Singapore to regulate news websites with over 50k visitors per mth

[mcmlxxvi]

Will condosg kena? Guess reposting news articles need to stop if so.

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Singapore to require news websites to be licensed

*

BY HEATHER TAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SINGAPORE --*Singapore's government says a new policy will require online news websites to be licensed, a move that is being criticized as a form of censorship in a country where media outlets are already strictly controlled.The policy will require websites that report regularly on Singapore news and have at least 50,000 visitors a month to obtain annual licenses, the city-state's Media Development Authority said in a statement Tuesday. They also will be required to remove content found to be in breach of MDA standards within 24 hours of notification."This is censorship, plain and simple," said Lee Kin Mun, a Singaporean social and political blogger who is more popularly known by his Internet persona, "Mr. Brown.""Trying to regulate the Internet is like trying to grab jelly; the tighter your grip on it, the faster it leaks out of your hand," he said.The MDA said the new policy, which takes effect Saturday, would place news websites "on a more consistent regulatory framework with traditional news platforms which are already individually licensed."It said it would "impose financial penalties or suspend or revoke" the licenses of any websites that do not comply with any of the conditions.The MDA singled out 10 websites, nine of which are state-owned, with the exception being Yahoo Singapore. It said the new policy also may be extended to netizen websites and foreign news sites covering Singapore news.To receive a license, a website will have to post a performance bond of 50,000 Singapore dollars ($39,400). This is similar to current requirements for niche TV broadcasters in Singapore."Our mainstream media are subjected to rules. Why shouldn't the online media be part of that regulatory framework?" said Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim. "I don't see this as a clamping down. If anything, it is regularizing what is already happening on the Internet and making sure that they are on par with our mainstream media."But The Online Citizen, one of the bigger netizen alternative news websites in Singapore, said it may shut down if the new licensing rules are imposed on it."In the event that the new licensing rules are extended to TOC, we will have to reassess the viability of continuing the website in light of the significant financial and legal liability the new rules impose," it said in a statement.Yahoo Singapore said it would wait to receive the license conditions before commenting on the new measures.Media is strictly controlled and regulated in Singapore, with lobby group Reporters Without Borders ranking the Southeast Asian city-state 149th globally in terms of press freedom.Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/2...#storylink=cpy

[mygeemeel]

Yes. Sure kena or pay s$50k.

[mcmlxxvi]

http://www.mda.gov.sg/NewsAndEvents/.../28052013.aspx

"Average of ONE article per week"

[solsys]

So sad.... free speech took a beating today.

[mcmlxxvi]

SINGAPORE: The Media Development Authority (MDA) said the new individual licensing framework for online news sites is not intended to clamp down on internet freedom.A day after announcing the changes, MDA said the new framework provides greater clarity on prevailing content standards in the Internet Code of Practice.It added that there is no change in content standards.From next month, online news sites with a significant reach will be subjected to a bond of $50,000.This has sparked some concerns that not all sites may afford to fork out the amount.MDA said it is not its policy intent to place onerous obligations on the licensees and that the performance bond is pegged to that required of niche broadcasters.It said any licensee who face difficulties in meeting the requirements can also approach MDA to discuss their concerns.Ten sites, mostly from mainstream media, have been approached to get the individual licence.MDA said The Online Citizen is not on the list as it does not currently fall within the online licensing framework.*Still, if MDA determines later that they ought to be individually licensed, they will be notified.MDA said it uses a range of data sources including traffic monitoring and consumer surveys to determine the reach of a website.And its assessment is that a site accessed from more than 50,000 monthly unique IP addresses in Singapore has sufficiently high reach to warrant an individual licence.MDA reiterated that the new licensing framework will only apply to news sites that meet the content and reach criteria.*But the content guidelines apply to all content on the news sites, including readers' comments on the news sites.- CNA/de

[eng81157]

if I am Garmen and I want to silence my anti-establishment socio-political websites, easy.

1. hire a bunch of retirees, who are pro-PAP, or enlist RC volunteers to be cyber-warriors

2. within one month, they are supposed to visit targeted socio-political websites and boost readership to 50,000

3. whoa, then Garmen steps in and say "Your blog/website has achieved significant reach and you need license. Pay $50,000 for bond, while we decide whether to issue you a license"

4. those that are poor would shut down

5. for those that are kiang and can pay, of course I don't give you license lah.

[zzz1]

Will condosg kena? Guess reposting news articles need to stop if so.

-----

Singapore to require news websites to be licensed

*

BY HEATHER TAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SINGAPORE --*Singapore's government says a new policy will require online news websites to be licensed, a move that is being criticized as a form of censorship in a country where media outlets are already strictly controlled.The policy will require websites that report regularly on Singapore news and have at least 50,000 visitors a month to obtain annual licenses, the city-state's Media Development Authority said in a statement Tuesday. They also will be required to remove content found to be in breach of MDA standards within 24 hours of notification."This is censorship, plain and simple," said Lee Kin Mun, a Singaporean social and political blogger who is more popularly known by his Internet persona, "Mr. Brown.""Trying to regulate the Internet is like trying to grab jelly; the tighter your grip on it, the faster it leaks out of your hand," he said.The MDA said the new policy, which takes effect Saturday, would place news websites "on a more consistent regulatory framework with traditional news platforms which are already individually licensed."It said it would "impose financial penalties or suspend or revoke" the licenses of any websites that do not comply with any of the conditions.The MDA singled out 10 websites, nine of which are state-owned, with the exception being Yahoo Singapore. It said the new policy also may be extended to netizen websites and foreign news sites covering Singapore news.To receive a license, a website will have to post a performance bond of 50,000 Singapore dollars ($39,400). This is similar to current requirements for niche TV broadcasters in Singapore."Our mainstream media are subjected to rules. Why shouldn't the online media be part of that regulatory framework?" said Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim. "I don't see this as a clamping down. If anything, it is regularizing what is already happening on the Internet and making sure that they are on par with our mainstream media."But The Online Citizen, one of the bigger netizen alternative news websites in Singapore, said it may shut down if the new licensing rules are imposed on it."In the event that the new licensing rules are extended to TOC, we will have to reassess the viability of continuing the website in light of the significant financial and legal liability the new rules impose," it said in a statement.Yahoo Singapore said it would wait to receive the license conditions before commenting on the new measures.Media is strictly controlled and regulated in Singapore, with lobby group Reporters Without Borders ranking the Southeast Asian city-state 149th globally in terms of press freedom.Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/2...#storylink=cpy

It was reported that under SPH wings, if not wrong, 7 web sites were affected.

Condosingapore is owned by sph, and not sure if one of them...

[mcmlxxvi]

It was reported that under SPH wings, if not wrong, 7 web sites were affected.

Condosingapore is owned by sph, and not sure if one of them...

Who say this site owned by sph?

Anyway attached the publicized list.

[heehee]

Of all in the list, Only yahoo.com is non gov related body is it?

Who say this site owned by sph?

Anyway attached the publicized list.

[mcmlxxvi]

Of all in the list, Only yahoo.com is non gov related body is it?

Seems so. The rest all mediacorpse or sphate owned.

[ysyap]

if I am Garmen and I want to silence my anti-establishment socio-political websites, easy.

1. hire a bunch of retirees, who are pro-PAP, or enlist RC volunteers to be cyber-warriors

2. within one month, they are supposed to visit targeted socio-political websites and boost readership to 50,000

3. whoa, then Garmen steps in and say "Your blog/website has achieved significant reach and you need license. Pay $50,000 for bond, while we decide whether to issue you a license"

4. those that are poor would shut down

5. for those that are kiang and can pay, of course I don't give you license lah.

What makes you think they are not already doing that?

[Regulators]

Another self serving shit policy. They can try policing the internet, they will face more repercussions from a generation of youngsters that won't take shit from the govt

[zzz1]

Who say this site owned by sph?

Anyway attached the publicized list.

Perhaps not too many ppl knew whom it belong(SPH) to..

Also not too many ppl know who's has the administrative rights and his/her nick here ...

Do a read to the home page..

Thanks for the attachment, From your list, this site is not in the coverage...
And hope that it will not be ..

[minority]

abt time! All the BS form TOC and RS bullshit . its abt time some responsibility is taken for online folks hiding behind some sudo posting fake news to drive personal agenda.

With Free speech comes responsibility as well. not talk Bullshit and not be responsible with wat ever shit tat comes out of the gap. especially when people treat that as news.