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http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/08/13/corny-yog-propaganda-in-the-straits-times/
Corny YOG Propaganda in the Straits Times
August 13th, 2010 | Author: Your Correspondent
I am extremely appalled that for two consecutive days, news of a 12 year-old jogging 15km with the Olympic torch made the front pages of the Straits Times.
Not that I have anything against the innocent boy or his passion for the YOG, matter of fact I commend him of his determination in following the trail of the torch relay. If the event was an inter-school cross country competition, news of his accomplishment would probably be overlooked as a contender who could represent Singapore to win gold at the Youth Olympics but whom we all know would never make it.
But since it was a Torch Relay of the Youth Olympics itself, the Straits Times couldn’t have thought of a better idea than exaggerate his achievement and spin a Chicken Soup story, correction, Chicken Soup stories (2 news articles in 2 days, ya?) to remind Singaporeans that the Games are actually arriving really soon. As I mentioned, I have nothing against the boy nor his passion for the Torch Relay, but I could hardly find a paragraph in both Chicken Soup stories that inspires me or diffuses enthusiasm for the Games. The stories were but lame publicity, if not propaganda, for an otherwise under-concerned YOG.
Here are some excerpts and my personal feelings towards them.
“‘Wasn’t that boy present at the start?’ asked a cameraman.
‘I can’t believe it, that boy is back again!’ exclaimed someone in the relay entourage.”
(What difference does this series of conversations make, when compared to ‘Is it a bird?’ ‘Is it a plane?’ ‘Look! It’s Superman!’?)
“Even the Traffic Police officers who had accompanied the relay got off their motorcycles when they spotted him and came over to do some back-slapping.”
(These days, back-slapping between two very unrelated Singaporeans is thought to be seen only in National Day song videos)
“Mr Palmer said reading in The Straits Times about Wei Jie’s feat had touched him so much that he bought the tickets as a gift.”
(You mean at this point in time, with days left to the Opening Ceremony, there are actually vacant seats?)
and on a side note in the Thursday article…
“YOG hero”
(This kid must have averted a plane from crashing onto the Floating Platform at Marina Bay to earn himself this title. What’s next? Someone being named ‘YOG martyr’ just because he jaywalked on the road, gave way to a YOG bus on the YOG bus lane, only to be knocked down by a car on the adjacent lane?)
Conclusion? The Straits Times should not compromise its brand by pairing up on its front page, quality news reports with articles which would be more appropriately published in a secondary school magazine.
And to the government, it’s time to face it, the average Singaporean has hardly any tangible benefit from the YOG to convict him to become passionate about the Games, so stop trying. Basically, the average Singaporean would be naive to think he could walk in the footsteps of the average Beijing-er and get rich just by selling merchandises of Olympic mascots to foreigners and reap tourism income from them. Besides, Lyo and Merly are way behind the Beijing mascots in appeal factor.
Julius Poon
Corny YOG Propaganda in the Straits Times
August 13th, 2010 | Author: Your Correspondent
I am extremely appalled that for two consecutive days, news of a 12 year-old jogging 15km with the Olympic torch made the front pages of the Straits Times.
Not that I have anything against the innocent boy or his passion for the YOG, matter of fact I commend him of his determination in following the trail of the torch relay. If the event was an inter-school cross country competition, news of his accomplishment would probably be overlooked as a contender who could represent Singapore to win gold at the Youth Olympics but whom we all know would never make it.
But since it was a Torch Relay of the Youth Olympics itself, the Straits Times couldn’t have thought of a better idea than exaggerate his achievement and spin a Chicken Soup story, correction, Chicken Soup stories (2 news articles in 2 days, ya?) to remind Singaporeans that the Games are actually arriving really soon. As I mentioned, I have nothing against the boy nor his passion for the Torch Relay, but I could hardly find a paragraph in both Chicken Soup stories that inspires me or diffuses enthusiasm for the Games. The stories were but lame publicity, if not propaganda, for an otherwise under-concerned YOG.
Here are some excerpts and my personal feelings towards them.
“‘Wasn’t that boy present at the start?’ asked a cameraman.
‘I can’t believe it, that boy is back again!’ exclaimed someone in the relay entourage.”
(What difference does this series of conversations make, when compared to ‘Is it a bird?’ ‘Is it a plane?’ ‘Look! It’s Superman!’?)
“Even the Traffic Police officers who had accompanied the relay got off their motorcycles when they spotted him and came over to do some back-slapping.”
(These days, back-slapping between two very unrelated Singaporeans is thought to be seen only in National Day song videos)
“Mr Palmer said reading in The Straits Times about Wei Jie’s feat had touched him so much that he bought the tickets as a gift.”
(You mean at this point in time, with days left to the Opening Ceremony, there are actually vacant seats?)
and on a side note in the Thursday article…
“YOG hero”
(This kid must have averted a plane from crashing onto the Floating Platform at Marina Bay to earn himself this title. What’s next? Someone being named ‘YOG martyr’ just because he jaywalked on the road, gave way to a YOG bus on the YOG bus lane, only to be knocked down by a car on the adjacent lane?)
Conclusion? The Straits Times should not compromise its brand by pairing up on its front page, quality news reports with articles which would be more appropriately published in a secondary school magazine.
And to the government, it’s time to face it, the average Singaporean has hardly any tangible benefit from the YOG to convict him to become passionate about the Games, so stop trying. Basically, the average Singaporean would be naive to think he could walk in the footsteps of the average Beijing-er and get rich just by selling merchandises of Olympic mascots to foreigners and reap tourism income from them. Besides, Lyo and Merly are way behind the Beijing mascots in appeal factor.
Julius Poon
