Login
Login

SPH Media

{{Short description|Media company in Singapore}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{Undisclosed paid|date=January 2024}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2022}}

{{Unreliable sources|date=September 2024}}

}}

{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox company

| name = SPH Media Trust

| logo = Logo_of_SPH_Media.webp

| logo_size =

| image = Singapore Press Holdings Headquarters 20230725 173420.jpg

| image_caption = Headquarters of SPH Media at Toa Payoh

| type = Company limited by guarantee (SMT){{cite web|title=SPH MEDIA TRUST (202125108M) - Singapore Business Directory|accessdate=3 October 2022|publisher=SGPBusiness.com|url=https://www.sgpbusiness.com/company/Sph-Media-Trust|archive-date=3 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003072720/https://www.sgpbusiness.com/company/Sph-Media-Trust|url-status=live}}

| industry = Mass media

| foundation = {{start date and age|df=y|2021|12|01}}

| location = Toa Payoh, Singapore

| key_people = Khaw Boon Wan (Chairman)
Chan Yeng Kit (CEO)

| num_employees = 2,500

| homepage = {{url|http://www.sph.com.sg}}

}}

SPH Media Trust (SMT), trading as SPH Media, is a mass media company in Singapore. It was incorporated on July 19, 2021, as a company limited by guarantee, it was a spin off from Singapore Press Holdings as part of a restructuring. It owns several major newspapers in the country, including the English-language The Straits Times and The Business Times, Chinese-language Lianhe Zaobao and Shin Min Daily News, Malay-language Berita Harian, and the Tamil Murasu. The company also publishes magazines and operates five radio stations.

It forms part of a duopoly of the mass media in the country, alongside the state-owned enterprise Mediacorp.{{cite news |date=17 February 2020 |title=Singapore profile - Media |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-15966553 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719041236/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-15966553 |archive-date=19 July 2018 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC News |language=en}} SPH Media has over 2,500 employees, including a team of approximately 1,000 journalists, including correspondents operating around the world.

History

Singapore Press Holdings Limited (SPH) was formed on August 4, 1984, through a merger of three organisations, The Straits Times Press Group, Singapore News and Publications Limited and Times Publishing Berhad.{{cite web |title=Formation of Singapore Press Holdings |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/34789177-5f5e-468d-9a77-db3680ce4161 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320051059/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/34789177-5f5e-468d-9a77-db3680ce4161 |archive-date=20 March 2021 |access-date=13 August 2019 |publisher=NLB}}

SPH readership has stagnated since the early-2000s, as Singaporeans increasingly turned to online media for their news consumption.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-27 |title=Why did SPH restructure? Umbrage, COVID-19 and SGAG |url=https://samizdat.ghost.io/why-did-sph-restructure-the-role-of-covid-19-public-trust-and-new-alternatives-to-the-mainstream/ |access-date=2021-05-29 |website=Singapore Samizdat |language=en |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212158/https://samizdat.ghost.io/why-did-sph-restructure-the-role-of-covid-19-public-trust-and-new-alternatives-to-the-mainstream/ |url-status=live }}

On May 6, 2021, SPH in response to shareholder pressures, had proposed that it would restructure itself and transfer its media business into a company limited by guarantee (CLG), which will be privately managed.{{Cite web|last=Ho|first=Grace|date=2021-05-06|title=SPH to restructure media business into not-for-profit entity to support quality journalism|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sph-to-restructure-media-business-into-not-for-profit-entity|access-date=2021-07-20|website=The Straits Times|language=en|archive-date=23 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323171730/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sph-to-restructure-media-business-into-not-for-profit-entity|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Why Singapore Press Holdings is Restructuring|url=https://thediplomat.com/2021/05/why-singapore-press-holdings-is-restructuring/|access-date=2021-07-20|website=thediplomat.com|language=en-US|archive-date=3 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503093052/https://thediplomat.com/2021/05/why-singapore-press-holdings-is-restructuring/|url-status=live}} The new company would initially be managed by the holders of SPH's management shareholders at the time, while still having to issue new management shares of the media business under the CLG as required by Newspaper and Printing Presses Act.{{Cite web|last=Kurohi|first=Rei|date=2021-05-11|title=Management shares and CLGs|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/management-shares-and-clgs|access-date=2021-07-20|website=The Straits Times|language=en|archive-date=23 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323171729/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/management-shares-and-clgs|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Lim|first=Raphael|date=10 May 2021|title=Khaw Boon Wan to be chairman of SPH Media CLG, management shareholders to be founding members|url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/khaw-boon-wan-to-be-chairman-of-sph-media-clg-management-shareholders-to-be|access-date=2021-07-20|website=The Business Times|archive-date=2 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902184414/https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/khaw-boon-wan-to-be-chairman-of-sph-media-clg-management-shareholders-to-be|url-status=live}} The government would also lift the shareholder limits on the currently listed SPH entity. This new CLG was named SPH Media Trust.{{Cite web|last=Ong|first=Justin|date=2021-12-01|title=SPH Media Trust launches with mission for ST and media titles to be trusted source of news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sph-media-trust-launches-with-mission-for-st-and-media-titles-to-be-trusted-source-of-news|access-date=2021-12-12|website=The Straits Times|language=en|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215070700/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sph-media-trust-launches-with-mission-for-st-and-media-titles-to-be-trusted-source-of-news|url-status=live}}

