Charmin's Fundamentals of Journalism Blog

• Explain how the story engages you, the reader.

When I, as a reader, start scrolling to read the story, my attention was captured by the maps used to focus on the location the incident was at and security camera footage used in this story as it sets the scene and provides credibility to the story.

• What characteristics of digital journalism does the example have? Explain.

Multimedia: They used online maps and videos 

Multiplatform: It is can be seen on laptops, phones and tablets.

Accessibility: This news story can be accessed at any time and everyone around the world could see this story.

• List the how, what, where and when of the story (where applicable).

What: The cover-up of the execution of 3 innocent men by the Philippine officers

When: October 11 2017

Why: They want to expose how the police are abusing their power by killing inncoents and claiming that they are “drug dealers” under Duerte’s orders.

Who: Police

Where: Barangay 19 

 How: The security camera footage showed the police officers clearing out the alley and making sure that there were no witnesses. Then, they proceeded to kill the men and carried their bodies.

• Any background or interesting facts about this story

Barangay 19 is known as the drug war’s bloodiest frontlines 

Police have killed  at least 3,900 people in anti-narcotic operations since Duterte took power in June and also claim it is self-defense.

• Why did you select this story? 

This is the type of journalism that interest me, where they expose the actions of the evil to raise more awareness so that people can be more outspoken about the issue. I also like how the story was presented in such a interesting way, where they use graphics to show you the location and how they used the security camera footage

Topic: Consequence and impact(Punishment and talking about the incident) Do you know prior punishment for the harasser?  What do you think NUS did wrong regarding the punishment?  Do you think NUS should have had a set of rules for sexual assault cases in the first place?   Now, NUS has a new set of laws. What do you think of the current punishment?    Do you think the current status quo has allowed us to talk about sexual harassment cases (ie. People telling their stories about being sexually assaulted)  Do you think Monica should not have posted it on instagram?  Does this incident pave the way for more people to tell their stories?	Name/age/occupation/school of interviewee:	Date/time/location of interview
1.Yeah 2.They only suspended him for a while and it was because they wanted to bury the issue. They are a lot of sexual harrasment cases that are hidden and they wanted to bury it They were very lenient with him because he could have done worse, like rape her. They should have at least blacklisted him and expel him 3. They should have taken it straight to the police. Having their own set of laws or rules would only make them give leniecy. 4.This is what NUS should have done but it should have been stricter. 5. Singapore is a judgemental society so people who tell their stories would be looked down upon because everyone in Singapore wants to a perfect citizens. These victims are afraid to be judged and degraded. Singapore does not actually give them a platform to talk about these cases and stories. 6. Yes she should have posted it and was justified. But i also think she should have done more. 7. Yes, I feel like it will pave the way more as one person has come out and now people can be able to come out. They will not be scared because Monica has done it and Singapore would be more aware about issues like these happening in universities and workplaces. Follow-up questions: What do you think will happen when more stories come out in places like Instagram? There might be more fake news but it would not be major. But people can still be able to share these stories without being shamed by their friends. Why do you think that fake news would not be major issue? Fake news can be easily identified and nobody really believes whatever is said on social media. So I think there will be a positive effect.	Serena Chong, 17, Student	17/07/2019
1. Yes 2. I feel like they didnt take this matter seriously and only after Monica publicised it, they just changed so that they can preserve their reputation. 3. They should have just taken cases like this straight to the police. 4. I’m happy that they changed the laws but they should have done it sooner. In the case of Monica, the guy would have probably done worse if she had not publicised it. It’s sad that it only took this to change it. 5. No, people are shamed for telling their sexual harrasment cases which makes other people fear talking about their cases 6. Yes it was justified as it made NUS take her case more seriously. 7. Yeah, they would be brave and comfortable to speak up about their experience and will not shamed for it. Follow up question: So, do you think social media is a good platform for people to talk about their cases if it was not taken seriously? Yes, because people will be more aware about stories of sexual harrassment and the victims would get the support he/she needed.	Gladys Tan, 18, Student	17/07/2019
1. Yes 2. I get why they did not expel him at first because they probably did not want him to be ostracised in society but they have breached the trust of the students and this leniecy would not deter potential harraser. From there, the victim did not get justice and felt fear for her life. 3. No, as it does not deliver justice for the victims 4. In cases like this, the victim should go to the police and the school should aid her with the proces and help her figure out the process instead of keeping it in-campus. I get the system because we should be able to rehabilitate harrasers who are remorseful. 5. I have had friends who have been sexually harrased/assaulted. They are afraid of bringing it to their families because they feel like they will not understand and be blamed . One of my friends was actually blamed when she told her family about it. Some have had bad experiences with the police as they did not have support and the process was hard to handle, especially as a teenage girl. A guy friend went through this as well and they do not speak about it. There is just an element of shame in these victims. I honestly thought people knew where to go when cases like this happen. Yet, it seems some don’t really know. This girl had been sexually assaulted repeatedly and yet her friends did not help her at all. Victims don’t normally go to the police because it is a long process. Also the fact that there is victim blaming in Singapore. 6. Yeah, it reminded me of the MeToo movement and i like that she was brave enough to put it out there. 7. Yeah, it appears that people have shared stories with her and are encouraged to take action which is truly awesome	Sobikun Nahar, 20, Community worker	19/07/2019

