Koh Yee Teng 

Natasha Low

Lim Rui Qi

Applying the framework:

We're using the Public Sphere model.

Pros:
Government funding could strengthen the public sphere because the funding can maintain costly journalism, invest in digital transformation, improve accessibility and potentially reach more Singaporeans.

Core Tension
The same funding relationship may raise concerns about whether the organisation can fully exercise its Fourth Estate when a major source of funding comes from the government it may sometimes needs to be kept in check.

Alternatively, using Market Sphere lens, non-subsidized, independent digital news outlets (e.g., Mothership, Rice Media, or independent podcasts) must compete for the same audience attention and ad dollars while bearing 100% of their operational costs. A SG$180M/year capital cushion gives SPH an artificial, non-market advantage in talent acquisition, marketing, and tech infrastructure.

Our Research Question:

How does government funding influence SPH Media Trust’s digital strategy, editorial independence and public trust in Singapore?

Task: Draft an RQ examining how state financial support impacts editorial strategy, digital reach targets, and public trust.

Our Question: How does the relationship between government funding and editorial independence affect public trust in SPH Media news content?

Kaarthik

Lai Ying Ying

Li Jiayu Cheryl

Faiz bin Zulkifli

Problem:

the core problem is that Today newspaper has lost its relevance and impact on its readers due to the emergence of other news platforms like social media apps which provide more accessible and eye-catching news. As a result, Today has merged with CNA to maintain its profitability and remain afloat.

the core problem is that Today newspaper has lost its relevance and impact on its readers due to the emergence of other news platforms like social media apps which provide more accessible and eye-catching news. As a result, Today has merged with CNA to maintain its profitability and remain afloat.

possible RQ: By including Today into CNA and having it solely as a weekend portion, does this affect your confidence in the articles published and does this change the trust you have in the CNA newspaper?

Shunmugamathi

Jess

Maga

Qiyue

Step 1 - Technological shift + economical shift

As we evolve in our digitalised world with our short attention span, Tik Tok has sphere-headed as a go to source of news for many of us. With such observance to our behavioural patterns; news organisation have taken advantage of it and thus operationally adapted in the ways news is being presented hence increasing its traction and sustaining its visibility through such short form video platforms.

New Organisation have to adapt to their audience and shift the way they produce news to digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, etc

Alternatively, if audiences perceive consolidation as reducing editorial variety or independence, it could affect trust.

Step 2 - Possibly of both (Dual - product) as Today was not as popular to many, the merger seems like a wise move based on the market spare model as this acquisition is to accumulate the audience from Today over to CNA which has predominatley has a large viewership.

Does behavioural patterns depend on to the structural reshuffling?