On September 10, 2021, an extraordinary general meeting was convened over the restructuring proposal to transfer all media business-related assets and staff to SMT. Approximately 97.55% of the 300 shareholders voted in favour of the proposal.{{Cite web |title=SPH shareholders vote in favour of hiving off loss-making media business |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/09/13/sph-shareholders-vote-favour-hiving-loss-making-media-business |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=The Drum |archive-date=22 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322072028/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/09/13/sph-shareholders-vote-favour-hiving-loss-making-media-business |url-status=live }} The transfer was completed on 1 December 2021. The assets transferred included its headquarters, News Center, and its press, Print Center, as well as all intellectual property and information technology assets. Along with the assets transfer, 2,500 staff were transferred to SMT as well. SPH had also injected SMT with {{SGD|80 million}} cash and {{SGD|30 million}} of SPH stocks and SPH REIT units.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-12-02 |title=SPH announces completion of media restructuring |url=https://sbr.com.sg/media-marketing/news/sph-announces-completion-media-restructuring |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Singapore Business Review |language=en |archive-date=25 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525223412/https://sbr.com.sg/media-marketing/news/sph-announces-completion-media-restructuring |url-status=live }}

As part of its restructuring, it discontinued the print publication of The New Paper on December 11, 2021, becoming a digital-only publication.{{Cite web |title=The New Paper goes fully digital amidst plans to accelerate newsroom transformation |url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/the-new-paper-goes-fully-digital-amidst-plans-to-accelerate-newsroom-transformation |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=www.marketing-interactive.com |date=21 September 2021 |language=en-gb |archive-date=2 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402134210/https://www.marketing-interactive.com/the-new-paper-goes-fully-digital-amidst-plans-to-accelerate-newsroom-transformation |url-status=live }} It also merged the Lianhe Wanbao (联合晚报) into the Shin Min Daily News (新明日报) on 24 December 2021, citing the limited number of Chinese media talent in the country, redundancy in content, and a plan to focus on bolstering its digital operations.{{Cite web |title=Lianhe Wanbao and Shin Min Daily News to merge |url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/lianhe-wanbao-and-shin-min-daily-news-to-merge |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=www.marketing-interactive.com |date=27 September 2021 |language=en-gb |archive-date=23 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323045331/https://www.marketing-interactive.com/lianhe-wanbao-and-shin-min-daily-news-to-merge |url-status=live }}

To aid with the restructuring of its operations, the Singapore government announced on February 16, 2022, that it would provide SMT up to {{SGD|900 million}} over the next five years, with the amount dependent on achieving certain targets such as reach and engagement of its products and to certain vernacular groups and youth.{{Cite web |title=Govt to provide SPH Media Trust up to S$900 million over 5 years as it loses money restructuring |url=https://mothership.sg/2022/02/sph-media-trust-900-million/ |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=mothership.sg |language=en |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216124422/https://mothership.sg/2022/02/sph-media-trust-900-million/ |url-status=live }}

A review of internal processes of SMT was started in March 2022 which included the reporting of circulation data.{{Cite web |title=SPH Media circulation numbers found to be inflated by 10-12%; senior staff taken to task, Govt probe underway |url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sph-media-circulation-numbers-inflated-senior-staff-taken-task-2086266 |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=TODAY |language=en |archive-date=20 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220101058/https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sph-media-circulation-numbers-inflated-senior-staff-taken-task-2086266 |url-status=live }} In January 2023, it was reported that daily circulation numbers of SPH's publications, including broadsheets The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, were inflated by 10 to 12 percent. The figures were inflated due to double counting of subscriptions, a project account which was funded to purchase fictitious circulation and arbitrarily derived circulation numbers.

Ownership

{{See also|Media in Singapore|Singapore Press Holdings#Ownership}}

As a private company, SPH Media Trust is managed privately by its shareholders. The initial shareholders were made up of the management shareholders of Singapore Press Holdings, as SPH was a newspaper company as defined under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (NPPA) of 1974. The management shares are regulated through NPPA and its issuance and transfers have to be approved by the Ministry of Communications and Information, and in "any resolution relating to the appointment or dismissal of a director or any member of the staff" the vote of one management share is equivalent to 200 ordinary shares.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aA-LBgAAQBAJ|title=Freedom from the Press: Journalism and State Power in Singapore|last=George|first=Cherian|date=2012-04-01|publisher=NUS Press|isbn=9789971695941|pages=31|language=en|access-date=23 March 2022|archive-date=26 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026225013/https://books.google.com/books?id=aA-LBgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}

New management shares are to be issued to the individual media businesses under SMT.

