This article tilted “Lured by bigger bucks in bars elsewhere?” was published on The New Paper. The highlight of the article is to inform the public that one of the night clubs in Singapore faced issue where the employees from China freed after they managed to get the work permit. The victim in the article suspect that these China women who are supposed to be working as singers in the nightclub escaped to other places in hope of finding a job that offers a higher pay.
I grabbed hold of the latest copy of The New Paper yesterday on my way home out of boredom as the traveling time is rather long which according to Charles Wright, as “surveillance”. Choosing The New Paper over The Straits Time makes me understand that my relationship with these media sources is voluntary. I can choose not to consume any of these media articles and stay ignorant or I could choose another form of media to gain information such as watching the daily news which tend to be more appealing in my own opinion as there are clips inserted to give me a visual view and there will be a reporter reading the news to me thus saving the effort to read the article. This then shows another characteristic regarding the mass media as there is competition with other media sources. Not to forget, I can have a choice of terminating the communication when I feel bored or when I am not interested in the article. Personally, there are only selective news that would interest me to read on. For example, this article on the runaway China singers whereas other issues that were also included in the papers like the economic fluctuation will not interest me. Thus, i will only select to consume social news and would terminate communications with other forms of news.
The various topics covered in the newspaper shows another factor regarding the mass media- they are not individualized. Whatever articles that are printed in The New Paper are not specially printed to suit any of its readers. They are inclusive of topics that one might not be interested but luckily (for me) the wide varieties of mass media choices allow me to turn to whichever source that interest me. Freedom of choice perhaps? An individual source of media will not be specially printed to suit to perference but rather, it would include a range of world issues. The varities of choices mentioned can spring from sources like magazines, reader digest, different newspapers and the television.
From my point of view, mass media like the newspaper exists for intended purpose that is to inform the public of the latest issues. It enables readers to be aware of the changing world and enjoy the entertainment provided like the comics and articles covering sports, movie reviews and a close-up with different movie stars. The unintended part could probably be that it leaves a bad impression such as the article today seems to highlight the dangers of taking foreign workers as they could escape. Unintentionally, I have adopted prejudices against the Chinese for such acts because not only did they escape their duties as a nightclub singer, they have inflicted harm on the person whom have hired them.
In my perception, mass media creates a great impact on our lives. It is easily available, in bookshops, supermarkets and magazine shops like Buzz. Given the easy access, I believe that the most common and convenience type of mass communication are the newspapers. Newspapers available in Singapore would include The New Paper, Lianhe Wangbao (the blue one), Xinhe Zao Bao (the red one), The Straits Time, Today, and My Papers. Though their coverage are rather different, I feel that the content are more or less similar. The choice of media chosen depends on the individual and the issues talked about. Therefore, the choice of mass media we consume depends on alot of factors that range from reasons why one would consume a particular source to why one would reject to consume any.
Fancy a Cup of America, anyone?
15 years ago
6 comments:
have you ever wondered, there is only so much news worthy information happening in a day. but how do we end up with 10 different newspapers with 15 different versions of the same incident?
i guess newspapers are just as commercialised as the rest of the world. newspapers thrive on advertisers, and advertisers thrive on successfully getting their message across to their audience. as such, newspapers are presented in ways which attract a target group which their advertisers want, and this is done by the choice of news articles, the pictures and words used in the report.
and that is why you find advertisements to 1900 chatlines and massage parlours on The New Paper (trash tabloid) and not the The Straits Times. different advertisers, different advertisements, different audience, different paper.
Different people have different use for newspapers. An auntie who wants to wrap her vegetables would get The Straits Times just because it has more paper. The general public who wish to understand more serious topics will purchase The Straits Times too because of the depth and variety of coverage. That just leaves the others who just need to know the most important news and a summary of it who purchase The New Paper. But then again The New Paper contains a lot of useless news that has no purpose other than to attract readers.
One might think that we have the power when it comes to selecting the media which we want to bring us the latest news. However, as exemplified by history, the media has great effects on societies. Governments use the media to indoctrinate and propel their ideologies on the people. Hitler realized the power of media and used it to his advantage in brainwashing the German people into hating the Nazis. The simple example of us choosing one newspaper publication over the other shows to some extent our subscription to the ideologies/beliefs that publication dishes to us. They can range from human rights issues to celebrity gossips. Especially for those of us who constantly subscribe to the same publication because we believe the news presented are of use to us, we are exposing ourselves to whatever messages the publication wants to send to us. Thus, we have to be discerning readers so we know a trap when we see it. We must not let the media shape our identities, rather use it to our advantage, which is supposed to be the initial intention of consuming the media.
I prefer The Straits Times over The New Paper. The New Paper is like a daily tabloid which magnifies issues... Take it with lots of pinches of salt.
I personally feel that Singapore's newspapers are pretty much covered up without true statistics on problems our society is facing.
I even have professors being misquoted before to suit what the journalist wants to write. So... I realized it is important for me to read both The New Paper and The Straits Times with an open mind.
I'd end off with a quote by John Locke
"Reading furnishes the mind only with materials for knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours."
Actually the Straits Times has been doing this section called “Stomped” which is targeting the younger readers to ST. Readers are able to contribute their news pieces and photos to the website and the popular one will be printed. Initially I was quite skeptical over it when it was first out , however I think it is quite a progress as there is a small element of interactivity which Gen Y seeks for.
Personally I still skim through the straits times when I am sitting on my porcelain throne or when commuting (unless MRT have wifi or radio signals, I will be sticking to hardcopy newspapers for a while). I do find it useful as I am able to source out new activities which may interest me in Life. Above that, I still find it easier to bring around copies of the Business Times or Today when I am out and I can dispose of it later. Not very environmentally-friendly, but it helps me to get in tuned with the world while waiting. This is my two cents worth.
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