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 TH E

NE W

MEDIA
5 THINGS TO KNOW FEATURT ARTI(I.E

ISSUE Power Plcyers in Todoy's lledio Ihe 2lst (enlury Renoissonre

\!1lo are the movers and shakers How New Media is chailenging
of the new media landscape? the political cstablishment

n0
r
Ol'| 2l'lD THOUGHI ISSAY MAKEOVIR A MATITR OF OPItiION
Rethink Medio Soy Goodbye to Sweeping Stotemenh The Porn Mognote vs. The lronion Blogger

It's time to smash those stereobpes Ever wa{ted to stop you$elfliom Our wriiers square off on whethet the
you have about Media over-generalising? Intemet has empowered the individul

33

[0il[vs. GI0BAL TtTUREWATft REBOOTYOUR MIND

New Medio und Freedom of Speech Sp0tlighr Medi0-50wy telebrilies The Medium is lhe Mesoge

Has New Media changed the What do Angelina Jolie, Pais Hilton A ready to-use worksheet to j Llmpstart
Singaporean perspective of fr ee speech? andAl Gore have in common? your classroorn discussion on media

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EDITORI
II IS TSTIMATTD IHAT A WETl('S WORTtl OF IHE NEW YORl(
IIMTS (ONTAINS MORt INTORMAIION THAN A PtRSON IN IHT
ISIH (tNTURY WOUI.D (OMT ACROSS IN HIS ENIIRT IIFEIIME.
TVERYDAY,3,OOO NEW BOOKS ARt PUBI-ISHED. tvtRY MONTH,
2.7BIl-l-ION STARTHTS ART PERFORMTD ON GOOGI-T.
WETCOffIE TO THT AOE OF IlITORIUIATIO}I.

Unless you have chosen to erect a gigantic
6rer,rall around your entire nation or live jn a
technophobic conmunity, you would not have
been able to escape the flood ofinformation
coming your way - thrcugh Dewspape$, radio
signals, television channels, streaming video,
podcasts etc. The media has grown
e\ponentially in sophislicalion ol technique
and technology. It is impressive how {ar we
have come in terms of the speed, reach and
scope of information made available to the
average household. However, two key
questions beg to be asked in this information
rich era.
\,!IHO IS PRODUCING ALL
THIS INFORMATION?
when people create information, they
inevitably colour it with their agendas. Some
agendas are benign - the desire to inform or
entertain. Some agendas are far more
questionable - like the desire to pass on
preiudices or the desire to fudge the trut}r witi
propaganda. Is the newspaper that you read
owned by a conservative or libeml? Was tlat
Wikipedia entry on Kosovo written by a
Bosnian or a Serb apologist?
HOWMUCHOFTHIS
INFORMATION IS RELIABLE?
Today's media presents us with incredible
sights and sounds that make it difncult for the
average viewer to discern illusion from reality,
fact from fiction. when we watch Helen
Mirren's Oscar worthy tum as Queen Elizabeth
II, how many of us end up convinced that the
real Queen Elizabeth II actually did or said
what we saw on screen? If a movie like "Forrest
Gu rnp " could convincingly merge
performances by the living as well as the
deceased, we must be mindful of how such
technology may be employed to fool us under
far more serious circumstances, like the making
of broadcast news.
Demand a Broader Perspective. (l

IHE BROADIR PIRSPTfiIVIS TIAM

Editor-in-Chief Shiao-Yin Kuik
Subscriptions & Circulation Manager lolrain€ Tham / Sales Manager Yee Tong
Contributing Writers Xiaoching Ling, Muhd Fuad Bin Johari, Sze Tin Tin
 by X|AO(HING LING
Aformer director of a local multimedia studio,
Xiaoching thinks power plaging is best done
online foith an obliging saarm oJ giants and
aJriendLA +S hola b rst longsword-

02 BR0ADIR PtRSPtOlVts the new media issue

#I RUPERT
(t0
MURDOCr| #2 OPRAH WINFREY
0F l\lEWS (oRB USA
What's a7;yeff old going to do
in a world ofpodcasts and PzP?
He buys it. At least that's what Murdoch did when he
added the 20 millior strong population of Myspace to
his g60 billion global empire of TV studios, priotin8
presses and broadcasting satellites. Apart from
Myspace.com, News Corp's most famous acquisitions
include 2oth century Fox, STAR TV and Harpercollins.
ln a world of New Media, News Corp appears to be
one ofthe few old Media dinosaurs capable of making
the tmnsition. Reviled by left wing media watchdog
groups and admired by business moguls, Australian
born Murdoch has a reputation for matching razor-
sharp business sense with the ability to spot trend-
setting material like T/r e Simpsons, 24 and American
ldol. Unashamedly political, Murdoch has used his
army of newspapers to opedy support and partially
contribute to t}Ie victories of George W. Bush, Margaret
Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair during their
election years. His publications also tend to
slant towards anti-French, pro-Israeli and pro
American views. ll
IHAIRMAN OF HARPO, USA
Who says you have to be thin,
male or white to succeed?
Though lacking joumalistic toughness, Winfiey's genius
in blending empathy with public engagement has
turned ffte Oprah WinJreg S/rou.r into America's
favourite mass therapy session.The world's only black
billionaire, Winfrey has become a spiritual leader for
a postmodem world. Be it about literature, weight loss,
clarity or sofa color.u, her word is sacrosanct to her 22
million (mosdy female) fans. Books featured in Oprah's
Book Club inevitably end up on the New York Times'
Best Seller's list, even if they happen to be dense
Russian novels like Annc Karenina. Texan beef
producers have even sued her, claiming that her
on air commeots about mad cow disease cost them
USD$r2 million in losses. Winfrey's talkshow has
already moulded America's counterculture - the
celebration of alternative lifestyles, the self-help
obsession and the cult of confession. with her cha ty
arm Oprah's Angel Network going strong and her
AJrica-based Leadership Academy for Girls, expect
more social change from the reigning Queen of the
small screen wlit large. (l
5 IHINGS T0 KN0W 5 powtR PLAYIRS tN IoDAY's MIDIA
#3 GOOGLE INC
NIW MEDIA (ORPORATION, USA
In Google We Trust.
In 1996, Stanford Unive$ity Ph.D. students I-arry Page
and Sergey Brin were convinced that while the Internet
was a treasure trove of the world's idormation, it was
pointless if Internet search engines did not become
more intelligent in finding what you needed. Thus,
Page and Brin built Google, a revolutionary search
engine with an uncluttered interface and powerful
ana\.tical skills. Today, Google.com receives a billion
search requests a day - making it the world's most
popular search engine and one of Silicon Valley's
mightiest giants, enabling the company to purchase
YouTube at USD$1.65 billion in zoo6. Many admire
Google's famous corporate motto "Don't Be Evil" but
Google does have its detractoN. Its cooperation lvith
the Chinese government to filter search rcsults on the
Falun Gong sect and Tiananmen Square incident has
led to grouses over censorship. Google's information
collection prartices may also compromise user privary.
Google Earth's sophisticated satellite imaging have
caused govemments to worry about national security
risks. Still, few would dispute that Google Inc. has lived
out its mission statement to "organize the world's
information and rnake it universally accessible
and useful". l!
04 BR0ADIR PTRSPIOIVIS rhe neu, nedic issue
#4 AL JAZEERA
NEWS & SATII"I.IIETV NITWORK, MTAR
Watch your back, CNN and BBC.
Claiming to be the only politically independent
television station in the Middle East, Al Jazeera has
blown away conventional notions ofintemational news
reporting. Before Al Jazeera and its new English-
language based satellite serice Al Jazeen Intematronal,
most Middle Bastern citizens only had access to state-
censored national TV stations and global news
broadcasting was dominated by the westem centred
interests of BBC and CNN. Al Jazeera has raised hacHes
or both the Western and Middle Eastern ftonts: its
controversial broadcast ofvideo statements by Osama
bin Laden justifying the 9-11 attacks have provoked
accusations {rom Washington that Al Jazeera prcmotes
"anti-Americanism", and its bold critiques ofPersian
culf states like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have raised
queries about whether it was selling sensationalism for
an increased audience share. Al Jazeera continued to
invoke shockingly strong responses from its critics.
In 1999, the Algerian govemment allegedly cut elecbical
supply to larye parts ofAlgeria to prevent its people
from seeing an Al Jazeera programme criticising its
policies. Rumour has it that George Bush has considercd
bombing its headquarters and offices in the Middle
llast to halt broadcasts. (t
 It
itobulousfoct!
IT
:
I Sesame Street added a HfV- .. r
!I positive rnuppet to its cast. fi$!
Ir'

i; 1"1:f*l-"i1:"-'119::'-":ll.,,:redH
racially
on offering.its young audicnce
,
! drverse and sensrhve presentattons ot
i social issues. In September 2oo2, it inr
I added Kami, a Hlv-positive female chancter, !
I to its cast ofmuppets. Segments including !
! thi. n"* muppet air only in Soulh Africa f
! wh.re r in s people - manv ofthem children !
- are infecred witi NDS. Theyellow. outgoing
! !
e muppet associated freeJy with the show s &
t olher characters as a way lo fighl srigma F
d anached lo Htv positive vicrims. Sadly. tr

