Media outlets must resist pressure to create clickbait, sensationalist content: DPM Wong

They must uphold high standards; and it is important to tell stories that bridge divides

- Syarafana Shafeeq

There will always be pressure to create clickbait and sensationalist content to attract eyeballs in a highly contested and fragmented media landscape, but media outlets must resist these temptations and continue to uphold high standards, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on March 19.

At a time when people are increasingly identifying themselves in more narrow ethnic terms and living in echo chambers, it is important to tell stories that bridge divides and keep our society strong and united, he added.

Speaking at local broadcaster CNA's 25th-anniversary dinner at Capella Singapore, DPM Wong said the media landscape has changed dramatically over the last 25 years with the emergence of Internet news outlets.

Traditional news outlets compete for ad sales with platforms like Google and Meta, and for attention with everything from Netflix to TikTok.

In the 70s and 80s, television was the main source of information, but it is now being replaced by streaming, he added.