Dear readers,
As we enter the first week of staying away from the office and working from home as part of the “circuit breaker” measures introduced by the government, I want to give you an overview of how we at The Edge Singapore are still hard at work helping you make the best investment decision.
Like other media organisations, we are part of the list of “essential services” that will continue to operate this month. And like many of you, we are now working from home and meeting virtually. Although our journalists face obstacles in conducting physical interviews, we will continue to deep-dive into issues and provide you with our latest commentaries on the stock markets and investment products.
Still, we may yet face issues on the printing and delivery of our physical papers during this month so we ask for your understanding in the event of late deliveries. Nevertheless, we have given Digital Access to all our print subscribers to ensure you receive our weekly edition the moment it is released by accessing them via our app or website.
In terms of story mix, we are focusing on providing you with the most relevant insights the impact Covid-19 has on businesses, and how governments and policymakers are responding. For example, merely hours after Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s supplementary budget was announced on April 6, the editorial team sent out a special emailer highlighting key aspects of the speech, as well as market reactions, views and analysis.
For our property section, the team has gone down to the ground and speak to individual owners of restaurants and bars to understand the plight they are facing and whether property tax rebates offered are sufficient to keep the business going.
Over at Options, the team has been hard at work finding relevant activities and books that should keep you entertained during this stay-at-home period.
On the digital front, we are doubling-down on our initiatives. Our new app provides you with two reading experiences: a digital replica of our print for those who enjoy “flipping” pages as well as a native mobile/tablet version for seamless scroll-and-read. It is therefore not surprising digital usage has grown by more than four times since the beginning of the year.
For property, we have introduced EdgeProp Plus, where we have replicated the entire showflat-visiting experience online, from video walkthroughs to virtual tours. To date, the site features more than 20 showflats. We will also be conducting webinars to educate and train users on the different tools our site has to offer.
We have also started a Investing 101 column online to help those who are starting out on their investment journey, gain a better understanding of the dynamics and volatility of financial markets.
The next few weeks will be an extraordinary journey for many. We will learn how to maintain office-level productivity in the comfort of our home and loved ones. We will learn to stay away from friends and minimise physical interactions. As we work in solitude, we may even have an epiphany and find a creative solution to a long-standing problem.
When the bubonic plague swept across England some 355 years ago, this was the time Sir Isaac Newton made some of his biggest scientific discoveries.
Nevertheless, at the end of this journey, life will resume and a new equilibrium will be achieved. Together, we will come out stronger with better life perspectives. Throughout this, we at The Edge Singapore and EdgeProp Singapore will continue to help you make sense of this unprecedented period. Thank you for taking the journey with us.
Regards,
Bernard Tong
CEO & Publisher
The Edge Singapore & EdgeProp Singapore
