Mothership (website)
{{Short description|Singaporean media company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Mothership
| logo = Logo of mothership.sg.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| screenshot = Mothership.sg Website 2024-09-30.png
| screenshot_size = 200px
| caption = Screenshot of Mothership.sg on 30 September 2024
| collapsible =
| type = Digital media company
| language = English
| owner = Bridgewater Holdings Pte Ltd
| editor = Martino Tan
| subsidiaries = Babelfish{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://babelfish.asia/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Babelfish |language=en-US}}
| website = {{URL|mothership.sg}}
| commercial = Yes
| registration = None
| launch_date = February 2014
| current_status = Active
| location = Singapore
}}
Mothership is a digital media company that operates in Singapore. It was founded in August 2013 and its website officially launched in February 2014.
History
Mothership was started in 2013 as a socio-political blog for young Singaporeans. The timing of its conception coincided with a period of political and social change in Singapore following the watershed elections of 2011.{{Cite web|title=Charting his own Course|url=https://www.nus.edu.sg/alumnet/thealumnus/issue-120/people/pursuit-of-excellence/charting-his-own-course|access-date=7 December 2021|website=www.nus.edu.sg|language=en}} Mothership's "48 reasons why you still feel for Singapore" was published in August 2013 when the site was in beta. It crashed their servers for two hours after being shared widely.{{Cite news |date=3 Feb 2014 |title=Social news website Mothership brings home discussion on Singapore |work=The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/social-news-website-mothership-brings-home-discussion-on-singapore}}
In February 2014, the website was officially launched. It was funded by social enterprise Project Fishermen, which is chaired by former senior civil servant, Philip Yeo. Former foreign minister of Singapore, George Yeo, is its non-executive advisor.{{Cite news |date= |title=About Us |language=en |work=Mothership |url=https://mothership.sg/about-us/ |access-date=21 December 2021 |issn=0585-3923}}
On 2 April 2014, the website registered for a class license issued under the Broadcasting Act.{{Cite web|title=Singapore news website Mothership.sg agrees to register under Broadcasting Act|url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/mda-asks-singapore-news-website-mothership-sg-to-register-for-a-licence-104026615.html|access-date=8 December 2021|website=sg.news.yahoo.com|language=en-SG}} After the Media Development Authority had introduced a new framework for websites with local news content in 2013, the website sought MDA for advice if it should be licensed under the framework as well. In 2015, the website was told by MDA that it met the threshold that requires the website to be registered. As part of the requirements, the website had to put up a {{SGD|50000|link=on}} performance bond.{{Cite web |title=Mothership.sg to operate under MDA individual licensing regime |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/mda-asks-mothershipsg-register-individual-licence |access-date=7 December 2021 |website=TODAY |language=en}}
In 2016, Mothership was incorporated as Bridgewater Holdings Pte Ltd. This was done to change its funding structure from being supported by a social enterprise to a fully commercial media business.
In 2017, Mothership rebranded itself.{{Cite web |title=Mothership Rebrand: Smile! |url=https://brandingsingapore.blogspot.com/2017/06/mothership-rebrand.html |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Branding Singapore}}
In 2019, Mothership’s application for press accreditation was approved by the Ministry of Communications and Information.{{Cite web |title=时事网站 “慈母舰” 申请媒体证获政府批准 {{!}} 联合早报 |url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/znews/singapore/story20191120-1006668 |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=www.zaobao.com.sg |language=zh-Hans}} This meant that it would have access to government information, news, and events.{{Cite web |title=MCI PAC Online |url=https://www.mci.gov.sg/paconline |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Base |language=en}} However, the press accreditation has been temporarily revoked, 6 months each, twice for breaking press embargo, once in 2022, and once in 2023.
