30 November 2000 - Two familiar faces, Mr Arnold Gay and Ms Michelle Quah, join the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Limited on 1 Dec 2000 as senior broadcast journalists in its TV News Unit. The unit will provide news and current affairs programmes to TV Works, the English language channel of SPH MediaWorks Ltd, the Group's broadcast subsidiary, which will go on air in mid-2001.

Mr Gay, 33, has 9 years of experience in the media and broadcast industry. He was last seen as the co-anchor of the One Hour News on Channel NewsAsia. He started his career in 1992 as a Music Director/Presenter of Class 95FM, Radio Corporation of Singapore.

Mr Gay is excited at the prospect of joining SPH. He cited as the top reason for his move "the opportunity to work with the vast pool of resources that SPH has, in particular the many journalists and their experience". To be part of an established multi-faceted organisation like SPH is a dream come true for him.

Said Mr Gay, "In SPH, there is the print media, AsiaOne, MediaWorks and the publications arm. The synergy that we can achieve from this interplay is exciting. It is something I find very attractive and have always dreamed of doing".

Ms Michelle Quah, 26, was also a broadcast journalist with Channel NewsAsia, part of the Media Corporation of Singapore (MCS). She hosted programmes such as "Corporate Watch", the live Singapore Market Reports and "Business Watch".

The opportunity to play a pivotal role and to contribute to the development of MediaWorks, a new setup, appealed to her. Her confidence in the SPH team was also a key factor behind her decision to join SPH.

Said Ms Quah, "It is a team which inspires confidence. I have worked with them before, and I have trust in what they do. It is a team which I know I can learn much from."

The TV News Unit is headed by Ms Jennifer Lewis, herself a senior news executive in MCS before joining SPH in late July.

Ms Lewis, who is building a core team of experienced broadcast journalists, said, "Arnold and Michelle are exceptional talents and we are excited to have them on board. Both will add value to the efforts in developing dynamic News and Current Affairs programmes. Before going on-air when TV Works is launched, both will work in The Straits Times Newsroom. Their stint will also broaden their skills base, enabling them to add depth to their reports."

On the TV News Unit, Ms Lewis said, "SPH already has an established print newsroom with a newsgathering force that is unparalleled in Singapore, if not the region. With the TV News Unit, a broadcast newsroom which will emulate the best practices of the print newsroom is being developed. By leveraging on the strength of the print team, the unit is well-placed to develop a voice that is credible and respected."

Mr Gay and Ms Quah will be heading for Sydney next week for an attachment with a leading TV news station there.

Two separate news studios, one for the TV News Unit under the EMND and the other for the one headed by Ms Lim Chung Bee under the Chinese Newspapers Division (CND), are currently being constructed in Times House and News Centre respectively. They are expected to be ready by January 2001.

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Limited