OPINION
On 21 August 2010, the Straits Times published a full-page article titled "YOG catches international media's eyes" claiming that the inaugural Youth Olympic Games currently held in Singapore has received "extensive" coverage in the international media:
[Source: Straits Times]
The PAP regime, especially the minister in charge of the YOG Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has received much flak from the public lately over the exceeding of the initial budget for YOG by more than three times to an eye-popping $400 million dollars.
In an interview with BBC News, the controvesial Dr Vivian appeared to be oblivious to the ground sentiments and said rather nonchalantly that he would still bid for the YOG at the present cost as it will put Singapore on the world map.
"I think this ($387 million dollars) is not a trifling amount. But it is an amount that will give us value for money in terms of positioning ourselves, in terms of marketing ourselves, in terms of making sure we are on everyone's radar screen the next time they make an investment decision, the next time they decide to site an international or regional headquarters or the next time they decide to expand their business," Dr Vivian was quoted as saying in BBC News.
[Source: BBC News]
The publicity that the YOG has received from the international media has been scanty at best and does not commensurate with the publicity given to a supposedly premier international sporting event as boasted by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Mr Jacques Rogge.
The fact that the Straits Times has to put up the above article under its "Prime News" section to deflect criticisms that the YOG has not quite caught the eye of the international media followed by snapshots of a few provincial Chinese papers to substantiate its claims is in itself a vindication of our earlier charge that the YOG has been a major FLOP in terms of international publicity.
Did we read China's CCTV announcing that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games had caught the attention of the international media or the South African press publishing an article listing the various headlines the 2010 World Cup had made in other foreign publications?
In the first place, the YOG will surely receive some attention from the international media given the fact that it is an Olympic Games, which is a recognized international brand name.
The question we should be asking is whether it is VALUE FOR MONEY for us to pay a whooping $387 million dollars for the paltry if not pathetic publicity the YOG has received so far. To put it succinctly, are we overpaying for the "advertising" fee? Imagine a company paying $1 million a day to put a full-page advertisement on the Straits Times. It will definitely get publicity, but whether it can recoup the fee and still make a healthy profit is a different issue altogether.
Being an international sporting event, the YOG should be hitting the sports headlines of most, if not every international papers such as Agence France-Presse, Reuters, USA Today, BBC News, Washington Post, CNN, Daily Telegraph, South China Morning Post, Bangkok Post, Jakarta Post etc, but this is not the case.
Of course we cannot compare the YOG to established sporting events like the Olympic Games and the World Cup, but surely it is a shame to be overshadowed completely by other lesser known events such as the PGA (golf), US Open (tennis), FIVB World Grand Prix (volleyball) and Brit Insurance Oval (cricket)?
A review of the news carried by major foreign papers reveals that only the Malaysian Star carried a YOG news in its sports headlines and even then, it is not even one of its five most viewed articles:
[Source: The Star]
The other papers such as the Telegraph (UK), USA Today (USA), South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Times of India (India), Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), Taipei Times (Taiwan), Bangkok Post (Thailand) did not even bother to post an article on the YOG as shown in the snapshots below:
[Source: BBC Sport]
[Source: New York Times]
[Source: Telegraph]
[Source: Sydney Morning Herald]
[Source: Bangkok Post]
[Source: Times of India]
[Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.]
The Straits Times quoted Yomiuri Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun, which published the news of Japanese triathlete Yuka Sato bagging the first gold of the YOG, but that's because a Japanese citizen has won a medal at the event, not because the papers are genuinely interested in the YOG.
"They have been running pictures daily, as well as short write-ups of the day's highlights," the Straits Times added.
If the YOG is indeed a "premier" world class event as proclaimed by the PAP regime, then shouldn't the coverage by the Japanese papers been more than a few "short write-ups." Do you see them giving such pathetic coverage to the recently finished World Cup?
According to readers who are currently residing in Japan, very few Japanese have heard about the YOG. The same goes for the rest of the world. How can the YOG possibly put Singapore on the world map when even Singaporeans themselves are not interested in it?
Let us examine a few more laughable sentences in the article by Bhagyashree Garekar, Assistant Foreign Editor of the Straits Times who does not seem to be too convinced of the propaganda he is churning out as well on behalf of his political masters:
1. "The coverage (of the Indian media) is thin, although New Delhi is itself preparing to host the Commonwealth Games in a few weeks." (an euphemism for non-existent coverage)
2. "The Age, the Daily Telegraph, the Herald Sun and others are featuring the Games in scoreboards, snippets and occasional pictures to cater to sports-mad Australians." (a world sporting event reported only in "snippets"?)
3. "The Washington Post put up a story on track-and-field athlete Olivia Ekpone on its Sports section cover, albeit at the bottom." (an inconspicuous corner of the paper, an indication of the level of interest in the news)
4. "The BBC and, to a lesser extent, CNN are also giving sporadic coverage to the YOG on their bulletins and websites." (sporadic coverage or or once in a blue moon coverage?)
From the tone of the journalist, it appeared that even he himself is sceptical of his own spin that the YOG has indeed caught the eye of the international media.
In all likelihood, he is probably arrowed to pen the article to "smoke" Singaporeans again and to save "face" for the embarrassed PAP regime of which almost all its ministers and MPs have gone into "hibernation" of late, leaving the hapless Dr Vivian to absorb all the "negative energy" of Singaporeans over his $389 million dollar FLOP on his own.
