Media
Overwhelming coverage
As election tempo rises, question arises: 'How fair is it?' By Seah Chiang Nee
Mar 20, 2006

TV and newspaper coverage increased substantially today because the political parties - People's Action Party (PAP) and the opposition - launched a major weekend walkabout in the 'hot' constituencies.

That it weighed heavily, in volume and words, in favour of the ruling PAP goes without saying. It is a repetition of previous elections.

Not many people had expected this time to see a 50-50% balance since the PAP is regarded as the government and incumbent, which holds 82 of the 84 contested Parliament seats.

The government sees it as a traditional right as an incumbent that controls the legislative numbers.

But many of the new generation feel the media should be fair and balanced to the opposition, since 30-40 per cent of Singaporeans have regularly voted for it.

But then, what sort of ratio should the media editors observe if not 50-50?

I did a rough comparative calculation of two English-language newspapers and Channel News Asia on the political coverage on Monday, Mar 20, 2006 to the two contenders.

Straits Times (8 items, totaling 3623 words)
PAP = six, 2,977 words (or 82 percent).
Opposition = two, 646 words (18 percent)

Channel News Asia (7 items, totaling 2,752 words)
PAP = four, 1,712 words (62.2 percent)
Opposition = two, 766 words (27.8percent)
Neutral = one, 274 words (10 percent)

TODAY (nine items items, 3,268 words)
PAP = five, 2,164 words (66.2 percent)
Opposition = four, 1,104 words (33.8 percent)
=
Details of Straits Times coverage

PAP items (Headlines)
(1) SM's task: Win back opposition wards
He plans to give voters what they want, as PAP aims for a solid win at the polls = (743 words)
(2) High-stakes battle shaping up in two opposition wards
SM will coach and advise PAP men there to help win back Hougang, Potong Pasir wards = (645 words)
(3) PAP team raring for a contest in Jalan Besar GRC. MPs confident of high level of support based on their work over past four years. = (396 words)
(4) Hwee Hua to stand where she can pull in most votes = (294 words)
(5) Spotted: Two new faces in Ang Mo Kio. (358 words)
(6) Holland-Bukit Timah likely to get woman PAP candidate. Residents have expressed a wish for a female MP in the all-male MP GRC (541 words)

Opposition items (headlines)
(1) WP wants to offer voters a chance to vote in AMK. (190 words)
(2) Steve Chia raises stakes for himself - quit politics if he doesn't win this general election. (456 words)

Details of CNA coverage (headlines)

PAP items
(1) SM Goh to help PAP candidates win back Hougang, Potong Pasir seats. (443 words)
(2) PM Lee says PAP aiming to win all wards in upcoming General Election (468 words)
(3) More estate upgradings soon for residents of Holland-Bukit Panjang, Punggol 21 (450 words)
(4) PAP advisers welcome SM Goh's help in Hougang, Potong Pasir (351 words)

Opposition items
(1) Chiam See Tong dismisses PAP's plan to recapture opposition wards (280 words)
(2) NSP Steve Chia to launch book to raise funds for election campaign. (486 words)

Neutral items
(1) No confirmation whether Workers' Party contesting in Ang Mo Kio GRC (274 words)

Details of TODAY coverage (headlines)
PAP items
(1) No urgency to go to polls: PM. New PAP faces from this week, election manifesto later. (425 words)
(2) SM Goh's hoofbeats on opposition turf. PM asks him to help win back Hougang, Potong Pasir (853 words)
(3) A woman for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. (210 words)
(4) MP Lim Hwee Hua to move to Aljunied GRC? (463 words)
(5) 1b renewal for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC (213 words)

Opposition items
(1) WP checks out Ang Mo Kio (214 words).
(2) 'Old face' is not worried. Chiam on SM's involvement and Sitoh's banquets. (397 words)
(3) SDA says it has even more potential candidates than are required for Jalan Besar GRC. (238 words)
(4) Steve Chia's secret weapon - a 200-page book (255 words)
By Seah Chiang Nee