Hi there, welcome to SingaPOP!
Where the nation's entertainment heartbeat takes a trip down memory lane...
PURPOSE
This blog aims to increase the awareness of Singaporeans of their own popular culture history. We feel that this is essential, as being an integral part of national history, popular culture represents the way everyday Singaporeans enjoy(ed) entertainment. As an overlooked yet vital part of Singapore’s history, we hope to bring back the attention that pop culture deserves. After all, it is an aspect of history that each and every one of us can relate too. By looking at it through the years and noting its evolution, we seek to at the same time explore the external influences that have led to its development as such.
THEME
Our focus will lie mainly with the effects of globalization, particularly pertaining to that of westernization. With a history of colonial rule, the ways of the west had from the very beginning extensive influences over all facets of local life. Over the years, this phenomenon of westernization has increased in its reach together with the effects of modernization, and Singapore is no exception. Our unique embrace for Western technology, no doubt a result of us being a rapidly developing young nation, has inadvertently opened the doors for Western popular influence to seep in, despite attempts at the “anti-yellow movement” and reiterations of “Asian values”.
Hence we feel that it is only right to look at our island nation, in association with the constant exposure to the values and ideals of westernization. But of course, addressing the interconnectedness of pop culture locally together with foreign influences, we will acknowledge how these different influences and interact with each other to produce a culture that is Uniquely Singapore.
SCOPE
We chose to cover different features of pop culture instead of adopting just a single focus, in order to best encompass our interpretation of what constitutes “popular culture”. The topics we decided to incorporate are fashion, music & dance and television, as we feel that these aspects are probably the best representations of pop culture. They appeal to the largest set of people, a reason being that they are easily expressed through what we wear, watch, listen. Basically, these features constituted a colossal part of our lives, then and now, and present themselves as continuity. Also, the three main areas of research are highly linked, and often presented together with each other. For instance, a television experience will not be complete without the usage of appropriate music accompaniment and distinct character attire.
METHODOLOGY & MEDIUM
To substantiate our content, information was gathered through secondary methods like books and websites, as well as via primary sources from museum visits and even drawing from our own and our parents’ memories. By using a blog as a medium, we have the advantage of including videos and pictures that will aid in understanding the evolvement. Most importantly, we feel that as blogs are a key part of today’s popular culture, what better way to talk about and reach out to others about pop culture, than through a popular culture medium itself.
Please click the links on the left to navigate the respective topics.
We hope you'll learn something new :)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
FASHION
INTRODUCTION
Fashion trends changed through the ages. There were basically three main eras – colonial period, the period during World War II, and post-war period. Throughout these eras, one’s ethnic and cultural background, social class and historical events often shaped what people chose to wear. However, with time, some of these factors held lesser sway over one’s “fashionability”. But at the same time, Western influence was, and still is, greatly prevalent in the fashion industry.
Our analysis of the Singapore fashion scene focuses on female garments, as we witness how Western individual rights and values of freedom liberated their mindsets, and the clothes they wore to express themselves.
COLONIAL PERIOD – 1930s
Average housewives would buy fabric from textile merchants, and then go home to make their own clothes for the next event (possibly shopping again). The Singer sewing machine became their best friends because tailors were too expensive and the lower class could not afford them.
1970s
In 1970s, the 1950 baby boomers were engaged in a youth movement, largely influenced by Westernization, and this propelled fashion in Singapore to greater leaps of change. Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. With increasing education levels and the female working population, women had greater interaction with other ethnic communities, as well as greater contact with Western ideas of modernization. Exposure to Western perceptions also came from magazines which they were now able to purchase and read.
When dance music became popular in the 1970s, people started frequenting discos. Their dresses were also shiny, bold, and loud. Music was a subset of fashion.
1980s
The lower income group discovered a new outfit of baggy tee-shirts and Bermudas. They paired them with rubber flip-flops because this was much more comfortable and convenient for their jobs which did not command formal wear.
1990s
The 1990s (1990-1999) is called the Golden Age of Singapore. It was a great time to enjoy modern style living, fashion and entertainment. The economy was peaking, (especially before the 1997 financial crisis) and there was a proliferation of many foreign brands taking Singapore by storm. For example, British streetwear Topshop, and Warehouse, Spanish fashion houses Mango and Zara, were popular brands amongst females, ranging from raving teenagers to chic corporate ladies. There were also expansions of these fashion bigwigs. Club21, a renowned franchiser of American, British and European brands, had existed in Tanglin Mall in 1972 as a modest tailoring shop. But it was in the 1990s that it spread it wings and landed itself in 11 spots in Singapore.
Fashion magazines such as Her World and Elle were staples amongst female youths in Singapore. They were their bibles, informing them of the trendiest ensembles, and where to purchase them.
21st Century
As the government pays more attention to the Arts, fashion was an aspect which began thriving. Fashion appears to be a key pillar of Singapore’s tourism industry. Visitors spent S$3.5 billion, with overseas visitors occupying 35% of total shopping expenditure, in 2007. International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, SPRING Singapore (SPRING) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are coming together to propel the fashion industry forward. SPRING has helped local brands strengthen capabilities, IE Singapore showcased textile and apparel companies internationally, and the STB has put Singapore’s fashion industry on a pedestal, presenting international brand names while introducing local designers through the launch of Singapore Fashion Week and Singapore Fashion Festival.
The STB feels this would help Singapore “reinforce her position as Asia’s leading fashion hub.”[2].
There was also an influx of Western fashion brands, such as the American Gap, and Japan’s Uniqlo landing in our malls. Shopping centres in town expanded and there are constantly ongoing constructions for new malls, such as Ion in Orchard, and Illuma in Bugis. Budgets for shopping and entertainment has been on the rise, creating more outlets for indulgence in the fashion industry. Even heartland malls such as Parkway Parade and Tampines Shopping Centre introduced big brand names like Topshop and Uniqlo for greater reach of the market because standards of living in Singapore is on the rise. Heartlanders no longer wore only Bermudas and tee-shirts, they were paying a great deal of attention to what they wore outdoors.
The 21st Century saw a Web 2.0 generation who interacted, played, and was educated online. It was not surprising that shopping was done online too. Even while Western brands like Australian chain Supre and the American Apparel were not found in Singapore, youths aged 15 to 39 could still have them ordered online and shipped to their doorsteps. The online American giant ASOS.com (As Seen On Stars) selling fashionable garments and accessories, produced clothes akin to what Hollywood stars were spotted wearing. Its global success meant Singapore youths were also enthralled by the ability to mimic styles of Western movie stars and singers.
On the other dimension of the Web 2.0 generation was a spark of entrepreneurship. There is currently an explosion of online blogshops, owned by young local girls, and usually hosted by livejournal, blogger, or they might even own their own dot.coms. Their garments and accessories are sourced from low-cost garment factories in Bangkok, Shanghai, or Hongkong. These clothes and accessories are usually innovative adaptations of the designs by fashion bigwigs of Topshop, and the likes, and have similarly caused a stir amongst local youths because of it was both affordable and trendy. E-bay and other online websites bridged sellers and buyers into an exchange of second-hand, or even brand new items from across the globe.
Furthermore, fashion blogs such as Lookbook.nu and Fashiontoast.com offered insights into what’s-in and what’s-not in daily doses. Fashion knowledge was easily accessible, and literally at one’s fingertips. The fashion industry was also increasingly divided. Apart from the mainstream fashion bigwigs located in the heart of town, local designers such as Collage, and independent retailers like Style:Nordic, Asylum, WhiteRoom, selling alternative garments were found in Ann Siang Hill and Haji Lane.
