Fact Sheet - Online news sites to be placed on a more consistent licensing framework as traditional news platforms
28 May 2013
1. From 1 June 2013, online news sites that report regularly on issues relating to Singapore and have significant reach among readers here will require an individual licence from the Media Development Authority (MDA). This will place them on a more consistent regulatory framework with traditional news platforms which are already individually licensed.
2. Under the licensing framework, online news sites will be individually licensed if they (i) report an average of at least one article per week on Singapore’s news and current affairs1 over a period of two months, and (ii) are visited by at least 50,000 unique IP addresses from Singapore each month over a period of two months. Currently, these sites are automatically class-licensed under the Broadcasting Act. When MDA has assessed that a site has met the criteria to be individually licensed, MDA will issue a formal notification and work with the site to move it to the new licensing framework. Please see Annex for the sites that MDA will be issuing licensing notifications to when the licensing framework is launched.
3. The new Licence provides greater clarity on prevailing requirements within the Class Licence and Internet Code of Practice, and explains what MDA would consider “prohibited content” in the existing Internet Code of Practice, e.g. content that undermines racial or religious harmony. As the sites are already subject to these requirements, no change in content standards is expected to result. The Licence also makes it clear that online news sites are expected to comply within 24 hours to MDA’s directions to remove content that is found to be in breach of content standards. The only other additional requirement is that online news sites are required to put up a performance bond like all other individually-licensed broadcasters, and the sum of $50,000 is consistent with that required of niche TV broadcasters.
4. These updates in the licensing framework are part of MDA’s efforts to periodically review all policies, to ensure they are in line with industry and consumer developments.
1 A “Singapore news programme” is any programme (whether or not the programme is presenter-based and whether or not the programme is provided by a third party) containing any news, intelligence, report of occurrence, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language (whether paid or free and whether at regular interval or otherwise) but does not include any programme produced by or on behalf of the Government.
About Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA)
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (www.mda.gov.sg) promotes the growth of globally competitive film, television, radio, publishing, music, games, animation and interactive digital media industries. It also regulates the media sector to safeguard the interests of consumers, and promotes a connected society. MDA is a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information (www.mci.gov.sg).
Source: http://www.mda.gov.sg/NewsAndEvents/PressRelease/2013/Pages/28052013.aspx
Singapore to regulate Yahoo, other online news sites
ByKevin Lim|Reuters–Tue, May 28, 2013
By Kevin Lim
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Websites that regularly report onSingaporeincludingYahooNews will have to get a license from June 1, putting them on par with newspapers and television news outlets, in a move seen by some as a bid to rein in free-wheelingInternet news.
"Online news sites that report regularly on issues relating to Singapore and have significant reach among readers here will require an individual license," Singapore'sMedia Development Authority(MDA) said in a statement.
"This will place them on a more consistent regulatory framework with traditional news platforms which are already individually licensed," the media regulator said.
Prosperous and orderly Singapore, a regional base for many multinationals and fund managers, is one of the world's most wired-up cities with most people having broadband access.
It has long maintained strict controls on the media, saying that was necessary to maintain stability in a small, multi-racial country and that media must be held accountable for what they publish.
Lobby group Reporters Without Borders, in its latest report, ranked Singapore 149th globally in terms of press freedom, down 14 places from 2012 and below many of its neighbors.
In 2011, the city-state's tiny opposition made big gains against the long-ruling People's Action Party in parliamentary elections, partly by using the Internet to reach voters.
A survey by the Straits Times newspaper shortly before the vote found 36.3 percent of people between the ages of 21 and 34 cited the Internet as their top source of domestic political news compared with 35.3 percent who preferred newspapers.
"WILL FIND A WAY"
The MDA identified sg.news.yahoo.com, a service run byInternet giant Yahoo Inc, as among 10 sites that would be affected by the new requirement, based on criteria such as having 50,000 unique visitors from Singapore a month over a period of two months.
Yahoo declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
"We are not in a position to respond until we receive the actual license conditions for review," the head of its Singapore news service, Alan Soon, said.
Of the remaining nine sites, seven are run bySingapore Press Holdings Ltd, whose publications tend to maintain a pro-government stance. The other two are operated by state-owned broadcaster Mediacorp.
Conditions for the sites that require individual licenses, which have to be reviewed annually, include a performance bond of S$50,000 ($39,700) and a requirement that objectionable content be removed within 24 hours when directed by the MDA.