Tutorial 8: Vox Pop Reflections

What challenges did you face when interviewing people? 

People don’t know the background story and sometimes, they don’t give proper answers as well  

 How did you overcome them?  

We reiterate the story and when they don’t give proper answers, we will either rephrase and repeat the question for them to get back on topic 

Were the concepts learnt applicable, how? 

Yes. We knew how to listen to their answers carefully. However, we did ask one leading question so we have to keep in mind to not let our bias get through 

 Was it difficult to listen, understand, and formulate follow-up questions? 

No, it wasn’t as we listened to their answers and knew what points to expand on and ask them to elaborate them. 

Neo Ghim Huah/Amos Yee

Neo Ghim Huah pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three weeks’ in jail in State Courts on May 23. Neo Ghim Huah, 49 had slapped Amos Yee, a controversial figure in Singapore, when he was walking towards State Courts on April 11 2017. In sentencing this case, the District Judge Ronald Gwee wanted to prevent citizens from doing vigilantism publicly. He stated “The publicising of such unlawful acts, especially in our age of instant and wide publication through social media, could give rise to a lowering of confidence in the rule of law.” Mr Neo had confessed in a mitigation plea about his actions and said he “wanted to teach him a lesson”. The prosecution wanted to sentence him to two weeks’ in jail but the judge wanted to deter similar acts from happening again.

Amos Yee is known as a controversial figure in Singapore for making offensive comments on Christianity and Islam and criticised the late Lee Kuan Yew on the day he passed away. These comments had caused public outcry in Singapore and he was charged for “wounding religious feelings”.

ITAS canteen, “Flavours” closing

“Flavours”, the air-conditioned IT and Applied Science school canteen is closing down on May 31 2019. The current management, Elsie’s Kitchen Catering Services Pte Ltd, are ceasing their operations and the canteen would be under new management. It would also be revamped.

Students have expressed their sadness about the closing of “Flavours” but are hopeful for the future reopening. One such student is Gladys Tan, a year 1 student from School of Applied Science stated, “I feel quite sad as I will definitely miss the cakes but I am excited to see what’s coming.”. She added, “I would also miss the air conditioner that keeps me cool during warm days.”. When asked what they are hoping to see in the new canteen, Dionne Tan, a year 2 student, said: ” I hope to see stalls from other cultures like Korean cuisine.”

SIA:

Is this newsworthy? Why? (Explain yourself using news values, editorial judgement and audience wants/needs)

Yes. It has eminence and prominence as well as consequence and impact.

