https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...nment-say-singapore-mainstream-media-10070790
'It does us no justice’ to be pro-Government, say Singapore's mainstream media
Mediacorp’s editor-in-chief Walter Fernandez (left) and The Straits Times' editor Warren Fernandez at a hearing for the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods on Mar 23, 2018.
By Justin Ong @JustinOngCNA
23 Mar 2018 04:19PM (Updated: 23 Mar 2018 07:14PM)
SINGAPORE: In the age of social media, which gives the public more sources of news, there is no reason for Singapore’s mainstream media outlets to be partisan in its reporting, senior editors of Mediacorp and The Straits Times said on Friday (Mar 23).
They were addressing a parliamentary Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods (DOFs), set up to explore the likes of fake news and its countermeasures - including legislation.
Nominated Member of Parliament Chia Yong Yong, who sits on the panel, suggested that notwithstanding the perpetuation of DOFs, trust in mainstream media “is still high but not as high as it used to be”.
“On the ground, there would have been some erosion of trust,” she said. “There is a perception in certain quarters that the mainstream press is pro-ruling party, or pro-Government, and in some quarters they say mainstream media has now swung the other way.”
In response, Mediacorp's editor-in-chief Walter Fernandez said: “Before the social media advent, there were far fewer brands of news sources. These were larger, more dominant and enjoyed a higher degree of trust.
“The significant fragmentation of the audience has left them with a significantly wider choice … We are judged now quite differently by the expectations of an audience that has moved on significantly, and we have to fight to earn their trust on a daily basis now.”
“In that sort of environment, against that sort of landscape, it does us no justice to want to be ‘pro-A’ or ‘pro-B’ in that sense," Mr Fernandez added.
“Our fundamental premise is we have to provide accurate, contextual and timely information to audiences and allow them to make up their minds.
“Ultimately … (in) moments of crisis, we see people coming back to mainstream media. That speaks to the trust there is within our organisations and the trust Singaporeans hold up the two mainstream media companies with.”
Said Mr Warren Fernandez, editor of The Straits Times: “Over the last five, 10 years we’ve tried extremely hard to be fair, balanced and objective because we see our role as not trying to play up one party or the other, but to give our readers as much information as they can to make decisions for themselves.
“If we were biased, we would be clearly called out on social media. It would backfire and affect our credibility, so we wouldn’t be inclined to do that. I don’t think it does anybody any service if we tried to … it would be a disservice to our readers, a disservice to our journalists, and ultimately I think a disservice to Singapore.”
'It does us no justice’ to be pro-Government, say Singapore's mainstream media
Mediacorp’s editor-in-chief Walter Fernandez (left) and The Straits Times' editor Warren Fernandez at a hearing for the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods on Mar 23, 2018.
By Justin Ong @JustinOngCNA
23 Mar 2018 04:19PM (Updated: 23 Mar 2018 07:14PM)
SINGAPORE: In the age of social media, which gives the public more sources of news, there is no reason for Singapore’s mainstream media outlets to be partisan in its reporting, senior editors of Mediacorp and The Straits Times said on Friday (Mar 23).
They were addressing a parliamentary Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods (DOFs), set up to explore the likes of fake news and its countermeasures - including legislation.
Nominated Member of Parliament Chia Yong Yong, who sits on the panel, suggested that notwithstanding the perpetuation of DOFs, trust in mainstream media “is still high but not as high as it used to be”.
“On the ground, there would have been some erosion of trust,” she said. “There is a perception in certain quarters that the mainstream press is pro-ruling party, or pro-Government, and in some quarters they say mainstream media has now swung the other way.”
In response, Mediacorp's editor-in-chief Walter Fernandez said: “Before the social media advent, there were far fewer brands of news sources. These were larger, more dominant and enjoyed a higher degree of trust.
“The significant fragmentation of the audience has left them with a significantly wider choice … We are judged now quite differently by the expectations of an audience that has moved on significantly, and we have to fight to earn their trust on a daily basis now.”
“In that sort of environment, against that sort of landscape, it does us no justice to want to be ‘pro-A’ or ‘pro-B’ in that sense," Mr Fernandez added.
“Our fundamental premise is we have to provide accurate, contextual and timely information to audiences and allow them to make up their minds.
“Ultimately … (in) moments of crisis, we see people coming back to mainstream media. That speaks to the trust there is within our organisations and the trust Singaporeans hold up the two mainstream media companies with.”
Said Mr Warren Fernandez, editor of The Straits Times: “Over the last five, 10 years we’ve tried extremely hard to be fair, balanced and objective because we see our role as not trying to play up one party or the other, but to give our readers as much information as they can to make decisions for themselves.
“If we were biased, we would be clearly called out on social media. It would backfire and affect our credibility, so we wouldn’t be inclined to do that. I don’t think it does anybody any service if we tried to … it would be a disservice to our readers, a disservice to our journalists, and ultimately I think a disservice to Singapore.”
