Former SPH manager: I never believe any news articles by SPH after I left the company
Posted by temasektimes on May 30, 2012
A former employee of Singapore Press Holdings Mr Peter Gan said he never believe any news articles published by SPH after he left the company.
Mr Gan worked as a product manager in SPH between 2010 and 2011.
In a comment posted on a Facebook discussion thread about the heated exchange between WP Chief Low Thia Kiang and Lianhe Zaobao Chief Editor Wu Xindi on the Singapore media being used as a ‘government too’, Mr Gan wrote:
“I used to work in SPH and although I support neither WP or PAP because I believe the bigger picture here is on the issues raised, rather than which party is better / worse, I totally agree with Mr Low.”
He added that he never believe in any news articles by SPH again since he left the company:
“Let me put it in another way: I used to read Straits Times, Business Times, Zaobao, Wanbao, TNP and believed what I read in the news since I was young. However, ever since I worked and left SPH I realize I can never ever see SPH in the same light, and I will NEVER ever believe any news articles by SPH ever again.”
Mr Gan did not elaborate on why he felt this way.
The Singapore media is now ranked 150th in the world in terms of press freedom by U.S. NGO Freedom House this year.
THE TEMASEK TIMES 
Realist said
Not surprise to hear this from an ex-SPH employee.
This is a fact that if the govt of a country does not have full control over the media then it would be chaotic as half-truths can be politicized.
well done said
kudos to this guy for speaking the truth about our state media, but I suspect the state media will attack him soon
The ABC of news said
I just terminated my 2 subscriptions with SPH! Who needs them with the proliferation of internet news, blogs, phone apps, and etc? I don’t trust too because they are too “mainstream” and usually goes with the tides.
corruptpapies said
Why subscript ? They would even gave you free even you don’t ask for it.
Pay to read half baked news. Stupid!
Be late than never said
Just only? I have not been reading it since 2009 after previous TR, Wayang Party came into the picture.
bb said
SPH will report the true new when opposition takes over the gov
good reason to be ranked 150th said
without a doubt, because all the snr mgmt personnel will be sent to whitley rehab centre to confess to all the brainwashing articles they deliberately produce over 5 decades.
'Mk Chin said
I agree…. “I will NEVER ever believe any news articles by SPH ever again”.
Jacob said
From a country ranked 154th in press freedom
stevenado said
I teminated years ago when realised that!!!! Today MSM is no much different than 20 years ago.Now that an ex-employee had spoken, let see who are the apple polishers coming out to contradict.!!!!
Money Max said
Disgraceful Mr Wu dares to boast that they are RESPECTED PROFESSONAL media when its ranking in internationak press freedom is 150th. Really 馬不知臉長!
Ron said
I hardly read ST because I am overseas much of the time. Anyway I can get all the news I want via Channelnewasia, Yahoo Singapore, Temasek Times, etc. And I save a lot of money too.
In Australia I find the news are more balanced. They will give prominence to different viewpoints. In fact, I fnd their coverage of China much better and more incisive than ST. The Spore Press can be ignored as it does not inspire confidence, tends to be parochial and I just do not know what is their stance.
TrulyAsia said
same here in Malaysia, we have ditched The Star ,New Straits Times, Sin Chew,Nanyang etc..we read Malaysiakini.com
ANGRY Bird said
Ya, professional journalist my foot! You are more than a professional LIAR! Pui . . .
Ni Hong said
I stop buying since 20 years ago, To me one sided news.
Octavia12 said
I collect these papers for my dogs’ shits….
龙的传人 said
老兄!敢问一句你为何辞职?
*一个人除非不睡觉!要不睡觉前就要摸摸自己的良心*
我们的俊刚兄在报业服务至退休，证明公司的可靠信誉极佳。这点就证明了报业报道的的确确中立公平合理不偏𥘵只对事实做详细真实的报导!
uhoh said
I only buy it to see SALES and Weekend offers!!! hahaha…….
Abe said
Don’t believe SPH. Believe LTK, he deserves fanatical loyalty. He is right about PAP smearing PEH. MSM is a government tool. Focus on working with the government, no resource to witch-hunt. Or is he a savvy politician who cleverly turned the attention away from internal party problems to government and media bashing so that dirty linen remains private? To the public, no witch hunt. But not in his disciplined party? Or is it really a disciplined party? Oh, we should believe LTK. Just trust him.