SIA is prominent in Singapore because it is one of the prides in SG and has been called “the best airline”. The audience would need this story because it informs them about the new airplane and how it would be doing non-stop travel to US

What are the 5Ws and 1H? Which will your prioritise and why?

I would priortise the “what” because the fact about this being the ” delivery of World’s first Airbus A350-900ULR” is very noteworthy event.

What: The delivery of World’s first Airbus A350-900ULR.  “World’s longest commercial flight.

When: 11 October 2018

Why: Because there are many other airlines that are well-known and have similar competitive routes.

• “bring more convenience and comfort to our customers and will enable us to operate ultra-long-range flights in a commercially viable manner. “
• “Boost network competitiveness and further grow the Singapore hub” 

How: Information about the airbus:

• “The flight to New York will cover a distance of approximately 9,000nm (16,700km), with travelling time of up to 18 hours 45 minutes. The aircraft is configured in a two-class layout, with 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy Class seats”
• “With its unrivalled range and step-change in fuel efficiency, the A350 is uniquely placed to meet demand for new ultra long haul services. The combination of the A350’s quiet, spacious cabin and SIA’s world-renowned in-flight product will ensure the highest levels of passenger comfort on the world’s very longest routes.”

What is the appropriate angle? 

Eminence and prominence :Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been regarded as one of the world’s best airlines to travel after being crowned 4 times as the best airline in the 2018 Skytrax Awards. The angle would be a prestigious airline like SIA taking delivery of the first Airbus.

What other information will you require? 

• How did they get First Airbus A350-900ULR ?
• The prices of flights to USA

Who will you interview? What questions will you ask?

We would interview the staffs working at SIA and the passengers on the aircraft. 

Staffs at SIA: 

• “How does it feel like to work on this aircraft?”
• “What’s the difference between working with this airplane and the normal airplane that you’re used to flying with?”

Passengers at SIA:

• “How do you feel about your experience with the airplane that you just took?”
• Do you think that it differs from the usual airplane that you normally take?”

Online falsehoods:

Is this newsworthy? Why? (Explain yourself using news values, editorial judgement and audience wants/needs)

Yes. Because it talks about consequence and the impact if we ever spread false statements or fake news on the Internet. By explaining online falsehoods, impact on society and world as well as its countermeasures, the audience would know much more about the impact of these actions on the world and their own country.

What are the 5Ws and 1H? Which will your prioritise and why?

What: 22 recommendations of dealing with falsehoods 

Why: Difficulties of combatting deliberate online falsehoods

Who: The select committee

When: 2018

How: The select committee was chosen by the parliament to address the problems of online falsehoods and what Singapore has to do to counter this.

What is the appropriate angle? 

Consequence and impact : Fake news/ online falsehoods is a rising phenomenon so the Parliament wants to address as quickly as possible because Singapore is also susceptible to this. The angle would be Singapore’s opinion on online falsehoods.

What other information will you require? 

• Parliament plans’ to enforce their recommendations in order to combat online falsehoods?

Who will you interview? What questions will you ask?

Parliament memebers and also citizens

• “What do you feel about the impacts of spreading online falsehood?” (Citizens)
• Should there be serious punishments for spreading fake news? (Citizens)
• Are there going to be laws passed to combat online falsehoods? (The Parliament)
• Would you be following the recommendations? (Citizens)

Speech by Mr Ong Ye Kung:

Is this newsworthy? Why? (Explain yourself using news values, editorial judgement and audience wants/needs)

Yes. Because it has the angle of eminence and prominence as he is the Minister of Education and the role of the job is to come up with strategies, plans and policy that will help reform the educational system. There is also consequence and impact because he is talking about potential reform of international ranking system to be based on collaboration with institutes and other universities.

What are the 5Ws and 1H? Which will your prioritise and why?

I would priortise the “why” because it is an interesting take on the international ranking system and it could impact high-ranking universities

Who: Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister of Education

What:  Changing the education system

Where:  NUS Higher Education World Academic Summit 2018

When: 16 September 2018

Why: Mr Ong wants universities change their systems and start integrating and collaborating with institutes and other universities.