Up-market independent local designers such as HarryHalim (bottom right), Nicolas Wong, and Baylene (bottom left) are some of the likes that have made their mark not only in Singapore, but in the global market as well. There has been great encouragement and emphasis on developing the Arts scene in Singapore and schools like NAFA (Nanyang Fine Acaedemy of the Arts), Laselle, and the newly opened SOTA (School of the Arts) constantly hold competitions to provide opportunities and platforms for design students to showcase their potential.
Other alternative fashion included Japanese street fashion, and local youth fans donned subculture attire such as Lolita, Gyaru, Bosozoku, and Visual Kei.
The Singapore Fashion is much more diversified, such that even within the high-end and street-fashion, various styles existed. Fashion was no longer a luxury for the rich, or the elites who were usually Westerners. Locals are becoming as educated, and had almost equal access to trendy goods. The majority of local youths shopped at malls, and interestingly, fashion brands themselves were beginning to woo the market, locating themselves conveniently at heartland malls unlike previous exclusive distribution in town areas. More importantly, it was because branded items were no longer the heart of fashion, that the elite barriers so commonly associated with fashion, diminished. One did not need to be well-to-do to afford the Christian Dior gowns and frocks the Westerners wore in the past to be fashionable. Fashion now has a new focus on the individual’s ability to mix and match, and various styles existed. One could be chic, bohemian, or funky.
The clothes vary from form-fitted skinny jeans and coloured leggings to loose, shredded hippie tops and headbands, bright colours to mod black-and-white, structured jackets, leopard prints, and so on. There is also a fashion fad revisiting the nostalgic past – vintage bags, belts, and garments including high waist skirts and pants, floral camisoles, and boots. It is common for fashion comebacks as a single outfit can be made up of conglomerated fashion trends from different eras.
Fashion trends changed through the ages. There were basically three main eras – colonial period, the period during World War II, and post-war period. Throughout these eras, one’s ethnic and cultural background, social class and historical events often shaped what people chose to wear. However, with time, some of these factors held lesser sway over one’s “fashionability”. But at the same time, Western influence was, and still is, greatly prevalent in the fashion industry.
Our analysis of the Singapore fashion scene focuses on female garments, as we witness how Western individual rights and values of freedom liberated their mindsets, and the clothes they wore to express themselves.
SUMMARY
Decades ago, clothes were simply for everyday wear, or special occasions. In those days, leisure activities were considered “special occasions”. People dressed up for a stroll as they would to see a movie. Shopping, for example, was an event to be dolled up for. Today, people can be seen in t-shirts, shirts and flip-flops in town. In those days, attires as such were reserved for the home, or indoors. Women were perfectly groomed when they were outdoors; Chinese put on their cheongsam, Malays had their sarong kebaya, and Indians, in their good saris. Today, most locals, especially the Chinese, reserved their traditional costumes for ethnic occasions or celebrations.
and mass industrialization opened a new world of department stores and large garment chains selling mass produced, ready-made clothes.
Along with capitalist ideologies came the escalation of English-educated locals. Values of the West were imparted especially to the schooling youths through exposure to English magazines, movies and leisure. Hollywood movie stars and rock and roll singers inspired youths to dress like them. Magazines taught them how to gussy themselves up. From then, the great cultural transmission from the West was inevitable and irreversible.
COLONIAL PERIOD – 1930s
Average housewives would buy fabric from textile merchants, and then go home to make their own clothes for the next event (possibly shopping again). The Singer sewing machine became their best friends because tailors were too expensive and the lower class could not afford them.
The upper class could afford the luxury of tailors. The tailors were commonly found in Northbridge Road, Tiong Bahru, Macpherson Estate, Tiverton Lane and in private homes who dressmakers would sew frocks from $8 to $12. The upper class locals also shopped at Raffles Place Shopping Centre. Giant retailers such as Robinsons, John Little’s, and Whiteaways there sold “made in Great Britain” goods. Western goods were considered premium and quality products – products the locals could hardly afford. The rich bought frocks from there to attend important balls.
The social class and culture that one belongs to scoped their dress-codes because of the events they attended, and the frequency of the attendance for these events differed. For the upper class, their social circles consisted of British counterparts and they were often better exposed and hence more well-informed than the lower class locals about Western trends. The availability of these clothes was also higher for them, due to the economic accessibility to Western departmental stores.
However, it is important to note that the cultural transmission was two-way. The Westerners gradually donned cheongsams. The tubular shape of the Western dress in the 1920s was very similar to loose cheongsams favoured by the Chinese. There was intercultural infusion when both the Westerners would wear cheongsams and the Chinese, Western dresses, at formal events. On the other hand, while nonyas and Chinese women began wearing western-style dresses for day events such as tea parties, they still preferred the cheongsam for a formal evening event.
For day wear, floral frocks and butterfly sleeves (exaggerated puffy sleeves) were rampant. The upper class locals and Westerns wore such frocks to tea parties. Secondly, this era celebrating femininity also focused on the waistline and fuller skirts, revealing a shapely silhouette. The locals were receptive toward it because they were used to the sarong which showed off one's curves as well.
[1] Singapore : National Heritage Board and Fashion Designers Society, 1993. Singapore, National Heritage Board. Fashion Designers Society.
WORLD WAR II
World War II cast a grave and solemn mood and this was reflected in fashion. Clothes had a military edge to them. Big shoulders and narrow skirts were popular, along with solid, dark colours.
After the war, colours, floral prints and curvacious styles were back into the trends.
In the 1940s and 1950s, the locals caught up with Western trends. Chinese were very taken into the floral frocks and butterfly sleeves mentioned to be worn by Westerners and upper class locals in 1930s.
POST WAR – 1950s
The post-war jubilant mood was palpable. There was a variety of parties to attend to. The social elites waltzed and tangoed at hotels like Goodwood Park and The Raffles Hotel. Clubs such as the Singapore Girls’ Sports Club, held parties. The Chinese businessmen, such as Loke Wan Tho, and Tan Kim Seng, held parties for the opening of various buildings and organizations. During formal events as such, there was a consensus amongst party-goers that their ethnic costumes, in the right fabrics, would be adequately appropriate. The cheongsam, saree and sarong kebaya were commonly seen, and they represented the national identity of these locals.
The Westerners were very taken into the cheongsam as well. There was a cultural infusion when Western costumes were paired with some elements of Chinese dressing – be it cheongsam or traditional Chinese tunics and trousers. Interestingly, upon Western adoption, Chinese girls who previously deserted cheongsams for Western-styled dresses quickly picked up feminine cheongsam again, especially for formal events. While there were still locals who stuck to their own cultural costumes, this segment of locals was more greatly influenced by Westernization. It took to such extents that when the foreigners were interested in their own culture, they similarly revisited the culture which they had so readily discarded. Even so, the return was not for genuine interest, but to blindly follow a fad led by the Westerners.
Even so, the cheongsam was infused with Western influence. From loose shapes to figure-hugging seams, it has greatly taken after Hollywood movie stars like Marilyn Monroe's style of dressing. Asian celebrities like Lin Dai and Singapore socialites like Christina Loke, were also photographed in such outfits. The cheongsam gradually became a symbol of glamour and sex appeal, a representation which differed from the elegant imagery previously associated with it.
Through the amendments made to traditional costumes, from loose-fitting clothes to form-fitted silhouettes, we witness the first baby steps of the local fashion scene being infused with the Western influence that they were experiencing.There were obvious changes in the identity of Singaporean women from the 1950s to the 1970s. Due to rapid industrialization and Westernization, women came out from the four walls of their houses and began working. Their personal disposable income gave them spending power, and they became an important market segment for the fashion industry.
1960s
The sensational mini was creating a stir. Skirts inches above the knees were very popular and this further revamped the iconic cheongsam. Lengths of cheongsam went up.
