Dear readers,
TOC has gone from strength to strength since it first went online in December 2006. (Visit our original site here). From a monthly hit-rate of just a few hundred in the early months of 2007, we have grown steadily to more than 600,000 in May 2009; we began with an infrequent rate of articles a month in 2007, we now put out about many more articles monthly by our citizen contributors; these days we register thousands of comments a month, a huge difference from what we used to get in 2007.
When Zheng Xi and Andrew first started this blog, they hardly imagined that it would one day hit such heights. For this, the TOC team has two groups to thank. First of all, kudos to our writers, who have stepped forth with their energy and words, put countless hours into their contributions and been absolutely fearless with their opinions.
And certainly the second group is our readers – for reading, for giving us critical feedback, for participating vigorously in debate, for making TOC a small part of your lives. No site could possibly have thrived without so committed a family of writers and readers. Anyone wanting to dispel the notion of the apathetic Singaporean need only take a quick glance at the TOC community.
Going forward, we would like to build TOC up further. One important aspect of this is reporting. You may have noticed that TOC has begun to edge away from solely carrying commentaries, to try to include reports on current events both in Singapore and overseas, and even media footage where possible.
Expanding on this will allow TOC to do more in bringing you the stories or perspectives that are overlooked by mainstream reporters. We feel that this would complement TOC’s unique feature of providing a platform for ordinary Singaporeans to articulate their opinions.
However, the reality is that TOC is not sustainable on its current operating model for much longer. Growth has brought about its own problems. The workload of editing the input of contributors, running a nascent news team, writing editorials and articles, site administration, and media footage, etc has grown to a level similar to that of a full-time job and more.
These day-to-day operations fall largely to our managing-editor Andrew. He is essentially the only full-time member of the team and draws on funds from his personal savings to sustain himself.
At present, this is not wholly fair to Andrew. Other members of the TOC team have tried to help out whenever possible, but we are limited by our individual jobs and commitments, as well as the practical difficulties in trying to divide up the managing-editor’s job into smaller, less time-sensitive parcels. Moreover, the workload of the managing-editor is only growing, as TOC accumulates more contributors and tries to expand on its reporting.
After much discussion, we feel that the best way forward is to ask for your help to put TOC on a firmer footing to sustain itself and to carry out its future plans. Namely, we need your help in three areas of expense:
(i) The biggest expense will be to pay our managing-editor a reasonable stipend. This will allow the site to justify retaining someone to work on the site full-time, and would also help us when we try to recruit future replacements for the job.
(ii) Expenses for our growing band of part-time reporters and contributors, to reimburse them for expenses such as transport or simple meals. It is also a symbolic tribute to their dedication and efforts. Furthermore, most of our intrepid reporters, for example, are students, and we would like to do what we can to help out with their expenses when they cover stories.
(iii) Site operating expenses such as site maintenance, administration and AV equipment and to support any future plans.
TOC’s accounts and expenditures will be transparent and accessible from the site, so you will know exactly where your money is going.
At present, TOC is funded entirely from our own pockets but this is no longer sustainable. Thus, we are asking for your help, however small.
To support our work, please click on the button below if you wish to contribute through Paypal or use our bank account number: 656-4-100904 (OCBC, Thomson Branch).
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
The TOC Team
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[i]Personal opinions are fine. But when information in posts are non facts, the discsusion goes off course.”
you are right, apek. personal opinions are fine and they can be so much different among many different people given different frames of reference.
[/i]
in kopitiamapek
only his prints are based on facts
you
me
are only hearsays
we asked him onced
why should WE pay $214 just to have a h1n1 checks
his answer?
don’t talk about dollar$ and cent$
think oy
^OUR^
fellow countypersons
next after kannaed jabs
he then tell us
yeah hor
$214 is a LOT of money
just to spend on
to protect people liked him fro catchin
the h1n1 virus
if/when we sit beside his table and ahchoo………
103) lies or truth
Replying to posters who opt to have a different pseudonym for every post keeps me in the dark of whom I am communicating with, whether it is the same or different person, but then, it is your choice and I respect that.
///Do you think this is possible in the mainstream – double standard ???? ////
This is definitely possible in the mainstream, and therefore do TOC want to be doing what you say the mainstream is doing or do you want TOC to be better and above board, and thus again I ask – are you saying that it is ok for non truth to previal in TOC? I repeat myself, 2 wrongs do not make 1 right.
//////Do not worry too much about “lies” and “non truth” which could be mere opinions coming from a different perspective.//////////
Like I said earlier, mere opinions and mis-information are different things.
If you think the gahmen is crappy, that is a opinion you are entitledf to your view, and healthy discussion on this topic would be constructive. But if one says that 1/3 of Singapore are foreigners, which is a non fact, that is not “mere opinions coming from a different perspective”. It is a statement made possibly out of ignorance.
///////The internet will always have people like you to rescue the situation and it is important that TOC stay open to all for this to happen. /////////
I sense sacarism in this statement. But you are entitled to write it your way.
