Just wasted an hour of my life watching CNA’s Primetime Asia for news of #HouseOfLee.
Not a word. Granted this is an outward-focused programme. Still, they found time for a Singapore-angled segments about a healthcare-related survey and training dogs. The crawler had a few Singapore items, leading with “SCIENCE PARK ONE VISITORS CAN RENT E-SCOOTERS”. But nothing about the story of the year.
This is reminiscent of the national media’s tongue-tied reaction to Lee Hsien Loong’s health scare during last year’s National Day Rally speech.
This won’t do. If we can’t count on our national media during periods of controversy and confusion, what are they there for? Our mainstream editors go through years of socialisation to understand where the OB markers are. In spite of that, if they are not trusted (or don’t trust themselves) to exercise initiative and provide timely news and analysis at a time like this, what’s the point?
We have heard a lot of warnings about fake news lately. The government and mainstream media should realise that if it doesn’t care to allow real news to circulate, their complaints about fake news will ring hollow.
Source: Cherian George
