CHEAH, Sharon Ui-Hoon
Print Media,
Accession Number 003875
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 4
Total Reels
- Denise Ng Hui Lin
Interviewer
- 02:27:21
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 4
Metadata
- 17 May 2014
Recording Date
- 00:36:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Reasons she joined the Business Times in 2000. About other journalist opportunities at the Star in Penang and Kuala Lumpur (KL). The interview process at Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). Briefly recalled the writing test she had to sit for to join the Business Times (BT). The position that she interviewed for. The people who interviewed her. About relocating from Penang to Singapore to work for the BT.
Described the office building, Times House, at River Valley and Kim Seng Road. Settling in Times House. About other journalists at the Business Times who came from Penang and Malaysia. About the Business Times team. Described her team under the lifestyle desk. The difference in work environment at Times House compared to News Centre at Toa Payoh today. The technology used in Times House for reporting news when she first started in 2000. Her work routine of writing features. Her job progression. Lifestyle page were featured weekly in BT. Briefly mentioned writing cover stories for the BT. The differennce between a cover story and an arts feature. Looked at articles to explain the difference on the kind of stories she wrote.
About the arts scene in Singapore in 2000. The National Arts Council (NAC) launched the Renaissance City Project in 2000. More government investment in arts. The angles of art stories covered by the BT. More about the revamp of Singapore’s heritage, arts and culture scene beginning from the Renaissance City Project in 2000. Spoke about the building of the Esplanade.
Recalled attending the Singapore Arts Festival in 1999 that contributed to her decision to find a job in Singapore. Previous experience of covering arts events in London. Her interview with a Malaysian Artist for contemporary Asian art was published in the Independent in London.
Specialised in writing art features for dance and visual arts in the BT.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 4
Metadata
- 17 May 2014
Recording Date
- 00:37:30
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Described her first few years of work at the lifestyle and arts desk. Covered international performances such as Cirque du Soleil, David Copperfield and Slava the Clown show. Places that these international acts performed in Singapore. Recalled a theatre in Harbourfront where she covered plays. Arrangements of overseas travel for the Business Times (BT) called “junkets".
Details of what she had to do on overseas trips.
Contemporary art in Asia in the early 2000 was at its beginning stage. About permanent art galleries in the Ministry of Information and The Arts (MITA) and a few at Dempsey Hill
How her interest in art developed throughout the years. About a Malaysian contemporary artist, Wong Hoy Cheong who she interviewed in London for the Independent. Briefly mentioned the context of contemporary art reflecting the political upheaval in Malaysia in the 1980s – 1990s.
About her interview with Anthony Poon, who was a local sculptor. The difference between news reporting and writing arts features. How she finds an interesting angle when she interviews artist. More details on interviews with artists.
Recalled the time she misquoted playwright Haresh Sharma. The consequences of her mistake. How mistakes were treated at the BT.
About writing cover stories for the lifestyle section in BT. Details about the difference in writing cover stories as compared to the arts features. Reasons why it was stressful to write up cover stories. Work processes associated with writing cover stories for the lifestyle page in BT.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 4
Metadata
- 17 May 2014
Recording Date
- 00:38:17
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
About her work experience travelling with the Singapore Dance Theatre in 2001 (Biarritz, France) and 2002 (Guanajato, Mexico) to cover stories for the Business Times (BT). Another reporter from the Chinese papers also travelled with them. How the trips were arranged. Work duties during these travelling trips. The difference in the dance festival at Biarritz, France and Guanajato in Mexico.
Her work trip to cover a three-week Singapore Season in London in 2005. The purpose of the set up of Singapore Season in London in 2005 where local arts groups went over to London to perform. The National Arts Council (NAC) role in setting up Singapore Season. How Business Times (BT) decided to send journalists to cover Singapore Season. The frequency of press conferences by the NAC in the early 2000s.
Briefly mentioned the BT's collaboration with the Arts House on Budding Artists Fund that helped to promote the Singapore art scene. How she was chosen to cover overseas reports. Clarification that National Arts Council (NAC) Chairman of the board was Liu Thai Ker. About the government’s efforts and support for the arts with the launch of the Renaissance City Project in 2000. BT’s efforts to increase arts coverage. The type of beats she undertook for the lifestyle section. The size of BT’s arts desk today (2014).
Reasons for becoming part time in 2009. Her editor’s support in her decision to go part time. The difference in interviewing artist when she first started compared to now. Terms and conditions of her contract when she went part time. Why her contract with BT was a unique case. Reasons why it was good to retain senior reporters. How she adjusted to part time work for BT while based in Penang. Did more writing for her personal projects such as writing Malaysia Bagus! A travel book on Malaysia (published in 2012).
Briefly recalled local plays she covered in the 2000s. Recalled in detail Robert Wilson’s play to reproduce a Javanese Asian myth. Her opinion towards the play. The review she wrote for the play for BT. Lack of reader feedback for BT lifestyle desk.
Recalled a critique of a local dance group ran in BT and the reaction they received from the local dance group.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 4
Metadata
- 17 May 2014
Recording Date
- 00:34:48
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Business Times (BT) response towards the local dance group’s reaction on a critique report ran in the arts section of the paper. The difference of BT’s arts desk compared to the Straits Times (ST). The difference in art features ran in the BT in Singapore and the Star in Penang. The difference in working processes in the BT in Singapore and the Star in Penang. How technology affected the interaction with colleagues. Changes in the mood of the news room at Times House and at News Centre at Toa Payoh. The difference in her interaction with colleagues today.
About her personal photo collection of cemeteries around the world. How her photo collection became a photography exhibition at the Arts House at Old Parliament House in May 2009. How she started collecting photos on cemeteries. Recalled a cemetery in Sri Lanka that was by the beach just before the [2004] tsunami. The difference in taking a photograph with a purpose (for exhibition) and without a purpose. The thought process behind how she chose the photos for exhibition. The story she wants to tell through her photographs. Each photograph differs according to the place and context. Compared the difference in her photograph from a cemetery she visited in Chile, Santiago called The Missing People and the photograph of a Muslim grave from Happy Valley cemetery in Hong Kong.
Described two photographs she brought along with her. The first is Hang Kasturi’s grave in Malacca, the second is a picture of a cemetery in Milan taken in early 2009. A viewer’s reaction when she saw the picture of the cemetery in Milan.
Details about her photo exhibition at the Arts House in 2009. Her plans for her collection. Her friends’ reaction towards the exhibition. Same collection displayed in Penang for the first George Town Festival in 2010. How this exhibition differed from the one in Singapore. People’s reactions towards the exhibition. Her hopes for her future collection on photographs. The difference in her photograph exhibitions in Penang and Singapore.
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