Back to my earlier example of less than responsible dog owners, your suggestion may be equivalent to be saying that we let dog owners to be free to let their dog poo all over the town as there will always be people like me to go around picking up the dog poo. Isn’t it better to have the dog owners be responsible in the first place. And in the context of TOC, when the proportion of posters who take effort to check their facts, it will the enhance TOC’s status as a respectable site of alternative views.
104) iwantobealawyer
Repeating myslef,
Replying to posters who opt to have a different pseudonym for every post keeps me in the dark of whom I am communicating with, whether it is the same or different person, but then, it is your choice and I respect that.
Whether why should WE pay $214 just to have a h1n1 checks is an opinion, not a fact.
If you want to be a lawyer, you may want to sort that out.
“are you saying that it is ok for non truth to previal in TOC? I repeat myself, 2 wrongs do not make 1 right.”
Correct it if you have stronger evidence given the role you choose (in search of truths). I believe TOC is not too way off the mark as far as internet decorum for treating different issues of discourse is concerned.
“But if one says that 1/3 of Singapore are foreigners, which is a non fact, that is not “mere opinions coming from a different perspective.”
Well, correct it and give your figure (ratio). 1/3 ratio may also be right depending on the sample population if you care to accept this twist. How about clubbing PR and citizens together, if you know what I mean.
“Back to my earlier example of less than responsible dog owners, your suggestion may be equivalent to be saying that we let dog owners to be free to let their dog poo all over the town as there will always be people like me to go around picking up the dog poo.”
The problem is that it not about dogs and it is not dogs poos that we are talking about. I agree with you if it is about real dogs and real dogs poos. Even giving you a positive stretch of using the dog analogy, I find a lot of the alternative views here more believable as they mirror better the general ground situation about reality here, though some people may like to apply a coat of shine onto it.
“And in the context of TOC, when the proportion of posters who take effort to check their facts, it will the enhance TOC’s status as a respectable site of alternative views.”
Take effort to check their facts ? Why not you educate us / contribute by giving us the facts, if that can be done. Surely, this is some small national duty you can do for your ‘facts-depleted’ fellow countrymen.
[i]Replying to posters who opt to have a different pseudonym for every post keeps me in the dark of whom I am communicating with, whether it is the same or different person, but then, it is your choice and I respect that.[/i]
why don’t you seek TOC clarification on that?
my style of postins till today
you cannot distinguished?
wow!
you labelled yourself as mr knowALL?
108) doyouthinkiwantohavesomanynick
/////////my style of postins till today/////
now we know.
thanks for the courage to admit that.
very safe to have double layer of anonymity.
//////you cannot distinguished?/////
No. I did not spent time nor effort trying to decipher that. Talking to trees would have been more productive use of time than that.
///////you labelled yourself as mr knowALL?///////
I did that?
KopitiamApek
I take it that you mean the readership is not wide enough for the article to be considered representative of the population? Its chicken & egg story for without such articles, how does one get the readership? Nevertheless whether the readership is wide enough is not a measure of representation of views. The articles provide an alternative source of news (with some journalistic work) and views.
More importantly for ME, the articles carry issues that concern ordinary people like ME and my family and things I care about. You can take it that this means representing MY views. I don’t read ST now because it is nothing but someone’s mouthpiece, forcing make-beliefs down my throat.
Just to clarify, you did not make any reference to PAP & ST, its me who did.
even if it’s not representative, u can and should be able to speak ur mind. isn’t that what democracy is about???
Thats right Anton. I don’t know why it has to be representative for KopitiamApek. The point is to provide an alternative voice, to me its an alternative for the man on the street because of the bread & butter issues and views of the writer. As an eg for KopitiamApek, articles like “Spore is most liveable city” is at best for the rulers to get ready to receive their bonus. It does NOTHING for the man on the street.
110) Angelina
I am happy we are starting to get an undersatnding here.
///I take it that you mean the readership is not wide enough for the article to be considered representative of the population?////
You got it.
/// Its chicken & egg story for without such articles, how does one get the readership? //////
That is ture. But not related to what I am driving at about being representative of the population. Interestingly, by saying “without such story how to get readership” reinforces my earlier point that <>”The type of ” issues” selected would will attract only posters who are interested in them.
//////Nevertheless whether the readership is wide enough is not a measure of representation of views. ////
True, it is is still a good indication
///The articles provide an alternative source of news (with some journalistic work) and views./////
Totally agree with you on this
////More importantly for ME, the articles carry issues that concern ordinary people like ME and my family and things I care about. You can take it that this means representing MY views. ///////
Good that you made that point. It helps answers my point . which is “ordinary people like ME” and “man on the street ” may not be the same thing
////I don’t read ST now because it is nothing but someone’s mouthpiece, forcing make-beliefs down my throat.////
I take a slightly less extreme point of view on that.
Honestly, I personally think it is quite boring, not enough depth to the extend it is frustrating to read. The afternoon papers are worst, the headlines occupy the entire frontpage, (the remaining space take up by ads) and when you turn the page to read the front page news, it is so brief that it is an anticlimax.
