Function Authoritarianism describes a form of social control characterized by strict obedience to the authority of a state or organisation, often maintaining and enforcing control through the use of oppressive measure. It is to support and advance the policies of government in power and to serve the state. The press in Singapore function on the basis of the expectation that it help foster national interests as defined by the government.
Relationship between government and media Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (NPPA) (1974) (derived from the colonial Printing Presses Act of 1920) allows the Singapore government to wield a three-pronged strategy in controlling the press, its ownership, personnel and ultimately, published content. Media helps to cascade government's policies.
Ownership Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) is publicly owned. Media Corporation of Singapore (MCS), who handles daily newspaper Today, is previously government-owned. Now, it has converted into a private corporation. Media Development Authority (MDA) is part of the Singapore government.
How are media controlled? In 2002, the Minister of Information, Communications and Arts announced that a new agency, the Media Development Authority (MDA) would supervise all forms of media operating in Singapore. MDA is part of the Singapore government. The government indirectly controls the media through Temasek Holdings.
Press Laws The press in Singapore, in addition to functioning on the basis of the expectation that it help foster national interests as defined by the government, is also under the latter's strict supervision, as it has to operate within a number of legal constraints. The principal and most comprehensive piece of legislation that affects print publications is the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (1974) or NPPA. This legislation (derived from the colonial Printing Presses Act of 1920) allows the Singapore government to wield a three-pronged strategy in controlling the press, its ownership, personnel and ultimately, published content. A 1986 amendment to the NPPA allows the government's Ministry of Communication to reduce the number of copies circulated in Singapore of any foreign publication that was labeled as engaging in domestic politics. This gives the government broad latitude in terms of reducing the availability of a particular publication within the republic without seeming to suppress or eliminate it completely. the charge of interfering in domestic politics followed that publication's critical coverage of the government's political actions (e.g., alleged unfair treatment of the miniscule opposition parties or its members) or business news defined as negative. There is no free media in Singapore. Government control of the media, government statements that social and political stability is more important than freedom, government action against people who do not comply with official regulations and the absence of free indigenous media companies, would affect people’s perceptions on freedom of the press and its necessity against social harmony.
Government licences
Business licences - Arts Entertainment Licence - Dealers' Licence - Film Exhibition Licence - Internet Service Provider Licence - Newspaper Permit - Non-residential TV Licence - Printing press - Satellite Broadcasting Licence - TV receive-only Licence - Video Licence - Licence Framework for Broadcasting IPTV services
Public licences - Residential TV Licence - Vehicle Radio Licence
Censorship Censorship in Singapore mainly targets sexual, political, racial and religious issues. The Government of Singapore argues that censorship of violence and sexual themes is necessary as the Singaporean populace is deeply conservative, and censorship of political, racial and religious content is necessary to avoid upsetting the balance of Singapore's delicate multi-racial society. K Bhavani, spokesperson of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, has stated.