Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Singapore Police Force in YouTube (or "Should our SPF have a blog?") - Part 1

Thanks to David for pointing me to the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) YouTube Community Outreach page:
YouTube - SpfCommunityOutreach's Channel
<www.youtube.com/user/SpfCommunityOutreach>

I watched this video. And I thought people of all ages, especially younger people at the age when they think they have all the time in the world, should watch it and listen to what those young people are saying in the video.
YouTube - SpfCommunityOutreach's Channel

Good move by the SPF.

The videos are already produced. Their aim is to get the message spread as widely as possible. Their target audience (young people) use digital mediums. Very logical.

As an employee of a government agency, I automatically note how they've allowed comments.

I think three years ago, the prevailing wisdom might be to turn OFF all comments, and even disallow embedding of codes. That is, if they even allow themselves to use a platform like YouTube.

Slow but steady progress, I guess. Heh.


From Local to Global in a matter of bytes
Singapore Police Force
It's also an example of how, by using a service like YouTube, their videos which were produced with local audiences in mind are now watched by a global audience.

I'd imagine people from a foreign country watching the videos and forming their perceptions about Singapore.

An implication being that any organisation that uses YouTube or similar video sharing sites for their outreach programmes have to consider local and global viewers.

I'm not saying SPF has to produce their videos for non-Singaporeans. I'm saying it's a point to be considered.

Next: Part 2, on 'Police agencies and Blogs'

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:34 am

    check out makati police videos introducing the scamsters and their modus operendi.
    www.youtube.com/user/chiefgilbertcruz

    I find these videos interesting as the police(wo)men themselves are the actors

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:24 am

    I agree... especially in this global age you have to alter your content for not only your local audience but the global audience as well...like me!

    ReplyDelete

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