Hi Friends,
The letter below was published in the Straits Times Forum page (22.1.10) ( albeit in a truncated version).
The letter:
Dear Editor,
The Media Development Authority (MDA) should take decisive action now to ensure that key World Cup 2010 matches, including Opening match, semi-finals and final matches are telecast over the free-to-air channels, regardless of what cable content providers do for the following reasons:
1. MDA collects license fee of $110 per year from each household with a television set and the paying public expects MDA to telecast content which the public deems as basic infotainment. With increased affluence, these key World Cup matches would easily qualify as a must-have item in any given menu just as key events in the recent Olympic games were.
2. There are still many households in Singapore who cannot afford cable subscriptions. Hence MDA should never abrogate its basic responsibilities to cable content providers such as Starhub or Singtel. Of course, if these cable providers had bought the rights (which they had not) and wanted to telecast all the matches to cater to die-hard football fans, they are just meeting their commercial obligations.
It is time MDA or other relevant government bodies step in to do the right thing.
The public expects no less!
Dr Huang Shoou Chyuan
18 comments:
For all the country riches, cannot imagine some Malaysian or Indonesian laughing at Singaporeans not being able to watch the WORLD CUP!
Vote for PAP and here's what you get, NO world cup!
Why should non-football-loving taxpayers pay to subsidise World Cup for football lovers? Even though I love to watch football, I find your request unfair. Fifa is looking for money and we shouldn't just bend over like that.
"World Cup 2010: Singapore's MDA has duty to fulfil responsibility to Singapore's public"
i totally agree.
1000000000....infinite.........%
I don't know how the MDA defines social cohesiveness or where those guys have been living all their lives...
But the beautiful game has brought people of different creed, religion and race together...
And in some case, it has united nations...
Now if that is not a strong social glue, I don't know what is...
Dear Dr Huang Shoou Chyuan,
Thanks very much for your interesting blog. It's always nice to see how people on the other side of the globe live, how they share the same joys and sorrows, what they do in their free time, etc.
I actually have a question about your blog. Would you mind helping us with a linguistic research project? We're compiling data from various Singaporean weblogs. All it requires is checking a few boxes. If you want to take part and/or have more questions, drop me a note ( hack2301@uni-trier.de RE: Question ) so that I can then send you the 'official' project eMail. We'd really appreciate your help.
Thanks very much in advance!
Best regards,
- Fran
The irony. It wasn't too long ago that a Sg statesman said that you got to pay more to get better, dedicated MPs.
And now it has come to this. Singapore outed itself by paying too much for the other league.
Why should we, non football fans subsidized football fans so that they can watch World Cup 2010?
I call to all, to cancel all your subscriptions to Starhub, MIO, if you are still on contract, pay the penalty. Its time we really show the telcos who is the boss.
I have cancelled my Starhub Cable TV, did not subscribe to MIO TV, and now have a far greater quality time with my family.
I will never subscribe to any cable TV. Period.
Why don't us singaporeans get together and ask instead of doing the one comment here and one comment there, it is sure not going to be considered a political undermining if we rally together and ask the government to do something about it.....maybe some printed t-shirts like , "where is our world cup 2010" or "why no world cup?" or even "$40 million not enough, I chut $10" and it will send a clear signal that we not looking for someone to blame but like the doctor said....somebody should step in...maybe the PAP???
After more than six months of nail—biting suspense, sources have confirmed that football fans will be able to watch all 64 matches of the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa ’live’ on television in Singapore.
I read the above from http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20100428/tap-280-world-cup-deal-done-231650b.html
I expect things turn out this way. Why?
I feel this is because elections is nearing and PAP do not wish to make soccer fans angry if not they may lose more seats.
And one more prediction I dare to make is the price to watch world cup will not be too expensive. I guess will be surely less than $40 for early birds. Why?
Hope not to anger voters and let opposition one lesser issue to voice out.
Who dare to bet with me?
AIYOYO I lost my bet it will cost at least $60 to watch world cup. the singtel guy even say its reasonable as it cost less than coffee to watch 1 match. if singtel can let us choose and pay for only the match we want to watch then the coffee will be tasty.
My lost maybe opposition gain. Hope during election they will try to bring out the world cup issue to remind voters what government has done or has not done and what is the result. and the world cup issue is not just the only issue. they are so many other issues to settle.
hope govenment will learn from this lesson.
Dear Doctor,
This facebook group:
Mass Boycott Starhub/Singtel Overpriced World Cup Package
has more than 20k members already.
Have you joined the group?
They plan to hold a rally at Hong Lim Park to further voice out their displeasure, which should be legal. Hope there will be over tens of thousand people turn up.
