[softy54534]

The political desk or section was never treated the same as the others. Journalists faced difficulties and "dry spells" that no other department does. They have more rejected articles, more heavily edited articles, more difficulty in getting news from both ruling party and opposition politicians and more submission of zero work. The result is low morale and high turnover until staffing issues are now at a critical stage like nursing or bus drivers.

Singapolitics killed two birds in one stone. The cubs can now write more and write more freely on this blog with stuff that would never see the light of the day in printed press. Like it or not online reach is still behind printed press. Effectively these journalists were made to evolve into full time paid bloggers.

It can also serve as a competitor to the online blogs (TOC, TRE, PH, NAR etc) and would have an edge over them by being run by paid staff. By that effect it can position itself to be objective, balanced and non-partisan than the pro-PAP press and blogsphere which are largely pro-opposition, agenda-based and emotion-run.

It's quite elementary. Why Singapolitics and not a Singafood or Singasports.

My sense is that Singapolitics will grow in the long run and dominate if bloggers are not careful and continue to self-serve.