Page 40 - AIB | The Chanel | