The benefits of Singapore and China’s media exchange

These agreements, to boost content exchange and co-productions, could benefit both markets.

“We hope to ignite a new wave of China-Singapore media collaboration that is broader and deeper in scope,” says MDA chairman Dr. Tan Chin Nam. “Other than paving the way for Singapore media companies to enter into China, we also hope to position Singapore as a key partner for Chinese media enterprises going international.”

Fourteen Singapore companies including content producers, channel operators, platform owners and media fund managers were involved. Nine agreements were sealed that include industry collaboration on financing, pre-production, production, distribution and marketing.

Jim Goh, CEO of Briq Communications in Singapore, believes the deals represent big opportunities for the city-state that has much to gain from China’s huge market. “There is more access and opportunity to sell, to co-produce programmes, share technical expertise and to develop the industry outside of Singapore to other Mandarin-speaking markets,” Goh says pointing out that Singapore can also cast itself as a reliable place to list Chinese broadcast companies.

Mike Rich, APAC CEO of GroupM’s entertainment, sports and partnership arm, says that besides the lure of new and bigger markets, Singaporean content and productions will also get a shot in the arm from the deals.

“We believe that the opportunity is reflective of a number of similar partnerships that we’ve been involved in,” he says. “We have seen distributors and broadcasters with online portals, production companies, format owners and brands, working more closely to drive the development of more compelling, locally produced content.

“MDA is particularly active in this area, looking to further increase Singapore’s reputation as a hub for the development and distribution of high quality content. We see this as a bit of a backlash to the spiralling costs of acquiring internationally proven formats such as Pop Idol, Wipeout and Got Talent.”

Goh says the deals could be a good point of entry for Singaporean ads, as well as offering opportunities for branded content launches and exchanges.

“Over the past 18 months, having produced more than 1,500 hours of branded entertainment, we have seen that if you can get the brand integration right, without diluting the engagement, content will comfortably travel across borders,” says Rich.

However, Goh asks whether Singaporean audiences will welcome an influx of Chinese programmes and entertainment, especially as they are still glued to Korean and locally-produced dramas, as well as being known for holding a more international viewing palette than their mainland neighbours.

This article was originally published in the 29 July 2010 issue of Media.