Singapore tightens rules on news websites
SINGAPORE: Singapore's official media watchdog Tuesday announced
licensing rules for news websites, including the local Yahoo! portal,
that will subject them to the same regulations as traditional media.
From June 1, websites which have more than 50,000 unique visitors
from Singapore every month and publish at least one local news article a
week must obtain an annual licence from the Media Development Authority
(MDA).
Websites granted a licence will have to remove "prohibited content"
such as articles that undermine "racial or religious harmony" within 24
hours of being notified by the authority, the MDA said in a statement.
"This will place them on a more consistent regulatory framework with
traditional news platforms which are already individually licensed," it
said.
Yahoo! has gained popularity as an alternative news and opinion
source in Singapore, where the mainstream media is widely perceived as
pro-government.
It has also become a magnet for strident anti-government and
anti-foreigner comments posted by readers in reaction to some news
stories.
The MDA said it expected "no change in content standards" since
websitesmust already comply with content restrictions under current
regulations.
Licensed websites will have to put up a sum of Sg$50,000 ($39,500) as
a "performance bond" similar to what is required of smaller
broadcasters.
Industry sources told AFP the bond can be forfeited if a media
company refuses to comply with regulations and MDA directives.
Yahoo! is among the 10 websites named by the MDA as subject to
licensing under the new regulations.
The other nine belong to local media companies Singapore Press
Holdings and Mediacorp. "We are not in a position to respond until we
receive the actual licence conditions for review," Alan Soon, the
"country ambassador" for Yahoo! Singapore, told AFP when asked for
comment.
AFP
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