This created social concerns. Despite changes in the female social status, they were still expected to dress appropriately. Nevertheless, the sleeveless cheongsam was still an excellent example of cultural fusion. Apart from being “westernized”, women usually wore it with Western-style jackets, and its fabric was the same as that of the Malay sarong.
The kebaya suit was also “modernized” in the 1960s. Waistbands, ready-made pleats and side zippers were incorporated. It was figure-hugging and its fabric was translucent. School teachers were forbidden to wear it to school. The Indian Sari became popular because of its lightweight Nylex material which made one’s silhouette slimmer. Nylex was also cheaper and it came with stylish patterns and prints.
There has been great focus on the influence of Western-styled frocks. However they did not very much appeal to the everyday woman. For the Chinese commoners, it was only the pantsuit, which gradually came into style, that caught their fancy. Similarly, there were cultural reasons for this. The pantsuit resembled the Chinese samfoo (pants and blouse) and it was so popular it gradually replaced the samfoo altogether.
The variety of pantsuit adorned by these ladies of the lower class was representative of their occupations. Housewives favoured the floral pantsuit, but those working odd jobs such as cleaning ladies, or sold fishes and poultry in the market only wore floral pantsuits for special occasions. The younger career woman wore smarter versions of the pantsuit. They were solid colours and matched with scarves of abstract prints. For a day out, they wore flared pants and platformed shoes.
1970s
In 1970s, the 1950 baby boomers were engaged in a youth movement, largely influenced by Westernization, and this propelled fashion in Singapore to greater leaps of change. Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. With increasing education levels and the female working population, women had greater interaction with other ethnic communities, as well as greater contact with Western ideas of modernization. Exposure to Western perceptions also came from magazines which they were now able to purchase and read.
Their new cosmopolitan mindsets meant they no longer limited themselves to ethnic garments and looked to fashion centres in Europe and Asia (especially Hong Kong and Tokyo) for inspiration. Opportunities at work and school resulted in greater spending power and women paid more attention to fashion than they did before.
In the 1960s, Singapore became a regional textile hub and the availability and affordability of garments helped globalize women’s wear. Mass-produced garments and synthetic fabrics became the norm in 1970s, replacing the previous preference for self-made or tailor-made clothes.
As mentioned, the miniskirt caused a controversy, accusing women of attracting undesirable attention to themselves.
Meanwhile, the rock and roll scene was springing up amongst youths in Singapore. The youth culture was a culture that was especially taken in with British and later on, American popular culture. Brightly coloured clothes and psychedelic prints were must-haves in one’s cupboard. The bold prints and swirls recalled the effects of drugs, including distortion of senses and visions, and intensified colours. There was great influence from rock and roll bands, which were associated with hippie culture, sex promotion, and drug consumption. The government objected to these negative “yellow culture” influences and started to emphasize on Asian conservative values. When dance music became popular in the 1970s, people started frequenting discos. Their dresses were also shiny, bold, and loud. Music was also closely relevant to fashion.
When dance music became popular in the 1970s, people started frequenting discos. Their dresses were also shiny, bold, and loud. Music was a subset of fashion.
1980s
The lower income group discovered a new outfit of baggy tee-shirts and Bermudas. They paired them with rubber flip-flops because this was much more comfortable and convenient for their jobs which did not command formal wear.
1990s
The 1990s (1990-1999) is called the Golden Age of Singapore. It was a great time to enjoy modern style living, fashion and entertainment. The economy was peaking, (especially before the 1997 financial crisis) and there was a proliferation of many foreign brands taking Singapore by storm. For example, British streetwear Topshop, and Warehouse, Spanish fashion houses Mango and Zara, were popular brands amongst females, ranging from raving teenagers to chic corporate ladies. There were also expansions of these fashion bigwigs. Club21, a renowned franchiser of American, British and European brands, had existed in Tanglin Mall in 1972 as a modest tailoring shop. But it was in the 1990s that it spread it wings and landed itself in 11 spots in Singapore.
Fashion magazines such as Her World and Elle were staples amongst female youths in Singapore. They were their bibles, informing them of the trendiest ensembles, and where to purchase them.
21st Century
As the government pays more attention to the Arts, fashion was an aspect which began thriving. Fashion appears to be a key pillar of Singapore’s tourism industry. Visitors spent S$3.5 billion, with overseas visitors occupying 35% of total shopping expenditure, in 2007. International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, SPRING Singapore (SPRING) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are coming together to propel the fashion industry forward. SPRING has helped local brands strengthen capabilities, IE Singapore showcased textile and apparel companies internationally, and the STB has put Singapore’s fashion industry on a pedestal, presenting international brand names while introducing local designers through the launch of Singapore Fashion Week and Singapore Fashion Festival.
The STB feels this would help Singapore “reinforce her position as Asia’s leading fashion hub.”[2].
There was also an influx of Western fashion brands, such as the American Gap, and Japan’s Uniqlo landing in our malls. Shopping centres in town expanded and there are constantly ongoing constructions for new malls, such as Ion in Orchard, and Illuma in Bugis. Budgets for shopping and entertainment has been on the rise, creating more outlets for indulgence in the fashion industry. Even heartland malls such as Parkway Parade and Tampines Shopping Centre introduced big brand names like Topshop and Uniqlo for greater reach of the market because standards of living in Singapore is on the rise. Heartlanders no longer wore only Bermudas and tee-shirts, they were paying a great deal of attention to what they wore outdoors.
The 21st Century saw a Web 2.0 generation who interacted, played, and was educated online. It was not surprising that shopping was done online too. Even while Western brands like Australian chain Supre and the American Apparel were not found in Singapore, youths aged 15 to 39 could still have them ordered online and shipped to their doorsteps. The online American giant ASOS.com (As Seen On Stars) selling fashionable garments and accessories, produced clothes akin to what Hollywood stars were spotted wearing. Its global success meant Singapore youths were also enthralled by the ability to mimic styles of Western movie stars and singers.
On the other dimension of the Web 2.0 generation was a spark of entrepreneurship. There is currently an explosion of online blogshops, owned by young local girls, and usually hosted by livejournal, blogger, or they might even own their own dot.coms. Their garments and accessories are sourced from low-cost garment factories in Bangkok, Shanghai, or Hongkong. These clothes and accessories are usually innovative adaptations of the designs by fashion bigwigs of Topshop, and the likes, and have similarly caused a stir amongst local youths because of it was both affordable and trendy. E-bay and other online websites bridged sellers and buyers into an exchange of second-hand, or even brand new items from across the globe.
Furthermore, fashion blogs such as Lookbook.nu and Fashiontoast.com offered insights into what’s-in and what’s-not in daily doses. Fashion knowledge was easily accessible, and literally at one’s fingertips. The fashion industry was also increasingly divided. Apart from the mainstream fashion bigwigs located in the heart of town, local designers such as Collage, and independent retailers like Style:Nordic, Asylum, WhiteRoom, selling alternative garments were found in Ann Siang Hill and Haji Lane.
Up-market independent local designers such as HarryHalim (bottom right), Nicolas Wong, and Baylene (bottom left) are some of the likes that have made their mark not only in Singapore, but in the global market as well. There has been great encouragement and emphasis on developing the Arts scene in Singapore and schools like NAFA (Nanyang Fine Acaedemy of the Arts), Laselle, and the newly opened SOTA (School of the Arts) constantly hold competitions to provide opportunities and platforms for design students to showcase their potential.
Other alternative fashion included Japanese street fashion, and local youth fans donned subculture attire such as Lolita, Gyaru, Bosozoku, and Visual Kei.
