Gaining rich new perspectives in the world of media

The media landscape has shifted dramatically in the past decade. With the emergence of smartphones, tablets and other devices that allow audiences to access digital content on the go, traditional broadcast media outlets have borne the brunt of decreased viewership.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are now the go-to channels for consuming and sharing information. This rise in social media is changing the game for news agencies, content creators and marketers alike, and a new generation of media innovators are rising to the challenge.

The shift from traditional to digital media presents plenty of exciting new opportunities; one of the most significant being that it allows viewers to participate in and even influence the news. It also has increased the need for transparency: the tech-savvy social media users of today demand truth and accuracy in reporting, and if they feel a news organisation is not getting the story straight, they will not hesitate to be vocal about it online.

As there has been a dramatic shift in user behaviours and expectations for online services over the past few years, modern media outlets are facing a big challenge on their hands. As these developments continue to occur at an accelerated rate, media professionals need to upskill their competencies to remain relevant and thrive in this new media environment.

Yap Li Ling is one such media specialist, with over 10 years of experience in broadcast media. She recently graduated with an MSc in Communication Management (MCM) from Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2020. The course is designed to help media professionals like Li Ling discover new opportunities amidst the challenges of the new broadcasting landscape globally. The MCM programme “not only offers the direct skills I need, but it is also a platform for personal growth with the chance to interact, learn, and network with experienced professionals from different industries.”

“Having been in traditional media production for a decade, I found that the new knowledge helped me to identify and grasp new opportunities on digital platforms,” adds Li Ling, who works on Chinese current affairs content and weekly programme Frontline.

Besides working at Singapore’s largest media network (MediaCorp) for over a decade prior to joining the MCM programme, Li Ling’s career is varied, having joined the corporate world in sales support and analysis role upon graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature; and even took to the skies as a flight attendant for two years.

“The experiences I gained from these different industries have been unexpectedly useful in my work,” admits Li Ling.

“But while experience helps, I felt like I needed more to enhance my skills in management and communication. I personally believe in continuous learning, and extending my perspectives beyond my foundation and background.”

Besides equipping her with academic and technical competencies, Li Ling shared that the opportunity to learn and interact with fellow students from a broad range of backgrounds helped her to keep abreast of industry developments — such as the emergence of fintech and disruptive technologies, “to ultimately enhance my credentials and my future career prospects”.

And while Li Ling has risen the ranks; from writing and presenting news segments on radio to producing TV programmes, her personal insights and hands-on experience had enabled her to gradually transition towards management levels. “I have come to appreciate that I may require the benefit of a proper framework such as that provided by the MCM programme in order to synthesise my work experiences to enable advancement in my future career path,” reveals Li Ling.

“The programme has broadened my perspectives and enabled me to examine communication issues from other angles and through different lenses, apart from the ones that I have developed in the course of my career.”

For example, Li Ling recalls opportunities to collaborate with students from other postgraduate programmes: she had formed a team with members from the MCM, Master of Human Capital Leadership (MHCL), and Master of Science in Innovation (MI) programme to create a video presentation for the Marketing Management module. The five group members stayed up late in the SMU graduate lounge in the library, moving tables and chairs, and setting up lighting to form a makeshift studio.

Such projects, as well as seminar sharing sessions and visits to the Chicago Tribune newsroom in the US and Bloomberg here in Singapore, provided insights to diverse mindsets and work environments across industries, ages and borders.

Moreover, having empathy and an awareness of complex human dynamics are core tools in any work environment. But these traits are especially crucial for news media professionals, as it provides the cognitive and emotional capacity to uncover a narrative with human impact.

“To put oneself in the interviewee’s shoes, to be able to think from their perspective is the first step in communication management,” shares Li Ling.

“This is especially true when we interview those with sensitive backgrounds; we have to be able to resonate with them before they would be willing to share their stories with us.

It is only through understanding human behaviour and properly framing the conversation that we are able to get the best possible results.”