Deep Dive

For decades, the news industry had a watertight business model until the Internet and social media swept advertising and other revenue streams away. How can news organisations keep afloat and fulfill their mission of providing credible and timely journalism? Lin Suling finds out from Elmie Nekmat, Associate Professor, and Natalie Pang, Senior Lecturer, both from the NUS Department of Communications and New Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First it was the rise of ride-hailing. Then came COVID-19, wiping out tourists and reducing passenger numbers. How have taxi drivers survived the onslaught of change and continued to put food on the table for their families? Lin Suling speaks to Watson Wong and Sivalingam Subramaniam about common complaints, frustrations and being forced to adapt.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore is back to tighter restrictions after the biggest rise in community cases in nine months. Lin Suling talks to Duke-NUS professors David Matchar and Gavin Smith about variants on the loose, their effect on vaccines and how current restrictions stack up. They also explain why they think this pandemic will be a chronic problem for a while.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Record prices have been set in the private residential market and HDB prices have been rising steadily over the past year. What’s behind these trends and who is driving demand? Significantly, does this point to a creeping wealth gap making HDB flats unaffordable for young first-time home buyers? Lin Suling speaks to Ismail Gafoor, CEO of PropNex and Dr Lee Nai Jia, Deputy Director of the Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies (IREUS) at the National University of Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Primary school girls posing with their friends, intimate pictures leaked by ex-lovers and even innocent personal Instagram videos. Thousands of images and videos were bartered in shady online chat groups. Who are these people and what goes on in this sleazy Internet underworld? Nisha Rai, an NUS undergraduate who uncovered the latest tranche of 60 such chat groups, gives Lin Suling a harrowing account and AWARE volunteer and lawyer Priscilla Chia explains what needs to change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 4G leaders called DPM Heng’s decision to step aside a setback to succession planning. What’s behind the decision? What implications does this delay have for the ruling party, the Government and the country? And could the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle provide clues on the kind of leader a post-COVID Singapore needs? Lin Suling sits down with Dr Gillian Koh, Deputy Director of the Institute of Policy Studies and Dr Eugene Tan, law professor at the Singapore Management University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She’s a distinguished diplomat with a string of honours to her name. Professor Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large at Singapore’s foreign affairs ministry and chair of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University for Technology and Design speaks to Lin Suling on her new book World In Transition: Singapore’s Future, women in leadership and the changes she sees in Singapore society.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How effective can such diets be for weight loss, reducing your cholesterol or burning fat? Can they be dangerous? And what role does culture play in weight management? Lin Suling finds out from Aptima Nutrition’s Jaclyn Reutens and NUH Director of the Centre for Obesity Management and Surgery Asst Prof Asim Shabbir.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Singapore becomes greener, could there be more man-versus-wild episodes in places near forested areas? Lin Suling tackles culling, fencing and the feeding of wildlife with NParks' wildlife management director How Choon Beng and conservationists Andie Ang and Shane Chiok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19 was a shot in the arm for food delivery platforms. One year on, have apps and restaurants gotten their systems in order? Why do we still hear of wrong, cancelled or late orders? And what does this demand and supply dance mean for the future of these services in Singapore? Lin Suling speaks to Momentum Works’ Jianggan Li and NUS Business School Visiting Professor Sherri Kimes to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.