The Singapore Fashion is much more diversified, such that even within the high-end and street-fashion, various styles existed. Fashion was no longer a luxury for the rich, or the elites who were usually Westerners. Locals are becoming as educated, and had almost equal access to trendy goods. The majority of local youths shopped at malls, and interestingly, fashion brands themselves were beginning to woo the market, locating themselves conveniently at heartland malls unlike previous exclusive distribution in town areas. More importantly, it was because branded items were no longer the heart of fashion, that the elite barriers so commonly associated with fashion, diminished. One did not need to be well-to-do to afford the Christian Dior gowns and frocks the Westerners wore in the past to be fashionable. Fashion now has a new focus on the individual’s ability to mix and match, and various styles existed. One could be chic, bohemian, or funky.
The clothes vary from form-fitted skinny jeans and coloured leggings to loose, shredded hippie tops and headbands, bright colours to mod black-and-white, structured jackets, leopard prints, and so on. There is also a fashion fad revisiting the nostalgic past – vintage bags, belts, and garments including high waist skirts and pants, floral camisoles, and boots. It is common for fashion comebacks as a single outfit can be made up of conglomerated fashion trends from different eras.
[2] The Singapore Tourism Board Fashion Fast Forward, September 28 2008, http://app.stb.gov.sg/asp/new/new03a.asp?id=9343
CONCLUSION
Westernization has a huge impact on the local fashion scene, and it still does because it of economic development in America, England and European countries. Their influences and values held great sway over people all over the world, including Singapore, especially with its colonial roots. This was strengthened with the economic boom in 1970s to 1990s, due to rapid industrialization and the numerous garment production factories in Singapore. However, in the late 1990s till the current 21st century, local and Asian designers started to establish their mark in the fashion industry. Production shifted to other Asian countries such as Thailand and China, and a new world of affordable street fashion (sometimes imitations of Western designs) surfaced.
While there are still traces of Western influence, the Western domination is becoming less pronounced with the gradual permeation of Asian independent designers.
The analysis through time shows that the fashion today knows no boundaries. It is a porous equation where different identities come to together as globalization gradually takes the place of Westernization.
References
Picture references according to appearance
National Museum of Singapore, Fashion Living Gallery
www.flickr.com
www.cgi.ebay.com.sg
www.flickr.com
www.ajollyaffair.wordpress.com
www.chinavista.com
library.thinkquest.org
www.yawningbread.org
www.ladyironchef.com
www.sadhanayoga.com.sg
http://www.asiaone.com/Just+Woman/News/Women+In+The+News/Story/A1Story20070612-14516.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_street_fashion
http://www.lookbook.nu
MUSIC&DANCE
MUSIC
The Swinging 60s
Aspiring local musicians could easily draw Western influences from Rediffusion, a form of local cable radio that took off in the 1960s. No doubt that Rediffusion created a huge following through broadcasting Chinese stories on the gold channel, the silver channel nonetheless had a huge impact by propagating Western pop music through the Rediffusion program “Top Tunes of the Week”, including the billboard “top of the pops” American charts and the “British Top 20s”. Listening to foreign songs on the radio was a way to draw inspiration to create music, since music is shaped by what people are listening and are exposed to. The Harmonicats, a popular local band in the pre-war era, confirmed this notion by professing their influence from foreign acts such as Larry Adler and the Cappy Barra Boys, all of whom were introduced to The Harmonicats through listening to radio broadcasts.
The 1960’s was such a prominent era for Singapore music because this era catered to the first wave of teenage baby-boomers who were generally more open to Western influences than their precursors. Pop music was a way for the youth of the time to break free from the older cultural traditions, and also keeping in line with Singapore’s industrializing period and the striving for a better life which resembled the US youth’s pursuit of the American Dream also in the 1960’s. Another outlet for the interaction of different cultures took place at British naval bases, where local bands would sometimes perform. The British stationed there appreciated the Western pop songs that the bands would play, and would introduce new influences to them from their European homeland.
This is an album cover of The Beatles, synonymous with the Beatlemania era.
Pop Yeh Yeh
An example of how Singapore artistes give Western culture a local twist is exemplified in bands such as The Siglap Five, who performed Western styled music in the Malay language. Such bands like The Siglap Five are known as kugirans, and have established a unique genre of music known as Pop Yeh Yeh. The British rock influence is heavily evident with the musicians’ use of electric guitars and drumsets, coupled with song lyrics largely themed with youth-inspired romantic love. Pop Yeh Yeh bands not only played songs in Malay, but would sometimes perform a whole set in English and thus further advocating Western culture. Similar to the “Beatlemania” fanfare during that time, Pop Yeh Yeh musicians were in their own regards local rock stars. Kugirans enjoyed radio airplay of their songs (and also through Rediffusion), similar to their Western counterparts. Pop Yeh Yeh fans were known to clamour over their “hometown heroes”, requesting for autographs and other memorabilia, almost as if they were foreign acts visiting from abroad!
An interesting aspect of Pop Yeh Yeh is how the kampung atmosphere existent in Singapore at the time played a major part in keeping the members of the kugiran together. The Eastern suburban kampungs (including Eunos, Siglap and Geylang Serai) were enclaves for Pop Yeh Yeh bands to gather, revelling in the gotong royong spirit of unity and neighbourliness. The kugirans had spontaneously found a unique way of incorporating Western music into local lifestyle.
Another Western ideal that is clearly expressed in Pop Yeh Yeh is the liberation of women in society. Females were increasingly given their own voice, literally by taking up lead singing roles in Pop Yeh Yeh bands. The rising music scene was also an opportunity for female dancers to take the stage, showing how women were getting less confined to the four walls of the home.
Here, we have the Malay female artiste Rosnah taking the lead in a collaboration with The Siglap Five. We can also see how dancers are given their own limelight during performances and in music videos.
State Censorship
The government, however, took a tough stance on the exponential popularity of rock-and-roll. The state implemented controls and regulations in order to restrict the influence of “decadent” Western culture in what is more commonly known as the “anti-yellow movement”. The government disapproved of the “hippie” lifestyle that Western bands such as The Beatles seemed to encourage, and the “sex, drugs and rock-and-roll” ideals had to be quashed before they proliferated into the minds of Singapore citizens (according to the state). In this way, the rock-and-roll scene lasted merely for a decade before state intervention in the late 1960s. Locals may be familiar with the ban of rock music, jukeboxes, and even long hair on males during this period. Local rock-and-roll bands, for example, had to submit their song lyrics for inspection when playing for government-sponsored events in order to prove their songs clear of Western influence.
However it has proved hard for Singapore to “pick and choose” Western elements to adopt, striking a balance between the favourable industrialization and Western style of capitalism for the nation’s economic development against the Western culture of ‘decadence’. The advent of the Internet, on the other hand, has made it now virtually impossible to police against Western media. As Singapore emulates the Western style of economic development, the society consequently becomes more affluent and educated thus relying less on the government to tell them what they should or should not listen to.
In order to promote Singapore as a world-class cultural hub, the government also has to back down on its strict restrictions on the local arts scene. The Dim Sum Dollies in particular capitalize on the broadway musical style by injecting political satire into their cabaret themed songs. One famous rendition would be the play on the name "Lee", subtly hinting to the most important figure in Singapore politics Lee Kuan Yew. Dick Lee is also another local cultural stalwart, nevertheless making huge contributions to promote Singapore in the international market, openly pokes fun of the government in his 30th anniversary concert Life Stories in 2004. Note how these artistes combine Western styles of music with local lyrics, in order to create winning hits that draw laughter and applause from the audience.
