WELCOME TO EDITION 815 of GRAPEVINE
How dare you?
Singapore Press Holdings Chief Executive Officer NG Yat Chung scolded one of his guests for asking a question.
The Thursday 6 May 2021 press conference was to explain plans by the company to spin off its loss-making media business due to falling advertising revenue.
Instead of answering the question from the Channel News Asia journalist, the former Singapore Army Chief of Defence (2003 – 2007) “took umbrage” and was visibly offended by CHEW Hui Min’s question.
“…please, ok, … at least for SPH, we have always had advertising and we have never, never conceded to the needs of the advertisers … the fact you dare to question SPH titles … in your words, conceding to the advertiser, I take umbrage … ”
The former Lieutenant-General then turned to his left and said “Chairman is a gentleman, I’m not …”
That last utterance was superfluous.
Scolding a journalist
Ng’s gestures and tone lacked any civility to the belittled lady reporter.
He could, for example, just said:
“Thank you for your question but I assure you SPH will always put editorial integrity at the forefront of all our reporting”.
Instead, incredibly, NG Yat Chung finished his umbrage by raising his voice and, essentially, delivered a scolding to the journalist.
CHEW Hui Min was merely doing her job.
If journalists, we don’t ask questions, how do we report on the news?
Would the CEO of Singapore’s major news gatherer and publisher like to issue a list of questions for journalists at his next news conference?
So that they can be absolutely clear what he will not take umbrage to.
Thank goodness for the country he is no longer in the army.
One shudders to think that if he took umbrage to a journalist’s question, what other umbrage will he find intolerable if Singapore were negotiating a treaty with another country.
Watch for yourself this incredible display of umbrage at https://www.facebook.com/wakeupSG/posts/1954968504668765
Wishing you A Good Weekend.