#5 YOU E
!
Americ;rn rivht wins orsanisations have
to boicon ses'ami street .hould x,ami
S

!
'owed
IVIRYONE, EVERYWHERI I euerapp.ar.,n American lelevision. a, i
!t
Congratulations.
i urbanlegend?
muppet"
;
firne's Person of tlle Year in 2006.
...You were made
! S."r-. Street !
The web was oncejust a source for information but a Bert and Ernie are gay. g
today it has become a source of interaction and social lr
pa icipation. This inclusive, people-driven, i False. The nrmour that I
democratically created web of wikipedia, YouTube
and M'€pace has been dubbed web 2.o and youl tiny :I tfiAa,-
^fi
- ;;;"J;;;;;;;;; !
contdbution - together wit}l millions of other people's
r # ED
-".'"*i.""i'"il;^;;
male
;
suspicion of close g
liitle contributions - helped to create and sustain it. g f=!] heterosexual friendships &
Never has the world seen such a celebration ofthe {ree E ffi-.ru Few believe tlat two grown t
sharing of knowledge. Motivated not by money but
| rn"l". "nn live togelher and openll displal
d
passion, You have spent precious hours after school
or workjust to pedect open-source freeware, make ! alTeclion wiihoul being gay. While Sesame i
your blog more reader-friendly, upload tempting ! Street s creators have sterdlaslll declared i
photos to rescue your favoudte caf6 from closing,
6 that Bert and Ernie arejust puppets, tiis has i
E not stopped t}re gay community fiom holding F
review a book on Amazon and podcast your latest I up lhe puppets as gay cultural icons. The i
rnash up of Stravinsky and Jay Chou. You have become j award-winning musical ,Atrenue Q has lwo !
a force to rccko[ with and corpoEtions liom Mi$osoft
to News Corp know user-created content has become ! characters Rojand Nicg t parodies of Bert j
their greatest dream and nightmare. You are smart,
n and Ernie)singingadupl'UYou wereCog'. I
insightful, creative and frank. But You can also be
E Ber-t and Enie are not the only targets for I
E such suspicions. Handbag toting Teletubby I
frivolous, belligerent and incredibly self-centred. E tnl-v winLr and the Dynamic Duo Batmrn I
Not everlthing you share with the world is of worth
your stupid pet videos, aw'lil emo poems, prejualiced
! and noUn - t,ou. been condemned before bv I
rants or ex-girlfriend's raunchy photos. (! I ullraconservatives lor being.ubre."ive gay !
! elements. ll I
l!
 . lij

.: . ...
New Media is participat
') personal and political and ,

it is shaping our societies

, and challeneine the
ii-$lqhlishment -
on at a time.

06 BR0A0tR PtRSPEITIVES thc neu,rttedio is-srtc

 200 years aftet tne Cnincse and l(oreansm[iles discouered
tne sccret of moualle U[e, numne Geman goldsmitn
lohannes Gutenbers inucntsd [ur0[e's first pilnting uc$s.
Being [ragmatic and nrolit-minded, 0utenletg [rinted
wnatu{as in demand in tfe ISth Gentury: Bibleslor [u]o[e's
faithlul and nanal inilulgences l0r turorc's idle ficn - sli[s
ol mner sold [u Ine Church whicn supso$cdly boughl tfeir
ueayofi0lhell.
ngercd by the sale of such forgotten about Gutenberg and rich, candid and raw, offering up a
' indulgences, a German associate Movable T,?e with the devastatingly honest window into
monk utilised the very name of a popular blogging our world in all its paradoxical glory
. same prrntrng press software. Academics have not.
t€ahnolos/ to publish and distribute
his 9! Jheses, rallying people Shoddy home-nade porn sites, gory
against tbe inueasing corruption of recordings of hostage executions
,tlie Churih. Luther and his fellow and racist podcasts by white
protestors, soon dubbed the supiemacists sit b),te by blte on the
,:Protesiant christians", became Web nert to luminously designed
known aq the fathers of the websites and critically acclaimed
Protestalt Reformation of Europe. political blogs.
Aided by Gutenberg's invention,
they pushed for the mass
publication of Bibles to allow people Such disarming diversity of content
to rcad the Bible independently.
Most concede by now tJ.at id,mostly because New Media is
This mass distribution of Bibles Berners-Lee's \feb is the usei-friendly enough to inspire
inspted morc Europeans to become zrst century's printing independent creatio n and
literate, further fueiling the press - harbinger ofthe distribution of material. About five
and a halfcenturies ago, Gutenberg
intellectual Renaissance of Europe. next socio-political
employed z5 craftsmen in his
I{enaissance. workshop, taking half a day iust to
Almost 5oo years later, in 1990, set one page for each book. Today,
Englishman Tim Berners-Lee a simple webpage containing the
Like the p nting press, the Web ard
followed up Gutenberg's genius by same amount of te).t can easily take
other forms of interactive digital
inventing the World Wide Web. an individual less than a day to
media (collectively known as New
With a web browser like Intemet create and upload on the web for
Media) have been used for both
Explorer, a user could view virtual worldwide disrrihrtion- Tec.hnorati
noble as well as ignoble purposes.
pages not just rich with text and tracks 5o,ooo new blog posts an
Fast trumping television and radio,
images but sound and film clips as hour. In Ame ca, up to 57% of all
the Web has become the mediurn of
well. Today, 1.o9 billion people and choice for many in the developed
teenagers actively contribute
thousands of businesses use the content for the web in the form of
world for all their entertainment,
Intemet fieely for fun and for profit. terl, pictures, movie clips or music
news and more. New Media has
Today, many web users have clips.
given us content that is surprisingly

