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MCC314 Global Media Industries Session 11. Case Study 3: Global/Regional Media Hub of Singapore. Cultural & Economic Background. Most networked societies Key media centers Population: 75% Chinese, 14% Malays, 8.8% Indians, 2.2% others Affluent nation Major financial center
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MCC314 Global Media Industries Session 11 Case Study 3: Global/Regional Media Hub of Singapore
Cultural & Economic Background • Most networked societies • Key media centers • Population: • 75% Chinese, 14% Malays, 8.8% Indians, 2.2% others • Affluent nation • Major financial center • Low tax regimes
Political Background • One-party state ruled by People’s Action Party (PAP) since 1959. • “Authoritarian regime” • Launched Media 21 in 2002 • To contribute 3% to nation’s GDP by 2010
Media Background • Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Arts (MICA) • Regulates the media on economic, social, cultural, political terms; • Attracts internal and foreign media investors; • Provides technical and technological support to global media companies; • Hosted BroadcastAsia and MIPAsia.
Media Regulation • Most critically debated issue; • Heavily controlled • Follows ‘developmental press’ • Nation building • ‘inform, educate, entertain’ as per gov’t policy • MICA – regulates the print • MDA – regulates broadcast and digital media • Merger of SBA, FPD, NFC (Singapore Broadcasting Authority, Film & Publications Dept, National Film Council)
Print Media • 15 newspapers in circulation • English, Chinese, Tamil, Malay newspapers are available; • 14 owned by SPH • 1 (Today) owned by Media Corp (formerly Singapore International Media) • Becomes fewer compared to 1980s
Print Media • Newspaper & Printing Presses Act 1974 • Determines the board of directors • Controls domestic & foreign presses & publication • Libel suits to foreign media • Far Eastern Economic Review • The Economist • Asian Wall Street Journal • Asiaweek • The Star • The Times • International Herald Tribune
Broadcast Media • 7 TV channels; 14 radio channels • Owned by Media Corp • Varied languages(see list) • Satellite dishes are illegal • 1 pay TV provider including BBC, CNN, CNBC • SBA 2001 can restrict broadcasting rights of any foreign broadcaster if found meddling with domestic politics.
Broadcast Media • Radio is hi-tech • Most are accessible online and in Digital Audio Broadcasting or ‘Smart Radio’
Duopolistic Monopoly • Competition between SPH and MediaCorp • MediaCorp ventured into newspaper • SPH ventured to 2-channel TV broadcasting • Faced financial failure in 3 years • Monopoly was more realistic • MediaCorp became MediaCorp TV Holdings (20% owned by SPH) • Nevertheless duopolistic structurally but journalistically and politically monopolistic • ‘subordinate to a common purpose, of which the government is the ultimate oracle’ (Cherian George)
Internet Media • ‘Intelligent island-state by 2000’ (1992) • More tech-savvy than Americans, Britons, Ozs • Few but not free from regulatory rules • Mushrooming of alternative online media
Internet Regulations • 1996 Internet Regulatory Codes ensures the ‘prohibited materials’ were minimized or restricted • ‘materials that are objectionable on the grounds of public interest, public morality, public order, public security, national harmony, or is otherwise prohibited by applicable Singapore laws’ (Lee, 2002). • Blocked 100 porn sites (1997)as a moral gesture and not politically motivated.