Tutorial 8: Vox Pop Reflections

During the activity, I learnt the importance of preparation. Preparing the angle was a huge part of the activity since the questions generated would revolve around it. However, my partner and I only realised that our angle was not fully developed nor specific enough afterwards, which was why we had to change our angle. Thankfully, we were still able to use the interviews we had already done. I felt that the concepts I learnt were helpful as it made sure that I was at least able to identify my mistake and correctly formulate my questions.

Another lesson that I learnt from the activity would be communication. I realised that the questions I asked may not be particularly clear for those who were unaware of the incident. As a result, I often had to repeat the question or fill in the blanks for my interviewee who may have misunderstood me. I was surprised when my first interviewee had to clarify his doubt multiple times. Subsequently, I realised that I had not explained the situation well enough to him, which led to him having to constantly question me about the incident. I took note of this and made sure that for subsequent interviews, the background information I provided was short but specific and as clear as possible. I also did not face much troubles coming up with follow-up questions. In fact, I made use of follow-up questions to get more information or to clarify any doubts I found. This proved to be effective in coercing more developed answers from my interviewees.

Tutorial 8: Transcribing

Interviewee 1:

Topic:The
consequences of
doxxing in the face of
injustice.
Josiah (17) Student
from School Of IIT
taking Common IT
Program.
Taken on 11 July 2019 at 1032. Interview was taken at SIT.
Q1. I am Pelicia from Communications and Media Management and I
just wanted to ask you some questions. Do you mind?

Ans: Sure

Q2. So can you introduce yourself, your name, your school and your age?

Ans: I am Josiah from School of IT and I am 17.

Q3. So have you heard of the peeping Tom cases in universities?

Ans: I have heard about them but have not delved much into detail with
them. Like I do not know much about them but I have heard of them.

Q4. Okay so, I just wanted to ask you some questions regarding this
particular incident that occurred in NUS. So it was about a student named Monica Baey who was filmed while showering by this other student
named Nicolas Lim. Then afterwards, she felt that the punishment that
was given to him was unfair and so she exposed his name and his
personal details online. So do you think that the punishment that was
first given to Nicholas Lim by the university, which was suspension for a
semester and a 12 month conditional warning, do you think that was
fair?

Ans: Er… I think that it is suitable within the rights of what a school can
do but like, I think they could have done more.

Q5. So what else could they have done?

Ans: I do not know the law very well, but I think like the police should
have done something.

Q6. So what could the police have done?

Ans: I don’t know.

Q7. Okay then. So, do you think that Monica Baey was in the wrong for
exposing Nicolas Lim, who was her perpetrator?

Ans: Yes, I think so. I think she should have handled it in a more mature way that did not involve getting the entire internet against him.

Q8. Okay, but how could she have handled it in a more mature way then? Because even after she reported it, the punishment that they gave was
still seen as unsatisfactory.

Ans: She could have drawn attention to the issue that the punishment
was not severe enough instead of doxxing the guy.

Q9. Okay that was actually what she did. But essentially, she talked about the inadequate punishment but also exposed his personal details and
name on the internet which resulted in people harassing him.

Ans: Exposing the guy’s personal details is an unnecessary act and I dont think she should have done that.

Q10. Do you think that the perpetrator deserved all the backlash that he
got? Like the harassment and the lynch mobs.

Ans: Deserved it as in like, he was wrong and he should be shamed for doing it, but like the sheer scale of it was not right. I do not think he
deserves the sheer scale of it. Although his actions were wrong and I feel
that he deserves the shaming but not on the scale that was applied to
him.

Interviewee 2:

Topic: The
consequences of
doxxing in the face of
injustice.
Clarine (17) Student
from School of Business taking
Common Business
Program
Taken on 11 July 2019 at 1104. Interview was taken at BizPark
(Business School
Canteen)
Q1. My name is Pelicia Tan and this is Marsha, and we are both from
Communications and Media Management. We just wanted to ask you
some questions, is that alright?

Ans: Cool

Q2. Okay, so can you introduce yourself, your name, age and your school?

Ans: I am Clarine. I am from Business School, Common Business Program and I am 17 this year.

Q3. Okay, So Clarine have your heard of the peeping tom cases in
universities?

Ans: Ya, I did.

Q4. So can you describe one of the cases if you remember?

Ans: Sure, I heard about the NUS case. Apparently someone recorded a
girl bathing or something.

Q5. Do you remember what happened after that?

Ans: Er… I think she reported it to the university but they did not really
take action so she… I mean she just… she reported it to the police I think? I am not sure. But they also did not do much about it and then after that, she just posted it on Instagram to share her story, and then it went viral.

Q6. So how did you learn of this incident?

Ans: I saw her Instagram.

Q7. So did you think that doxxing, which is what the girl, Monica Baey,
did, do you think that it was alright in this situation? Do you think that it was reasonable?

Ans: Ya, I think that it was reasonable, I mean she is just standing up for what is right.

