Hot java and hot new My Paper

[hokkien]

Friday, Nov 02, 2012
SINGAPORE - Refreshing. Attractive. Appealing.

That's the verdict of readers who gave the thumbs up to the latest revamp of My Paper yesterday. Recruitment consultant June Tiong, 25, grabbed a copy at Raffles Place MRT station after the cover-story headline "Why Singapore jobless rate dipped in Sept" caught her eye.

"It's related to what I'm doing, as I'm in recruitment," she said, adding that the clean design helped her to navigate the paper.

Similarly, for Mr Erick Maligayan, 32, an IT-support engineer, stories such as the country's current employment situation resonated with him.

Having just started on a new job, Mr Maligayan, a Filipino who has been working here for over three years, said: "I heard about layoffs at other companies and they are giving opportunities to locals. It's good to have information about these things."

Young professionals like Ms Tiong and Mr Maligayan said that such stories targeted at executives strike a chord with them.

Aside from the beefed-up content, other readers were wowed by the bold and vibrant layout. Ms Helen Lee, 36, a public- service manager, said: "It's clearly categorised. At one glance, we know whether we are in the news, entertainment or lifestyle sections."

She was queuing to get a free cup of coffee given out in Peck Seah Street, as part of the promotional activities for the paper.

To celebrate the launch, promoters in a My Paper truck and four pushcarts handed out 3,000 sipper mugs with Ipoh white coffee sponsored by Nescafe, at various locations in Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar. Forty-seven cyclists in white outfits also rode around the area, stopping to hand out copies of the paper.

Ms Lau Yean Fung, 41, a banking executive, said she found the colourful look "rich and appealing", while Ms G. Tan, 25, an auditor, said "it brightens up people's day".

Others also like the use of an eye-catching visual on the cover. For example, yesterday's surreal picture of water-logged yellow taxis in New Jersey, as a result of Superstorm Sandy, intrigued Ms Shenna Linantud, 31, a paralegal.

She said: "The picture looks enticing - like something out of a computer game."

Readers also said they look forward to the bonanza of new and expanded sections in the My Executive section.

Highlights to watch out for include more parenting coverage on Mondays; a self-improvement section called Advance on Tuesdays, and a consumer-guide section called Shop on Fridays. The daily Sports section is re-angled as Active, with more focus on lifestyle pursuits, such as gym sports and yoga. Ms Emily Ng, 37, a corporate secretary, said she was particularly excited about the Technology section. An avid shutterbug, she hopes to learn more about photography, saving her the trouble of trawling through camera shops.

Other readers were also gratified that the paper's unique selling points, such as Helpdesk translations and the bilingual approach, have been retained.

Mr Vince Ng, 31, a public-service manager, said: "It's good that My Paper has kept to the English and Chinese sections. It's a selling point that differentiates My Paper from other papers."