Conclusion
The malleable, fickle nature of pop music meant that styles were ever-changing, making pop music a true reflection of the times. As a modern nation, Singaporeans were very much in tune with the latest and ever-changing trends. With the fleeting nature of pop music, the Pop Yeh Yeh only lasted as long as the 1960s rock-and-roll style could. Despite this, the following trends were always largely influenced by Western culture. The 1970s saw the metal rock movement, inspired still by British music, through the likes of Def Leppard and Led Zeppelin. This new era produced another successful Malay band named Sweet Charity, and also the term “Mat Rokers” was coined to describe the new movement of Malay youth subculture. Another local band in the 2000s is Urbankarma, and their similarity with Sweet Charity and even the Pop Yeh Yeh bands is how they fuse the sound of electronic guitars with the Malay feel. The noticeable trend is how the inclination towards Western music increases as time passes, with Urbankarma playing in the more heavy rock style than Sweet Charity did. The majority of bands in the local scene now, however, have seem to lost this sense of blending the East with the West. Current bands mostly play carbon copies of Western songs or create new ones in the completely "Americanized" form, showing evidence of the cultural globalisation trend that is commonly mentioned today.
DANCE
Early start of Westernisation: dance in Hollywood film
The 1930-1950 era, coined the “Golden Age of Hollywood”, led to the overwhelming success of Hollywood cinema, whose influence has reached our Singapore shores until this day. Following the advent of sound in the late 1920s, dance was only introduced into Hollywood films since music is needed for the viewer to fully appreciate the dance in its entirety. American film studios, like MGM and 20th Century Fox, were no longer constrained to producing silent films with the new sound technology. Musicals were subsequently developed in full swing by Hollywood studios because of the newfound capability to infuse the Broadway style of music, dance and drama into a single film.
Singapore has been generally responsive in embracing external forms and technology, stemming from the drive for economic development and embrace of the Western capitalist model. In the same way, it is no wonder that the influence of vaudeville made its successful mark in local Bangsawan acts. The likes of American dance talents including Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly have arguably inspired locals to learn Western dance. The genres of dance in early US films centred around the vaudeville theatre style, which included the Charleston, tap and ballet (among many others). Tap, in particular, is an ingenious complement to music due to the focus on rhythm brought about by footwork. We can see here how Fred Astaire has popularised tap dancing through Hollywood movies, seen here in the 1946 movie Blue Skies.
40 years on, tap dancing was featured in the 1985 Singapore Armed Forces Music and Drama Company performance with an interesting twist. It is danced to a Malay song instead, showing how Singapore artistes do not just import Western influences per se but are able to suit it to local tastes.
Gramophone and dance
Local gramophone recording studios (like Chap Kuching and Chap Ayam) were set up in urban spots of Singapore from as early as the 1900s. These studios could imitate the sound of Western music because new technology comes to Singapore very quickly, which is comparable to Europe and the US. Singapore was the commercial place to stop over and make recordings in Asia, especially for recording Bangsawan music. The interconnectedness of pop culture is evidently expressed in how movie soundtracks and dance genres were incorporated into a single gramophone vinyl record, clearly through the interaction of film, gramophone recording, music and dance. The early Hollywood films were clearly an influence on local gramophone recording studios, and the gramophone records produced would include a list of songs, the movies from which the song was featured in, as well as the genre of dance the song could be danced to. This is probably a build-up and inspired by the dance scenes featured in the classic Hollywood films of the time.
Dance in schools
As a result of colonialism, Europeans have constantly been residing in Singapore through the ages and there are ought to be those who introduce aspects of their culture into society. Dance schools were set up from as early as the 1950s by dance enthusiasts who wished to propagate the craft to local society, and they catered to mostly young girls from European families but also attracted a large number of Chinese and Indian girls.
Ballet classes, in particular, have had a popular following that transcends from the 1950s until this current day. Departing from the American sphere of influence (that we have earlier seen in Hollywood films), ballet in Singapore is predominantly taught under the Royal Academy of Dance based in London. Ballet has become popular culture in Singapore today and is mostly taught in community centres island-wide, catering mostly to girls from as young as 3 or 4 years old. The dance curriculum is standardized island-wide, and the girls have to pass ballet examinations, usually carried out by approved by foreign examiners from the Royal Academy, in order to proceed to a higher grade. In short, what has resulted is a widespread acceptance and practice of this Western art form, and these ballet practitioners are able to develop a high standard of aptitude from a young age.
The annual Ballet Under The Stars is a popular event among avid dance enthusiasts ever since its inception in 1995, set up by the Singapore Dance Theatre. The attraction lies in the audience being able to enjoy picnics while watching ballet performances by local dancers on stage, sitting in the outdoors alfresco style on the grass in Fort Canning Green.
Another reason why dance has been widely popular among Singapore’s youth is because of the opportunity for students to learn dance as a co-curricular activity (CCA). There are nevertheless cultural dance clubs where students focus on the traditional genres of Chinese, Malay and Indian dance, but emerging in popularity are the Western strands of contemporary modern dance and more currently hip hop. With the inception of the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) in 1967, schools nationwide are given a platform to showcase their students’ dance proficiencies. Contemporary dance, in particular, has been a predominant dance genre categorized under “International Dance” that participating schools tend to select for the SYF, which occurs once every two years. Admittedly, this could be an important reason why contemporary dance has been prevalent in Singapore schools’ dance clubs is due to intensive preparation for the SYF. The ideal of meritocracy in Singapore has inadvertently led to the competitive nature of Singaporeans, and schools in the same way use the grading scheme set by the SYF as a benchmark to ensure their students meet the satisfactory grade (and most often than not to hit the top mark labelled “Gold with Honours”). Schools may resort to engaging contemporary dance choreographers to train their students in the genre, ensuring they attain proficiency in modern dance. This is an example of how Western culture has been adopted to suit a local context, for instance the colloquial “kiasu” mentality in Singapore schools where students pit against each other in competitions.
Here is a video of an SYF item put up by Temasek Junior College in 2005, with their modern contemporary dance item which was awarded the Gold With Honours. This is an example of the advocation of Western culture and how schools can be awarded by enabling their students to learn modern dance.
Hiphop
Hiphop dance is a fast growing trend in Singapore pop culture, largely endorsed by students and the youth. Hiphop culture originated from the US, and hiphop dancers in Singapore also explore other modern genres such as street jazz and reggae. The symbiosis of the different mass media is evident in hiphop culture’s proliferation in the MTV channel (which has its Southeast Asia broadcasting headquarters in Singapore) and also in Hollywood movies such as Honey and the Step Up sequels. Hiphop moves are prevalent in the music videos broadcasted on the MTV channel which are commonly imitated by hiphop dancers in the local scene, with dance schools currently teaching “MTV groove” hiphop classes. Dance instructors often put up videos of their classes on the Internet, providing a convenient way to promote the hiphop genre with the aid of technology. This could very well be a contributing factor to the growing popularity of this modern trend.
Unlike ethnic dance, the modernity of hiphop dance removes it from any traditional or cultural inclination and therefore hiphop is able to encompass all races, social classes, gender and language. Entertainment is brought to the heartlands, where hiphop competitions and semi-finals are frequently held in heartland malls. This has proved to be an effective way to display youth culture to the masses, especially the older generation who do not actively pursue dance unlike their younger counterparts. These competitions usually have certain themes that support the message that their sponsors are trying to spread to the public, for example the Health Promotion Board sponsoring a hip hop competition with an anti-smoking cause. The annual Danceworks competition is one such example of an established body that promote anti-drug messages by requiring that the participants’ dance items and skits adhere to an anti-drug theme. This is an attempt (usually by state authorities) to dispel the notion among youth that smoking and drugs are “cool”, and instead highlight the possibility of pairing the vibrancy of youth culture (through hiphop) together with a healthy lifestyle.
