Page 41 - AIB | The Chanel | Issue 1 2012

NEWS CHANNELS | THE CHANNEL
are growing steadily in terms of
distribution.
We are currently third after
CNN and BBC in seven markets –
Singapore, Manila, Bangkok,
Jakarta, Hong Kong, India and
Taipei. Currently we are limited in
our distribution because we are not
on satellites in the Middle East.
Thatʹs what I would like to do if the
plan comes through, and hopefully
as technology advances we can find
a cheaper and more accessible way
to get into the US and to Europe.
Do you have data on the use of your
mobile apps?
We have some data on who uses us
online, and usage of apps we can
measure by the number of
downloads. We have existing apps
for the iPhone and the BlackBerry,
our new app will be ready in April.
Our viewers have at least one if not
two devices in their pocket, so not
getting onto the devices is not an
option today. Many of us are very
commercially minded in Singapore
so we donʹt have a problem with
getting our content on mobile.
People today communicate with
each other with their apps and via
Facebook, especially in the region.
We have now started using
Facebook more for our on‐air
product, it helps to feed the online
product and vice‐versa. Itʹs really a
priority for us to be 360 degrees
with our products. I am currently
looking at how we organize
workflow in the TV newsroom so
that we can be much more 360 in
the way we work.
How are you funded?
We are a commercially operated
news channel. We have several
sources of funding, including
revenue generated from advertising
and sponsorship. There are some
public service broadcasting funds
we can use for some of our content.
Who are your main competitors?
Broadcasters around the world face
competition from everything. In
terms of news channels in the
region, our main competitors are
CNN and BBC, I also look at CNBC
as a possible competitor. If you are
talking about eyeballs or in terms of
revenue, then I include other
companies in the domestic market
in Singapore. Because my revenue
base now still is very much
Singapore based, the regional
market is the one that I am going
after right now.
How is the media landscape
changing in your region?
One major thing thatʹs happening is
that there are more countries
setting up international news
channels in the region. China is an
example, a giant in terms of
funding capabilities who has the
money to grow their product and
broadcast not only throughout Asia
but in the world, and there are
other players also. But putting up a
credible news channel is not easy to
do, it really requires a lot of
resources and I donʹt think that
many other countries in South East
Asia are rushing to do it.
People in Asia are very media‐
savvy, with prolific use of social
media and multiple devices to get
their news and entertainment. So as
you go more and more into the
future, you have to look at your
audience first, where they consume
content, how they consume
content, what they want to see. If I
produce a programme today I have
to look at the online platform, the
mobile platform, the on‐air
platform – how does this content
work on different platforms, how
can I customise the base product.
Itʹs challenging but also exciting
because change happens very
quickly. You need to find your
consumer, and satisfy him as a
viewer and consumer.
What's on your wish list?
Our plan is to be global. We are a
regional channel right now with
global ambitions – there is a
timeline, there is a plan. We have to
make it commercial, we might get
some help here and there in terms
of PSB but ultimately we have to
stand on our own two feet.
The move into our new building
is really going to be a game‐
changer for us. At present our
infrastructure cannot support what
we need to do as a 24‐hour
operation. The move will
fundamentally affect the way we
operate and make everything much
easier and seamless – workflows,
producing content in a 360 manner.
Public engagement is going to be a
big part of it so that people can
come and watch what we do, can
engage and feel as passionate as we
do about our product and our
content. The way I envisage it, we
will be producing content by genres
‐ business content, sport content,
local news, international news ‐ and
then the teams all sit together and
produce the content for any
platform. Who knows what a
platform will be in five years? Is it
just radio, TV, mobile, online and
print? There could be other things.
Debra Soon, thank you.
▼
Clockwise
fromabove
Documentary
filming in Nepal;
Flagship
programme
Primetime Asia;
CNA presenter
Suzanne Jung
reporting
Who
knows
what a
platform
will be in
five years!
“
THE CHANNEL | ISSUE 1 2012 | 41
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