The institutional members of SMT are:{{Cite web | title = Institutional Members of SPH Media Trust | url = https://www.sph.com.sg/institutional-members-of-sph-media-trust/ | website = SPH Media Limited | language = en-us | access-date = 13 February 2023 | archive-date = 3 September 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230903014328/https://www.sph.com.sg/institutional-members-of-sph-media-trust/ | url-status = live }}

Newspapers

SPH Media publishes 9 newspaper titles in four languages in Singapore.{{cite web|url=https://www.sph.com.sg/our-brands/news/|title=News|website=SPH Media|access-date=4 September 2023|archive-date=3 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903014333/https://www.sph.com.sg/our-brands/news/|url-status=live}}

English

  • The Straits Times (Sunday edition: The Sunday Times)
  • The Business Times (Saturday edition: The Business Times Weekend)
  • The New Paper – English tabloid newspaper
  • STOMP – citizen journalism web portal
  • tabla! – free English language newspaper for the Indian community; 30,000 copies distributed each Friday at 7-Eleven outlets

Chinese

  • Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) (Sunday edition: zbSunday){{Cite web |date=2014-03-27 |title=Refreshed zbSunday offers a brighter and livelier read |url=https://www.asiaone.com/refreshed-zbsunday-offers-brighter-and-livelier-read |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=AsiaOne |language=en |archive-date=2 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402134209/https://www.asiaone.com/refreshed-zbsunday-offers-brighter-and-livelier-read |url-status=live }}
  • Shin Min Daily News (新明日报) – Chinese tabloid newspaper

Malay

Tamil

Magazines

SPH Media publishes and produces 9 magazine titles in Singapore and the region, covering a range of interests from lifestyle to information technology.{{cite web|url=https://www.sph.com.sg/our-brands/lifestyle/|title=Lifestyle|website=SPH Media|access-date=4 September 2023|archive-date=3 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903131742/https://www.sph.com.sg/our-brands/lifestyle/|url-status=live}}

  • Female
  • HardwareZone
  • Harper's Bazaar Singapore{{cite web|url=http://www.harpersbazaar.com.sg|title=Harper's BAZAAR Singapore/Fashion, Beauty, Travel, Parties & Culture|website=Harper's Bazaar Singapore|access-date=14 August 2015|archive-date=20 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320051057/https://www.harpersbazaar.com.sg/|url-status=live}}
  • Her World
  • Home & Decor
  • ICON
  • Nüyou
  • The Peak
  • Singapore Women's Weekly{{Cite web|url=https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/|title=Homepage|first=Seah Pei|last=Jun|website=The Singapore Women's Weekly|access-date=29 May 2019|archive-date=20 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320051057/https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/|url-status=live}}

Radio

SPH Media manages and operates 5 radio stations: 96.3 Hao FM and UFM100.3 in Mandarin, as well as MONEY FM 89.3, Kiss92 FM and ONE FM 91.3 in English.{{cite web|url=https://www.sph.com.sg/our-brands/radio/|title=Radio|website=SPH Media|access-date=4 September 2023|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829162629/https://www.sph.com.sg/our-brands/radio/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sphradio.sg/ |title=SPH Radio |website=SPH Radio |access-date=9 May 2022 |archive-date=4 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504232734/https://www.sphradio.sg/ |url-status=live }}

class="wikitable"

!style="background: #007FFF; color:white" align="center"|Frequency

!style="background: #007FFF; color:white" align="center"|Station

!style="background: #007FFF; color:white" align="center"|Language

!style="background: #007FFF; color:white" align="center"|Genre

!style="background: #007FFF; color:white" align="center"|First air date

89.3 MHzMoney FM 89.3rowspan="3" | EnglishFinancial news/talk29 January 2018
91.3 MHzOne FM 91.3Classic hits
Modern adult contemporary		2 March 1991
92.0 MHzKiss92 FMUrban adult contemporary3 September 2012
96.3 MHz96.3 Hao FMrowspan="2" | Mandarin ChineseClassic hits (C-pop)
Infotainment		8 January 2018
100.3 MHzUFM100.3Adult contemporary (Mandopop)2 March 1991

Other media

= Straits Times Press =

SPH Media's subsidiary Straits Times Press produces books and periodicals in English and Chinese.

= Digital =

Apart from AsiaOne and Tech In Asia, SPH Media's online and new media initiatives include STJobs, online portal for jobs; and STClassifieds for general classified ads.

= Advertising =

SPH Media has ventured into outdoor advertising through its digital out-of-home platform SPHMBO.{{cite web|url=https://www.sph.com.sg/out-of-home-advertising/|title=Out-Of-Home Advertising|website=SPH Media|access-date=August 25, 2023|archive-date=25 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825075759/https://www.sph.com.sg/out-of-home-advertising/|url-status=live}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Library resources box

|onlinebooks=no

|by=yes

|lcheading=Singapore Press Holdings

}}

  • {{official website|http://www.sph.com.sg/}}

{{SPH Media}}

{{Chinese-language radio}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2021 establishments in Singapore

Category:Publishing companies established in 2021

Category:Mass media companies established in 2021

Category:Mass media companies of Singapore

Category:Newspaper companies of Singapore

Category:Singaporean brands

Category:Singaporean companies established in 2021