In his tell-all book ‘Reluctant Editor’, Singapore’s veteran editor PN Balji related thrilling stories from his four decades of experience across five newsrooms.
Among them were the famous Toh Chin Chye affair, his own ‘Lee Kuan Yew story’, and his run-in with the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) for bribing the telephone operators at the Fire Brigade.
This hardy editor has seen it all, made immensely tough decisions, and fought to keep the line between the media and the state. So how does he feel about the Singapore media landscape and journalism of today?
“At its core, journalism hasn't changed, even though the mediums have evolved,” Balji said. “What has changed, is the way the story is communicated to readers. Journalists need to write stories to capture the audience quickly without sensationalising it.”
Watch Connected to India’s exclusive interview with PN Balji, who looks back at his career, its highs and lows, modern-day journalism and much more.