Kindergarten-standard reporting by the Straits Times’ ROYSTON SIM:
Front Page Headline: “YOG football competition kicks off to a rousing start’
Inside Page Headline: “Fans lap up girls’ football”
Sub-headline: “About 3,000 of them are treated to exciting action on opening day”
Ok. “Rousing start”. “Lap up ..”. “Exciting action.” Got it.
The report begins:
“It did not matter that the Jalan Besar stadium was half full.”
Ok. The stadium was half-full.
Meaning: Interest was lacking.
“What mattered more was what the spectators did.”
Really? And what did they do?
“The noise that they generated made it seem as though the venue was totally full.”
For all of 90 minutes? “Seem.. totally full”?
And what “noise” did they “generate”?
“They loudly cheered on the players throughout the match.”
Good thing they didn’t quietly cheer on the players. Who made up most of the spectators? Apparently students because….
“The crowd dwindled after the first match, as many students headed home.”
What about the second match?
“Those who stayed were treated to an enjoyable match…”
The rest of the report offers a generous sprinkling of superlatives:
“Cheering fans”, “both sides won the hearts of fans”, “a memorable event”, “a dramatic match”, “it’ s an honour”, “impressed by what he saw”, “memorable” (again).
Really, the Straits Times should not try so hard to make it seem like the YOG games are more exciting than they really are.
Notice how closely cropped the pictures are and notice the empty seats in the background:
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The “spectators” are distinctively dressed in school uniforms. I’m not dissing the fact that there may be genuine supporters there nor am I trying to say that you cant wear school uniforms to a football match but it seems that every single one of them were forced to be there.
Why does that uniform look strangely like NJC’s attire?
TOC should have gotten some clips to show how “crowded” the stadium really is. best put it up on YouTube.
a bird’s eyeview would be great. since Jalan Besar Stadium is open air, there are perhaps other venues to show, how thin the crowd is. for indoor venues, the entrance just before the start of the games would be just as good. people can estimate by the capacity of the venue vs the numbers entering.
i wonder if students have gag orders to prevent them from speaking unfavourably about YOG. the “horses’ mouth” would be wonderful.
keke…
TOC, I would like you to mature as well.
Your article here on this matter does not impress me one bit.
I would have preferred if you had mentioned the, if I’m not mistaken the Iranian girls outfit and the sheer delight they are feeling to participate in this event. (I have stayed in Iran and I know, how nice it is to get out especially,for the young ones).
This article is certainly petty. We all know and have strong animosity towards the LOC, but please do not take the credit the young ones desreve and make them feel small.
I hope your reporting has a certain amount of substance both in making the participants feel great and further explains the flaw during the YOG.
Sadly, you did not even mention the score.
prettyplace,
The article is about the ST’s reporting.
TOC, for once I think TR has got more substance in reporting on the YOG. I’d like to see more about dog food, students complaining about their plight and flaws in the educational system.
rumoured that NS guys were asked to attend. it’ll be good if there’re shots of the spectators. NS guys stand out!
Thank you for the prompt response.
I know, but lets not stoop to their level, reporting for the sake of reporting on attendence and grandoise.
Lets include & report on the performance of the young ones as well.
Its fairer and right.
The Garment has put up huge billboards in HDB estates proclaiming that residents support the YOG.
How true is this?
To get to the truth,speak to the residents directly to find out the real level of interest the heartlanders have in the YOG.Ask the neighbourhood “uncles”and “aunties” what they really feel about this game,not erecting propagandist boards without really knowing if we relate to such events.
Have we ever consider that the reason why the stadium may half full could like with the culture of Singaporeans. We are basically pragmatic people. We are a proud people but such events do not interest us that much that we would leave the comforts of home and into the stadium (myself included) especially if it does not involve our countrymen. Like politics, we are apolitical.
The fact of life for Singaporeans, unfortunately for the majority, is that we are just plain tired and lazy outside the practical aspects such as work and family. However much advertising spent on YOG, it takes a lot of effort to get me off my butt as a couch potato, to venture to stadium. Rather watch it on TV.
All my frens tell me they are interested in EPL – I don’t hear any of my fren telling me they are even remotely interested in YOG.
I hope YOG becomes VN, SL & PAP’s political grave.
Jalan Besar ? Hmm..ST has to try and stay HARD ma cos later all go nearby Hotel 81 with their free condoms lah. Now, that’s memorable, that’s exiciting! :P
Goh Meng Seng has done a clip questioning the spending on the YOG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tECcYnYQ7A8&feature=player_embedded
Have not heard any explanation from the government why the exploded budget in the spending for YOG and where the money gone to.
It angers many to see so much money spent on games which benifits only a small specifice sector of people while there are so many socal sectors and charities lacking in funds.
A very unique ‘olympic’ game: some basketball match being held in some ‘Make-Shift Tent’ temporary basketball court at orchard youthpark.
Obviously SINKapor is just not ready for the games,and it makes it even more unjustified to see so huge amount of money spent.
Haha. They are trying too hard. I remember in JC days when we attend our matches against a rival JC, the venue was full and the sound we made was twice as full. But since the YOG budget was blown over by 4 times, the noise generated of 2 times is an appalling deficit.
@ prettyplace
you want to know there and every bit of it you should attend the YOG then.
you got to read carefully..it is about ST. you want more score news you go ask ST. they are good at it. lol
TV reports Mediacorp as the main official broadcaster…..
of course la we only got one such media company wat…. mediaworks kena acquired by them yrs ago liaoz…
Fortunately they got the same photographers who covered the last election….even their pics of Alan Shadrake is captured differently from the rest of world media.
