Shin Min Daily News: Ownership, History & How to Read

Most newspapers have a clear place in the morning. Shin Min Daily News, Singapore’s Chinese-language evening paper, arrives when the day’s work winds down — and it has been doing so since 18 March 1967, when it was founded by wuxia novelist Jin Yong and Tiger Balm inventor Liang Runzhi Culturepaedia (Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre). This guide lays out who owns it, how to read it, and what makes it unique in Singapore’s media landscape.

Founded: 18 March 1967 · Language: Chinese · Type: Evening newspaper · Format: Tabloid-style (printed on broadsheet) · Hotline: 9191 8727 · Online edition: Available via e-paper and website

Nine data points capture the essentials of Shin Min Daily News — from its launch date to its current owner.

Who owns Shin Min Daily?

Ownership has shifted twice since the paper’s founding. Here is the picture today and how it got there.

Current ownership: SPH Media Trust

• Shin Min Daily News is owned by SPH Media Trust, the Singapore media organization that manages most of the country’s major print and digital news brands (Wikipedia).
• The paper is listed among SPH eNewspapers titles, accessible via the National Library Board’s digital collection (Reference@NLB (Singapore’s national library)).

Founders: Jin Yong and Liang Runzhi

• The newspaper was founded on 18 March 1967 by wuxia novelist Jin Yong (Louis Cha Leung-yung) and Singapore merchant Leung Yun Chee (also known as Liang Runzhi) as a joint venture with each holding a 50% stake (Culturepaedia (Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre)).
• Jin Yong helmed the editorial board at launch (Culturepaedia).

Historical ownership changes

• In August 1982, the Straits Times Press (1975) Ltd bought 45% of the paper for about S$1.12 million (Culturepaedia).
• An additional 14% was acquired in December 1982, making Shin Min a subsidiary of what would become Singapore Press Holdings (Culturepaedia).
• In 2021, SPH’s media assets — including Shin Min — were restructured under the non-profit SPH Media Trust (Wikipedia).

What is the Chinese news paper in Singapore?

Two major Chinese-language dailies serve Singapore. Each occupies a distinct time slot and readership.

Main Chinese dailies: Lianhe Zaobao and Shin Min Daily News

• Singapore has two leading Chinese-language newspapers: Lianhe Zaobao (morning broadsheet) and Shin Min Daily News (evening paper) (Zaobao.com.sg (Singapore’s leading Chinese daily)).
• Shin Min describes itself as “Singapore’s evening newspaper” focused on everyday-life stories and social news for ordinary people (Shin Min official website).

Shin Min’s role as an evening newspaper

• It is known as a “small citizen” (xiaoshimin) newspaper, emphasizing livelihood issues, local entertainment, and community news (Shin Min official website).
• Its content is published after 3:30 PM daily, targeting readers who want fresh news in the late afternoon (Shin Min Facebook page).

Target audience: the common citizen (xiaoshimin)

• The paper’s tagline — ” ” (let citizens speak) — reflects its grassroots orientation (Shin Min official website).
• Headlines are often sensationalized in a tabloid style, though the paper is physically printed on broadsheet paper (Wikipedia).

What are the top headlines in Singapore now?

Shin Min selects stories that resonate with its evening audience: local entertainment, social affairs, and sensationalized community news.

How Shin Min selects stories

• The editorial focus is on “everyday-life stories and social news,” meaning a car crash on the Pan-Island Expressway can share space with a celebrity wedding (Shin Min official website).
• Its Wikipedia entry notes a “tabloid-style paper focused on entertainment and local news with sensationalized headlines” (Wikipedia).

Where to find today’s headlines

• Current headlines are updated on the official website shinmin.sg and the paper’s Facebook page (Shin Min Facebook).
• An e-paper edition is published daily after 3:30 PM, accessible via SPH e-paper portal.

Sample of recent topics

• Typical stories include road accidents, court cases, crime, human-interest features, and local entertainment gossip — the kind of news that sparks conversation at coffeeshops.
• The 24-hour hotline (9191 8727) encourages readers to tip off reporters, which often generates exclusive community-driven stories (Shin Min official website).

What is the most read newspaper in Singapore?

Readership figures vary by language. The most-read titles are clear, but Shin Min holds a specific evening niche.

Overall newspaper readership in Singapore

• The Straits Times (English) and Lianhe Zaobao (Chinese) vie for the largest overall audience in their respective languages (Wikipedia list of Singapore newspapers).
• Shin Min Daily News is a popular evening choice, especially among Chinese-speaking commuters and older readers.

Chinese newspaper circulation: Lianhe Zaobao vs Shin Min

• Exact circulation numbers are not publicly updated, but Shin Min is distributed through newsstands and its e-paper platform (SPH e-paper portal).
• Lianhe Zaobao has a higher circulation, but Shin Min benefits from being the only Chinese evening daily in the market.

Shin Min’s niche evening audience

• Its format — tabloid-style content on a broadsheet page — gives it a distinctive physical presence that contrasts with the morning broadsheets.
• The newspaper’s official site describes its mission as ” ” (giving voice to citizens), reinforcing its blue-collar appeal (Shin Min official website).

The implication: Shin Min doesn’t compete for the same reader as The Straits Times. It owns the late-afternoon, Chinese-speaking segment — a small but loyal slice.

What’s happening in Singapore right now?

For real-time updates, Shin Min relies on a combination of digital channels and its famed hotline.

How to get real-time news from Shin Min

• The website shinmin.sg and social media (Facebook, Instagram) are updated with breaking news throughout the day (Shin Min Instagram).
• The e-paper edition is refreshed daily after 3:30 PM (SPH e-paper).

Breaking news via hotline and social media

• The 24-hour hotline 9191 8727 allows readers to report news tips directly — a two-way street that fosters community journalism (Shin Min official website).
• Facebook posts often feature live coverage of developing incidents, such as fires or traffic accidents.

24-hour updates on the website and mobile

• For readers who prefer an app, the Shin Min e-paper can be accessed through the Lianhe Zaobao app — a single portal for both papers (SPM subscription portal (subscription management)).
• Historical editions (pre-1989) can be browsed for free through the National Library Board’s NewspaperSG archive (Reference@NLB (Singapore’s national library)).

Shin Min Daily News is not a digital startup; it is a late-1960s legacy paper that has outlasted many competitors. For the Chinese-speaking community in Singapore, the choice is straightforward: want morning analysis? Pick Lianhe Zaobao. Want afternoon gossip, community news, and a direct hotline to a reporter? Shin Min is your paper. For SPH Media Trust, the challenge is to keep that evening niche alive in an era of 24/7 notifications — and the 24-hour hotline may be its most underrated asset.