In 2022, Mothership launched a creative space called "Matchbox".{{Cite web |last=Teo |first=Josephine |date=12 November 2022 |title=Congratulations, Mothership! |url=https://www.facebook.com/Josephine.LM.Teo/posts/congratulations-mothershipcan-you-recall-the-time-when-you-were-nine-years-oldat/659745642188149/}}{{Cite web |last=Astha |first=Nurzatiman |date=2024-03-28 |title=The Business of Necessity — What the co-founder of Mothership imagines its future to look like |url=https://www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg/interviews/mothership-martino-tan-interview/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=The Peak Magazine |language=en}}
Reception
In 2021, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism issued a Digital News Report, writing that Mothership was used by 42% of Singapore's population.{{Cite web|title=Singapore|url=https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2021/singapore|access-date=8 December 2021|website=Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism|language=en}}
In the 2023 edition of the study, Mothership emerged as the most used online news source in Singapore, surpassing mainstream competitors CNA and The Straits Times.{{cite news |last1=Chong |first1=Xin Wei |title=Mothership beats mainstream news platforms, becomes most used online source |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/mothership-beats-mainstream-news-platforms-becomes-most-used-online-source |access-date=12 July 2023 |publisher=The Business Times |date=15 June 2023}}
Incidents
= Plagiarism =
In 2019, Mothership was caught copying content from Today without giving attribution. The content was amended to include an attribution and was subsequently removed.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-25 |title=TODAY calls out Mothership for picking up their story without attributing source - Singapore News |url=https://theindependent.sg/today-calls-out-mothership-for-picking-up-their-story-without-attributing-source/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=The Independent Singapore News |language=en-US}}
= Lin Lin =
On 19 September 2023, Mothership reported on a Singapore-based Chinese influencer, Lin Lin, and misreported that she was a "tourist from China" when she had been living in Singapore for eight years and had been creating "helpful" content about life in Singapore. After the inaccurate article was published, Lin Lin became the subject of inappropriate comments, which she said was affecting her private life. Her private requests to Mothership for amendments were largely ignored. Mothership then changed its headline to replace "tourist" with "woman", of which Lin Lin viewed as "a deliberate attempt at causing controversy". She publicly requested for Mothership to take down the "false content" and issue a public apology in a video rant, after which Mothership apologised in an editor's note on the article, and amended their article while taking down the accompanying Instagram post.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-23 |title=Woman Falls Victim To Cyberbullying After Mothership Article Inaccurately Calls Her 'Tourist From China' |url=https://mustsharenews.com/mothership-woman-tourist/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Must Share News - Independent News For Singaporeans |language=en-GB}}
Subsequently, Mothership and Lin Lin published a public statement saying that Lin Lin has accepted Mothership’s apology and hopes to move on from the matter.{{Cite web |date=18 December 2023 |title=最近收到了很多私信问我近况如何 一些想跟大家说的话 谢谢大家的关心☺️ |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C0-84GnSsXS/?img_index=1 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Instagram}}{{Cite web |date=18 December 2023 |title=A note to our audiences. |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C0_HSfRy8JI/?img_index=1 |website=Instagram}}
= Breaking of embargo =
On 18 February 2022, Mothership published an infographic on the Goods and Services Tax hike ahead of a press embargo.{{Cite web |last=Lim |first=Jessie |date=2022-03-24 |title=Mothership's press accreditation suspended until Aug 18 for breaking Budget embargo {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/motherships-press-accreditation-suspended-until-aug-18-for-breaking-budget-embargo |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}} As a result, the site had its government press accreditation suspended for six months after an appeal was submitted to the Ministry of Communications and Information, thus losing access to press conferences and media briefings held by government agencies.{{Cite web |title=Mothership's press accreditation suspended until Aug 18 for breaking embargo during Budget |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mothership-mci-press-accreditation-suspended-six-months-breaking-budget-embargo-2585371 |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=CNA |language=en}}
On 29 September 2023, its government press accreditation was suspended for breaking embargo on an impending hike on water usage charges in Singapore, with a member of its editorial team breaching the safeguards put in place after the previous break of embargo.{{Cite web |title=Mothership’s press accreditation suspended again for breaking embargo on increase in water prices |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mothership-suspended-press-accreditation-break-embargo-water-prices-3808076 |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=CNA |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Lim |first=Kolette |date=2023-09-29 |title=Mothership’s press accreditation suspended again after breaking embargo on PUB announcement |language=en |work=The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mothership-s-press-accreditation-suspended-by-mci-for-breaking-embargo-on-pub-announcement |access-date=2023-09-29 |issn=0585-3923}} The suspension was lifted in March 2024.{{Cite web |title=Mothership's press accreditation suspended for 6 months after second embargo breach in 2 years |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mothership-press-accreditation-suspended-six-months-march-2024-break-embargo-3877021 |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=CNA |language=en}}
References
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