THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION IN SINGAPORE: FROM COLONY TO INDEPENDENT NATION-STATE (1946-1965)

Abstract

The study of public communication is a study of government relations with the public. The importance that public opinion has come to play in the political life of all nations meant that public communication is now an essential component of any government. In a short span of twenty years, the state of public communication in Singapore has evolved from being an "optional tool" of the government to become, irrevocably, a constituent part of the government machinery. Such a change in stature was due to the interplay of many factors, both internal and external. This study will examine the evolution of communication policies and methods in the context of historical change. Chapter one will look at the state of public communication between 1946- 1954, when Singapore was still a colony under British administration. Chapter two will document the period 1954-1959, during which time Singapore was given a measure of self-rule under British tutelage. Chapter three will trace the further development of public communication during 1959-1965, when Singapore attained statehood and eventually nationhood under the Singapore government led by the People's Action Party. Last but not least, chapter four will evaluate the contributions of both governments and assess the significance of these two stages to the future development of public communication in Singapore.