The MDA said the new regulation did not apply to blogs, though adding: "If they take on the nature of news sites, we will take a closer look and evaluate them accordingly".
The regulation drew criticism from some Internet users who saw it as an attempt to stifle online news not affiliated with the government.
On state-owned Channel NewsAsia's Facebook page, a person named Jeremy Tan likened the development to what goes on in China or North Korea.
"You can try to shut us up. We will find a way around it," another internet user, Sushikin Ky, said on the Facebook page.
(Editing by Robert Birsel)
Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/singapore-regulate-yahoo-other-online-news-sites-122124182.html
[MEDIA STATEMENT] MAJOR ONLINE WEBSITES IN SINGAPORE TO PROTEST AGAINST LICENSING REQUIREMENT
Thursday, 30 May 2013
The Media Development Authority had, on Tuesday, introduced a “licensing framework” that would require “online news sites” to put up a “performance bond” of $50,000 and “comply within 24 hours to MDA’s directions to remove content that is found to be in breach of content standards”.
As part of the community of websites in Singapore that provide sociopolitical news and analysis to Singaporeans, we are concerned about the impact of the newly-introduced requirement on fellow Singaporeans’ ability to receive diverse news information.
While the S$50,000 performance bond is a drop in the ocean for a mainstream news outlet with an online presence, it would potentially be beyond the means of volunteer run and personal blogging platforms like ours. Hence, MDA’s claim that the licensing regime is intended to equalize the playing field between online and offline news is incorrect: the regulations will disproportionately affect us.
Further, we believe that the introduction of the licensing regime has not gone through the proper and necessary consultation and had been introduced without clear guidance. In a typical public consultation exercise, a government agency will publish a draft regulation with detailed explanation and issue a press release to invite members of the public to send in feedback for consideration. We observe this is not the case for the licensing regime.
We call on the Ministry of Communications and Information to withdraw the licensing regime. We call upon our elected representatives to oppose the licensing regime.
It is in the interest of Singaporeans and the long-term future for Singapore that the licensing regime be withdrawn.
The new licensing regime has the very real potential to reduce the channels available to Singaporeans to receive news and analysis of the sociopolitical situation in Singapore and it is in the interest of all Singaporeans to guard against the erosion of news channels that Singaporeans should rightfully have access to.
These new regulations significantly impact Singaporeans’ constitutionally protected right to free speech, and they should not be introduced without the most rigorous public debate and discussion.
The new regulations, and the manner in which they have been imposed by regulatory fiat, are unacceptable in any developed democracy.
Leong Sze Hian-http://leongszehian.com/
Andrew Loh-http://publichouse.sg
Ravi Philemon-http://www.raviphilemon.net/
Kumaran Pillai-http://sgvoize.wordpress.com/
Terry Xu-http://theonlinecitizen.com/
Richard Wan-http://www.tremeritus.com/
Choo Zheng Xi-http://theonlinecitizen.com/
Howard Lee-http://theonlinecitizen.com/
Rachel Zeng-http://rachelzeng.wordpress.com/,http://singaporeantideathpenaltycampaign.wordpress.com/
Roy Ngerng-http://thehearttruths.com/
Kirsten Han-http://spuddings.net/
Gilbert Goh-http://www.transitioning.org/
Nizam Ismail-http://nizamosaurus.wordpress.com/
Lynn Lee-http://www.lianainfilms.com/
Biddy Low-http://publichouse.sg/
Alex Au-http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/
Martyn See-http://singaporerebel.blogspot.sg/
Howard Lee-http://theonlinecitizen.com/
Elaine Ee -http://publichouse.sg/
Lim Han Thon- http://publichouse.sg
Joshua Chiang
Donaldson Tan-http://newasiarepublic.com
Stephanie Chok-http://littlemskaypoh.wordpress.com
Jolovan Wham-http://www.workfairsingapore.wordpress.com
If you would like more information or for media enquires, please contactHoward
Source: http://publichouse.sg/categories/community/item/886-major-websites-to-protest-licensing-requirement
[SEAPA Alerts] Singapore extends press controls online
May 31, 2013 - A recently announced licensing scheme for online news in Singapore is effectively extending the country’s strict regulation of news and public affairs information to its relatively-freer online news media.
Singaporean news media reported on Monday, 28 May, about afact sheetposted on the website of the Media Development Authority (MDA), which will place all online news media in the city state under a licensing regime.
The MDA fact sheet explained that the new scheme gives online news media “a more consistent regulatory framework traditional news platforms” and “provides greater clarity on prevailing requirements” of the Singapore Broadcasting Act’s class license for internet service and content providers, and the Internet Code of Conduct.