Thotqh she ptetends to be cleuer, Shiao-Yin secretlg thinks the besl part of the Intemet is cuteouerlodd.corn
FEATURE ARTIOE THE 2rsr ctNTURy RtNArssANtE?
.New Media has allowed us to look into places and
moments in the world which would normally be
ioaccessible to us. From our comfortable homes, we
can see Tibetans being gunned down in an isolated
mountain path, Londone6 scattering and screaming
post bus bomb attack and Saddam Hussein himself
being taunted minutes before his execution. While
satellite news feeds from CNN and BBC have already
given us awindowto the world, NewMedia's impact is
far more significant. Not even CNN with its tholrsands
of professional journalists and cameramen caD be
everywhere at any time unlike the millions of amateur
citizen journalists armed with cheap camera phones
and natural born nosiness.
oKGo's "Hete It Goes Agait" uideo
On a lighter note, the Web has allowed us to achieve
newheights of crcativity and whimsy. Without having
to submit their content to the whims of middlemen,
judgmeDtal editors or profit minded corporations,
individuals can push for what they believe in whether
it is a political cause or an artistic concept. Witness the
success ofAmedcan rock band OK Go's US$1rl home
video for their single ',4 MillDn I4lags" on YouTube. It
spawned a viral phenomenon, becoming the most
downloaded music video ever with over g million
downloads. Their follow-up "Flere It Goes,49ain" video
with an ingeniously choreographed dance ol1
th+e+dnills - qarnered I million views.
08 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVIS tlrc ne:ul medta Lssue
WHAIS OUT?
MONOI()GIJI
ITTIURT
TOP-DOWN
On a more fundamental level, thc voice and political
power of the individual has become far more obvious.
Up till the r98os, when all we had in mainstream media
were p nt, radio and television, information was
generally static - once produced and distributed from
the top down, the audience could only receive it rather
than interact \4/ith it. Now, our relationship with
infonnation is a lot more dcmocratic: digital interactive
media can be viewed online via streaming oi'
downloaded to one's personal archive or more often
than not, redistributed en masse through email, blogs
or websites like YouTube. Comments car be ieft on
blogs yia tagboards where author and audience can
engage and spar in real time.
In effect, New Media is teaching us to expect
commDnication between author and audience to be
more t\ ro-way and d]'namic. In fact, it has blurred the
line between author and audience itself. We are
surp sed and even offended if bloggers refuse to allow
people to leave comments on their posting or attempt
to censot what they deem as offensive comments. We
yant our say. We, the a[dience, want to contibute and
even re write r'rhat the author has scid
'frue, in the absence ofeditors, content on New Media
is rife wit]) manipulation and conjecture. But New Media
is also producing a surprisingly diverse crop ofvolunteer
editors and watchdog initiatives ftom the ground
up to fight the timeless battle of Truth vs. Lies.
News stories in youl national newspapers c:ur be verified
by checking the websites of newspapem from other
countries. Ordinary citizcns voluntarily trawl
Wikipedia's entries for factual mistakes and pool
togcther their common wisdom to ensure that all content
;n the world's most massive encyclopedia is as free of
bias or crror as humanly possible.
As Martin Luther used the printing press to allow people
to read the Bible for themselves, the present generation
uses New Media to dccide for themselves what is credible
or worthwhile and what is not. People have become
more wary ofjust simply accepting the mainstream
opinion of the established authorities.
What does all tlis imply ofthe organisation
and running
ofour 2$t century societies? Two parametem have been
established:
Fi$tly, we want to actively participate in the creation
of our society. As we are rro longer contented with
passively consuming media but want to actively
participate in the creation of content and knowledge
for ourselves, so we are also no longer contented with
being passive as history and politics pass us by. Many
people blog their thoughts on a friend's abortion, the
way the neighbourhood cals were cruelly torfured, their
tahe on t]le invasion oflraq or the real state ofeducation
in school classrooms. They may then go on to spar with
online readers about what was written on message
boards and sometimes publicly go back to edit our
odginal posts or develop a new one in response. In ali
this, ordinarypeople are actually taking theirfirst steps
towards acti\€ citizenry engaging in hvo way, dlnamic
convercation with each other. New Media is making
people more politically participative and engaged in
their societies by cultivating the people's taste for
democratic dialogue.
Seconilly, w'e have also begun to impose our er?ectations
cultivated fiom online discussions onto our relationship
with socio-political instltutions andfigures. Previousln
corporations, politicians and other authority figures
could get away with a one wayJ top-down, "lecture-
style" molologue.
But New Media has made us zlll used to a far more two-
way, bottom-up, "conversation-style" multilogte.
Oncc rvc lrave bccn cxposed t{}
ft'eer,l4reelini; onli:]E cuii,rrre.
it is h:rrd to ::sl< *s citizcils tc c-r1lsct
afly lcss. fhe prolilician i{h{} {:ann{ra
gi-asp this inevitable fact is in d:rnger
of losing touch ri'ith the ground.
The seductive allure of New Media is how it allows the
student, the consumer, the citizen to finally gain some
even ground with the teacher, the corporation and the
government. Finally, tiere is a platforn where the rules
do not tip towards t]le power{ul too much. For anyone
in autho ty, engaging in a conversation is always far
scader and rife with insecurity compared to giving
a lecture one's precious views can now be dispamged,
undermined. even thrown back to your face.
On the other hand, for these authority figures, a time
has never been better to gatler useful information from
the masses the masses want to give thei. feedback
and opinions more than ever. 'Itrose who are wise would
take this grand opportunity to take heed of the
perspectives given so honestly fiom the ground. Unlike
a lectule, a conve$ation can actually be the beginning
ofa beautiful friendship. Alter all, a conversation does
not immediately assume superiority but is founded on
a mutual humility, the willingness to listen and the
desirc to engage. Surely, this is somethinB citizen and
government, consumer and corporaLio[ can learn to
appreciate for society's benefit. ft
tl
i
ti
li
II

Nl
i.;

r
i'i
I

In an article written for The Financial Times, Roger Parry, CEO ofone of
the world's largest media companies (Clear Channel Intemational) predicted
that "our homes are to be the site of a media revolution as dramatic as the
changes brought by the gramophone, radio, 'talkies' and television." Reports
about the future ofthe media these days are full ofthese bold predictions,
suggesting that owners and employees oftraditional media networks need
to prepare themselves for doom and unemployment as they are going to
be rendered obsolete bythe turn ofthe next decade. The culprit? Powerful
and pervasive new media technology. by YEE TONG

l0 BR()AI)[R PTRSPIOIVIS the neur media issue

 There is a possibility. rryoo -"."
current\ living in the United States or the United
Kingdom you would have already heard of new
technologies called Tivo or Sky+ respectively. Both
these technologies would allow you unprecedented
control over the way you use your TV, frorn being able
to omit advertisements completely to having Tivo record
and organize all your favourite shows automaticalb as
well as suggest other shows (from connected networks
across the world) that might suit your preferences.
Both Tivo and Sky+ are but merc prototjpes of what is
to come.
Media pundits do not exaggerate when they predict
tiat shortly at the turn of the decade technologies will
emerge that will allow us to consume TV when, where,
and how we want to - no longer dancing to the tune of
programmers w}o currenlly domi nale program ming.
Countries like Singapore" are probably less welcoming
of these technologies as they have the potential of
dismantling the means by which local broadcasteN
(indeed all sorts of media) in Singapore eam their keep.
With the consumer's ability to remove advertisements,
traditional media in Singapore would lose a huge part
of their revenue and the ability to sustain the industry.
However, government protection cannot possibly last
for long and similar new technologies will reach our
shores soon enough, especially given how open our
rnarkets are. Singapore media, as well as many other
media communities around the world, will do well to
rethink how local network and publishers make money.
And do so quickly. Conventional broadcasting
businesses have already seen a huge reduction in their
stock value in rccent years and this does not bode well
for how much time is left to innovate. (!

* An entra eryiaining 'flVo on popular re.t'erence uebsite wikipedia, claims that Sinsapore has banned technolosies like TIVO. we
fnd this unlikelu but haDe yet to rc@tue comment from the Media Derelopment Authority of Sin!]opore- In anA case, the point thot
threotening neu technologies uill xlspire protech:onBlzc prdcrrces still stands, regardless of rDhether this applies to Singapore-
 0N 2ND THOUGHT REIHINKMtDtA
il
llI
I
I Depends on where yotl &f€. Powertul new
media technology does not mean the immediate death of all
I truditional media though. Ironically, one ofthe mediums that is
ll most likely to retain its original form is also one of the oldest.
I
Radio altiough considered archaic technology is still heavily used
by many of the poorer nations of the world. Due to the lack of
I
ll resources needed to build an extensive television network, many
poorer countries still rely upon the radio as their main form of
il media communication.

i Citizens who are both poor and illiterate would

look to the mdio as a means of entertainment and
information even if other media were available.
Ilterestingly enough, countries in most parts of
Asia alrd the Africaa continent have yet to achieve
even moderate Internet penetration much less
adopt the newmedia lechnologier' tlatare emerging
now. The radio still has a life span of a few decades
till all lhe world s counlries begin to gain some
equity in economic prosperity.

