Govt to continue working with public service media to counter misinformation, maintain reach

SINGAPORE - The Republic’s

public service media entities have become indispensable

in countering misinformation, given that they reach more than 90 per cent of Singaporeans and are highly trusted by the public, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo on March 2.

Speaking during the debate on her ministry’s budget, Mrs Teo said the Government will continue to work closely with these media outlets to maintain their reach and strengthen their fact-checking capabilities.

Mrs Teo was responding to questions from Mr Henry Kwek (Kebun Baru) and Ms Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC) about countering fake news in the age of artificial intelligence, as well as support for public service media entities amid a fragmenting media space.

Ms Tin noted that Singapore, as an open society, has had to contend with fake news reports, such as AI-generated videos that claimed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership role was under threat.

The reports are convincing enough that at least one of her residents “believed the story so wholeheartedly that I found it hard to dissuade him”, she said.

She asked how the Government will strengthen public service media – which includes The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and CNA – so that it can be more effective in countering misinformation.

Pointing to the high level of trust public service media outlets here enjoy, including over their reputed foreign counterparts, Mrs Teo said the Government will keep working with these entities to maintain trust in Singapore’s information space.

CNA, for instance, will set up a digital verification team, while government agencies have collaborated with The Straits Times on its AskST series to address misinformation, she said.

In its latest Digital News Report released in June 2025, the Reuters Institute found that mainstream media outlets remained the most trusted news brands in Singapore, with The Straits Times coming out on top.

The Straits Times was trusted by 75 per cent of audiences here, followed by CNA with 74 per cent and Channel 5 News with 73 per cent, among the 15 brands included in the survey for Singapore.

CNN and BBC News were trusted by 65 per cent of audiences here, while Yahoo! News was at 52 per cent.

Mr Kwek asked how the Government intended to help the city-state’s public service media stay financially viable to forestall painful restructuring, and noted that even reputable international outlets like the Washington Post have had to resort to dramatic cuts.

It was reported in February that the US media organisation, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, laid off more than 300 journalists, or about a third of its staff.

Mr Kwek also asked if the authorities were looking to follow in the footsteps of places such as Australia and Britain, which have passed laws requiring smart TV manufacturers to feature local public service media apps so that their content remains prominent and easily discoverable.

Mrs Teo said that given the critical role played by Singapore’s public service media, the Government will support efforts to keep public service media content visible and easily discoverable.

“We are studying approaches in other countries, and will consult the industry to ensure that initiatives are implemented reasonably and effectively,” she said.

In 2022, the Government said it would provide up to $900 million in funding support to SPH Media Trust over the next five years. At that time, Mrs Teo said

up to $180 million would be disbursed annually

, depending on whether it met key performance targets.

The minister said: “The Government will continue investing in our public service media entities, helping them develop new capabilities as the media landscape evolves.”