Q8. So… in that case, do you think that she was wrong for exposing the
perpetrator, Nicolas Lim?

Ans: No, I do not think she is wrong, because she reported it to the
university but they did not do much, and I think by sharing her story it
will help others also, other victims.

Q9. Okay so last question. So did you think that after Monica Baey posted the story, because it went viral right, do you think that Nicolas Lim
actually deserved all the backlash? Like the lynch mobs and the
harassment?

Ans: Yeah, I think he deserves it but I also think that we should give him
another chance, like forgive him.

Interviewee 3:

Topic: The views of
Temasek Polytechnic
students on peeping
tom incidents in
universities.
Gabrielle (17) Student
from School Of
Business taking
Diploma in
Law and Management
Taken on 11 July 2019 at 1742. Interview
done at Student
Alumni Hub (SAH)
Q1. So, my name is Pelicia Tan from Communications and Media
Management. Is it okay if I take about 5 minutes to ask you a few
questions?

Ans: No problem.

Q2. Can you start off by introducing yourself,your school and your age?

Ans: I am Gabrielle from TP (Temasek Polytechnic) Business School. I am 17.

Q3. Okay so, …erm have you heard of the peeping tom cases in
universities?

Ans: Some, yes.

Q4. So do you have any examples of these cases?

Ans: Not really, I just hear them and not really care about them.

Q5. So basically, the main case that we are going to talk about is the
Monica Baey incident, where she was filmed showering in NUS by this
other student named Nicolas Lim. And after she reported it to the
university, she felt that the punishment was inadequate and exposed
him, his name and his personal details online. So, do you think that the
punishment that was originally given, which was a suspension for a
semester, as well as, a 12 month conditional warning was reasonable and fair for Nicolas Lim?

Ans: I think it could be more serious because it should not be just within the school. I feel like the punishment should be much bigger, especially if the victim did not agree with the punishment. I think it is not fair for the victim.

Q6. Okay so what are some of these harsher punishments that you think
could be implemented?

Ans: Like usually if people had some objection of the punishment, they
would go to court. So in court you would not just get like a suspension
and stuff like that. So, I think the punishment should have been
something more serious than a suspension like maybe expulsion or
something like that.

Q7. So do you think Monica Baey was in the wrong for exposing Nicolas
Lim?

Ans: …erm legally no, but morally… it depends. If she felt very hurt, then I guess it is fine.

Q8. Okay, so do you think that the perpetrator, Nicolas Lim, deserved all
of the backlash that he got? Like the lynch mobs, the harassment and all
that from netizens?

Ans: I do not think that he deserves that much of backlash. Especially if it is harassment, because he already got the punishment he was supposed
to get. So I do not think that people should get at him even after his
punishment already.

Q9. Sorry, earlier you said that these punishments were inadequate and
should be more serious, but you also just said that Nicolas Lim has gotten the punishment that he deserved. Can you just clarify how you feel about the punishments?

Ans: I think these punishments should be more serious, but should be
given by the state and not netizens.

Tutorial 7: Writing drills

Singapore Airlines to reveal longest commercial flight in the world.

Singapore airlines will launch a flight with a travelling time of about 19 hours, making it the longest commercial flight globally.

The first flight will commence on 11 October 2018 and travel from Singapore to Newark Liberty Airport in New York. Singapore Airlines acquired a new Airbus model, A350-900ULR, meant for ultra-long-range flights on 22 September 2018. This aircraft model will be used for the current route between New York and Singapore, as well as a future route planned from Singapore to Los Angeles. The aircraft will only offer 2 classes, Business and Premium economy.

ITAS canteens, Flavours, to replace management and will be temporarily closed.

On 31 May 2019, ITAS canteen, Flavours, closed its doors as the management team in charge was changed. Mr Ang, owner of Snack and Pastries, cited declining sales as a reason why “the management does not want to renew” its tenancy. As a result of this replacement, all staff, including cleaners and stall owners, will be replaced as well. Many of them felt resigned to their fate and stated that their only future plan was to “just work elsewhere”.

Students from ITAS were also upset, although they were still quite understanding about the change. Sabrina, a Muslim student taking the Diploma of Pharmaceutical Science, stated that “if [Temasek Polytechnic] thinks it is for the better than it is okay”. However, she still felt reluctant and worried about the change, as she mentioned that Flavours was “one of [the canteens with the most] halal stores”. 

Tutorial 5: The Right Angle (with edits)

  • Who?

Neo Gim Huah

  • What?

Arrested and sentenced to three weeks in jail

  • When?

His court proceedings occurred on May 23,2017

  • Where?

State court

  • How?

On April 11, 2017 , Neo Gim Huah slapped Amos Yee ,who had been walking towards the State Court for a hearing.

  • Why?

He had decided to take matters into his own hands and teach Yee a lesson.

I feel that ‘why’ and ‘what’ is the most important as it provides the reason for Neo Gim Huah’s arrest and the consequences of trying to take justice into your own hands.

