Helping independents to help themselves

Over the last 7-8 years, we have seen many more independent TV content production companies, providing content, and production services to both local and international broadcasters. When I first started, we are all contractors or service providers, and now, we are seeing efforts to develop ourselves as content creators – but yet not content owners. Because of the government’s efforts to engage international broadcasters like Discovery Channel, National Geographic, MTV to set up their headquarters here in Singapore, over time, it has helped to provide opportunities for our local independent TV producer to work with them, and to gain experience,and develop capabilities to create content of higher standard. This increase is largely due to MediaCorp’s streamlining. As a result,many (former) employees are now setting up their own independent production houses, to take advantage of the increased vibrancy, and activities of the media sector. There are also more graduates from media related courses tapping into themany opportunities provided by the government, in terms of funding and schemes for the media sector.

Tony Chow, President, AIPRO

MediaCorp is increasing efforts to engage the local independents to generate content for the channels,but still on a very small scale. There is always demand for higher quality content, and for independent TV production companies, it is never along term sustainability strategy to just be a service provider or contractor.Independents, in comparison to the broadcaster, must be more innovative and creative in understanding market needs, and commercial consumption of the viewing audiences.