Note the choice of words in the text -- "drug-free" !
Departing from the government’s clampdown on “decadent” Western culture in the 1960s, the PAP Youth Wing has now engaged hip hop dance as an infusion of “freshness” in order to stay relevant to the next generation of Singapore citizens. Criticism has still emerged, many citing how the PAP should maintain its stance of stern political capability, instead of pandering to the post-65 generation by adopting a youthful image.
As critiqued by Hri Kumar, a Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency Member of Parliament, he said in 2008: “We do not need to dress down or dance to a younger beat – younger and older Singaporeans did not elect us because of our fashion sense or the fact that we party at Zouk … Let others pretend they are cool and hip. Let us show the difference between smart and not, between qualified and not, between honest and not.”
However, the counterargument persists that there is a need to reach out to the largely apathetic post-65 populace and mobilising the Young PAP members to engage in activities popular with the youth would perhaps be the best way to do so. Moreover, the PAP has already proved its mettle as a capable and legitimate political party and therefore can proceed to new activities in order to shed its serious, “boring” reputation among the apathetic youth in Singapore’s now affluent and developed society.
Dr Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, explains: “The younger MPs were just trying to attempt something new … Whatever their image is, I think they should show in their outreach to the post-65 generation that they are there to listen and to empathise, and to effectively reflect some of these interests either in policy making or in Parliament. I think that’s what people are looking for.”
References
Burhanudin bin Buang. Pop Yeh Yeh music in Singapore : 1963-1971. Singapore: National University of Singapore. 2000.
http://mocamborainbow.blogspot.com/
http://www.pap.org.sg/articleview.php?id=3318&cid=35
Kelly Fu Su Yin. From folk devils to folk music : the metal music community in Singapore. Singapore: National University of Singapore. 2000.
Lai Wan Li. The road less travelled : amateurs in Singapore pop music scene. Singapore: National University of Singapore. 1999.
Loh Chee Kong. Let’s Skip the Hip-Hop: Forget about being cool, stick to a smart, honest PAP that listens. Today Newspaper. 4 December 2006.
Singapore Festival of Dance 83. Presented by the Ministry of Culture with the support of the National Theatre Trust.
Workshop for ASEAN Choreographers Singapore, 9-29 March, 1980: Workshop Report. Organised by the Cultural Affairs Division, Ministry of Culture Singapore with the cooperation of the National Theatre, the People's Association and the National Dance Company.
TELEVISION
Television has been and is still an integral part of Singapore’s popular culture. Its popularity and favourability is precisely due to its ability to reach a mass audience with great ease. Today, it is estimated that 98% of households here have at least one television set. This highlights the wide appeal of television, and especially the fact the television as a medium is able to reach people in their very own homes. In this sense, information and entertainment can be delivered straight to the people, without them having to actively search for it. Those with control over television could determine exactly what sort of news they wanted to send out, while being selective over entertainment as a way of controlling exposure. This then points out to the far-reaching powers of television both as a tool and medium of outreach.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS - Early 1960s
From its inauguration in Singapore, television has always created buzz and had a huge following. Right at the start, its first appearance on local shores in 1963 brought about great excitement, with citizens gathering in colossal crowds at the Victoria Memorial Hall and the community centres to catch a glimpse of what was considered a monumental event in Singapore’s history. The initial 1hour and 45minute broadcast was the dawn of a new age of information and entertainment locally. However of course, at a point in time where the nation’s independence was still questionable, Singapore struggled to find its own identity. Together with the nation’s history of falling under colonial rule, the locals were exposed to ideals of the west. Without a steady and distinct local identity, the appeal of the ways of the west increasingly grew, particularly since they are commonly viewed as elite or upper class behaviour, stemming from a colonial culture.
The influence from the west on television could be noted from the beginning, where the growth of local television could not have happened without aid from foreign broadcasting corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was a key player in the development of local television, where programmes produced by them were used as materials. A prime example will be programmes selected to be aired during the inauguration of television, with the cartoon Heckle & Jeckle as well as popular BBC hit comedy series Hancock’s Half Hour among the first few shows caught by local viewers.
The following is the opening to the Heckle & Jeckle cartoon:
For the American cartoon, viewers were exposed to rude and vengeful magpies, while the British series featured a swindler friend and multiple love interests. The values passed on through these shows were certainly questionable, and these consequences will be discussed later. However, the crucial factor here is that audiences had for the first time, a visual accompaniment. Hancock’s Half Hour for instance, was initially a radio show adapted to a comedic series. Locals then who previously enjoyed the radio version could now partake in and enjoy the visual experience offered as well. The arrival of television altered significantly the composition of popular culture mediums, and was both a way of exposing locals with western influences, as well as an avenue to showcase the extent of that influence through replication and emulation of what was observed.
LOCAL VS IMPORTED PROGRAMMES - Late 1960s - 1970s
The following era for national television can be deemed as significant in the drive towards production of local programmes, resulting from a conflict in the westernised values portrayed versus that of a more conservative Asian culture. The joining of Radio Singapura and Television Singapura in 1965 upon the independence of Singapore to form Radio Television Singapura (RTS), was an attempt to increase the control over broadcast mediums as well as to work towards rapid expansion through economies of scale. The success of the newly formed institution kicked off with a new $3.6 million building at Caldecott Hill , where a television centre was subsequently developed serving Channel 8 and Channel 5.
However there were barriers in its expansion. For one, funding was a problem, given Singapore’s status as a newly developed nation. As a result, a large proportion of programmes were imported instead of being produced. For instance, statistics from early 1977 estimates that on average, locally produced television programmes accounted for just 67 showings as compared to 84 for imported programmes on a weekly basis2. This was an issue that needed to be addressed, for the initial purpose of promotion and introduction of television to Singapore was to serve the needs of the nation, by portraying content relevant and necessary to nation building. Yet with the importing of programmes, locals are increasingly exposed to foreign values instead, which is counter-effective towards fostering a national sentiment.
Hence there was a need for a shift towards locally produced programmes to go against the trend of westernization of values in Singapore. This pressing need was reiterated by Ong Teng Cheong, the then Minister for Culture, who said “we have no control over the contents of imported programmes. Even with censorship, western values and standards alien to our society are being introduced all the time.” Foreign ideals were regarded as “alien”, and the government saw the need to produce our shows, to inject our own flavour, and our own values, simultaneously suppressing the impartation of these western values.
TOOL FOR NATIONAL AGENDA - 1980s
Consequently, to increase the use of television as a tool for nation agendas as well as to allow for increased funds through the allowance of market forces, RTS moved from a government agency to become a statutory board under the name of Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).
Despite being semi-autonomous, it was still closely looked after by the government, with top ranking civil servants such as the late Ong Teng Cheong placed in Ministry of Culture to control what was aired. A sign of success of this measure can be seen from the first fully locally produced mandarin drama in 1982. However, locally produced programmes were not without controversy. One example is the instance of a 1988 Chinese drama Breaking Point that had a scene that suggested homosexual content:
This led to the disgust of viewers, with many parents eventually writing in to the station to complain about the inclusion of such a scene during a prime time programme. The homosexual undertone and nuance here can be attributed to the gay liberation movement that had begun in the west in 1970s . Its influence resonated here in the following decade, where a Youtube user msp3000 commented that “SBC shows in the 80s were full of gay undertones actually”. This is a vital portrayal on the impact of western ideals onto local culture. For a viewer to comment as such, the showings must definitely been rather significant, so much so that it was a detectable trend. Given the rather traditional and conservative culture in Singapore in the 1980s, such portrayals of western influences went against the narrow and strict mindset of the locals.