The story is newsworthy as it happened in Singapore and hence, fulfils the criteria of Proximity. Furthermore, Amos Yee is an infamous teen blogger who was despised by most of Singapore for his degrading and insensitive comments on the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. As such, the story also fulfils the criteria of Eminence and Prominence. Another news criteria that the story displays is Action. Neo Gim Huah had publicly and intentionally harmed Amos Yee so as to “teach him a lesson”.

Neo Gim Huah had intentionally slapped Amos Yee as the latter was making his way towards the State court for his hearing. He had done so in front of journalists and the public, so that “the incident would gain maximum publicity” as stated by District Judge Ronald Gwee. The clips and photos taken were then spread on social media and gained a lot of attention.

The story is prominent as it informs the public that justice is best served by the court and that they should avoid taking justice into their own hands. Regardless of whether an infamous person like Amos Yee deserved it or not, harming someone intentionally would warrant a punishment. This information is important to act as it acts as a deterrence against people trying to serve their own brand of justice.

Tutorial 6: Finding the News Point

Press release by Singapore Airlines

The angle that I have chosen to pursue would be “Singapore Airlines to reveal longest commercial flight in the world.” This story is newsworthy because it involves Singapore, hence fulfilling the criteria of Proximity. This news story would interest frequent fliers who may have to travel between New York and Singapore. The story is also interesting as it shows the development of flight technology and how the plane is able travel a long distance from Singapore to America.

The ‘who’ of the story would be Singapore Airlines (SIA) and ‘where’ is Singapore. The article shows that on 11 October 2018 (When), SIA will launch a new commercial flight between Singapore and Newark Liberty Airport in New York. (What) This flight has a travelling time of about 19 hours, which makes it the longest commercial flight in the world. (Why). Singapore Airlines will be using the A350-900ULR that they acquired from Airbus. The new airbus has only two classes offered, Business and Premium Economy. (How)

I would prioritize “Why” because it is essentially the angle that I have chosen and shows what makes the flight the longest one in the world.

Other information that I would require would be the pricing of the flight and previous plane models that SIA has bought from, as well as flight routes that SIA currently operate.

Questions that I would ask Frequent Fliers and potential passengers include “Would you take this flight? Why?” and “What do you think about the flight?”. I would also like to ask company representatives, “Why did the company launch this flight?” and “Do you foresee any potential problems that may stem from the flight?”

Executive summary by Select Committee

The angle that I have chosen to pursue for this story would be “The consequences of online falsehood and countermeasures that can be taken.” This story is newsworthy due to increasing occurrences of online falsehoods globally. This story fulfills the criteria of Consequences and Impact as it shows the consequences of spreading online falsehood or fake news and the impacts of such false information on the world. The public has to be informed of such information as it is important for them to know what they can do to stop the spread of such falsehoods.

The ‘who’ of the article would be the Select committee and the ‘where’ would be Singapore. The article is a report on online falsehoods and its spread in the world as well as its impacts on Singapore. (What) The report shows causes of online falsehoods and its impacts when such falsehoods are spread. (Why) It also presents solutions and action that can be taken to counter online falsehoods and its proliferation globally. (How) I find that ‘How’ is the most important as it shows what can be done by both individuals and the government in curbing the spread of online falsehoods.

Information that I require would be statistics on the growth of online falsehoods, studies on the topic done by local and international universities, as well as examples of online falsehoods.

Some questions I would ask government officials would be “is there a contingency plan in place for dealing with widespread falsehood?” and “does the government plan to improve on any current laws in place?’

I would also interview the public with questions like “have you accidentally spread fake news before? What was it about?” and “If not, have you heard of such incidents from others?”. I would also ask “How did you react after realizing your mistake?” and “Did you attempt to make a correction after realizing your mistake?”

Speech by Minister Ong Ye Kung

The angle that I have selected for this story would be “Universities to begin focusing on holistic development”. This story is newsworthy as it fulfills the criteria of Eminence and Prominence since the speaker is the Minister of Education in Singapore. The story also consists of Consequences and Impact as this speech shows what the education system is focusing on and will eventually shift towards.

The speaker is Ong Ye Kung, the Minister of Education (Who), and he was speaking at the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit 2018, held at National University of Singapore (Where) on September 26, 2018. (When) The speech was on the changing roles of universities. (What) The speech also states that the educational structure has to change to fit with changing work environments. (Why) The speech states that the way to do so would be through collaborations and holistic development of students.(How) I find that ‘why’ is the most important as it shows why changes must happen for universities and the education system.

Some other information required would be current changes in the university system and examples of holistic developments that are currently present in universities or can be incorporated into university systems.

I would like to interview industry partners who currently work with universities. Questions I would like to ask would be “What are your opinions on the speech?” and “How do you think this speech will affect you?”. I would also like to ask current and potential university students questions such as “How helpful do you think these changes will be?” and “How will this affect your education choice/ path?”