It reeks of utter desperation and despair for the Straits Times to come up with such a pathetic, if not pitiful propaganda to pull a wool over the eyes of Singaporeans yet again to mislead them into believing that the YOG is indeed a "world class" sporting event which has put Singapore on the world map in order to take away the mounting pressure from the beleaguered Vivian Balakrishnan for splurging taxpayers' monies on his "vanity fair" but doing little to help poor and needy Singaporeans.
To paraphrase from Dr Vivian's infamous callous quote in 2007 denigrating helpless and destitute Singaporeans, we now ask him:
"How much publicity do you want? Do you want real publicity from the Telegraph, New York Times, Reuters or propaganda from the Straits Times, Channel News Asia, and TODAY?"
[Addenum: Exchange between Dr Vivian and Dr Lily Neo in Parliament in 2007:
When asked by fellow MP Lily Neo if he could kindly raise the monthly allowance of Public Assistance (PA) recipients, then at $290 so that they can have three basic meals daily, Dr Vivian shot back immediately:
"How much do you want? Do you want three meals a day at a hawker center, a food court or restaurant?"]
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Singaporeans, please feel free to email us to share your frustrations, anger and grievances against the YOG. Your views matter alot to us. You are a citizen of Singapore and as a citizen, you have the right to speak up. Let us be your uncensored voice and fight for your rights.
Foreign journalists, please stay tuned on our site and Facebook for the latest updates on the ground about the YOG. You can never get any authentic or accurate news from the Singapore media which is ranked a pathetic 133th in terms of press freedom by international media watchdog Reporters without Borders last year. All the papers in Singapore are owned by a single media company – Singapore Press Holdings whose Chairman is a former PAP minister Dr Tony Tan.
Related articles:
>> Jacques Rogge: YOG is a resounding success
>> YOG volunteer: not much improvement in food
>> Dr Vivian: YOG glitches unavoidable
>> Petition demanding Dr Vivian to apologize
>> YOG food poisoning scandal: Open letter to Dr Vivian
>> Live maggot found in YOG food
>> Ng Ser Miang: YOG gets positive reviews
>> Kuo Chuan Primary School principal admits to blackmailing students
>> Parents should pull children out of YOG
>> No apology from Dr Vivian on YOG food poisoning scandal
>> Massive outcry over screw-ups in YOG ticketing
>> Why Ng Ser Miang should resign as Chairman of SYOGOC
>> Dr Vivian: probe into YOG food poisoning scandal will take time
>> PRC photographer fell down from temporary platform at YOG venue
>> Cover-up of YOG food poisoning scandal?
>> NEA, MOH to probe YOG mass food poisoning outbreak
>> Singaporeans “enslaved” by YOG organizing commitee
>> Kuo Chuan Primary School students forced to pay $5 to attend YOG
>> Singapore students forced to welcome YOG torch rally
>> Mass food poisoning outbreak at YOG venue yesterday?
>> YOG! What YOG?
>> Canvas roof at YOG fell apart
>> Zaqy Mohd defends MCYS
>> Singapore students “invited” to attend YOG event
>> Singapore volunteers forced to work long hours without rest for YOG
>> PM Lee caught napping at YOG opening ceremony?
>> Disaster at YOG opening ceremony
>> 8 reasons why I am disappointed with YOG opening ceremony
>> Netizens lampooned YOG opening ceremony
>> No news of YOG opening ceremony in rest of the world
>> MOE teacher: How students can stay out of YOG
>> YOG Webcast server crashed
>> SFI promises to improve “DOG” food for volunteers
>> Primary school students stand in the rain to welcome YOG torch
>> Plight of Singapore volunteers at Youth Olympic Village
>> JC students forced to attend YOG events
>> Dr Vivian: Singaporeans are proud of YOG
>> PM Lee: YOG has struck a “chord” with our people
>> Dr Vivian: YOG venues will not become “white elephants”
>> Online pressure forced SFI to provide better food for YOG volunteers
>> Improved “DOG” food on 14 August 2010
>> PAP provides three daily buffet meals to YOG athletes and officials
>> YOG volunteers complain about being given “DOG” food
>> Civil Service Club offering free YOG tickets
>> Journey of YOG flame costs Singaporeans $7 million dollars
>> Corny YOG propaganda in Straits Times
>> Tharman: YOG enthusiasm is real
>> Polytechnic student: I don’t care about YOG
>> JC students being “volunteered” for YOG
>> YOG: What the HELL is that?
>> PAP provides YOG athletes and officials three daily buffets
>> YOG students being given “dog food”
>> Singapore students forced to volunteer for YOG
>> Poor ticket sales forced closure of YOG gallery section
>> PM Lee calls on Singaporeans to support YOG
>> Young Singaporeans hurl vulgarities at YOG
>> Dr Vivian wants Singaporeans to celebrate YOG
>> NTU students complain about YOG
>> Dr Vivian: Sports is not about “petty politics”
>> More than 300 Singaporeans joined “I hate YOG” Facebook
>> CNA poll: 90 percent of Singaporeans “not interested” in YOG
>> Slovak YOG Ambassador slams YOG venues of “school standard” only
>> Two Facebook groups calling for boycott of YOG
>> Free condoms for YOG officials and athletes
>> Singapore helping to repair Jamaica’s stadium in return for YOG marketing
>> Former stripper to choreograph opening ceremony of YOG
>> Desperate PAP wants Singaporeans to get “passionate” about YOG
>> PAP to Singaporeans: Give way to YOG vehicles or get fined $130
>> PM Lee wants Singaporeans to do their part for YOG
>> Only six teams in YOG soccer tournament
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