CHERIAN GEORGE. Freedom from the Press: Journalism and State Power in Singapore. Singapore: NUS Press, 2012, xiii+272 p.

Abstract

Freedom from the Press: Journalism and State Power in Singapore CHERIAN GEORGE Singapore: NUS Press, 2012, xiii+272 p.This multi-disciplinary study of the relationship between the Singapore government and the comes from the author of one of the most widely cited books on Singapore politics in recent times. Cherian George's first book, Singapore: The Air-Conditioned Nation: Essays on the Politics of Comfort and Control 1990-2000 (2000), was written for a more general audience, and tackled a range of particular ironies that come about in living in illiberal Singapore. that earlier book, George already pointed out the fact that while In liberal democracies, it is all about freedom of the from the government; in Singapore, it is about the government's freedom from the press (George 2000, 69). These initial instincts have now fully taken root and blossomed in Freedom from the Press, reflecting the author's move from a journalistic milieu to an academic one.Based on extensive historical research, and balanced with insider anecdotes, Freedom from the Press is a nuanced, courageous, and perceptive analysis of the relationship between the Singaporean and the government. Unlike other more quotidian critiques of the journalists, publications, and the government of the country, George provides a far more thorough critical history and theoretical basis for his observations. Crucially, he also acknowledges his own complicity in the matter, having spent most of his early career as a fairly successful journalist for The Straits Times-Singapore's main newspaper. This accounts for the book's greatest strength and weakness: although George is able to reveal the inner workings of the mainstream in Singapore, he is never really able to completely step outside of the system that he is analyzing. What is apparent though is his unwavering (if somewhat old-fashioned) commitment to the primacy of the mainstream and his genuine belief that a more independent would benefit everyone in Singapore, the authoritarian People's Action Party (PAP) government included. George also extrapolates with ease between the micro and macro implications of the PAP's focus on elite control, noting how the independence of the is entwined with the country's prospects for growth, dynamism, and creativity. He argues that an independent and professional is essential for the proper functioning of a democracy since it allows self-determination and collective decision-making by providing a credible source of information that benefits both the citizens and the government.Singapore has a complex, unique political system and media scene, and by providing a succinct primer on the country at the beginning of the text, Freedom from the Press allows non-specialist readers to quickly grasp the key historical and social issues at stake. What follows is a comprehensive look at nearly all aspects of the industry in Singapore and its inextricable ties to the government. A few elements make this book particularly useful for scholars-George's insider perspective, his careful parsing of the historical context for the arguably dysfunctional relations between the government and the press, his keen grasp of the main theoretical and practical elements involved in these relations, and his initial look at the impact of alternative media in Singapore. One criticism that might be leveled against the book is that it too quickly dismisses the broadcast media (television and radio) in the city-state, arguing that it merely provides propaganda for the government. A more balanced and in-depth history and analysis of Singaporean news television and radio remains to be written, but the reader will not find one here. particular, the implications of running a regional news network (Singapore's Channel NewsAsia) based in Singapore really need to be considered in greater detail for a more complete understanding of Singapore's media landscape. …