If it is legal will you take park and support them?
I will.
hope govenment will learn from this lesson.
Hi,
Even if it is illegal, I will still support this.
We have let the corporate giants to squeeze us and the govt has used "market forces" as an excuse not to do anything.The govt has a conflict of interest as they are major shareholders of Singtel and Starhub ( and many other large Sg companies) and hence dare not do the right thing esply if this conflict with business interests .
However I likes what Minister Lui has done that forces cable companies to share contents. Now the big corporate giants are "crying father and mother" because they stand to lose their clout. I have no sympathy with these greedy people like FIFA and their cronies!
Hi doctor,
Wah, this is the first time I saw your post to be so big fire and anger.
You really have your principles.
I salute you. I will also support you.
But hope you will not do anything illegal so that if you ever run for election and be a MP "bad people" will not use that against you.
I totally agree with what you said.
By right government and businesses cannot be linked so there can be more fairness.
Government is service to public aim is not to make profit. PM role is to help citizens and not like a CEO aim to make money. If any PM, from any country, aim is to make money or take millions in salary, then he or she should join private companies to be a CEO and not PM.
Once in a private company a person want to make even billions or take even billions in salary this is fairer.
As reported in newspapers Dr Goh Keng Swee had done so so so much for Singaporeans , I feel even fit to be MMM (minister mentor's mentor), but I think he has not taken millions and millions right?
So how come our current ministers are getting millions and millions?
Quite strange right? Maybe they have done millions and millions more things and work millions and millions even harder than Dr Goh?
Personally I doubt so.
Dr Goh long live.
"However I likes what Minister Lui has done that forces cable companies to share contents."
because of this an association which has members from big TV companies mentioned there might be copyright issues and complained to USA governemnt.
Aiya no need to complain tell them this is Singapore, "other countries should not interfer with Singapore internal policies" and "Sinapore parliment almost all PAP members".....
with all these reasons PAP government should not be afraid of USA governemnt.
Just do as what Minister Lui said can already so as to help Singpaoreans.
Maybe PAP still can win back some votes because of this.
If all PAP members are like Dr Goh Keng Swee, I guess I will not vote for opposition and opposition will not have any chance to win PAP.
But now things are different. Dr Goh has left, PAP is also now different.
I will vote for opposition and opposition has very very good chance to win in GRCs as well.
Now I guess personally there is only a way to "prolong PAP life", to always change the election boundaries and only release the final confirmed boundaries till the very very last minute.
If boundaries are always fixed and opposition can surely win a lot more seats.
because given the hard work and sincerity and time for groundwork.
Hi, pioneers like Goh Keng Swee were willing to serve the nation without million-dollar salary yet our present ministers are paid millions " so that they not tempted to be corrupt". This issue and the one about GRC gerrymandering really make me ashamed of our politics. Goh KS did not amass fortunes. He died with only modest savings. Yes I respect him. I know he loved Singapore. I cannot say the same for our present crop of Ministers.
GRC I STILL CAN SAY THERE IS A REASONABLE REASON TO KEEP IT AS DUE TO ENSURE RACIAL REPRESENTATION.
GRC gerrymandering IS REALLY 100% NO NO.
AND MILLIONS IN SALARY IS REALLY NO NO no AS WELL.
Dear Doctor may I know you are from which political party? I wish to join the same party as you because you have the same idea as me.
or are you an independent?
Thank you.
Hi, about GRC: JBJ/Marshall/ Rajaratnam/ old PAP Malay and Indian MP's have fought and won single seats before. Don't believe everything you hear about how racist the electorates are etc. It is not the electorates who are racists. Goh Chok Tong has already confirmed GRC is vehicle to get cowardly MP's in by backdoor. If politicians dare not stand on their own 2 feet- they don't deserve my support. Abolish GRC. With single seats there are still ways to ensure multi-racial parliament.
No, I have never been a member of any political party and I don't it is required for anyone to join a party before one can speak from the heart about the affairs of Singapore. One just need a caring heart and a clear mind.
But I do admire many idealistic young people who are now awakened and doing something about political apathy.
Sg is not just about accumulating the 5 C's.
This is a first post to make an announcement so that you can make plans and make yourself free... more details of the gathering to follow!
We have booked the Speaker's Corner for our group gathering on the 5 June, 2010, 3-7pm.
For those keen to meet up and enjoy a cup of coffee together while sharing our World Cup woes, please keep this date free!
MORE DETAILS ARE BEING WORKED ON AND WILL BE SHARED VERY VERY SOON!!!
WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!
See u all there!!
I see the above from facebook.
Yes yes yes the rally is on.
I will be there.
See you there doctor.
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