On the other end of the economic spectrum, leaders in the ladio

industry fiom wealthier nations are well aware of tlis thrcat and
have alrcady begun to adopt ideas seen from other media such as
search engines, digital recording via TIVo, iPods and mobile
broadcasting in order to stay curent and relevant to the modem
consumer. Radio broadcasters like the reputable BBc have been
quick to rcalize that they have good content that is still readily in
{emand and have provided new features like searchable and
i?ownloadable broadcasts, through the Intemet, in order to stay
relevant. It

12 BR0ADtR PfR5P[0lViS the neu,


NOt yet. In Septembel lastyear, Tlte Economist
magazine l.elled "Who Killed the Newspaper?" on its
fronl cover. while The NewYork'Iimes looked into the
sale of Kright Ridder, America's second-largest
newspaper chain, both proclaiming thc impending
dernise ofthe newspaper. Both articles suggested that
Lechnolos/ was rendering newspapers as we knew them
obsolete. With exception of couDt es like China and
India, the slow decline of the newspapcr business is
indced a worldwide trend. The mistake that newspapers
in America, Europe and Latin America have made in
response to the new media environment is to treat this
trend a's a financial and a technological challenge rather
than a cultural pheflomenon.
Don't overreact. A lot has happened
since Gutenberg set the Bible into tlpe, but plinted
buols slill are purchased in the millions. Film was
I lokill thenovel.Tell tlrat roJ. K. Rotlling.
'rrppos"d
Television was supposed to eliminate movie theaters.
Check out your local cineplex tonight. Radio and,later,
1V were supposedto make newspapers and magazines
obsolete. ln fact, while broadcast journalism did
contributc to the deatl of aflernoon newspape$, the
p nt media's ambition and quality rose exponentially
afler the anival of network news, though it's true that
the overall number of outlets declined.
Yee Totlg teaches ot the School of1]Iought. His world uould
Technology has helped consumem all over the world
discover that it is theythemselves who now are able to
selfpublish and determine the kind of news they want
to w:dte and rcad. It is no longer editors and publishers
that are iD power. Technology has helped acceleratc
this change, but technology isjust a means- The crux
ofthe matter is the people's perception that power is
now in their hands. The balliers to entry into the
inlbrmation market have fallen ard now citizeN dod't
depend on editors to publicise their views or their
stories. As quoted from a Southern Californian
newspaper "this is the equivalent of the ProtestaDt
Reformation for the media, where every man can
become his own pope, or in this case his owl publisher."
If consumers can read and wite information themselves
(the Wikipedia phenomenon carnot be ignored) then
why go through a thid party?
Undoubtedly newspape$ arc more reliable information
providers but tlreil businesses will become incrcasingly
unpopular if they do not embrace the moder&
consumer's demand for more autonomy. Already the
Straits Timcs has introduced STOMP as a means
through which readers can participate in creating news,
allowing for more ofthe local communiiy's participation
to engender a 'bottom up' newspaper, much like the
unregulated InterDet they are used to. The issue at hand
is whether newspapers these days are willing to
accommodate these changes and to what extent will
they compromise joumalistic professionalism to allow
for citizen participation. (l
Around the world. hundreds of millions ofdollars are
still being spcnt on {ax machines a "regressive"
technology if ever there $ras one, since there's no real
Deed to exchange papcr documents in a digitalized
worlci. There cvcn are companies making handsome
profits selling lbuntain pens to people with wireless
keyboards. Like any other business and perhaps moae
thrn irr mu\l -,r hcallhJ news ll|edia companl requires
steady and substantial reinvestnent. The notion that
pr:int nevrspapers won't fiDd wa]'s to adapt, absorb and
adjust to the IDtemet and other Dew Dedia is narloh'
and ahistorical. at
be o sarl, sa.l, sod, sa.l place uitlrout the hlternet.
lr
{l
l]

I
!
I

i
q
{
SAY GOODBYE
1

T fi SI|VEEPII\IG

5 TATTfifiHhlTS
Ever have those nights where you put in your
best effort to write a mature and clear essay
only to find it full of sweeping statements and
over-generalisations? Getting over
tJre fi:ustration is easier than vou think.

by T0l'iS Ytt
l?r slsjr(ds air.ir rr.rt'li itu dr,.s
nol ner?ss.ril!.,rrrr riiirt oqc it
.irnrr.s lt,i./i.lio(ir. iir icdcl).s .rl
rl..5rirri otrtuirqlif.

BR0ADIR PERSPIOIVES the neu medie issLte

h is 50 imporlcnl {or young people lo leorn lo rommunittrie their ideus in on objeriive onri
messured msnner. Unforlunulely, lhey do noi olwoys rome inlo ronlocl lvilh good, moture lvrifing
ond lhey oflen simply odopl lhe over-lhe{op use of longuoge they see on TV or in leen mcgozines.
Jhis issue, lhe lsoy Mokeover Teom hod on in-depih lolk wilh Yanshon ond helped her think
through her ideos till she feh they were foir ond objedive. We ihen showed her how to wrile
those ideqs with ciority. The finol product is un essoy lhol is insighlful.

BEFORE MAI(E()VER
IHi FIRST PARAGRAPH OT YANSHAN's T55AY LOOl(ECI LIKE

THIS! CAN YOU SPOT HER MISTAI(ES BTFORI YOU READ

THE TEAM'5 ANALYSIS?

How far do magazines or television

programmes aimed at young people in
Singapore have a positive effect?

Some mag houeuer be fearful of the fact that therc has

been an increase in the uiolence and sexuol content
featured in Singapore's media such as in teen magaztnes.
For instance, young people in Singapore can easilg
obtain magazines such as FHM from bookstores. Howeue4
the contents of the magozines are still under the control of the
Singapore gouernmenL This does not mean that gouetnment
officials come doun to screen euerA u)ord o;f the content , but
more accurately it means that there is still a strong part of
traditional Asian ualues uhich preuent people from absorbing
content thot is too gory or sexnl In addition, a great mqioity
ofgoung people in Singapore haue attained a certain leuel of
education and will more likely be cftle to understand the
messages behind the content in the mogozines and undesirable
teleuision programrnes. Thns, this fear that the magozines and
teleuision programmes aimed at !.loung people in Singapore
uill result in negatiue effects can be eliminated.
 f S1AY MAI{E$VER sav eoooavr r0 st,tlrrprNc STATEMENTS

BEFORE MAIffOVER:
THE TEAM'S ANALYSIS
Yanshan's problcrn is a cornnron onc in'A'Lcvcl Gcneral Paper essals Sornclincs l laiii of
corfidE:uce in their corltqrl kuor,-iedge inalies stutk:nts res,ill io Jreiog eiihi:r clrlibcrrlclr r;t-e:irclrs-.1','
ambiguous in thtir sellences.'fhis is clrLre in the hope lliiit Selerai stat,Jirfnls iitl itiile igiro:lnr:e arti

.,r titirg mll siill relriein iunbig-,rous- ii is :iiso iiriportailt ii)r stri.lllrti to unde!-si:lnd ti i lrralurc us€ c1'

thejr thou:-ghls in a .onDlchursible nrritnet.

YA$i5iIAiI : ORIGIl'iAT PARAORAPH

j 2
Somfmay hc,weuer be .fearfuI of the Jact that there has been an increase in the uiolence and

ieia7o"tn"4""nua in -Singoporiii"dia srch as in teel ylggt4y_ilFor instance. goung

3
people in Singapore can easily obtain magoz,ines such as)lHxl,;from bookstores. Howeuer, the

,ortrrtt of tho *Zgozines ,rl! sl jl]l!!!!'r !lt,':9!tr9!9.! llp SIILO-apore gou:ln-"nr. Thit do.s

tnot mean thot gouernment off.cials

9gry949lLt! to screen euerA word of the c )but more

occuratelA it means that there is st l a strong pul o:f traditional Asian ualues uhich
v
'p990!n;7-^ absorbin.q content that is too gorA or sexual. n addition, 0 greet majori4l of
l:
youno people in Singopore irtue ott!j!e,4 o::!t!tn Je;iii
"L'
i,tyl:"ripl-nll:yl]lltt: ll!4
able to understand the messagcs hchind thi coitent in rhe mogosires ord ,rd"ti,obt" l"kuHoil'

programmesiThus, thi,s fear that the magazines and teleuision proglrammes aimed at young

prople ut Stngopot'e U)tll'' resull' tn

'' =
necto tiui7.lfiai
r neqottuu tunl::!!ll,rgt
c.APcts ,:Jn ha clininolet

16 ER0ADIR PTRSPIOIVES tire neru media issue

 llsoMETtMEs A PERsoNAt LA(,.
()T (()NFIDEN(E IN THEIR CONTEI'|T
MAI(ES STUDENTS RES()RT
TO BTING TITHER DELIBTRATELY
oR cARrLEss[Y AMBrGUotts
tN THnR srNTENcEs.
tE
3#

THI TIAM'5 IOMMIl\lT5

I The vague reference to "some" 4 As Yanshan mentions briefly later,

people does not provide enough
information on who feels this way.
On the contrary, most teens enjoy
the sensationalistic increase in sex
and violence. Yanshan needs to
clari{y who she is referring to.
the Singapore govemment does not
control magazines the way this
sentence suggests. There are
content guidelines set according to
community standards but
publishers and distributors are left
to self censor.

f The more impofiant question

Yanshan must ask heNelf at this S Are you sure they prevent? SThis could have simply been
'"
point, is why. If this is the real This is a strong word to use. rcplaced with the idea of increased
situation and it is supposedly bad, 'media literacy'.
then why is it still allowed to
continue? Is it an avoidable /f, What people are Yanshar referring
*to
situation? These questions will help here? More confusingly, what I Ideas presented in this paragraph
her to see angles that will lead to a does this have to do witi magazines were not cohesive and therefore
more fair argument. She may also being under government control? the argument was not convincing.
want to include information why This is a flaw in logical flow that
there has been such an increase. severely affected the success ofher
paragraph.

