Priorities

So The Straits Times gets a new look starting today.

No real issues with the other changes (apart from the obvious cosmetic-only improvements to the paper - still too much to ask for real changes, I guess), just this one:

"We're going big on lifestyle because we know you want more than the news. You want knowledge to help you live your lives better, from how to live more healthily, to getting started with 3G phones or the latest fashion craze."

Y'know, I'd rather have a crappy-looking paper and get all the news that matter. That's what a newspaper's supposed to be, no? If I wanted lifestyle, I'd buy a magazine.

Come to think of it, I guess media competition in Singapore isn't that dead if the ST is moving in on the magazines.


Updated 09:39 am:

And now, we have to register to read the news online? Can we say BIG BROTHER?

OCT 19, 2004
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Why we're having a new look

DEAR READERS,

The Straits Times is 159 years old this year. That's considerably older than many things here, including independent Singapore.

We are proud of our history and what we have achieved all these years. But we are not an old newspaper, clinging to old ideas and old stories.

The Straits Times has become a part of Singapore, and, we hope, an endearing part of your lives, as we have tried to be relevant to you.

We have not been afraid to change and try new ways of making the paper more useful and interesting. This latest change contains many of our newest ideas on what we want The Straits Times to be and to do for you.

Our fresh, new look, incorporating many of the latest elements in newspaper design, is the work of our own designers, who have won awards establishing The Straits Times and The Sunday Times as Asia's best designed papers.

We've put news on Asia further up front in the paper, ahead of news from the rest of the world, to reflect the growing importance of the region to our readers.

On Page 1, we have a new feature called Upfront, to showcase some of our best articles, about aspects of life here and abroad that are inspiring, moving or thought-provoking.

We have expanded our commentary pages into a new Review section for those who want to go beyond the news, with opinions, interviews and features.

Our Home section contains many new features, all intended to help you know what's really happening in Singapore. We're also giving you more Sports pages, and new features in the Money and Life! sections.

And we're especially excited about our three new lifestyle magazines: Digital Life on Tuesdays, Mind Your Body on Wednesdays and Urban on Thursdays.

We're going big on lifestyle because we know you want more than the news. You want knowledge to help you live your lives better, from how to live more healthily, to getting started with 3G phones or the latest fashion craze.

These magazines will meet the same high editorial standards that you have come to expect from your award-winning paper: our credibility, professionalism and our commitment to helping make Singapore a better place for all.

I know you'll enjoy your new daily read.

Han Fook Kwang