The Straits Times
The Straits Times (also known informally by its abbreviation ST) is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust.[2][3][4] Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and has a significant regional audience.[5][6] The newspaper is published in the broadsheet format and online, the latter of which was launched in 1994. It is regarded as the newspaper of record for Singapore.
This article is about the newspaper. For the stock index, see Straits Times Index.Print and digital editions of The Straits Times and The Sunday Times had a daily average circulation of 364,134 and 364,849 respectively in 2017, as audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations Singapore.[7] In 2014, country-specific editions were published for residents in Brunei and Myanmar, with newsprint circulations of 2,500 and 5,000 respectively.[8][9]
Preservation[edit]
In July 2007, the National Library Board signed an agreement with the Singapore Press Holdings to digitise the archives of The Straits Times going back to its founding in 1845. The archived materials are held in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library and are available to the public through microfilm.[76]
Community programmes[edit]
The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund[edit]
The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund was initiated on 1 October 2000 by The Straits Times, to heighten public awareness of the plight of children from low-income families who were attending school without proper breakfast, or pocket money to sustain their day in school.[77] The aim is to alleviate the financial burden faced by parents in providing for their children's education. At the same time the funds will help children who are already facing difficulties in remaining in school to stay on.
The Straits Times Schools[edit]
The Straits Times Schools is a news desk created to encourage youth readership and interest in news and current affairs.[78] Launched in 2004, the programme was initially known as The Straits Times Media Club. Youth newspapers, IN and Little Red Dot are produced on a weekly basis for secondary and primary school students respectively, whose schools would have to subscribe in bulk.[79] Students will receive their papers every Monday together with the main broadsheet. On 7 March 2017, a digital IN app was launched, allowing parents, students and other individual ST subscribers to subscribe to IN weekly releases digitally.[80]
Public opinion[edit]
A 2020 Reuters Institute independent survey of 15 media outlets found that 73% of Singaporean respondents trusted reporting from The Straits Times, the second highest rating next to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), a local TV news channel.[81]