3 FHM is a popular magazine that

enjoys a wide readership all over 7A better con nector can be used here
the \{orld. It is also considered tame
- to heJp her ideas flow.
in many other countries. What was
the value of raising this example?
How is it supposed to suggest tlat
there is moral decay among
Singaporean youth?
 il554Y ${tA|q[iliii:ic slv e ooosvt T0 swtEPlNG STAIIMENIS

AFTTR ffiAt{EffVEffi:
THH THAfuI's ANALVS[$

YA |il 5 il A }]' 5 lc I !1l Al'l il i M l,

p'
0 U I n l,l. i,,i'"4 R lt F t:

I
arents and educators often fear that an increase in the violence and sexual content in
-'t
E:I
@1vai14utjll"gazirres]willhave"-f'geq,i*.LlSpqSt,o.Ilgyncprgp&,99ur1'ts!L9*l9l
bandon treasured key values The import of magazines, like FHM and Cosmopolitan

more liberal countries disturbs our more conservative older generation. Despite the fact that
5

worryEat v
Fn-d;t-y
They may however fail to see that many
FA{
q
F-q;r.,lq!!9gryqth",89!1qrt',-qiqgllt q and this makes
.7
them nore wary ofcontent that is too gory or sexual. addilion. ouryouths attain an adequale

[eye&|*c&!L,g1"t-@Erqq{1!-"]Trqa-a1giq
@-q1-"gll ; * m"F"jgry]The conservative segment of Singaporean society may have reason

to believe that magazines and television these days will have a negative impact on our youth.

lfhis is p;haps ;n overreaction given ouryouth

an overr;action cuitural uupbrllElgilq Tldia literacLl
our youth'ss strong cultural

l8 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVES the new media issue

I
 ftj*I3iliiJ;-tll'fi il,lfi ['*

,,, ;filii'*lffixil1il^o t!
Tl'lI IIAM'S IOMMENTi

are very rarely is a more fair and clear

-considered sweeping if we5This
Isfatements
presentalion ol ourUo\ernments
specifically state who is involved in stand on liberalising rnedia, and
the opinion we are expressing. If the community's response to it.
the content is correct, tie statement
will be accepted.
We replaced Yanshani ea-rlierdaim
6
that Asian values would 'prevent
t noljust teen
Teens read ever)'thing - youLh from absorbing conlenl to a
- magazjnes.ll isthenewslewof male more believablc sland thal Asian
and female adult-oriented values would make them more wary
magazines that we are most of content tlat is et\treme.
concerned about. In addition, we
suggested she focus on the
magazines available only in TThis information is conveyed more
Singapore and not information
- succinctb and we are now able to
available online. tell what her exact point is.

3It always helps to explain exactly E It is very important that conciuding

what the negative impact is so we statements should e,'aplicidy connect
can stay focused in the paragraph to the main question. This helPs
ensure relevance in what you lwite.

A It is good to cover at least a range

' of magazines tobe fair. In this case.
we used both male and female
odented magazines.
 ESSAY MAI(EOVER sN eoolsvr r0 swrrprNG
t\l SUl\4l\,lARY
TIPS Ot\{ AVOIE IN G SWTEPING STATEMFI{TS
l, lry to avoid vaguc rcfercnccs [o'some 3.
people' or gcrreral rel_creDccs to'socier_),-'.
Ifyou know who you are rcferring to exactly or
which part of society you are commenting on,
then you should say it specifically.
2, Avoid rnaking casuai c:ruse alrd et'fect
staternents like'the increase in mcdia
r iolencc rlill r'csull ir nr,'c,. apc i a\(\'.
'
Simply being more specific or thoughtful helps
give your sentence more credibility. For
example, 'the increase in media violence can
act as a psychological trigger for those who are
already mentally disturbed.'
ii liVANT rJS T0 MA|(E0VER Y0UR ESSAY?
Email us your essay at broaderperspectives@school-of-thought.corn with the
', headet "ESSAY MAKEO R" or drop off a copy at our office at SCHOOL OF THOUGHT,
i 42o Nofth Bridge Road #06-27, North Bridge
ER0ADIR PIRSPEITIVIS the netu ntetlio isste
120
sTATrMrNrs
Try not a pigeon-holc examples. Using the
United States as an example for an immoral
country or FHM as an example for a naughty
magazine simply exposes your own ignorance
and comes across as hite. Both the United States
and FHM mean vastly different things to
different t}?es of people. Representing only the
perspective ofthe sheltered Singaporean does
not bring merit to your essay.
:1. INlll't]'ABLY, you have to read up on
topics t-{ru are interested in. Ideas and
opinions are difficult to balance when you do
not know what tie balance is in the first place.
Increasing knowledge through reading or
discussing ideas wit}r teachers can help you see
more angles and therefore offer a fairer
peNpective in your essays.
------------:
subject
I
i
Centre. i
 THE
PORN
MAGNATT
WHY WOULD TWO PEOPII
FROM COMPLTTEI-Y OPPOSING BELIEF SYSTEMS
SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPET(H?
AB0UT A MAITTR 0t 0PlNl0N In si"gupo'", we have a
diversity ofviews about issues but the range oflocal
views will not be as wide as the range of global views
available. Baffing our ability to convince a Wisconsin
soccer mom or fundamentalist anti-abortionist to wr:ite
for us, we thought the nert best thing was to get talented
Miters to 'method write' - similar to 'method acting'
actors who do research to get into character for a film.
THt
IRANIAN
BI.OGGER
RIJLI #l: D0 NOT IARICATURI oulivriters were asked
to frame their answeas in a way that reflected the
background, content and belief system oftheir adopted
persona as fairly as possible.
RIJLI #2: USt (0MM0N IXAMPIES writers had to choose
from a pool ofcommon examples chosen by our team
to demonstmte that t]le same examples can be used by
individuals to form mther different perspectives. These
examples are highlighted throughout the articles.
 A MAITER OF OPINI()N IHI PORN MAGNAII vs. THE IRANIAN BLOGGER

HAS THE INTERNET

EMPOWERED
THE INDI\/I DUAL?

New Media is flourishing and given the name web 2.o
to mark its evolution. The most significant development
is arguably the shift from users' passive consurnption
to them generating content. The Internet has
empowered the individual by facilitating the
development of a participatory culture which also
increases freedom of choice. To the pornography
industry, especially Raunchy Entertainment, such
developments are exciting. We genemted the initial
demand for webcams and made video streaming
popular. lf newly empov'ered individuals are exercising
their choice by spending more time and money on the
Internet, then we say more power to them.
The Internet empowers the
individual by first providing him
with a level playing field. It allows
access to an entire web community
without much prerequisite
socioeconomic power like
educational levels, fi nancial
backing and industry contacts.

