ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the history of press freedom activism in Singapore, and how this activism has evolved with the changing media landscape and regulations over the past 50 years. It begins with an introduction to Singapore's press, pre-independence and explores the government's crackdown on and shaping of the media between the 1970s and the 1990s and the resultant lack of activism by members of the press. The case of mrbrown remains a classic example of how the Singapore government has attempted to "talk online compliance into being". The chapter examines the rise of new media – and how it influenced a new brand of activism, which has been challenged by new regulations by a government struggling to adapt. It concludes with a look at the future of media freedom activism in Singapore — and the reality that this future may not be so bright.