60+ said
what do you expect from a government who control the media.
look at Teo Chee Hen leraning from LKY, sue sue sue
Esther said
Not only ST, but Channel news Asia, channel 8 etc. are all tools for PAP. Their coverage of news are lopsided and whatever the news broadcaster says mostly are geared towards the PAPPIGS. Just like the recent BE, they always brought up YSL personal marital case instead of pointing to TCH’s nonsensical comment over WP. This is our so-called MSM. What a big shame!
Straits Times Editor-In-Chief said
We wish to regain Mr Peter Gan’s confidence & convince him of Straits Times’ journalism spirit.
We have decided to allow access to full stories published on Straits Times starting 1st June 2012.
The links to full stories are shown by http://i.imgur.com/FQ6rr.png. Readers who wish to read breaking news & daily issues of Straits Times may wish to bookmark those three links.
The link to Sunday Times is only valid on Sundays.
Links to the various sections of Straits Times are located at the bottom of the destination page.
Links to full stories are in this format http://www.straitstimes.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=%5BCODE%5D&vgnextchannel=%5BCODE%5D
Peter Gan said
Hello,
While I cordially appreciate your response, there is a bigger picture I’m trying to point out.
But before that, let me just give a quick example: I suddenly recalled a few news articles which I find puzzling: On 15th March 2012, Channel News Asia (Mediacorp) carried an article informing readers and businesses of their inaugural advertising expo – TVConnect at Marina Bay Sands, aimed at targeting advertisers and agencies. Link to article and advertisement below:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1189092/1/.html
http://www.mediacorptvconnect.asia/about.php
Subsequently after, On the 28th March 2012 Today (majority Mediacorp) carried an article on the response of their inaugural advertising expo and link to article below:
http://www.todayonline.com/Business/Impact/EDC120328-0000005/Strong-response-to-MediaCorps-inaugural-TV-advertising-expo
Right after that on 30th March 2012, Straits Times carried an exact opposite article under “Breaking News” with title “MediaCorp Channel 5’s viewership on the decline” and link to article as below:
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_783463.html
Timing and category of this news article is in question. Now, breaking news in every sense of the word means important news. Breaking news also means that if user have your iPhone app installed / subscribed to breaking news content, you get push notifications on your iPhone via the app as well as SMS informing you of the news headline “Mediacorp Channel 5’s viewership on the decline” on your mobile. Though I cannot claim to confirm if users receive this push notification as I do not install your iPhone app on my iPhone and Android and neither do I subscribe to breaking news via SMS. Now, the thing that’s puzzling me is this: You, as a reader, do you think this is breaking news as in “very important”? I, for one feel that news such as Brisbane flood in 2011, Orchard road flooding, etc are deemed important.
In addition, telcos including Singtel, M1, Starhub whom offer breaking news subscription to their subscribers provided their infrastructure to news agencies including Reuters, CNA, SPH so that subscribers who opt for this service can receive TIMELY, VALUABLE information on their mobile and I think each of them had spent considerable resources in setting up their end of the news broadcast system in order to provide such services to their subscribers.
Some cryptics / fanatics here might argue that regardless of whether news print / tv, it might be all the same. but whether it’s the same or not is not the question. The question is whether this news is “important”, “subjective” or “objective” or is there another commercial agenda or to serve a commercial interest?
This is just one of the example that I recalled but I wish to clarify that I’m not trying to pinpoint anything. The only reason I pointed this out is because I have a customized app that shows me the list of news article relating to a particular topic including from Singapore. So whenever a particular news topic comes up, I’ll get notifications from all sources and this topic happened to be one of them.
Now, the bigger picture I’m trying to point out is: It might appear that things and people are still within control and management threshold but actually it’s not. I am not sure if you understand what I mean by that but I’m afraid I can’t go any further.
While I am not that old, I’m also not that young to naively believe that everything in this world is in colour, fair, and just. I also accept the fact that media have a responsibility to play in shaping the well-being and stability of our country. And sometimes, certain things needed to be done in order to maintain stability and harmony. Afterall, now that Singapore has more than 5 million population comprising of both locals and foreigners on less than 750 km2 of land living largely in public housing areas, do we need another news article over and over again whether if it’s ST, Zaobao or especially Stomp to that matter, to remind us of the social tension between us? Or should we be writing and investigating the root of the problem as well as the solution?
While I graciously appreciate your response, there is no need to do so in the first place. Like what was mentioned in the screenshot capture of my comment, “I still read the news though but will never form my opinion by just based on articles from SPH, but read the same articles from Reuters, Bloomberg, TOI, Washington Post / Huffington Post to see the overall coverage instead.” So rest assured I’ll read ST again in future should the quality of the news improve.
