The Straits Times’ forum editor Mathew Pereira (far right), ST editor Warren Fernandez (fourth from right), and ST digital editor Ong Hwee Hwee (in black, back facing camera), with a group of about 90 participants at the News Centre Auditorium during the annual ST Forum Writers’ Dialogue.

New ways to fund quality journalism needed: ST editor

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN) -- Media around the world are building new sources of revenue to keep newsrooms going
Newspapers and newsrooms will continue to exist in the future, even as media organisations worldwide grapple with issues of falling revenue.
But how the news is presented could evolve, and news organisations are experimenting with different business models to find a sustainable way forward, The Straits Times’ editor Warren Fernandez said yesterday.
Mr Fernandez, who is also the editor-in-chief of Singapore Press Holdings’ (SPH) English, Malay and Tamil Media Group, was speaking at the annual ST Forum Writers’ Dialogue.
Along with forum editor Mathew Pereira and digital editor Ong Hwee Hwee, he answered questions ranging from declining media revenue to how forum letters are chosen and the degree of independence media have in Singapore.
About 90 participants attended the lively 11/2-hour session at the News Centre Auditorium.
After the session ended, participants went on a guided tour of ST’s renovated newsroom where they gained insights into how content is produced.
Declining revenue for media organisations was one of the issues raised by a participant, who asked what ST can do to address it.
Parent company SPH has been reporting declining profits, amid challenging times for its media division.
In July, it reported a 44 per cent drop in third-quarter net profit to US$26.2 million from US$46.9 million a year earlier.
But while the revenue for the traditional print media business may be falling, the digital side of the media business continued to enjoy an upswing, with increases in newspaper digital ad revenue and daily average newspaper digital sales.
Mr Fernandez said the audience for ST’s digital content online is also growing, with its videos, visual reports and interactive graphics attracting a younger readership.

(Latest UpdateSeptember 16, 2019)