Look closely – the stadium might really be FULLY packed….with “fans”
First sporting event to coincide with opening of Hell doors
So this is what Liu Tuck Yew’s hailed as objective reporting by Straits Times and always maintained its credibility to write the truth and nothing but the truth?
This is what you get when the soul of journalism has been sold off.
I must sincerely thank TOC and all staff that they work tirelessly and unselfishly to bring to us what we cannot see and understand that Shit Times dont report, write or have us lesser intelligence to believe.
Please keep it up TOC.
Shit Times is already a hugh proganda of pap, a hugh fan of pap, a loyal balls carrier of pap, and a hugh unfair unprofessional media to those who opposed to pap (why opposing pap cannot meh, is it a crime???)
It is only via TOC, and TR that WE HAVE COMPLETE full coverage – not only biased and one sided distortions from Shit Times, CNA etc.
Shit times trying to justify the $300+ million of our money that was used for a D-class sporting event. They should be calling for Vivian B’s immediate firing and for a full investigation on where the money has gone.
MediaCORPSE and Shitty Times all in cahoots lah. The mainstream media ranked 133(???)lives up to its dubious and fawning role and it has so far done a good job.
Journalism in Singapore does not exist except that which is defined, circumsribed by the incumbents.
Discerning n intelligent ones know that any media that is controlled or influenced by govt is already redundant in terms of impartiality or independent …
Sounds like the composition I wrote in Primary 3.
The report begins:
“It did not matter that the Jalan Besar stadium was half full.”
………………
ello ello..world OLYMPIC event hor…
not sleague kelon club hor…
SIZE/CROWD does matter..if not how come leekingYOU demand over $100,000 for his mental thinkin/plannin?
so what now? reduced the $387 million$ expen$e$ by 50% as well?
That too much issue to solve then YOG. Waste of time and money.
Youtube did have a clip for the football matches and the truth us 80% of the spectators are students and some FTs and only 5 to 10% are Singaporeans so, really is quite sad and summo the stadium is not full.
New York Times’ coverage of the YOG.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/sports/olympics/15sportsbriefs-oly.html
Yeap. Two paragraphs. Astounding.
ASTRO ASTRO ASTOUNDING?
Well this Shity Times did not stays at position 133rd for nothing!!
Did not one famous politician in Singapore called this type of reporting “prostitutes”??!!
How low must they bend inorder to be not so obvious, that they are offering their rears??
But unfortunately for them, most Singaporeans
are not ‘daft’ to be taken in by them!!
i have a fren from Naval base said he attended the soccer matches cos they were given free tickets and also lured by the limited edition debit card with YOG mascots on it that can be used as an EZlink card that allows them free bus rides for the day.
YOG is glorified national school’s competition, only schools are forced to watch.press needs to hype up everything to justify exorbitant budget. well done MYCS.
prettyplace,
You must on the YOG organising committee. In what sense did TOC “stoop to slow”??? The reporting by ST is glaringly rubbish and smacks of propaganda. Only a fool would have missed that!
sigh..there were a lot of things that went wrong in YOG, but lets give it up for the kids are have travelled a long way to come here, trained hard to represent their countries.
If ST is trying too hard, its because the rest of us are just too cynical and negative.
i mean, think about it. these kids took months and maybe years training for this moment. They went out there and did their best…
Nothing kills the spirit more of these kids to read in the papers ..”Stadium half empty…everyone left early…etc etc etc…”
Complaining, cynical adults we all are. Shame on us.
Forget ST, forget the mistakes of the govt in the build-up to YOG. Give these kids a break, will ya?
will the influx of foreign competition at work give working adults a break? will the govt give the people a break from the rising cost of HDB flats?
dun use the athletes as human shield, how low can 1 stoop?
stadiums half empty, everyone left early not their fault, it could be event planners do not bother to take into consideration the needs & concerns of the spectators?
@mice is nice:
i understand your frustration and anger. I do not dismiss that. YOG is an epic fail on many many fronts.
I was focusing on this particular post by TOC, where it tore up ST’s article about the football competition into pieces.
Yes, we’re all unhappy but we’re talking about kids who have trained hard, to represent their countries, and possibly once in a lifetime experience.
Lets give these kids some support – cheer them on.
These kids, after playing their hearts out, why kill their spirits about shitty YOG, empty stadiums, etc etc?
As it is, even globally, there isnt much coverage. i think we can give just that little bit to give these kids some self-confidence and boost.
You may not like the war but lets support the troops.
aygee, 19 August 2010
the kids are being used by unscrupulous adults for personal gains. should people support them to prop up their confidence, grudgingly (speaking for myself here)?
it would be a dis-service to the athletes if they grow up to expect support for them no matter what.
to accept things as (bad as) they are require honesty & humility, they would be better off understanding the root of the issues.
is our govt supportive of a sporting culture for the longest time? is there enough coverage for sports in MSM over the years? does our govt set aside adequate funding for sports (without being seen as an extension to exert its influence)? does our govt understand sports as it is & not tie performance like shallow boardroom KPIs? why should blame be pushed to the masses (yet again)?
are true sportsperson that fragile? on a professional level, are they not more mentally resilient, psychologically robust to accept failures?
of war & troops… if the powers that be do not take any accountability for their actions, do not hold the people at ransom for not supporting. if troops die, they must answer for it. dun say can’t be helped hor…