I
22 BR0A[}[R PTRSPIOIVIS the neu medra issue
There are many online Platforms
for fiee expression, the most famous
being YouTube. Aspiring stals,
tired of waiting to be discovered by
record companies, calr increase thei
chances of fame bY uPloading
original music videos for the onli
wo d to see. In adult
YouTube has a counterpart
PornoTube. Some Playem in
pomography indusuy might see
free, user_generated content on
PornoTube as competition but we
consider this a healthy challenge.
PornoTube's growing poPularitY
and encouragement of user-
genemted content actually helps in
mafu streaming adult entertainment-
Also, Raunchy Entertainment has
the ability to keep ahead of this
amateur competition. We have
Raunchy Girls who star exdusively
in online Raunchy films, making
their names virtually synonFnous
with "Raunch/-
Moreover, the Intemet empowels
the individual by making them
popular icons or cult figures in their
own right, often through
controversy generated bY the
pluralistic online community. The
diversity of perspectives and
agendas coupled with the freedom
of expressiol creates the potential
for heated debate. The Internet's
ability to disseminate infotmation
rapidly and irrespective of
geographical boundaries can result
in oven ght fame or quick notoiety.
The case of Jessica Cutler,
previously a congressional staff
assistant, illustrates this. By posting
a blog about her sex life, Cutler
gained online fame and lost herjob
as a rcsult. How€ver, she was offered
a book deal because of the ensuing
scandal, showing how one may
become prominent through the
should be c()unted emongst the deadliest ueapons, coolest to4s and best meahcines in the uorld'
Internet and prcfit from it. Perhaps
tie Raunchy Girls should start their
own blogs too.
The Internet's role in empowering
the individual, however, is at times
held back by government
censorship, carried out in
autioritarian countnes- The Great
Firewall of China censors all
pornographY, websites of banned
associatrons, and sensitive content
that could threaten the country's
unity. This means blocking more
than r8,ooo websites to shield
people from supposedly
objectionable information, but
greatly reducing their ability to
participate politically and socially
in society.
ftn ?tn rs dn Artsstudent at the uniDersitg oJ Hong Kong uho thinks uords
Such action by the
government shows their
iefthat the individual
ult lacks the maturity
wisely and not
unduly influenced.
ignores the fact that the
d for adult entertainment
exists and tlre industry
caters to it. with t}re firewall,
adult entertainment industry
a potential market, but the
people in China lose a lot more in
terms of {ieedom of choice.
Although the I nt e rn et's
enpowerment ofthe individual may
not extend to everyone yet, the hend
is highly significant. Through
increased expression,
communicahon, and leaming, the
individual participates to a higher
degree in the world. Time
Magazine's Person oft]le Year
2006 is a very relevant and
influential person - "You". You,
who, empowered by the Interlet,
will probably coopente or contend
with otier individuals in taking on
tJle roles of spectator, inventor and
iDnovator.
we admit that these new societal
trends are unpredictable. It is
difficult to tell just how influential
the newly empowered individual
can get. Cyberspace might become
more liberalized and democratized
than ever, or a backlash may result
and restrictions kick in. Whichever
way the trends go, Raunchy
Entertainment will take on the
challenge of stalng the cream of
the crop, responding to the
preferences ofthe new, empoweted
"You". l!
 i

j
A MATTER OF OPINION THI PORN IIAGNATI vs.IHE IRANIAN BTOOGER
{-

HAS THE INTERNET

EMPOWERED
THE INDIVI DUAL?

It is feared that our authorities maytryto emulate the

It has been twenty-eight years
since the youth and people ofour
country rose up against the regime
of the Shah, and in my heart,
I feel another revolution coming.
It is becoming increasingly clear Lhat our authoritarian
government seeks to quash our newfound hope and
power, for Sina Motallebi world not be the last to be
imprisoned. His blog coltained mate al that was
deemed too inflammatory, and his interviews with
foreign radio services surely sealed his fate. But
technology and circumstance ate irrcfutably on our
side, and the irrepressibly democratic nature of the
Internet should prove to be our best weapon in
reforming Iran.
Chinese in implementiDg the "(;reat Fire$'all of
china" so that seditious information would not be
disseminated. Such steps have already been talen here,
witi sites perlaining to women's rights, gay and lesbian
topics and other 'immorai' subjects being blocked
entircly. These tactics are bound to fail, forthe internet
is such a far ranging resource that it is ner'1to impossible
to completely regulate it. Our country is already the
fourth largest source of bloggers, with more than
seventy-five thousand people online, ald our combined
effofis would more than ovelwhelm such draconian
steps.
Inteanet usels at dsk have been able to conceal their
identity and effectively blpass country firewalls by
usiDg sopbisticated data enolption softlvare. As such,
mary ordinary Imnians have been given the means to

24 BR0ADIR PIRSPIOIVES tlrc new nrcdio issue

I
 llAN iloN
lt

receive and provide information by the common man. But it is also

through the Internet. This meant
that even though manY dailY
publications such as Bonyan and
Nourooz, which advocated
progressive thought, were banned,
we have been able to find other
:llternative sources of information
on the internet. With it, we were
informed about the horrific case of
Zrhra Kazemi. who was found
tortued to deati after rePortrng on
a student protest. We must realise
that the process of liberalisation is
a dalgerous one ald tread carefirlly.
Currentlv. You'f ube has been
blocked since rst December 2tl06,
under the guise ofbeing insulting
to Islam and threatening
political order ofthe country. This
may have in part been due to the
sex scandal involving Zahra
Ebrahimi. an actress on daib soaps,
and her then fianc6, whose video
was circulated widely over the
Internet. The move to ban the site
is a worrying one, as it seems to be
out of proportion to the crime (if it
is even one) committed. YouTube
here presents us with a very
important step towards reform, as
it enables us to expose t]le atrocities
and injustices that occur in our
society. lvhen the rest of t}Ie world
are able to see such things with their
own eyes because ofYoutube, we
can benefit fiom the outrage which
the they would rightly feel, helping us
to gain the mass support that we so
crucially lack now.
It seems that our effofts online at
least have been recognised, not least
by the American publication, Time,
which declared users ofthe intemet
their Person of the Year for
2<106. This acknowledges that we
have entered into a new era of
media, with a shift in emphasis to
altemative viewpoinLs disseminated
i[teresting to note that t}le software
our govemment has been using to
silence us, Smartfilter, by Secure
computing, is made in America too.
Here then lies a
dilemma: what are
we to make of the
Westerners who
urge us on ln our
efforts, but also
aid our oppressors?
And what to make of
ourselves if reform
does come to pass?
We may want a freer government,
but the 'Democracy mongers' do
make it hard for us to swallow their
bitter pill. All we know is that we
desire change, and though it vrill
not come easily for any of us, we
can be prepared for the
consequences. With these new
technologies, our goal is PossiblY
in sight. at

A politicat liberal at heart, Fuaat is obseruilg the alewlopments in lra]|- keenla. He aspires to be ajoutnalist somedaa.
 New Medio
Freedom
Singopore
There are two things that left-wing media observers usually find offensive about
Singapore: firstly, Singaporean media have to operate under a government licence;
.""o.rdly, they are required to refrain from setting a political agenda by
overemphasising views that contradict government policies'

An American editor may feel his
social responsibility is to be the
gadfly of the public sphere, the
critical watchdog of government
policy. The singaporean editor
instead feels pressured to be the
gatekeeper of the public sphere -
the filter of dissenting voices that
go against the process of "nation-
i building".
I
Local coffee-shop pundits
continue to pass around the urbal
legend that the Straits Times is
the PAP'S propaganda machine
and rhapsodise over the freedom
of speech to be found online. Not
being subject to licensing as yet,
new media has the liberty to be
contrary - less objective, much
funnier, much ruder and thus
much more popular than local
mainstream media can hope to
be. one of the best exarnples of
this was the notoious " Mai Hum"
podcast created by bloggers
mrbrown and miyagi - an
irreverent mashup of PM Lee
Hsien Loong's sober 2006
National Day Rally with the
Blackeyed Peas' sexy anthem
"M! Humps"
The mainstream media has
attempted to ride on the
popularity of altemative media by
engaging popular netizens to
become real world columnists.
The results have been mixed -
both editors and netizens alike
werc chagrined to discover that
the same latitude netizens were
given or ine to say as t]ley pleased
did not apply to the offline world
of mainstream media. mrbrown's
weeldy opinion column in Today
newspaper was clropped after his
sati cal piece about rising costs
of living in Singapore provoked
an official from Singapore's
Ministry of Information,
Communications and t]le Arts to
accuse him of being a "partisan
player" who "distorted the truth".
Was it a case of Singaporeans not
having freedom of speech? That
seems unlikely for mrbrown
himself has been "documenting
the dysfunctional side of
Singapore since 1997" with his
online satirical series Singapore
National Education (SNE) that
highlighted the ironies of local
politics. Many civil servants
certainly knew of its existence
(each edition of SNE was widely
circulated by email) and mrbrown
did not get into any houble for it
or for his vastly popular "Mci
Hum" podcast despite saying far
ruder things inthem. Many other
local political blogs with far morc
dissenting views have not been
shut down eitler.

