SPH Media turns SMRT stations into a new distribution channel

SPH Media is turning Singapore’s public transport network into a new distribution channel for its news content, bringing The Straits Times into SMRT stations through audio bulletins, digital out-of-home screens and newspaper vending machines.

The Straits Times’ three- to four-minute audio bulletins are now live across 68 SMRT stations on the North-South, East-West and Circle lines, as well as the Bukit Panjang LRT.

The English-language bulletins play at the top of every hour from 7am to 8.30pm, Monday to Saturday, giving commuters access to news updates as they move through the network. SMRT is also working to extend the audio service to more stations.

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The audio service is the first of three commuter-facing touchpoints under the partnership. News highlights from The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao will also appear on SMRT’s out-of-home digital screens across MRT concourses, platforms and selected bus stations.

Meanwhile, vending machines carrying SPH Media newspapers will be introduced at SMRT-operated train stations, starting with Choa Chu Kang MRT on 15 October. Titles available will include The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian, Shin Min Daily News and Tamil Murasu, with more stations to follow.

The move gives SPH Media multiple ways to extend its content beyond its owned digital and print properties and into a third-party environment with a captive commuter audience. It also reflects how media owners are increasingly looking beyond traditional publishing channels to find new physical and digital touchpoints through which audiences can encounter content during their everyday routines.

Kuek Yu Chuang, managing director of SPH Media, said the audio bulletins marked “a meaningful first step” in bringing The Straits Times into the daily station experience and reaching commuters with timely, credible information. He added that the publisher intends to extend its content to more touchpoints.

Ngien Hoon Ping, group CEO of SMRT, said the partnership combines SMRT’s transport network with SPH Media’s content expertise to provide commuters with trusted news while enriching the commuting experience.

The initiative stems from a memorandum of understanding signed between SPH Media and Stellar Lifestyle, the business arm of SMRT, in January 2026. The agreement was positioned as a way to bring news and useful information to commuters across SMRT’s network, with SPH Media’s content capabilities paired with SMRT’s islandwide footprint.

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