Statute Details
- Title: Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2016
- Act Code: NPPA1974-S69-2016
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206)
- Authorising Power: Section 44(1)(b) of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act
- Enacting Formula / Maker: Made by the Minister for Communications and Information (via Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Information)
- Citation: No. S 69
- Deemed Commencement: Deemed to have come into operation on 8 June 2015
- Date Made: 15 February 2016
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Provisions: Section 3 (Exemption); Section 4 (Revocation); Section 2 (Definitions)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2016 is a targeted exemption instrument made under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (the “Act”). In plain language, it allows a specific operator—SATS Ltd.—to print certain newspapers in Singapore without the usual requirement that would otherwise apply under section 21 of the Act.
The exemption is not general. It is designed for a particular operational model: SATS Ltd. prints newspapers that are published outside Singapore and then transmits them electronically to SATS for printing and distribution to passengers of private aircraft leaving Singapore. The Order therefore sits at the intersection of Singapore’s regulatory framework for printing presses and the practical logistics of in-transit or on-board distribution.
Practically, the Order reduces regulatory friction for a specific printing activity while preserving oversight through strict quantitative and reporting conditions. It also clarifies what counts as “published outside Singapore” for the purposes of the exemption, which is important where content may be produced or curated across jurisdictions.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the legal identity of the instrument and its effective date. Although the Order was made on 15 February 2016, it is deemed to have come into operation on 8 June 2015. For practitioners, this matters for compliance and enforcement: activities falling between 8 June 2015 and the date of making may be treated as covered by the exemption (subject to the conditions being met).
Section 2 (Definitions) sets the interpretive framework. It defines “offshore newspaper” by reference to section 23(7) of the Act. It also defines “private aircraft” as an aircraft hired as a whole for private use. These definitions are crucial because the exemption applies only to newspapers that are not offshore newspapers and only to printing/distribution connected to private aircraft leaving Singapore.
Section 3 (Exemption) is the core operative provision. The exemption is structured as follows:
(1) What is exempted: Section 21 of the Act does not apply to SATS Ltd. with respect to the printing within premises in Singapore owned or occupied by SATS Ltd. of any newspaper (that is not an offshore newspaper) that is:
- (a) published outside Singapore; and
- (b) transmitted electronically to SATS Ltd. by PressReader for the purpose of printing and distribution of the newspaper to passengers of any private aircraft leaving Singapore.
This means the exemption is limited to a particular chain: electronic transmission by PressReader → printing by SATS in Singapore → distribution to passengers on private aircraft leaving Singapore. If any element of that chain is absent, the exemption may not apply.
(2) Conditions attached to the exemption: Even where the factual elements are met, the exemption is conditional. Section 3(2) imposes four main conditions:
- Copy limit (quantitative control): SATS Ltd. must not print in Singapore more than 299 copies of each issue of the newspaper.
- Restricted distribution (purpose limitation): The printed copies of each issue must be distributed only within and to the passengers of a private aircraft leaving Singapore.
- Quarterly reporting (regulatory oversight): SATS Ltd. must submit to the Registrar, within 14 days after the end of each quarter of each year, the newspaper’s title and the number of copies of each issue printed in that quarter.
- Non-material deviation requirement (compliance standard): Any deviation from the copy limit, restricted distribution, or reporting requirements must not be intentional or material.
For legal practice, these conditions are where compliance risk concentrates. The copy cap and distribution restriction are operational constraints; the reporting requirement is a procedural obligation; and the “intentional or material” deviation standard introduces a compliance threshold that may require factual assessment if there is a breach.
(3) Clarification of “published outside Singapore”: Section 3(3) provides a functional test. A newspaper is “published outside Singapore” if its contents and editorial policy are determined outside Singapore. This is a substantive criterion rather than a mere printing location test. It is particularly relevant where editorial decisions, content selection, or policy-setting may occur in multiple jurisdictions.
Section 4 (Revocation) revokes the earlier Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2009 (G.N. No. S 598/2009). Revocation indicates that the 2016 Order is intended to replace the 2009 regime for the relevant exemption context. Practitioners should therefore treat the 2016 Order as the controlling instrument for the specified exemption, while also considering whether the deemed commencement date affects how earlier activities are treated.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is concise and follows a standard subsidiary legislation structure:
- Section 1: Citation and commencement (including the deemed commencement date).
- Section 2: Definitions (incorporating key terms by reference to the parent Act).
- Section 3: Exemption (the operative clause, including sub-conditions and interpretive clarification).
- Section 4: Revocation (of the earlier 2009 exemption order).
There are no “Parts” indicated in the metadata, and the instrument is essentially a single-exemption framework with definitions and revocation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
On its face, the exemption applies specifically to SATS Ltd. It is not drafted as a general exemption for all printing presses or all newspaper publishers. The exemption is tied to SATS Ltd.’s printing within premises in Singapore that it owns or occupies.
The exemption is also operationally limited: it applies only to newspapers that are not offshore newspapers, that are published outside Singapore (as defined by editorial policy and content determination), and that are transmitted electronically by PressReader for printing and distribution to passengers of private aircraft leaving Singapore. Accordingly, even if another entity prints similar newspapers, the Order would not automatically confer the same exemption unless it falls within the precise statutory description (which, as drafted, is directed to SATS Ltd.).
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it demonstrates how Singapore’s regulatory framework for newspapers and printing presses can accommodate modern distribution models—particularly digital-to-print workflows—without abandoning regulatory control. By exempting a narrow category of printing activity, the Order supports logistical efficiency for air travel while maintaining guardrails.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the conditions in Section 3(2) are the practical “pressure points.” The 299 copies per issue cap and the restricted distribution requirement ensure that the exemption does not become a backdoor for broader circulation within Singapore. The quarterly reporting obligation to the Registrar provides a mechanism for monitoring and auditing the exemption’s use.
For practitioners advising SATS Ltd. or related stakeholders (e.g., compliance teams, aviation logistics providers, or counsel handling regulatory risk), the deemed commencement date and the “intentional or material” deviation standard are particularly relevant. The deemed commencement date may affect retrospective compliance assessments, while the deviation standard requires careful factual evaluation if there is any non-compliance—especially around reporting timeliness, copy counts, or distribution scope.
Related Legislation
- Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206) (including section 21 and section 23(7))
- Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2009 (G.N. No. S 598/2009) — revoked by Section 4
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Newspaper and Printing Presses (Exemption) Order 2016 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.