BR0ADIR P[RSPtfilVtS the new nedia issue

The Singaporean govemment is not
the anti-freedom of speech tyrant
that many presume it to be but it is
certainly painfully sedous about
making you responsible for what
you say - especially if you are saying
it in the public sphere.
The offrcial stand seems to be this:
Singaporeans have views and are
entitled to er.press them. Nobody
gets hauled to court for comments
made in the privacy of the
coffeeshop, the living room ard for
now, the message board. But ifthey
choose to comment on politics
publicly in a formalised setting like
a classroom or newspaper, the
government reserves the ght to
hold their critics accountable for
every word as the public's
perception of the government's
moral authority hinges upon the
huth ofthe matter. This may make
the government look humourless
and unnecessarily healy-handed.
But to t]le PAP, their integrity and
issues of national importance are
not lauBhing matteN.
The fact is new media is here to stay
and will inevitably continue to grow
in influence and viewership among
the masses. One day, new media
will no longer be the alternative
sou rce of information and
entertainment but will instead
become the mainstream. It is only
a matter of time before the
government has to revise it's
understanding ofwhat the public
sphere encompasses - someday
more than 50% ofthe population
will access and trade information
online. Soon, new media itselfwill
have to open the doors of the
lawless global wonderland it
presently resides in and negotiate
with the realities of local laws
guarding aSainst hate speech,
racism, sedition and defamation.
Both editor and political leader
should not fail to defend the need
for sobriety when the truth about
national issues is in question. But
tley must leam how to tactfully and
graciously negotiate with the taste
for frank and spontaneous speech
tlat new media has engendered in
society.
Such bottom-up public debate must
be encouraged to brcak t]le political
apathy that has held Singaporeans
for so long. There has never been a
better time for the government to
dispel old myths about how
draconian it is about free speech.
The average Singaporean too must
not be canied away in assuming
that the freedom of speech he
enjoys online will always come at
no cost. The bill has simply not
reached him yet. As with all rights,
the right to speal oDe's mind comes
with the necessary price of
responsibility. There may come a
time when we all have to emerge in
the real world to defend what we
say online - let us hope that what
we have said will be woth the while.
If we always retreat
behind
pseudonyms, name-calling,
stereotl'ping, conjecture and our
favouite anti government bias, we
the people risk losing our credibility
and our chance to have a real
conversation with authority. It
 MIDIA & IRIIDOM OF SPEECH IN SINGAPORE
LOTAL GLOBAL NEW

4 LOCAL BLOGGERS THAT

REFLECT SINGAPORE'S CHANGING CULIURE

#l XIAXIJ f uku vdlt'lDY tilrNG xiaxue,blogsPot.com

can daim the crown of Singapore's
Iove her oI hate her - Xa',.rre is tlre only local bloggel that
who is unafraid of public
i."i""l"Utiay lf"gg"t. She symbolises a new b'""d of sittgapotean Her
being used to a steady diet of American popular culture
"o"",i"" "t'""a,.*"rsy, and her willingness to
fr"a"-""r"i"po"rf .t"ms f.ot her t"fusal to be politically correct
generation back' I,ong aftel
or",'a - t,uit. tt,ut *"re consicrered unusual in Singaporeans a pink
i"U." a"t""gpartygirl's nudity has died down, Xia-xue's biog remains in the
^i"ti
ofpopularitY.

irl mrhrolvn.com
#2 ifrm ffiRilitjf{ -r',i<r iii'4hlijl'i

recotling his socio political commentary

Affectionately dubbed the "blogfather" mrbrown has been
accidental
iqri. sit* ,lt" TODAY incident, mrbrown has become Singapore's most infamous mrbrown
"i""" of"y". - ftt "persistently nonpolitical podcasts ' have great mass appeal
a look at lofty policies
i*t"""""-ai" t"*ft "-po*".",l uoi"" ofthe HDB heartlander'ofoffering
""ffi#i children or the
i.-i- ifr" g."""a. e" it ;bout the cost of living, the situation special needs
*rbrown's voice is definitelv regarded bv the masses as one of their own'
;d;;;i;;;;;;,
i l::::.i !''
#3 ;l:t..i:f i!*iiJ.ti si eri,!t'-lmherng, blogsp*t. c<xlt

of Parliament has been pafi ofthe onlin(

Sworn in in January zoo7, this Nominated Member ir
L--".nv "*. .i""e the early days of soc culture singapore While most political blogs
sinsaDore tend to end up displa)ang a strong anti-PAP bias'
Kum Hong seems adamant abou'
pigeonholed bv anvone
;;"#;;;" ;j;""* in polit"ul di"oo"" *d is rcluctant about being
;;;;;;lly-i;; ;'"".. Hi" blog'" objective is to trvs growing and dem.l.:lifv the entir(
political maturitv'
tl"*" ti.,rte public" - a rielcome sign of Singapore
""iri."i

#4 lriiiu* rii*iii'!'i tr Aiiitiiit,;ri chubbyhubb-v'nc

Dubbed by Newsweek as "one ofAsia's Most Influential

food bloggers"' Chubbv Hubby
singapore alone' Cosmopolitan
i"i. i","d" nti.l ."nth with 67% of them coming from
i" il-.Liq"". f""d all around the world and lush photographs' ChubbyHubbv's blog
""
reflects how Western lifestyle concepts have influenced
Singapole's sense of aesthetics
*" rJJ life that Singapore's affluent, English educated 2rl to 3rl somethings
""i "fr"o"i
aspire towards

18 BR0ADIR PIRSPECIIVES the neto media issue

 0d of 168 counfries,
which counlries hove the mosl press freedom?
ftom the world Press Freedom Index 2006 * by Repoters Without Borde$

')F , r ,.
, -*,1 i/)

T()P 5
l.Fidand NOT TOP 5
2. Icelarld
5. Ileland 98. Bhutan
4. Netherlands
'IO5. Sierra Leone
5. Czech F,epublic I28. F,wanda
I5O. A-fghanistan
146. Singapore
168. North Korea
 SPOTLIGHT:
MEDIA-SAWY
I
CELEBRITIES I
Some celebrities know how to play the media
game better than others.

professionol porfy ghl /

PARIS HITTON

Despite being a high-school dropout, this

hard-partying Hilton heircss has carved out
a lucrative niche for he$elf as a professional
celebrily. The more oulrageously Paris
behaves, the more public attention she
secures and the more advertising dollar she
commands. When a scalda.ious sex tape was
uploaded on to the web by her ex-bo1'friend
a week before the premiere ofher reality TV
Jnow, The Simple Life, critics speculated
that it was a publicity stunt calculated to
boosl ratings. Pais has eamed US$q million
to date despite mediocre attempts at acting,
\\\
singing and nodelling. Paris' personal "
cllannel in YouTube has 8,ooo subscliptions.
A publishing house advanced her
US$roo,ooo to wite her autobiography
despite her unproven writing ability. Paris
has amassed a significant peasonal fortune
by capitalizing on the public's desire to
stereot]?e her as a dumb blonde. In her
famous catchphrase, "Thot\ Hot"

