Celebrate the Launch of Once Upon a Times House: A Captivating Journey Through The Times House Experience
Singapore, 16 Jun 2023 – The RICE Company Ltd (TRCL) is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated launch of Once Upon a Times House, a remarkable book that offers readers a captivating journey through the experiences of Times House veteran editors and journalists over the past few decades. Times House was the home of Singapore’s newspapers, including and not limited to The Straits Times, Business Times, Berita Harian, and the now-defunct New Nation.
“Once Upon a Times House is a eulogy for our old home,” quipped Victor Ng, who mooted the idea of compiling stories from Times House. “I was fortunate to have such stalwart compatriots to readily agree to the crafting of this book, and I hope that our younger generation of journalists take heart from these stories and blaze a trail of their own in the pursuit of journalism. After all dreams are tax free and passion has no expiry date.”
The launch event will take place on Friday, 23 June 2023, at 10 Square in Orchard Central. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the esteemed editors and contributors behind Once Upon a Times House and gain a deeper understanding of the rich and vibrant past of journalism in Singapore in the 1960s to 1990s.
Clement Mesenas, editor of Once Upon A Times House, remarks, “We wanted to show the younger generation that journalism needed guts and grit to get the good and real stories, not just telling manicured stories decided in advance. True journalism is unembellished; pure cold, hard facts, presented with all the beauty and elegance of simple, clear prose.”
Ivan Lim candidly wrote, “The Singapore Bus Service (SBS) fare story had led to a public spat when then Communications Minister Ong Teng Cheong called out The Straits Times for its scoop, citing the SBS management’s denial of any planned fare increase. Then ST Editor-in-Chief Peter Lim stood by the reporter’s account, a stance seen in official circles as challenging the Minister, thus heightening government-press tensions.”
- Ivan Lim, Once Upon a Times House
Guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to acquire an autographed copy of Once Upon a Times House on the launch day. This painstakingly crafted book promises to be a cherished addition to any collection, offering a compelling narrative and a visual feast of archival photographs that showcase Singapore’s history. Each autographed copy will go for $100. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Business Times Budding Artists Fund.
“We are very happy that Hong Leong Foundation is contributing $50,000 to the Business Times Budding Artists Fund so that the books can be distributed free to all secondary schools and institutes of higher learning,” said Colin Goh, CEO of TRCL. The launch of Once Upon a Times House promises to be a significant event for literary enthusiasts, journalists, historians, and the wider community. It is an opportunity to celebrate the profound influence of Times House and pay tribute to the dedicated individuals who have contributed to its success.
