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May 4, 2010
Media should observe cooling-off rules
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I AGREE with Mr Jeffrey Law that readers should have faith in our news media ('Media won't fan fever'; last Thursday). But I disagree that news media need not comply with complete blackouts of reporting any politically sensitive content - comments by political heavyweights, lawsuits against candidates, announcements of policy and rule changes, and press statements and advertisements by government departments - during the cooling-off period. Voters should not be bombarded with such news.
It is wrong to assume that Singaporeans are better educated, so they can exercise good judgment to make the right decision even when news media carries politically sensitive content favourable to one political party on the cooling-off day. If these are the stable conditions, why do we need the cooling-off day at all?
The real test of this new cooling-off day lies in how the ruling party observes the rules it has set. If the 24-hour window rules were really designed to disadvantage the opposition parties, it may boomerang back against the ruling party and voters may swing against it. Any abuse could cause it to cut both ways.
The test also applies to mainstream multimedia to observe the spirit of the cooling-off window, when no local radio and television stations, related websites and newspapers and their online platforms should take advantage of the interpretations of the rules to report political content. Blackout means blackout.
The cooling-off day will truly be observed as a peaceful day where no politically sensitive content appears in any form. The truth is that Singapore will continue to function without any political news for one day, and voters having made up their minds over the cooling-off day can go to the polls without distractions.
Paul Chan
Media should observe cooling-off rules
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<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I AGREE with Mr Jeffrey Law that readers should have faith in our news media ('Media won't fan fever'; last Thursday). But I disagree that news media need not comply with complete blackouts of reporting any politically sensitive content - comments by political heavyweights, lawsuits against candidates, announcements of policy and rule changes, and press statements and advertisements by government departments - during the cooling-off period. Voters should not be bombarded with such news.
It is wrong to assume that Singaporeans are better educated, so they can exercise good judgment to make the right decision even when news media carries politically sensitive content favourable to one political party on the cooling-off day. If these are the stable conditions, why do we need the cooling-off day at all?
The real test of this new cooling-off day lies in how the ruling party observes the rules it has set. If the 24-hour window rules were really designed to disadvantage the opposition parties, it may boomerang back against the ruling party and voters may swing against it. Any abuse could cause it to cut both ways.
The test also applies to mainstream multimedia to observe the spirit of the cooling-off window, when no local radio and television stations, related websites and newspapers and their online platforms should take advantage of the interpretations of the rules to report political content. Blackout means blackout.
The cooling-off day will truly be observed as a peaceful day where no politically sensitive content appears in any form. The truth is that Singapore will continue to function without any political news for one day, and voters having made up their minds over the cooling-off day can go to the polls without distractions.
Paul Chan
