PART OF THE SOLUTION
The efforts to deal with this insidious and international risk requires a multilayered response involving authorities, laws and enforcement, training, and the work of different stakeholders similar to unbiased fact-checkers and civil society organisations.
However the position of conventional or mainstream information and media organisations can’t be understated.
A reputable and trusted information media ecosystem can and will operate as a supply of factual information for a rustic. The techniques and processes, editorial oversight and integrity, and a number of layers of fact-checking and enhancing that must be a part of any information organisation present better assurance in comparison with much less skilled platforms similar to blogs that purport to be “citizen journalists”.
The query then is how journalism can reclaim and preserve a trusted place in society. This may very well be particularly difficult in a rustic like Singapore the place the media has typically confronted criticisms of being state-controlled and therefore biased.
There have been a couple of options proposed by business gamers lately, together with a deal with producing merchandise that focus on digital natives of their pure on-line habitat and providing extra video and visible content material that may be consumed on the go.
However I consider {that a} key issue shall be a renewed emphasis on fine quality content material and glorious journalism, be it written or broadcast, that pulls the viewers in with compelling storytelling about points that matter. This could embody reporting that’s truthful and goal, and which is targeted on bringing the reality to gentle.
It might sound easy, however is usually exhausting to execute if the main focus is solely on boosting clicks from a fickle viewers base, or chasing promoting {dollars}.
Given the crucial position that journalism and the information business performs in all societies, reaching this is likely to be probably the most necessary targets for international locations within the years forward.
Nicholas Fang is a former journalist and information editor and has labored throughout print, broadcast and digital platforms. A former nominated member of parliament, he’s founder and managing director of Black Dot Analysis, a market and social analysis company that runs an unbiased fact-checking platform.
