PART OF THE SOLUTION
The efforts to deal with this insidious and world risk requires a multilayered response involving authorities, laws and enforcement, training, and the work of different stakeholders reminiscent of unbiased fact-checkers and civil society organisations.
However the function 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 needs to be a part of any information organisation present larger assurance in comparison with much less skilled platforms reminiscent of blogs that purport to be “citizen journalists”.
The query then is how journalism can reclaim and keep a trusted place in society. This may very well be particularly difficult in a rustic like Singapore the place the media has usually confronted criticisms of being state-controlled and therefore biased.
There have been a couple of options proposed by trade gamers in recent times, together with a deal with producing merchandise that concentrate 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 imagine {that a} key issue will likely be a renewed emphasis on fine quality content material and wonderful 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 concentrated on bringing the reality to mild.
It might sound easy, however is typically laborious to execute if the main focus is solely on boosting clicks from a fickle viewers base, or chasing promoting {dollars}.
Given the crucial function that journalism and the information trade performs in all societies, attaining this is likely to be one of the crucial essential 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.