10 11 Big challenges, fresh ideas 8 9 MODERN-DAY EDITORS 7 12

(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr Peter Lim speaking to journalists in Times House in July 1984, announcing the proposed merger of The Straits Times Press, Singapore News and Publication Ltd and Times Publishing Berhad. (Above, right) Mr Cheong Yip Seng at work in 1974 when he was New Nation's assistant editor. ST PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN ST PHOTOS: WAN SENG YIP, MAK KIAN SENG
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr Peter Lim speaking to journalists in Times House in July 1984, announcing the proposed merger of The Straits Times Press, Singapore News and Publication Ltd and Times Publishing Berhad. (Above, right) Mr Cheong Yip Seng at work in 1974 when he was New Nation's assistant editor. ST PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN ST PHOTOS: WAN SENG YIP, MAK KIAN SENG
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr Peter Lim speaking to journalists in Times House in July 1984, announcing the proposed merger of The Straits Times Press, Singapore News and Publication Ltd and Times Publishing Berhad. (Above, right) Mr Cheong Yip Seng at work in 1974 when he was New Nation's assistant editor. ST PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN ST PHOTOS: WAN SENG YIP, MAK KIAN SENG
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr Peter Lim speaking to journalists in Times House in July 1984, announcing the proposed merger of The Straits Times Press, Singapore News and Publication Ltd and Times Publishing Berhad. (Above, right) Mr Cheong Yip Seng at work in 1974 when he was New Nation's assistant editor. ST PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN ST PHOTOS: WAN SENG YIP, MAK KIAN SENG
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr
(From right) Mr Leslie Fong holding a story conference with news editor Warren Fernandez, TV news editor Jennifer Lewis and associate editor Bob Ng in October 2000. Mr Fong was appointed editor of The Straits Times in 1987 at age 37. (Above left) Mr Peter Lim speaking to journalists in Times House in July 1984, announcing the proposed merger of The Straits Times Press, Singapore News and Publication Ltd and Times Publishing Berhad. (Above, right) Mr Cheong Yip Seng at work in 1974 when he was New Nation's assistant editor. ST PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN ST PHOTOS: WAN SENG YIP, MAK KIAN SENG

FROM PAGE 6

Peter Lim Heng Loong:He introduced the "What it should have been" column, which publicly acknowledged and corrected errors in the newspaper. He is also credited with popularising the use of graphics in story-telling. Mr Lim, who became editor-in chief in 1978 at age 40, introduced the annual performance appraisal system for staff as well as in-house and overseas training opportunities.

Warren Fernandez:Since becoming editor in 2012 at age 45, Mr Fernandez has turned The Straits Times' newsroom into a 24/7, multimedia operation, ready for the digital age of smartphones, tablets and social media. To deepen the paper's ties with the community, he organised forums on issues like education and foreign affairs, as well as concerts and the ST Run. He led the first ST redesign across print, website and mobile products.

Han Fook Kwang:He was named The Straits Times' editor in 2002 at age 49. A former senior public servant who joined the paper in 1989, he later became its Political Editor. He introduced its weekly Insight section of political features and commentaries. He is the co-author of two books: Lee Kuan Yew: The Man And His Ideas (1997) and Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going (2011), and led the team which worked on Mr Lee's memoirs.

Cheong Yip Seng:He expanded the coverage of national politics,

setting up a political desk in the early 1980s. His belief that "easy reading is damn hard writing" changed journalistic writing in the newspaper. Appointed editor in 1979, at age 35, he became editor-in-chief in 1987. He implemented an editorial policy that affirmed the need to foster national identity and a Singaporean point of view in reporting stories.

Leslie Fong:Appointed editor in 1987 at age 37, he ended the

practice of publishing anonymous letters from readers. He also banned smoking in the newsroom, making The Straits Times among the first newspapers in the world to do so. His term saw the launch of several initiatives like The Straits Times website and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund to help poor children with school expenses.

Patrick Daniel:When Mr Daniel took charge as editor-in-chief in 2007 at age 52, print media across the world was facing huge challenges from online media. Apart from leading The Straits Times' multimedia strategies, he streamlined newsroom processes and restructured the newspaper division into a media group comprising both print and digital operations, as well as business adjacencies such as radio, book publishing and financial data. A former editor of The Business Times, he also oversees the group's Malay and Tamil newspapers.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 15, 2015, with the headline 10 11 Big challenges, fresh ideas 8 9 MODERN-DAY EDITORS 7 12. Subscribe