legal defence. He is currently being sued by PM Lee for defamation, due to an article he posted on his blog The Heart Truths.
Roy originally announced in the evening of Monday (2 Jun) [Link] that his fund raising has hit the $70K target.
That night, international news wire AFP immediately sensed that it is newsworthy and picked up the news. It released its news on the same day (‘Blogger uses crowdfunding to fight PM’s defamation suit‘, 2 Jun) [Link].
AFP’s report was subsequently picked up by other news media around the world and published on the same day and yesterday (3 Jun):
- Bangkok Post
- Malaysia Insider
- Yahoo Australia
- Business Standard
- Financial Express
- Hindustan Times
- Etc
Since the news was out on 2 Jun, ST could have published it yesterday (3 Jun). However, it didn’t do so until today (4 Jun), when the rest of the news media in the world have already published.
It’s not known why ST didn’t think Roy’s fund raising, reaching his target of $70K in 4 days was newsworthy enough to be published earlier.
According to a WikiLeaks document [Link], an ST bureau chief once told a member of the American Embassy in Singapore that reporters are frustrated with the obstacles they face in reporting on sensitive domestic issues. They have to tread carefully, as the powers-that-be will likely come down hard on anyone who writes negative stories about the government or its leadership.
The bureau chief disclosed that there is a growing disconnect between ST’s reporters and its editors, with the reporters wanting to write more investigative and critical stories than the editors would allow. He lamented that ST editors have all been groomed to be supportive of the PAP government and they are careful to ensure that all reporting of local events adheres closely to the official line. He observed that none of the editors has the courage to publish any stories critical of the government.
He also revealed that the government exerts significant pressure on ST editors to ensure that published articles follow the government’s line. While he admitted that he knew of no editors who had been fired or otherwise punished for printing articles critical of the government, he said that is because all of the them have been vetted to ensure their pro-government leanings.
