If we fight partisan with partisan, it will leave everybody intellectually blinded as well. The partisan views supporting the two totally opposite extreme ends are just the same stuff in different bottles.

The real weapon against partisan is open and moderate views.

Nice little write-up about the issue on your blog..:)

You are right. I have always had a problem with the term “objectivity”. I once told someone that bloggers cannot, in fact, be expected to be “objective” simply because ordinary citizens (which is what bloggers are, mostly) cannot be expected to have easy access to information – especially in Singapore – which they can then depend on to form “objective” arguments.

What they can do is instead give opinions based on what is available to them.

Thus, “objectivity” will always be subject to the access to information.

And unless we have a Freedom Of Information Act and bloggers all trained in journalism, I don’t think we will ever be “objective”.

And even if we were, there will always be people who will complain that we are not “objective”.

The BBC is pretty objective to some people but not so to a lot of others. It’s the same with CNN or our very own CNA.

I’d prefer that we all accept that everyone will have a different opinion – and perhaps this will make people be more analytical and critical in deciding whether they wanna believe in something they have read – or not.

Regards,
Andrew

That’s a big compliment, to say that about theonlinecitizen. :) I’m not sure if everyone agrees with that assessment, though. Haha..

Honestly, I do not really find anything wrong with being partisan, especially when you already have a mainstream media which is hopelessly and blatantly partisan.

That is why I do find blogs like Singapore Election Watch and Singabloodypore necessary.

I would hate it if every blog tried to be “non-partisan” or “objective”.

The mix and diversity of views on the blogosphere is what makes it intriguing, interesting and attractive.

Having said that, I do not think TOC will become morbidly or rigidly partisan. This is because of the people behind TOC – the editors and writers – who prefer to be more “circumspect”.

But we’ll see… :)

Regards,
Andrew

The model presented by OhmyNews and many of these other ventures contrast with Daily Kos and much of the U.S. blogosphere in that they are focused on creating an alternative media, being the journalists that they wish they had in their countries. Their efforts are geared more toward original reporting than the kind partisan political activism prevalent in our blogosphere. But the primary aims of Daily Kos and OhmyNews, or Realno.info, or NowPublic are all the same–having our voices heard above the din of traditional media fluff and, in too many cases, government-run media.

I think that’s what Singapore needs and it’s also what Singaporeans want: original, honest reporting, not the same old anti-establishment rhetoric. I have friends who are interested in current affairs but don’t read blogs and don’t read Straits Times either because they find both too skewed.

I think TheOnlineCitizen has led the way in opening up a new avenue for credible, alternative media in Singapore.