TNP interns receive SPH Journalism Scholarships

Two weeks into his internship with The New Paper, Mr Osmond Chia found that a story could pop up even during a walk around a neighbourhood.

Assigned to check for discarded items like furniture around Choa Chu Kang, he uncovered a story about people actually donating damaged pieces of furniture during the Chinese New Year season.

It taught him important lessons about journalism - to keep keep your ear to the ground and to have the determination to see a story through.

Mr Chia, 24, who is currently in his final year at Nanyang Technological University reading communication studies, is one of two recipients of the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Journalism Scholarship this year.

The other recipient is also a TNP intern. Mr Wong Yang, 21, wrote a series of reports on how workers, both foreign and domestic, were affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Working on them reinforced his belief that journalism has the potential to drive social change, said Mr Yang.

He will be reading comparative literature and social anthropology at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

TNP editor, Mr Lim Han Ming, said: "Wong Yang and Osmond have demonstrated their aptitude and attitude in delivering impactful news stories. Their attention to detail and willingness to learn are key attributes of a good journalist.

"I am confident they will be assets to the newsroom when they return to serve after completing their studies."

A total of 29 recipients were presented with three different types of scholarships during a virtual ceremony yesterday.

Apart from the two journalism scholars, 14 in-house scholarships were awarded to children of SPH staff and newspaper vendors, and 13 bond-free Lim Kim San Memorial Scholarships were presented to students from modest family backgrounds to further their degree programmes in languages, linguistics and the humanities at local universities.

In his opening speech, Dr Lee Boon Yang, chairman of SPH and SPH Foundation, addressed how the Covid-19 pandemic has emphasised the important role of the media.

"More people are turning to trusted media sources for reliable information to cope with the uncertainties brought on by the coronavirus," he said.