About 80 journalists, editors and others from media companies around the world got a glimpse of The Straits Times' newly renovated newsroom and saw what goes on behind the scenes of its new daily talk show, The Big Story, in its broadcast studio.
They were touring the premises of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) in Toa Payoh yesterday as part of Publish Asia, an annual meeting of media professionals around the region that is organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (Wan-Ifra).
The guests were some of the first few to see the studio, which broadcast its first programme last week.
It features a well-stocked and equipped kitchen, where cooking demonstrations and videos are filmed, a television wall, and a presenter's table for The Big Story.
The show, which kicked off on Monday, is broadcast every weekday at 5.30pm on Facebook and YouTube.
In each episode, reporters and senior editors come together to discuss the top stories of the day.
Marketing manager Dexter Yeh, 29, was impressed by the suite of equipment in the studio.
Said Mr Yeh, who works for The Daily Express in Malaysia: "The studio is very well done - it was a good investment - and I'm intrigued by The Big Story. I think it's great for newspapers to explore such multimedia platforms."
The other stops in the tour were SPH's Chinese Media Group's office, SPH Radio studios and Integrated Marketing Department space.
Mr Aung Soe Win, 29, from Mon News Agency in Myanmar, said he learnt a lot from the visit, adding that this was his first time in Singapore. He manages a lifestyle and travel segment targeted at young people.
Chief operating officer of Malaysia's Sinar Harian newspaper Farah Hussamuddin said: "The way the newsroom works is largely the same, no matter which country you're in. But I'm impressed that even in Singapore, where the population is so small, SPH is able to sustain itself well.
"That is also because of the engaging content and stories delivered... We came here to learn, and we are learning a lot."
Mr Warren Fernandez, The Straits Times editor and editor-in-chief of SPH's English/Malay/Tamil Media Group, said: "ST benefited much from the experience and expertise of newsrooms abroad, which we drew ideas and inspiration from. So, we, too, are happy to share our experiences.
"Newsrooms face many common challenges, and we can work with, and learn from, one another, to tackle them. We're all in this together."