Licenses
While the full text of the new online news licensing system had not yet been posted in the MDAwebsite’s section on licensesas of today, it will take effect beginning tomorrow on 1 June.
Initially 10 news sites, including nine from mainstream media groups, have beenlistedas initial targets for licensing notifications from the MDA.
The licensing system will cover all news websites that post “at least one article per week on Singapore’s news and current affairs” and “are visited by at least 50,000 unique IP [internet protocol] addresses” each month.
News platforms requiring licensing include those which provide “any news, intelligence, report of occurrence, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language (whether paid or free and whether at regular interval or otherwise) but does not include any programme produced by or on behalf of the Government”.
Presently, news sites are automatically licensed under the Broadcasting Act, with some groups required to register, including internet service providers, political parties, and individuals and groups providing programs on political and religious concerns in Singapore.
Under the new scheme, sites that fall within the two criteria will have to put up a performance bond of 50,000 SGD (about 40,000 USD) for an individual license.
It is not clear if the scheme will require licensees to pay annual fees or how it will apply to popular news content providers from overseas meeting the criteria.
Controls
Based on the fact sheet, licensing will require online news sites to obey MDA’s directives to remove content within 24 hours if found to be in breach of content standards of Singapore.
The new license thus adds a degree of enforceability to the country’s Internet Code of Practice, which up to this point directed the content or service providers to use "best efforts to ensure that prohibited material is not broadcast via the Internet”.
The fact sheet did not clarify what due process guarantees exist, such as the role of judicial oversight, to protect possible infringements on the right to freedom of expression.
Concerns
SEAPAexecutive director Gayathry Venkiteswaran described the introduction of this online news licensing system as a “dangerous development which will further restrict press freedom in Singapore”.
Gayathry added that Singapore authorities are likely targeting the alternative media in Singapore, which remains a vibrant space for news and views that are restricted in mainstream print and broadcast outlets.
Singapore’s alternative media exists primarily online, she explained, since the mainstream media in the country is strictly regulated under the Newspapers and Printing Presses Act.
The country's community of socio-political websites released ajoint statementvoicing concerns “about the impact of the newly-introduced requirement on fellow Singaporeans' ability to receive diverse news information.
Gayathry echoed concerns raised by the online community in Singapore that the new licensing scheme will unfairly affect voluntary and community-run websites, and the new system was introduced without public consultation.
-ends-
TheSoutheast Asian Press Alliance(SEAPA)is the only regional organization with the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom in Southeast Asia. It is composed of the Jakarta-based Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the Institute for Studies on the Free Flow of Information (ISAI); the Manila-based Center for Media Freedom andResponsibility (CMFR) and Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ); the Bangkok-based Thai Journalists Association (TJA); and the network's Kuala Lumpur-based associate member, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).
SEAPAalso has partners in Cambodia, East Timor, and exiled Burmese media, and undertakes projects and programs for press freedom throughout the region.
For inquiries, please contact us at:seapa(at)seapa(dot) org, or call+662 243 5579.
新国监管网络內容 「只针对新闻报导」
东方日报，2013年6月6日，A13版
（新加坡5日讯）新加坡进一步管制网络媒体引起关注，该国通讯及新闻部长雅国博士重申，新闻网站新执照框架並未乖离政府对互联网的柔性监管（light touch）宗旨，而且只针对互联网的新闻报导，现有网上言论空间不受影响。
雅国也以「当局对网站执行撤下通知一向克制」来阐明新闻网站即使受到新执照管制，也不会影响实际运作。
他说，管制网络內容和服务供应商的类別执照计划（Class Licence Scheme）自1996年实行以来，当局17年来只发出24次撤下內容通知。一次是去年针对具有侮辱宗教內容的影片《穆斯林的无知》，其余23次则是涉及引起公眾投诉的色情內容。
「媒体发展管理局从来没有针对批评政府或是任何部长的內容，对网站发出撤下內容通知。」
雅国在通讯及新闻部总部与连日来提出不少询问的媒体进行討论，再度针对在网上引起热议和质疑的新执照条例发言。
他反驳新条例是有意限制网上言论空间，並希望网络社群明白这不是试图强行限制任何人。真正的用意是確保所有从事新闻报导的人，以负责任的態度进行报导。
「如果你是一个针对自己不满的课题发表评论的人，你不认同政府的做法，你还是可以继续，因为你不是新闻网站。」