It has been a year since I converted over to the BBC from CNN as my main source of news. Previously in Singapore, my acquaintance with the BBC had been through the BBC World Service on radio which I listened to regularly - and that was because I was the only person on the island who did not own a TV set! But whenever I travel, I'd would watch CNN, available in most business class hotels. CNN had always been my main and preferred source of news. When I couldn't get access to satellite TV, I would check their website for the latest.

Understandly, I was quite disappointed when my hotel in Jakarta did not provide CNN. They told me that it was a government directive because CNN had made biased and negative reporting about Indonesia in the past. So I had no choice but to settle for what they have, which was BBC. After one year of watching BBC, I realised how much better their reporting is compared to CNN. They are fair, balanced and focussed, avoiding any unnecessary sensationalism. The quality and professionalism of their presenters has also won my admiration. While the CNN has a tendency to give priority to news that are US-centric - such as the plight of the Cuban refugee, Elian Gonzalez and the disappearance of intern Levi Chandra (which were of no interest to the rest of the world) - the BBC provides a better perspective of the world with more extensive coverage on Africa and Asia.

Interviewer Tim Sebastian in Hard Talk and veteran journalist John Simpson in Simpson's World are my favourite BBC personalities. Nowadays life would feel a bit empty without the pulsing electronic rhythm of BBC's incidental music in the background. BBC starts my day in the morning and lulls me to sleep at night.