Monopoly has that effect on things.
There are quite a bit of news you can still read from foreign press, magazines books etc.
I do not see it as either one reads ST or TOC.
111) Anton
112) Angelina
///even if it’s not representative, u can and should be able to speak ur mind. isn’t that what democracy is about???////
I agree with that. I have no issue with that. Ability to speak one’s mind is good. But the point I was driving at in my post is that it may not be representative.
111) Anton
112) Angelina
//// even if it’s not representative, u can and should be able to speak ur mind. isn’t that what democracy is about???///////
Agree with both of you on that. One should be able to speak ur mind.
But my point was to regsiter that TOC may not be representative view of the population.
110) Angelina
Happy that we are now coming closer to having an understanding
///////I take it that you mean the readership is not wide enough for the article to be considered representative of the population?/////
You got it.
////// Its chicken & egg story for without such articles, how does one get the readership? /////
Good point. Reinforces my point that ‘The type of ” issues” selected would will attract only posters who are interested in them.’
////Nevertheless whether the readership is wide enough is not a measure of representation of views. ///////
True. But it is still a good indication.
///The articles provide an alternative source of news (with some journalistic work) and views.//////
100% agree with you on this.
/////More importantly for ME, the articles carry issues that concern ordinary people like ME and my family and things I care about. You can take it that this means representing MY views.///////
Good that you pointed this out. As “man on the street” and “ordinary people like ME ” may not necessarily be the same thing.
//// I don’t read ST now because it is nothing but someone’s mouthpiece, forcing make-beliefs down my throat.//////
I hold a less extreme view on this.
But honestly, ST is damn boring to read, lacks depth to the extend that it is frustratingly anti-climax. The afternoon papers are worse.
Alternative new are available in foreign TV channels, foerign papers, magazines, books.
I tend not to view that we must be either ST readers or TOC readers. I think that is rather simplistic.
//////Just to clarify, you did not make any reference to PAP & ST, its me who did./////
Thanks
no one’s stopping u from writing an article to represent sgreans. in any case, to attempt (or pretend) to speak for someone else can turn out to be condescending. speak for urself. share ur thoughts. and let others disagree or agree with u . whinging about not being representative is empty and dumb.
115) Anton
///// no one’s stopping u from writing an article to represent sgreans. //////
that is not my point
///////in any case, to attempt (or pretend) to speak for someone else can turn out to be condescending. ////
did I speak for anyone else?
////speak for urself. share ur thoughts. and let others disagree or agree with u . //////
Isn’t that what I am doing?
/////whinging about not being representative is empty and dumb./////
Is that whining? Or was your emotive charge at me for being “empty and dumb” was because the truth hurts?
KopitiamApek
You agreed in above that we do not know if the writer’s view is representative of the mass population (as there is no way of measuring through hard concrete evidence). Then why do you still insist that the writer’s view is NOT representative of the mass population? What evidence do you have to support this? If it is based on your own gut instinct, then mine tells me that the writer’s view is representative. Back to square one!
Sorry but it seems to me the truth hurts you more than anybody else here.
119) Angelina
I do see you point, both are possible. Agree to disagree, can?
My question is can the donation information be leaked? who can access this info? If you can assure this, more will donate . Is it that small amounts will not be checked? Is it that large amounts will be checked?
pls kindly enlighten.
Hi Sukumblong
All donations to TOC will be in strictest confidence. We will not reveal the identities of ur donors. Thank you for considering TOC.
How about donations from overseas? Donating through the Singapore banking system is not anonymous.
Hi Soojenn, paypal is perhaps the best option for donations from overseas.
May the force be with you. Namaste.
If there is strong readership, should setup online advertising to earn some revenue.
Feel free to contact me if need help with Google Adsense.
Hi Ravi,
Are there plans to reveal TOC’s financial statement like what many charities do (see, for example, SPCA and ACRES)?
We will put up an income and expenditure statement on TOC soon for the calendar year ended 2009. But of course, we will not reveal our donors/sponsors in the IE statement (unless they ask us to do so).
TOC is also about openness, accountability and transparency; and we try to walk the talk.
Thanks Jackson.
I’m shock to know TOC operates on such small budget! Such quality materials.. coverage… and those videos, put CNA to shame! My ‘support’ is on the way.
Ravi,
Glad to hear that! Look forward to TOC’s financial statement!
I juz wish to give condolence to our Mr Goh Keng Swee.I may not know wat he had done for Singapore but i strongly Believe that if there is no Mentor Lee Kwan Yew n of cos Mr Goh there won’t be a singapore now that we an enjoy,rest without worrying dat much.I’m a ex-inmate by rite i shouln’t be praising em but i still praise u noe y cos it’s really the good work when they wanted Singapore to b a independent country. juz b grateful for where ur now n wat our government is doing i wish to pay my last Respect to Mr Goh Keng Swee & condolence to his family & i’ll always remember the heros who made singapore independent.Mr Goh may you find your peace & be with the Lord