Significant Events

September 1, 2000 October 27, 2000 November 8, 2000 SPH was awarded the SPH signed a $123 million deal with The Straits Times was re-packaged Distinguished Patron of the Arts Koenig & Bauer Group to purchase into five separate sections – Main, award for the eighth consecutive four KBA Commander presses, to Home, Asia, Sports and Money and year, confirming its commitment to print The Straits Times and The New Life! – to provide readers with a support the development of the Arts Paper by early 2003. The KBA more efficient and pleasurable read. in . Commander can print 112 pages of The sectionising exercise is part of The Straits Times in full colour and will The Straits Times’ branding September 4, 2000 be housed in a new $139 million plant campaign, started in October, to and other facilities at the SPH Print make the national English daily more Streats, a free tabloid-sized English Centre. reader-friendly. newspaper that offers bite-sized news for commuters, was launched. The 4 newspaper with a circulation of October 31, 2000 November 12, 2000 200,000 was an instant success with SPH and the National Heritage Board President S. R. Nathan launched The readers and advertisers. signed a Memorandum Of Straits Times Million Dollar Duck Understanding to transfer six million Race along the Singapore River. This September 16, 2000 1 newspaper photo negatives and popular event broke the world record digitised images dating back to 1950 for the number of yellow rubber The second volume of Senior to the National Archives of Singapore ducks adopted for a charity race with Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s celebrated for preservation. In conjunction, an 100,000 ducks taking to the water. memoirs entitled “From Third exhibition titled “From the Picture World to First, The Singapore Press: SPH Photographs Story: 1965 - 2000, Memoirs of December 8, 2000 5 Collection 1950-1965” was held to Lee Kuan Yew” was launched on Twenty finalists vied for top spot at showcase 162 published and the Senior Minister’s 77th birthday. the eighth The New Paper New unpublished news photographs from The sale of special-edition copies, Face contest. Callie Roberts, 18, won the collection. autographed by the Senior Minister, top spot which included $10,000 cash raised more than $4 million for three plus a trip to New York in prizes. November 1, 2000 3 endowment funds in education and Picture: The New Paper New Face 2000, Callie training. SPH MediaWorks unveiled its Roberts.

Picture: Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Mrs Lee company logo and logos of its TV blowing out birthday candles. channels, and TV Works, at December 17, 2000 6 a trade launch. SPH’s broadcast The 10th birthday celebrations of October 16, 2000 2 subsidiary also announced a joint Inuka, a polar bear adopted by SPH venture with Fantastic Circle The Lim Kim San Professorship since birth, at the Singapore Zoo Investments Ltd, a subsidiary of Star in Business Policy for the National drew a crowd of over 8,000. Inuka’s East Holdings Ltd, to form University of Singapore was adoption was renewed for five years StarEastWorks Ltd, to produce Chinese launched. A total of $2.75 million as part of SPH’s continuing efforts in language TV content for Asia. was raised for the endowment fund, the wildlife conservation of including a contribution of $750,000 Picture: A firm handshake between Lee Cheok Yew endangered species. The latest (in black top), Chief Executive Officer of SPH by SPH. President S. R. Nathan was MediaWorks, and Alan Tam, Chairman of Star East, addition to the programme is the guest of honour at the launch to seal their partnership. Looking on are Channel U Samson, a golden eagle at the Jurong artistes Bryan Wong (extreme left), Evelyn Tan (far ceremony. right) and Eric Tsang, Deputy Chairman of Star East BirdPark, adopted on February 8, (in background). Picture: Dr Michael Fam, Director of SPH handing 2001. the mock cheque to President S. R. Nathan. Looking on is Tjong Yik Min, Group President of Picture: Samson, an endangered golden eagle SPH (far left) and Prof Shih Choon Fong, Vice- November 4, 2000 adopted by SPH. Chancellor of NUS (extreme right). Tamil Murasu was presented the first Ulu Pandan Community Club Community Achievement Award by Lim Boon Heng, Minister without Portfolio, for its contributions to the Indian community.

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January 15, 2001 January 19 to 28, 2001 February 26, 2001

SPH MediaWorks moved into new SPH co-organised the annual The Straits Times organised the Life! facilities in a purpose-built annex to Singapore River Hong Bao 2001 Theatre Awards 2000 to recognise the News Centre. The new building at the Marina Promenade to welcome the best talents in the local theatre features a 4,000 square feet triple- the Year of the Snake. Started in scene. Thirty-seven plays vied for nine volume studio fully equipped with 1987, some one million visitors awards at the inaugural event and editing facilities. attended the spectacular festivities Titoudao, written and directed by Toy this year. Factory Theatre Ensemble’s Goh Boon Teck, garnered five awards including the Play of the Year.

