Stomp Chingay 2009 Blogger Appearance In My Paper

MY LIFESTYLE A21

MY PAPER FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2009

Award-winning STOMP is Singapore’s No.1 citizen-journalism website with user-generated material fuelling its success. We’re also big on social networking,

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enabling thousands to come together to interact and bond both online and offline

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in our various Talkback forums, and in Singapore Seen.

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Tradition meets digital tech at the Chingay People’s Association teams up with Stomp to bring annual parade to netizens

THE HOT

INDEX HERE are the top 10 hot topics this week in Singapore Seen, Stomp’s citizen-journalism section:

1. China tourists strip

ENTER THE DRAGONS: NTU makes its foray into Chingay with the Trio of Dragons, one of the tallest floats to appear in a Chingay parade. (PHOTO: KARL LEE/STOMP)

AZHAR KASMAN

T

RADITIONAL pageantry met digital technology at this year’s Chingay Pa-

rade. The collaboration between the People’s Association, the people movement, and Stomp, the social-networking and citizen-journalism website, saw bloggers reporting the event for the first time through the online medium. The objective was to bring the traditional parade to netizens via Stomp. Four youths were selected from an online contest managed by Stomp to provide text, video and photographic coverage of what went behind the scenes at the parade, which was held on Jan 31. Besides blogging on Stomp about the actual parade, they also attended the full-dress rehearsal and the media-accreditation event where the artistes were introduced. Stomp was chosen as the Chingay’s official media because of its extensive reach with the youth and IT-savvy community. Said Mr Nah Juay Hng, Group Director (Networks) and chairman of Chingay Parade Exco: “We felt that Stomp is a natural choice partner for the People’s Association to organise blogging for the event.” For the bloggers, being the eyes and ears of digital media at Chingay 2009 gave them the opportunity to experience many “firsts”. It was their first time writing as journalists, their first attendance at a press conference, their first time occupying a VIP seat and, of course, their first time wearing a media pass. Karl Lee, a 23-year-old undergraduate, relished all of this. “The most memorable experience has got to be all the privileges that come from holding a media journalist pass,” he said.

to underwear at airport, and airport staff says ‘It’s normal’ Alvin got a shock when he saw some men strip to their underwear at Changi Airport.

2. Threatened, stalked and asked to strip: Old man makes life hell for me Stomper DC posts videos of an old man whom she says has been stalking her for two years, despite the six police reports she’s made. 3. Two boys, one girl in school uniform kiss and hug at carpark A Stomper saw this happening at an Anchorvale carpark. 4. What’s the point of employing China counter staff when they can't understand English? Stomper Rachel was frustrated by the Chinese staff at a restaurant who could not understand English.

5. Car ablaze after illegal drag race at Sengkang An illegal race among a group of youngsters resulted in a car catching fire and the SCDF being called in. 6. Mercedes in Bedok CITIZEN JOURNALISTS: Chingay Stomp Bloggers (from left) Kenneth Goh, Gary Mo, Karl Lee and Juliet Teo posing with their media passes. (PHOTO: STOMP)

“Besides being able to attend all the exclusive press conferences, I got to get up close to personalities like Oli Pettigrew, the British model, actor and TV host; our very own local DJ KoFLow and sexy London DJ Sassy Pandez.” Another blogger, Kenneth Goh, a 20-year-old NSman, was excited by the chance to witness the Chingay “live” on the ground. “Over the years, I have been watching the event on TV,” he said. “I have always been interested in going behind the scenes of this glamorous event.” What can you expect from the blogs? Tales and photographs of fire-breathing dragons, the tallest and longest Chingay floats ever built, and incredible engineering feats that blend art with science, just to name a few. The immediacy of the bloggers’ vivid writing and colourful photos brought the parade to

life and made you feel like you were right there at the parade. Blogger Juliet Teo, 27, an events manager, used her videocam to record footage of The Straw Fire Dragon, which was made of straw, and The Soaring Auspicious Dragon, a set of dragon dances by the Singapore Dragon and Lion Athletic Association. She also recorded an unusual act – the performance of the Chinese Legendary Tale of Madam White Snake by a Malay group. Stomp blogger Gary Mo, a 19-year-old ITE student who was himself a participant at the parade, said: “It was my first time as a Chingay Stomp blogger, and all I can say is that the experience was awesome.” After their blogs for the event have been posted, the public can vote for the best and most creative Chingay Stomp Blogger. Voting starts on Feb 10 and ends on Feb 25.

The best Chingay Stomp Blogger will win a 3D/2N holiday for four to Koh Samui, while the two runners-up will win Samsung mobile phones. One lucky voter will win $100 worth of shopping vouchers. So, go now to Stomp to view the blogs, photos and videos. The Chingay Stomp Blogs are in Youthphoria in Stomp: http://youthphoria.stomp.com.sg

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HELPDESK Pageantry:  zhuàng guān Netizens:

 wǎng mín Press conference:

 


xīn wén fā bù huì

with unusual licence plate A Stomper was amazed by a Mercedes with the licence plate ‘J5’.

7. “Fierce, big-sized man chases my car and threatens me and my family” A Stomper claims a Samsung van driver confronted him after a misunderstanding on the road.

8. Insensitive cabby sanitises taxi after my sick mum got off A cabby was seen sanitising his cab immediately after Stomper Niko and her sick mum alighted, which she felt was not right of him. 9. Forget Orchard Road! Shopping is so much cheaper at JB’s Tebrau City A Stomper says she got many bargains there. 10. Woman dies in hit-and-run at Serangoon: Did you see culprit? The family of Candy Yeo, 33, is appealing for eyewitnesses to her fatal accident. COMPILED BY JACQUELINE LIM