Thanks and regards,
Peter Gan
Peter Gan said
Hello,
While I cordially appreciate your response, there is a bigger picture I’m trying to point out.
But before that, let me just give a quick example: I suddenly recalled a few news articles which I find puzzling: On 15th March 2012, Channel News Asia (Mediacorp) carried an article informing readers and businesses of their inaugural advertising expo – TVConnect at Marina Bay Sands, aimed at targeting advertisers and agencies. Link to article and advertisement below:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1189092/1/.html
http://www.mediacorptvconnect.asia/about.php
Subsequently after, On the 28th March 2012 Today (majority Mediacorp) carried an article on the response of their inaugural advertising expo and link to article below:
http://www.todayonline.com/Business/Impact/EDC120328-0000005/Strong-response-to-MediaCorps-inaugural-TV-advertising-expo
Right after that on 30th March 2012, Straits Times carried an exact opposite article under “Breaking News” with title “MediaCorp Channel 5′s viewership on the decline” and link to article as below:
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_783463.html
Timing and category of this news article is in question. Now, breaking news in every sense of the word means important news. Breaking news also means that if user have your iPhone app installed / subscribed to breaking news content, you get push notifications on your iPhone via the app as well as SMS informing you of the news headline “Mediacorp Channel 5′s viewership on the decline” on your mobile. Though I cannot claim to confirm if users receive this push notification as I do not install your iPhone app on my iPhone and Android and neither do I subscribe to breaking news via SMS. Now, the thing that’s puzzling me is this: You, as a reader, do you think this is breaking news as in “very important”? I, for one feel that news such as Brisbane flood in 2011, Orchard road flooding, etc are deemed important.
In addition, telcos including Singtel, M1, Starhub whom offer breaking news subscription to their subscribers provided their infrastructure to news agencies including Reuters, CNA, SPH so that subscribers who opt for this service can receive TIMELY, VALUABLE information on their mobile and I think each of them had spent considerable resources in setting up their end of the news broadcast system in order to provide such services to their subscribers.
Some cryptics / fanatics here might argue that regardless of whether news print / tv, it might be all the same. but whether it’s the same or not is not the question. The question is whether this news is “important”, “subjective” or “objective” or is there another commercial agenda or to serve a commercial interest?
This is just one of the example that I recalled but I wish to clarify that I’m not trying to pinpoint anything. The only reason I pointed this out is because I have a customized app that shows me the list of news article relating to a particular topic including from Singapore. So whenever a particular news topic comes up, I’ll get notifications from all sources and this topic happened to be one of them.
Now, the bigger picture I’m trying to point out is: It might appear that things and people are still within control and management threshold but actually it’s not. I am not sure if you understand what I mean by that but I’m afraid I can’t go any further.
While I am not that old, I’m also not that young to naively believe that everything in this world is in colour, fair, and just. I also accept the fact that media have a responsibility to play in shaping the well-being and stability of our country. And sometimes, certain things needed to be done in order to maintain stability and harmony. Afterall, now that Singapore has more than 5 million population comprising of both locals and foreigners on less than 750 km2 of land living largely in public housing areas, do we need another news article over and over again whether if it’s ST, Zaobao or especially Stomp to that matter, to remind us of the social tension between us? Or should we be writing and investigating the root of the problem as well as the solution?
While I graciously appreciate your response, there is no need to do so in the first place. Like what was mentioned in the screenshot capture of my comment, “I still read the news though but will never form my opinion by just based on articles from SPH, but read the same articles from Reuters, Bloomberg, TOI, Washington Post / Huffington Post to see the overall coverage instead.” So rest assured I’ll read ST again in future should the quality of the news improve.
Thanks and regards,
Peter Gan
ModSucksMyCock said
The temasek review is getting everyone into troubles by twisting the facts or news about anything
Watcher said
Mr Straits Times Editor-In-Chief. What are your comments toward the police report against SPH stated in the article below?
wolfglare said
only fool will read SPH paper i have not read any of SPH papers for the past 15 years….they being the dog for the government only report lies to fool us Singaporean
Allan said
Very very sad for the nation! Why must they bullshit us for so long? We are no different from North Korea.
Steve said
Haha, totally agreed, I already stop buying strait time since years 1990s, now with SPH iphone apps, I got push msg and I read the summary and then go online to search for the most reliable sources of the news I am interested. however business times is still readable.