“the international ranking system (should be changed) evaluate the effectiveness of a university in collaborating with the world outside of academia – industries, society, communities, Government – and delivering impact in all these sectors. “

What is the appropriate angle? 

Mr Ong Ye Kung is a prominent figure as he is the Minister of Education and he is suggesting a reform of the international ranking system to be based on collaboration overseas which is quite interesting because it could promote unification and diversity but a lot of high-ranking universities might be affected if this system were to happen.

What other information will you require? 

• Impact of the potential reform of the international ranking system

Who will you interview? What questions will you ask?

I would interview Mr Ong Ye Kung and ask the high-ranking universities.

Mr Ong Ye Kung:

Are you planning to enforce this and collaborate with other ministers of education about reforming and reevaluating the ranking system?

What were the circumstances or instances made you make this statement in this summit?

High-ranking universities:

What do you think about reevaluating the ranking system based on collaborations?

Do you think that if this were to happen, your ranking would be affected?

Do you plan to collaborate with institutes or other universities?

• Identify the 5Ws and 1H

Who: Amos Yee and Neo Gim Huah

Where: State Courts

What: Neo Gim Huah pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three weeks to jail

When: May 23 2017

Why : The judge wanted to make an example of him to show that any form of “vigilantism” will result in severe punishment.

• Prioritize them and explain your choice 

I would choose to report more on the “what”,”why” and “who” as these factors are newsworthy. People want who was the guy who slapped the infamous Amos Yee. They want to know what happens to the guy because this is a unusual situation and people want to know what happened to him. They would also want to know why judge gave him that sentence.

• Explain why this story is newsworthy by identifying the relevant news values

Eminence and prominence: Amos Yee is an infamous figure because of his controversial opinions so it is unexpected for an incident like this to happen,especially in Singapore.

Consequence and Impact: Since this is an uncommon incident in Singapore, people do not know about the punishment is for vigilantism and how severe it will be.

• Explain the context behind this story, and whether this makes the story more or less newsworthy

Amos Yee , at the time, was a controversial figure because he spoke ill of Lee Kuan Yew on the week of his death and had said hateful remarks about religion. So, due to his offensive nature of his comments, he was hated by everyone. The perpetrator, Neo Gim Huah was offended by him and decide to take matters in his own hands. This make the story newsworthy because there are differing opinions on whether Amos Yee had it coming and the issue of “vigilantism” – whether it is good to take matters in our own hands.

• Determine the prominence of this story, based on your editorial judgement (assuming you are the editor of an online news site, using the template from the previous tutorial)

This story is prominent since it involves an infamous figure, Amos Yee who was trending a lot and people are shocked that someone would act violently because of his comments and they could be wondering what might happen to the perpetrator, Neo Gim Huah.

Tutorial 5: Sourcing for information

• What is the story about? 

This story is about the IT and Science school air-conditioned canteen, “Flavours” closing down on 31st May due to Elsie’s Kitchen Catering Services Pte Ltd ceasing their operations. It is going to be under new management.

• How would you prioritise your 5Ws and 1H?

I would priortise “when” ,”what” and “why” because “what” informs the students of the closing and the “why” is for explaining the decision to close. The “when” is to notify students when it is closing.

• Why is the story newsworthy? (news values, editorial judgement, audience wants/needs)

This story is newsworthy because it affects the TP students. It has the news value of human interest because this is information the students need to be notified of and they would also want to know what the new management plans to do. Students who often eat there can also express their feelings about this closing.

• Background

Elsie’s Kitchen Catering Services Pte Ltd which was the organisation that was operating Flavours, the IT and Science air-conditioned canteen, would cease their operations by 31 May 2019. In the next three months, the space would be revamped with new stalls where they would have a diversity of food from other cultures and a new design.

• Who are your sources?

Temasek Polytechnic email, stall vendors and TP students

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton