Singapore's move to tighten state control over foreign media
broadcasts will no doubt rattle foreign satellite broadcasters which
flocked to the city in the mid-90s. They had been lured there by
incentives and promises of press freedom.
It now appears that the city is about to rewrite some of the rules, with
a bill to amend the Broadcasting Authority Act. The government says it
is only bringing the rules for foreign broadcasters in line with
non-Singapore printed media - that is they will be penalised if they
interfere in domestic politics.
Time will tell if foreign broadcasters exercise second thoughts about
the merits of staying put in Singapore.