13 Oct 2009
STATEMENT BY MS BEY MUI LENG, DELEGATE TO THE 64TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 34: QUESTIONS RELATING TO INFORMATION, FOURTH COMMITTEE, 13 OCTOBER 2009
Mr. Chairman,
1 I offer my delegation's congratulations to you and members of the Bureau on your election. My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of Thailand, on behalf of ASEAN.
Mr Chairman,
2 This morning, I would like to speak on the impact of new media and share with my fellow delegates Singapore's experiences in using "new media" (through Facebook, Twitter and on-line blogs) in developing a more efficient and transparent government-public interface.
3 In a way, "new media" is a misnomer. Internet-based media represents an evolution of the way information is disseminated to the masses. After all, the invention of the rotary printing press by William Bullock in the 19th century helped revolutionize the printing industry with its great speed and efficiency. Books, magazines and newspapers became widely available, giving birth to mass media. Today, we live in an era of computers and the Internet, and the widespread accessibility of these tools to peoples worldwide has empowered millions of individuals through easier and rapid dissemination of information.
Mr. Chairman,
4 It is evident that each new advance in technology has created new modalities and widened the reach and impact of the media. "New media" is no exception, especially when it has the potential to completely transform the way we communicate, live and work. But "new media" isn't "fair" media, given the persistent digital divide between individuals who have easy access to the tools of the "new media" and those who can't even afford print media, let alone computers or iPhones. Clearly, there is much to be done by the international community to bridge this 'divide', to channel the benefits of widely-available information to all individuals. The UN can play a role -- for example, the Department of Public Information can consider how it could expand its efforts to spread the positive aspects of "new media", in particular by paying close attention to the specific needs of developing countries.
5 Just as the rotary press unlocked the elite classes' control of information, "new media" can open up new vistas and new opportunities for many communities. The defining attribute of the "new media" is interactivity. It enables participatory dialogue, co-creation of new ideas and almost instant mobilisation of multiple lobbies. Communities able to take advantage of "new media" can use it to develop strong software like Java, offer instantaneous updates in situations of crisis, and more mundanely, to strengthen government-to-people relationships. In Singapore, the government believes that we can use "new media" to develop more efficient and transparent government-public interfaces. We can use "new media" to increase greater participation of the public in community affairs, feedback and in the shaping of public policies.
Mr. Chairman,
6 In this context, the Singapore Government has attempted to develop a government-to-people relationship via the "new media" through the creation of REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home). As the Government's key engagement entity, REACH provides "new media" platforms (through Facebook and Twitter) to enable citizens to share their sentiments on national issues and in the process enable them to play a more active role in policy making. While still in its early stages, we have found the use of "new media" to be a helpful way to enhance our citizens' sense of identity and belonging to Singapore.
7 In conclusion, while "new media" signals the advent of another information explosion, we should not lose sight of the need to bridge the digital divide to bring the advantages of "new media" to more countries. Through the experiences of countries and governments that have assimilated "new media" into their outreach to constituents, we believe that we can be better placed to learn useful lessons on how to apply new information technologies to our own local conditions. Thank you.
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