11 Significant Events

March 2, 2001 7 March 19, 2001 May 7 and 21, 2001 SPH extended its adoption of the The New Paper FastAds together with History was made with the debut of SPH Conservation Centre at the the Singapore Billiard and Snooker Chinese TV News on Channel U on Singapore Zoo for the next five years. Council launched The New Paper May 7, and Straits Times TV on TV The centre is one of the rare sites in After 5 Pool League, the first Works on May 21. SPH became one of the world providing a conducive nationwide pool league with prizes few newspaper publishers to have environment for a troupe of worth over $50,000. The “19th Hole” integrated newsrooms delivering proboscis monkeys to breed team came up tops at the finals held content for print, TV and Internet. successfully while in captivity. An on August 15, 2001. annual SPH Junior Conservationist May 20, 2001 11 Award was initiated to educate the March 20, 2001 9 Abdullah Tarmugi, Minister for Sports young about endangered animals The Business Times and DHL and Community Development, and inculcate awareness of Worldwide organised the 16th flagged off 75,000 walkers at The conservation in a fun and Singapore Business Awards to New Paper Big Walk 2001. Into its interactive way. recognise the contributions of 11th year, a national cheerleading Picture: Bernard Harrison (left), Chief Executive outstanding companies and individuals contest was organised to add Officer of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, unveiling in the business community. Goh Lik excitement to this year’s event. the SPH Conservation Centre marquee with Wee Leong How, Executive Vice President, Human Tuan, Executive Chairman of GES Resources & Corporate Relations of SPH. International, was Businessman of the June 1 to 3, 2001 Year 2000. The Outstanding Chief Young Parents organised the Young March 10, 2001 Executive award went to Boon Swan Parents Fiesta cum Young Parents of The Chinese Newspapers Division Foo, Deputy Chairman and Chief the Year / Family of the Year awards. organised the first National Executive Officer of ST Engineering The Young Parents of the Year award Secondary School Chinese and Chan Brothers Travel clinched the is a new award to recognise young Debate with 32 teams from Enterprise Award. The awards were parents who are able to strike a good secondary schools in Singapore presented by Yeo Cheow Tong, balance between family and work. participating in the competition. Minister for Communications and Radm Teo Chee Hean, Minister for Information Technology. July 25, 2001 Education, was the guest of honour Picture: Left to right: Boon Swan Foo, Outstanding at the finals. Chief Executive 2000, Minister Yeo Cheow Tong, SPH Classified organised the first Pink Goh Lik Tuan, Businessman of the Year 2000 and Slip Party in Singapore. Some 1,200 Anthony Chan, receiving the Enterprise Award. March 11, 2001 professionals in information technology registered for the party. Friday Weekly and Thumbs Up May 4, 2001 th Originated in the United States of celebrated their 10 and first You Weekly, a comprehensive anniversaries respectively at a carnival America, the Pink Slip Party is a way Chinese guide on the latest in for out-of-work information held at the Singapore Zoo, attended entertainment, lifestyle and TV, was by more than 10,000 readers and technology professionals to get jobs in launched. More than 70,000 copies of a casual, party-like atmosphere. their families. the launch issue were sold.

March 13, 2001 8 May 6 and 20, 2001 10 Dr Jennifer Lee, KK Women’s and SPH MediaWorks launched its Chinese Children’s Hospital Chief Executive entertainment channel, Channel U, Officer, was named Her World’s on May 6 with a star-studded ‘live’ Woman of the Year 2000 and variety show that featured two-time Sportswoman of the Year, performances by Channel U artistes Jing Jun Hong, was named Her and celebrities from Hongkong and World’s Young Woman Achiever Taiwan. The launch show recorded Dressed for fun - of the Year 2000. The awards were some 538,000 TV viewers. Channel U’s a participant at presented by Abdullah Tarmugi, The New Paper English counterpart, TV Works, was Big Walk 2001. Minister for Community launched on May 20 with a ‘live’ Development and Sports. The telecast of “TV Land”, a musical that Woman of the Year award was first featured both local and international given out in 1991 while the Young artistes. Woman Achiever of the Year award Picture: The grand finale at the Channel U started in 1999. launch show. Picture: Jing Jun Hong (left), Her World’s Young Woman Achiever of the Year 2000 and Dr Jennifer Lee, Her World’s Woman of the Year 2000. 12 7 8

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August 7, 2001 12 August 15, 2001 August 17, 2001

Berita Harian and McDonald’s jointly SPH partnered all three mobile telco UnionWorks Pte Ltd, a 50-50 joint presented the Achiever of the Year operators to launch PIC or Personal venture between NTUC Media Award 2001 to Halimah Yacob, Infotainment Centre, the first-ever Co-operative Ltd and SPH Assistant Secretary-General of the interactive service to disseminate up- MediaWorks, unveiled UFM1003: a National Trades Union Congress. to-date and personalised news and brand new radio station scheduled to Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, Minister for information to readers of The Straits hit the airwaves on October 3, 2001. Defence, was the guest of honour at Times and The New Paper via SMS or the award presentation ceremony. The Short Message Services, or through award was started in 1999 to honour their personal Internet folder or e- outstanding individuals who have mail. made significant and valuable contributions to the Malay / Muslim community.

Picture: Hamilah Yacob receiving the Achiever of the Year 2001 award from Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam. Looking on is Guntor Sadali, Editor of Berita Harian. 13