Reporting from the NDP 09 Newsroom

With 9 August approaching in less than a week’s time, we are sure you would have heard numerous ‘exclusives’ about NDP 09; from how this year’s Parade is divided into 10 unique chapters underscoring each line of the Pledge to our inaugural Pledge Moment taking place islandwide at 8:22 pm! However, what many do not realise is that before anyone can even lay claim to an ‘exclusive scoop’ on NDP, there is actually a group of people who are absolutely pivotal in making the ‘exclusive’ possible! 

To understand what goes into the reports that hit your daily newsstand and nightly news on television, we bring you on a tour with the NDP 09 Media Relations as well as Branding and Publicity Committees to learn how reports from the Float transform into your front page headlines! 

Here's a simple question for you: how can you tell if someone has been involved in NDP for a long time? A good gauge would probably be someone down with an occupational hazard – someone who thinks about NDP constantly at the back of their mind even when they are eating, or if they open and complete their sentences with nothing else but "NDP". Well, this is the impression many would have of COL (Ret) Rayman Chia, Chairman of the NDP 09 Media Relations Committee (MRC). 

True to his post as Chairman MRC, COL (Ret) Chia gave us a comprehensive, focused media briefing of our own with a detailed rundown of his committee’s roles for NDP. With briefing slides in hand, he shares with us that MRC does more than just liaise with major media networks for interviews and requests. They are also responsible for organising media events to build publicity in the lead up to NDP 09.  

Executing a large scale and successful publicity campaign for NDP is no doubt hard work. But as COL (Ret) Chia humbly shares, "Honestly, there is no secret formula! For all the work we are doing, we really have to thank the respective committees for their continual support." 

Working in tandem with the Media Relations Committee is the Branding and Publicity Committee (B&P). CPT Daniel Tan Yu Chiang, 34, OIC (Overall-In Charge) Website says, "So far, there has been tremendous support from the Chairmen of various committees. Even with our limited capabilities, they have been willing to entrust us with executing their ideals for NDP, and I think that in itself has been the most humbling and rewarding experience."

Personal stories form a big part of NDP. Understanding that has been a key contributing factor in keeping the buzz and hype around NDP 09 alive, as COL (Ret) Chia elaborates, "Other than featuring senior personnel, we also want to feature the other faces of NDP, like the younger generations. When we put in effort to bring across a story, it facilitates the media in their reporting for NDP. At the same time, when we recognise the efforts of people across a wide spectrum, it helps to reinforce inclusiveness for all involved in NDP." 

Aiding COL (Ret) Chia is Mr Hsien Yong Kin, Deputy Chairman for MRC, also known affectionately as ‘Uncle Hsien’. For the past 7 years, he has similarly been involved in heading NDP media operations. In addition to preparing the media for the big event, 2 hours prior to the Parade's commencement, Mr Hsien conducts a safety brief for all photographers and journalists to ensure they do not find themselves in the line of danger while getting their news coverage. Having done briefings for countless batches of photographers before, his advice for any budding photographer is this: "There are many different categories of shots to take for NDP, so you better know what you’re looking for!" 

Perhaps you might have the impression that NDP reports are generated in an air-conditioned room by your resident journalist. That is only partially true though, because before a report can even get to that stage, as MRC Secretary, Ms Rachael Lim shares, "We have to sweat it out!" For every media briefing conducted, journalists are brought on site to have a better understanding of their report's subject-matter, which also means moments under the blazing sun and occasionally, a lot of back-and-fro walking between the F1 pit and the Marina Float! 

She adds, "On weekends, I would usually go on what you would call a ‘phone marathon’. You see, I have 2 phones, my personal phone and my NDP phone. There are times when I have to answer calls back-to-back continuously for 30 minutes! Back in the office, there’s an additional land line to handle, so you can imagine just how many calls I make a day!" 

Despite the amount of work, Rachael still loves her job. "I think the biggest takeaway is all the friendships I’ve made so far. I really have to commend my fellow Media Relations Officers (MROs), all of them who have gone the extra mile, woke up early and stayed up late with me. If anything, I guess you could say these relationships are the fruits of my labour." 

Echoing Rachael's view is Ms Esther Ong, Press Secretary to Chairman EXCO. NDP has no doubt left a big impression on Esther as this is the 3rd consecutive year she has volunteered for the Parade. Other than preparing Chairman EXCO for interviews and doubling up as an MRO, she liaises with various Chinese papers and programmes for NDP coverage. "And unlike many people, we don’t get Mondays off!" (Chairman EXCO, you hear that?) Undeniably, it is her strong expertise in media relations that has held her in good stead with the Chairmen of the various committees as well as the media.  

Webmaster of the Official NDP 09 Website, Ms Jessica Tan demonstrates what it really means to go out of your way for NDP. Although she’s currently expectant in her last trimester with a baby boy due October, she has never once thought twice about coming down for the weekly Saturday parades. "I really really enjoy NDP, so I don’t even feel like I'm working at all! Plus I get to watch NDP multiple times!"

When we look back and reminisce about moments at NDP, we will undoubtedly turn to those photos we have taken. Ensuring that the best moments in NDP are never left uncaptured is Robin Ng, 42, Chairman of Photography Committee. Easily distinguishable by his white bandana and hysterical laughter, his favourite and most commonly heard phrase is "NO PHOTOGRAPH WILL DIE!"  

For someone who has viewed 6 years of NDP through a camera’s lens, the extent to which Robin will take photographs is remarkable. He excitedly proclaims, "If I am sick, after I take photographs, I will recover. And if I cannot walk, I will get on a wheelchair to come and take photos, simply because I LOVE SINGAPORE!" We can see why his fellow photographers call him ‘siao’. But then again, it is people like him who colour our experiences at NDP 09!

 

NDP 09 also marks OIC Website, CPT Daniel Tan’s first attempt at being a part-time photographer. He remarks, "It’s very different seeing photos for NDP versus seeing my own photos for NDP because you know the story that goes behind the photo, so you definitely feel a lot more for it." Being around Robin and his team of volunteer photographers has also meant "bad" influence for his pockets, as he explains, "Thanks to Robin, I ended up spending a lot more money recently on photography equipment!"  

Doing coverage for an event the scale of NDP 09 is not easy, and for what it’s worth, this year’s coverage has been nothing short of incredible from all parties in the media. With these mentioned taking charge at the helm, you can be sure you're definitely getting the most up-to-date 'exclusives' and photos from NDP 09. 

So the next time you see something about NDP 09 hit the newspapers or TV screens, we hope you don’t forget this; that without these people, the report you're looking at would never have been possible.