Sirnilar celebrities: Nicole Richie It

30 BR0ADER PIRSPECIIVIS the nediQ issue

 celeb humonilorion / ANGEUNA JOLIE lr
Holl]'wood A-List stars Jolie and Brad Pitt are pelhaps
the world's most media-sawy actiyist couple. Bill and
Melinda Gates miSht out-give them by the billions but
:HERoES i

i avrLLArNs
it is Jolie's personal knack ofmaking activism look stylish
yet sexily sincere that has inspired the trend towards
copycat celebrity philanthropy. Her adoptions of I
Cambodian and Ethiopian orphans have made Third f f
World babies the mosl lashionab]e arm accessory in r-r
rffia
Holbavood. She is a mastel of the public relations coup I lfFnta,lfb tFgf .tql- r
for charity - People magazine only won the rights to t r
publish images of a pregnant Jolie if they donated lfr
UsD$soo,ooo to a Haitian children's chadty. Rights to --l-f,*ilLl<
images ofthe baby herself, Shiloh Pitt-Jolie, werc traded !I rrero SERIALISED TV SAGAS
/
Fuelled by a compelling mystery to solve and !
i
for a whopping USD$ro million donation to charity. Jolie
knows how to use the media to highlight lesser known
I I
a plotthat tal<es montls to unfold, t]le newest
I hil Tv dramas mark a return to sood old- I
humanitanan causes Her 2oo5 MTV Special on povefty
!r fashionetl storv lellins. Without r;ofiins toI
in Kenya in collaboration with economist Dr Jeffrey , ". I
Sachs demonstrates her unique ability to build bridges I nrlgar Sensatlonallsm Or Cfass nUmOU r. eptc I
betweer the political establishment and the young. For t serialslile Hsroes and Pnson Bredk feed the i
that, she has rightfully eamed her place as one of Time I millermialaudience'sappetiteforintelligentlyI
Magazine's roo Most Influential People of 2006.
I written television shows centred around f
I surorisinelv deeo ohilosoohical ticmes. One I
- "n"*
Sirnilar celebrities: Bono, Susan Samndon at ! *rrion' oi.uch sh-ous sun ive past a
lew seasons because sludio pressure lu Leep
:
I i
t such prcfitable shows going usually leads to I
I meandering plots and draggy story-telling, I
new mediq politicion / At GORE I eventually killing audience interest. Srnash !
Nobody expected the ex-Vice President of USA to be
I hit Lost has been the most recenl viclim. I
joinine hu" beens Tdin Peoks and X-Files.
2oo6's great comeback story considering his defeat in ! :
the 2ooo Presidential bid against George w. Bush. His tl
victory is primarily dDe to his hit environmentalist fr
documentary film,4n Inconuenient Truth. ?rut/r was
part of Gorc's shategic media blitz to change the public's II villoin / REALITY TVwilh reality I
We hare a lore-hale rplalionship
perception of him. As Bush dipped in popularity from I
a TV. Dangling milion dollar prizes, such shows I
zooz onwards, Gore balanced humourous public I often encourage unhappy, dysfunctional I
appearances on popular talk-shows with healy political I peoole to behave horriblv so millions can tune I
political rival as
speeches calculated to paint his former in and .elf righteousll go..ip about rheir
! !
a big mistake. In 2oo4, Gore and Moveon.org (a web
! a"t.ion"a.ouid *ut"r-ciolers thc n",rt dal. i
community founded on the commoD desirc to oust Bush)
! Exiibiting petty or desperate behaviour can t
teamed up to promote the environmental disaster flick, t be distasteful but profitable. However, I
The Daa AjIer Tonoftou- Gore seems well aware of tie I the tide maybe turning. British TV network I
power of new mass communications technologr: already I channela s monsterhit Bio Bro!her IJK
in the 197os, as a US Senator, core was pushingpolicies
to support the creation of the Internet's inftastructure
!r faced more than '- "- /
1"'""_" co"mplaints
:----_- "'' :::.' 4o,ooo :.':
I trom the pubhc when they arred an
long before most people had heard of the word. Presendy,
Gore is also a Senior Advisor to Google, sits on the board
1 episode ofalleged racist bullying of

ofdirectors ofApple Computer and owns the independent

cable news network, "Cunent T\f'.
Sirnilar celebrities:
David Cameron (British Consewative Partyleader)
I Indian contestant Shilpa Shetty.
I Subsequently, effigies of
I Channel a s chiefs were
acturally burnt in protesr in
! ft
l! i the streets oflndia itseu.
I
THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE
Since more than z/3 ofyour waking hours are spent on some kind ofmedia usage, it's healthy
for us all to assume that what we watch is bound to influence us on some level. If you would
like to be clearer about how the media influences you, use this worksheet to start a discussion
with someone today!

\ryI{AT I}# YOU THEf'IF{?

#I TXAMINE #2 D|S(USS
WHAT T\j sIiOiryS DO t'i}U Di] YOU TllINli TI-IAT...
liVATTil OITIl.l?
,..FAT PIOPI-[ CAN BE s[XY?

...PRI MARITAL SIX i5 (]K?

...Tit[[{L 15 SU(H A THIl.{E AS LOVI AT FIRST SIGHT?

.."i{ORIAI{ MEN ARI MORI ROMANTII THAN SINGAPORiAN MtN?

!\riiAT MUSti D0 YOU l_lsiti\i
T0 fiFTlfl?
-WHiTE TiCIPtE ARi RICtl?

. ,AIL IIJ{]I'1T[| SHOIJLD Lil{E DIAMONDS AtiD FLOWTRS?

#3 ANALYSI
DO YOU TI.{I|iii YilUR FAVOURITI FILMS, TV SHOi/1|S AND MUSII
WHATTYPE 0F Flli/is D0 Yilii
TIl{EWAKl-lING? FROM #1 tlAV[ iNFl-UEl'lCID TliI IOI\I(EPTS Y0U HAD lN #2?

JI BR0ADIR PIRSPffiIVIS the media issue

 Itt Daoe ndr a-?paau a ttl la .aam d r 'n Da' a i o1d br o.\ t.'
v'lad, l.ot se ot trnrq pq 4 \ta L on \' 1aot a ^hot6
t rcroht Fg.'.ra
t Pat F

DO YOU AGREE WITH Tl-lESI QUOTTS?

have no obLlgatlon to make history.

I/Ve
We have no obligation to make art.
We have no obligation to make a statement.
To make money is our only objective.

Michael Eisner, CEO oI The Walt Disney Co.

Internal m€rno, as quote<lfrorn Mickelj Mouse Monopolu
Disnea, Childhaod end Co r\orate Pouer

HAVI YOU BETOME MORI MATIRIAI-Ifl(

BIOUSE OF IHT MEDIA YOU IONSUME?

I know idealism ls not plaJrir\g on the radio

right now, you don't see it on TV fony ls
on heavy rotation, the knowin€ness, the
smirk, the tfed joke. I've trled them aLl
out but I'11 tell you this... ideallsm is under
siege beseL by materia,llsm. na,rcissism
and a,11 the other isms of hdifference .

Bono, frontman ofU2 and sociai acti\'ist

2oo4 Colnmencemenl Addless
rr lhP I n:\er.iI ol l(.nI.) L\aria

HAVI YOU 8I(OMT MORE IDEALISTI( OR MORE

PISSIMISTI( BIGUSE OI IHE MIDIA YOU TONSUME?

I
':,qrLijc,ij$,.http://intelligentsingoporeon.wordpres'com/
; u*g Lu 'jt t L i hnp://ww.singoporeongle.com/ :
: lAjfttlT'flj. Tu o pretlY usetul collections ol independent opinions on local current ii
: VSE-!!\{ il . affaim from a uniquely Singaporean persPectivc E

!i Xfl5EfEru{ire,"-/http://www.lote.tom/
VI5lTEruG
;o ff'#'
]it' '*i'J:,*';ql"lu^:ll1:1it"'"c,tiltrri,1i:l::llT.y:li:::lLil'*"
endangered ;
ever)-thiDg lrom Ame can politics to wh]' we only save
;
g

E cute
animals that are ts

-
-o-l

6r
zt
<t
FI
UI
TIP #l r
V
c/i\
TA|(I O]\lI
BIG LEAP

OF FAITH
Religion is something that many have strong opinions
about but few want to really understand or try seriously. Yet, religion contains answers to
some of humanity's biggest and most pressing questions: Why is there suffering?
Why should I bother being good? l4hat happens uhen I die? Once we are more confident
of these answers, we become more confident about our place in this world and what we
want to do with our lives. Pick a religion that has values that you feel are worthy and good
- and read up as much as you can about it from sources that are trustworthy. Visit reputable
places of worship and strike up conversations with the devotees or religious leaders
themselves. Then, make your own informed choice about what is true, wise and worthy of
belief. Even if you don't really want to choose a religion yet, at least you would have
discovered a much clearer picture about how the other side lives and thinks-