The SPH Media Trust (SMT) committee probing the issue of overstated circulation data should be given enough time for a thorough investigation, said Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo.

As for when the investigation report is expected to be completed, the committee can make that determination based only on their findings, she added in response to Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) on Wednesday (Feb 22).

The Workers’ Party MP had sought an update on further investigations into the discrepancy in circulation figures by SMT’s audit and risk committee. He asked if the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) would be asking the committee to share its full investigation report with the public, and when the report is expected to be completed and released.

In a written reply, Teo noted that SMT’s findings had no bearing on public funds, as the circulation data was not used to decide if and how much to fund the media group.

“With no direct impact to public funding, the decision on whether to share its full investigation report with the public resides with SMT, which has its own executive team and board,” she added.

She reiterated that MCI expects SMT to be “mindful of its responsibility to maintain the public’s trust in its newsrooms and journalists, and do what is needed to meet its obligations”.

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SPH Media was spun off from mainboard-listed company Singapore Press Holdings to become a not-for-profit entity in December 2021.

In 2022, the Government committed to fund SMT up to S$900 million over five years, to preserve local news media in the public interest amid severe disruption in the industry.

SMT, which publishes The Straits Times, among other publications, is facing public criticism after it emerged in January that an internal review had found that circulation figures for some of its publications had been overstated by about 85,000 to 95,000 daily average copies. The review covered data between September 2020 and March 2022.

During a Parliament sitting on Feb 6, Teo said the discovery of overstated circulation data will not affect the Government’s decision to fund the media company, as the reasons to help develop local newsrooms remain valid.

She also said SMT will be held to account when it receives government funding. THE STRAITS TIMES