Everyone loves the media.
-
In the wake of the furore about your site, guess who's got the biggest smile? Not the "righteous" detractors - they just came, made a lot of noise and left with a smug look. Not the feminists - that war will never be won. Not JCGirls - they've just had a rough week.
Give you a clue - their circulations just benefitted from that little ruckus.
Can't help but feel that the press just opened the curtains to a private play and charged entry. It's like making people pay to watch domestic squabbles. Then again, that's what the press (especially TNP) is all about, isn't it? Just look through the headlines and you'll see how TNP can sensationalise any daily occurrence.
They're cunning bastards, they are. I almost admire them. They know which side to suck up to for greatest effect and they know how to do it so subtly that you won't even know they started it in the first place. News isn't enough, it's got to be sensational. They've pulled it on hackers, they've oulled it on the CNB, they've pulled it on half of TCS and your neighbor's dog, but they're so insidious that you won't even know they hit you.
The press is the root of all sensationalism.
------------------
Grail -
Yesh. They are very fucked up. But that's fine, cos lots of people though this site was going down....its still going strong. The webmaster's have my admiration and undying support! Would love to see some new material tho.....yesh i love the vox boxes
-
I used to think that the Singapore press was not as tabloid as the western press, but it seems we've picked up some bad habits along the way. They're doing little more than pitting our society against itself. Maybe even hate-mongering. Now that's a serious thought.
------------------
Grail -
i personally feel that TNP is worse than most of the tabloids in the West. at least the their tabloids are open about it, does anyone take their "news" seriously? but TNP has the audicity to pass off their pathetic attempt at writing as "journalism". puh-leese. what an insult. what's worse some school's are actually using TNP to supplement their curriculum... and they blaming PCK for our english standard?
-
Ah, wonderful ataraxia is back with us! TNP is...well...I'd reserve comment for fear of lawsuit
[This message has been edited by Chief (edited 22-10-1999).] -
Mae,
I sense a lot of hatred and bitterness in you. Lighten up! We're all happy pappy people here. -
do u pple think its a transition from credible news provider to sensationalization of mundane affairs to tabloid thrash and rumour spreading?
does it always happen this way when u run out of real stories (or journalists)? -
Let's face it, the media in Sin'pore has nothing to write about. If u take notice, they write about really dumb things..as an earlier post said, They'll write about you and your neighbors dog". How true!!!...
Drae, I say it?.....for fear of disappearing... The highlight of the medias day or week or month is when parliament is in session... Could it be that oh,...let's say it's being prodded by the big boys in the high seat....hint hint.
The media here is worse than the western tabloids. At the very least, the western tabs have something interesting to write about. It may be bullshit, but everyone loves to read it. It is more of fantasy writing/reading material than real life...and true, very few take it seriously.
Over here, they make trivial matters seem like the fate of all hangs in the balance and definately pass it off as that this is what most people believe. In fact, I dare say that people usually have their own views until u get 'propoganda' coming from the media that might change people's mind. People like JCG are great for resisting that. The mark of true entrepeneurs.
I really think that the phrase, "If there's no news, go and make your own" is being a bit overdone here. Then again, a good journalist will tell you that even in paradise, there is newsworthy material...and it wouldn't be sensationalism, which is just a way of covering week-kneed, sub-standard, uncreative, writers' sorry asses from being fired for not being able to write about anything interesting.
There u have it. Those who agree pleas respond with a "yeah!"
Cheerios... -
Leaving the politics out of it, the Singaporean media has done more than any other institution in the country(except edcuation) to stifle the imagination and intelligence of the Singaporean people. IMHO, if this site *does* provoke controversy
and elicit perverse voyeurism, it will be because of the negative value associated with the site thanks to the press' vilification, rather than if they had just left it to harmlessly do what it will.
I'm curious though, to the webmasters: was there ever any intention to raise this kind of controversy as a form of free advertising for the site? I mean, were you caught offguard by the sudden furore, or were you actually banking on it at some level? -
Well, have a look at it! TNP just ran a story bashing ST! Front cover, too. That, I say, is an excellent way of covering their own asses. press, but fail to point out that they're the ones doing damage, too.
That's what you get for having a "free press" as has been so glamourised by western influences. The press is seen as the "champions of free speech". How much do they know about Human nature - too much freedom leads straight to chaos.
------------------
Grail -
A free press, in a society that is not culturally or mentally mature enough to accept the unfettered propagation of ideas is more of a danger than a good. Most societies are clearly not as this stage yet. However, the other extreme is a media that suppresses and controls the population's perceptions of reality, and hence their actions through the regimented control of information. It doesn't even have to be deliberate brain washing or censorship, just an implicit, unspoken culture of presenting facts in a manner that serves the purposes of thsoe in power(while still deluding themselves that they are being "objective").
-
How true. In the end it's the people who suffer...
-
...