CORPORATIZATION OF TELEVISION - 1990s
Moving on to the 1990s, there was a decision to fully corporatize television in Singapore, thus leading to the formation of the Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS).
Here’s the TV liner, which will be familiar to many of us:
This however, did not meant that they ultimate full autonomous control. Instead, the government had in place stringent regulatory and censorship laws, so as to ensure a continual effort in broadcasting media with a nationalistic enforcing purpose. The establishment of TCS saw Singapore’s first foray into producing an English sitcom, with the well-received and popular Under One Roof. I am sure we all still remember the tune of the music introducing this well-loved show:
A series that revolved around a local family, living in a HDB flat with a diverse cast across all ethnic groups placed in supporting roles, the sitcom is a good example of how television was used as a way to enforce values. It imparted the importance of a harmonious relationship within the family and among races, and served to reflect the lives of every day Singaporeans. Initially, the sitcom had incorporated Singlish into its production. However, it was later instructed by the government to stick to proper English. This was similarly as in the case of Phua Chu Kang , where there was even had an episode depicting this change, albeit in a fashion that seemed to poke fun at the implementation:
The need for such a language overhaul arose basically because students started to use Singlish greatly in school and in their daily lives stemming from the popularity of these shows (“don’t pray pray ah!”), and this worried the government for fear that the standard of English might drop. Thus stemming from the basis of an economic need, due to the increase dealings of Singapore with the west, and English as the language of business internationally, the government engaged television as a tool to fulfil the task of promotion of good English. This move did receive some backfire, as locals felt that this took away the flavour of these local productions. But due to an increasingly globalized world with the west as a key area of economic activity, this action had to be taken to ensure the continual advancement of the country.
Television Today
Moving on to the present decade, a restructuring of local broadcast agencies led to the formation of MediaCorp TV Singapore. Today, the firm has seven channels across four languages, including TV Mobile. Upon taking a quick look at Channel 5’s programme guide, it appears that the ratio of local to imported films has once again increased. Programmes ranging from the Survivor and The Amazing Race, to Desperate Housewives and Ghost Whisperer, are commonly given evening prime time slots. The popularity of these films is immense, and the broadcaster has to give in to the demand, or lose this group of viewers to cable television or internet streaming.
This brings into question once again, about the morals portrayed from these American series. Often with raunchy and highly sexual scenes, some of which even I am surprised made it through censorship cuts, together with the common instances of cheating adulterous spouses and broken families, such programmes are increasingly dictating the norm in society. As Singapore becomes more globalized, with its citizens more liberal and open to embracing new ideas, a portrayal of such a value system may send across a wrong message, and tug at the moral fabric here. This is especially so since, as emphasized at the start, that television is a powerful medium as it reaches people within their own home. Viewing of such programmes and getting exposed to the respective ideals, can lead to the rise in undertaking of western values over traditional Asian ones.
Though of course, credit must be given to the corporation for its attempted to bring locals back, through the use of nostalgia and heritage. Examples of these include the new series Fighting Spiders and the wildly popular Little Nyonya. The latter, a series to re-introduce locals to the culture of the Straits Chinese Peranakan, was the most watched drama in 15 years, with an average viewership of close to 1 million.
The show in itself showed the effects of westernization on the characters, where the behaviour of those sent abroad to England to study could be contrasted with that of the locals. The series’ success can be attributed to its diverse characters with varying beliefs, ranging from staunch traditional women to strong willed ones, and the impact of the immersion of western culture on the behaviour of the young men, a contrast between supposed superiority and gentlemanly actions. This show was a hit across all age and language groups, even among youths, who are more likely to veer towards overseas programmes. The fact that such dramas are still popular among local viewers is an assuring testimony that locals are and can still be attracted and enticed by their local production, instead of simply writing it off and turning towards imported programmes.
Conclusion
Globalization and westernization have in general, largely placed their influence directly through their programmes. Given the size of Singapore’s television industry, where not even two separate television stations can survive, it is easy to see why foreign productions are used and given airtime. Also, as television too serves as a form of escapism and an insight into alternate lifestyles, the exposure to another form of value system is somewhat inevitable. This is further encourage by the fact that the world as a whole, is moving towards a more westernized system of operation, and the television industry likewise, will have to advance in the same direction. Censorship laws have likewise been relaxed following calls from an increasingly liberal society. On the whole, the impacts of westernization can be seen throughout the development of local television, and in my opinion, does not look to be settling down anytime soon.
References
- Singapore Ranks Second in the World as the Country with the Highest Ownership and Usage of Media Technology, Nielsen Survey finds East West Divide in Media Habits, http://www.ihubmedia.com/blog/?p=1888
- Singapore Infopedia, “Television Singapura” Marsita Omar|Nor-Afidah Abd Rahman, 2006-04-03, National Library Board Singapore, http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1064_2006-04-03.html
- http://www.ongtengcheong.com/mr_otc.htm
- ‘Tiptoe Out of the Closet: The Before and After of the Increasingly Visible Gay Community in Singapore.’’ Heng Hiang Khng, Russell. Journal of Homosexuality (Harrington Park Press)Vol. 40, No. 3/4, 2001, pp. 82
- Quick Quick: 'Singlish' is out in re-education campaign, Mohan Srilal, Inter Press Service, Asia Times, 1999-08-24
- MediaCorp Ch8's "The Little Nyonya" is highest rated series in 15 years, 31 December 2008, Channel News Asia
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS - Early 1960s
From its inauguration in Singapore, television has always created buzz and had a huge following. Right at the start, its first appearance on local shores in 1963 brought about great excitement, with citizens gathering in colossal crowds at the Victoria Memorial Hall and the community centres to catch a glimpse of what was considered a monumental event in Singapore’s history. The initial 1hour and 45minute broadcast was the dawn of a new age of information and entertainment locally. However of course, at a point in time where the nation’s independence was still questionable, Singapore struggled to find its own identity. Together with the nation’s history of falling under colonial rule, the locals were exposed to ideals of the west. Without a steady and distinct local identity, the appeal of the ways of the west increasingly grew, particularly since they are commonly viewed as elite or upper class behaviour, stemming from a colonial culture.
The influence from the west on television could be noted from the beginning, where the growth of local television could not have happened without aid from foreign broadcasting corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was a key player in the development of local television, where programmes produced by them were used as materials. A prime example will be programmes selected to be aired during the inauguration of television, with the cartoon Heckle & Jeckle as well as popular BBC hit comedy series Hancock’s Half Hour among the first few shows caught by local viewers.
The following is the opening to the Heckle & Jeckle cartoon:
For the American cartoon, viewers were exposed to rude and vengeful magpies, while the British series featured a swindler friend and multiple love interests. The values passed on through these shows were certainly questionable, and these consequences will be discussed later. However, the crucial factor here is that audiences had for the first time, a visual accompaniment. Hancock’s Half Hour for instance, was initially a radio show adapted to a comedic series. Locals then who previously enjoyed the radio version could now partake in and enjoy the visual experience offered as well. The arrival of television altered significantly the composition of popular culture mediums, and was both a way of exposing locals with western influences, as well as an avenue to showcase the extent of that influence through replication and emulation of what was observed.
LOCAL VS IMPORTED PROGRAMMES - Late 1960s - 1970s
The following era for national television can be deemed as significant in the drive towards production of local programmes, resulting from a conflict in the westernised values portrayed versus that of a more conservative Asian culture. The joining of Radio Singapura and Television Singapura in 1965 upon the independence of Singapore to form Radio Television Singapura (RTS), was an attempt to increase the control over broadcast mediums as well as to work towards rapid expansion through economies of scale. The success of the newly formed institution kicked off with a new $3.6 million building at Caldecott Hill , where a television centre was subsequently developed serving Channel 8 and Channel 5.
However there were barriers in its expansion. For one, funding was a problem, given Singapore’s status as a newly developed nation. As a result, a large proportion of programmes were imported instead of being produced. For instance, statistics from early 1977 estimates that on average, locally produced television programmes accounted for just 67 showings as compared to 84 for imported programmes on a weekly basis2. This was an issue that needed to be addressed, for the initial purpose of promotion and introduction of television to Singapore was to serve the needs of the nation, by portraying content relevant and necessary to nation building. Yet with the importing of programmes, locals are increasingly exposed to foreign values instead, which is counter-effective towards fostering a national sentiment.
Hence there was a need for a shift towards locally produced programmes to go against the trend of westernization of values in Singapore. This pressing need was reiterated by Ong Teng Cheong, the then Minister for Culture, who said “we have no control over the contents of imported programmes. Even with censorship, western values and standards alien to our society are being introduced all the time.” Foreign ideals were regarded as “alien”, and the government saw the need to produce our shows, to inject our own flavour, and our own values, simultaneously suppressing the impartation of these western values.
TOOL FOR NATIONAL AGENDA - 1980s
Consequently, to increase the use of television as a tool for nation agendas as well as to allow for increased funds through the allowance of market forces, RTS moved from a government agency to become a statutory board under the name of Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).
Despite being semi-autonomous, it was still closely looked after by the government, with top ranking civil servants such as the late Ong Teng Cheong placed in Ministry of Culture to control what was aired. A sign of success of this measure can be seen from the first fully locally produced mandarin drama in 1982. However, locally produced programmes were not without controversy. One example is the instance of a 1988 Chinese drama Breaking Point that had a scene that suggested homosexual content:
This led to the disgust of viewers, with many parents eventually writing in to the station to complain about the inclusion of such a scene during a prime time programme. The homosexual undertone and nuance here can be attributed to the gay liberation movement that had begun in the west in 1970s . Its influence resonated here in the following decade, where a Youtube user msp3000 commented that “SBC shows in the 80s were full of gay undertones actually”. This is a vital portrayal on the impact of western ideals onto local culture. For a viewer to comment as such, the showings must definitely been rather significant, so much so that it was a detectable trend. Given the rather traditional and conservative culture in Singapore in the 1980s, such portrayals of western influences went against the narrow and strict mindset of the locals.
CORPORATIZATION OF TELEVISION - 1990s
Moving on to the 1990s, there was a decision to fully corporatize television in Singapore, thus leading to the formation of the Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS).
Here’s the TV liner, which will be familiar to many of us:
This however, did not meant that they ultimate full autonomous control. Instead, the government had in place stringent regulatory and censorship laws, so as to ensure a continual effort in broadcasting media with a nationalistic enforcing purpose. The establishment of TCS saw Singapore’s first foray into producing an English sitcom, with the well-received and popular Under One Roof. I am sure we all still remember the tune of the music introducing this well-loved show:
A series that revolved around a local family, living in a HDB flat with a diverse cast across all ethnic groups placed in supporting roles, the sitcom is a good example of how television was used as a way to enforce values. It imparted the importance of a harmonious relationship within the family and among races, and served to reflect the lives of every day Singaporeans. Initially, the sitcom had incorporated Singlish into its production. However, it was later instructed by the government to stick to proper English. This was similarly as in the case of Phua Chu Kang , where there was even had an episode depicting this change, albeit in a fashion that seemed to poke fun at the implementation:
The need for such a language overhaul arose basically because students started to use Singlish greatly in school and in their daily lives stemming from the popularity of these shows (“don’t pray pray ah!”), and this worried the government for fear that the standard of English might drop. Thus stemming from the basis of an economic need, due to the increase dealings of Singapore with the west, and English as the language of business internationally, the government engaged television as a tool to fulfil the task of promotion of good English. This move did receive some backfire, as locals felt that this took away the flavour of these local productions. But due to an increasingly globalized world with the west as a key area of economic activity, this action had to be taken to ensure the continual advancement of the country.
Television Today
Moving on to the present decade, a restructuring of local broadcast agencies led to the formation of MediaCorp TV Singapore. Today, the firm has seven channels across four languages, including TV Mobile. Upon taking a quick look at Channel 5’s programme guide, it appears that the ratio of local to imported films has once again increased. Programmes ranging from the Survivor and The Amazing Race, to Desperate Housewives and Ghost Whisperer, are commonly given evening prime time slots. The popularity of these films is immense, and the broadcaster has to give in to the demand, or lose this group of viewers to cable television or internet streaming.
This brings into question once again, about the morals portrayed from these American series. Often with raunchy and highly sexual scenes, some of which even I am surprised made it through censorship cuts, together with the common instances of cheating adulterous spouses and broken families, such programmes are increasingly dictating the norm in society. As Singapore becomes more globalized, with its citizens more liberal and open to embracing new ideas, a portrayal of such a value system may send across a wrong message, and tug at the moral fabric here. This is especially so since, as emphasized at the start, that television is a powerful medium as it reaches people within their own home. Viewing of such programmes and getting exposed to the respective ideals, can lead to the rise in undertaking of western values over traditional Asian ones.
Though of course, credit must be given to the corporation for its attempted to bring locals back, through the use of nostalgia and heritage. Examples of these include the new series Fighting Spiders and the wildly popular Little Nyonya. The latter, a series to re-introduce locals to the culture of the Straits Chinese Peranakan, was the most watched drama in 15 years, with an average viewership of close to 1 million.
The show in itself showed the effects of westernization on the characters, where the behaviour of those sent abroad to England to study could be contrasted with that of the locals. The series’ success can be attributed to its diverse characters with varying beliefs, ranging from staunch traditional women to strong willed ones, and the impact of the immersion of western culture on the behaviour of the young men, a contrast between supposed superiority and gentlemanly actions. This show was a hit across all age and language groups, even among youths, who are more likely to veer towards overseas programmes. The fact that such dramas are still popular among local viewers is an assuring testimony that locals are and can still be attracted and enticed by their local production, instead of simply writing it off and turning towards imported programmes.
Conclusion
Globalization and westernization have in general, largely placed their influence directly through their programmes. Given the size of Singapore’s television industry, where not even two separate television stations can survive, it is easy to see why foreign productions are used and given airtime. Also, as television too serves as a form of escapism and an insight into alternate lifestyles, the exposure to another form of value system is somewhat inevitable. This is further encourage by the fact that the world as a whole, is moving towards a more westernized system of operation, and the television industry likewise, will have to advance in the same direction. Censorship laws have likewise been relaxed following calls from an increasingly liberal society. On the whole, the impacts of westernization can be seen throughout the development of local television, and in my opinion, does not look to be settling down anytime soon.
References
- Singapore Ranks Second in the World as the Country with the Highest Ownership and Usage of Media Technology, Nielsen Survey finds East West Divide in Media Habits, http://www.ihubmedia.com/blog/?p=1888
- Singapore Infopedia, “Television Singapura” Marsita Omar|Nor-Afidah Abd Rahman, 2006-04-03, National Library Board Singapore, http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1064_2006-04-03.html
- http://www.ongtengcheong.com/mr_otc.htm
- ‘Tiptoe Out of the Closet: The Before and After of the Increasingly Visible Gay Community in Singapore.’’ Heng Hiang Khng, Russell. Journal of Homosexuality (Harrington Park Press)Vol. 40, No. 3/4, 2001, pp. 82
- Quick Quick: 'Singlish' is out in re-education campaign, Mohan Srilal, Inter Press Service, Asia Times, 1999-08-24
- MediaCorp Ch8's "The Little Nyonya" is highest rated series in 15 years, 31 December 2008, Channel News Asia
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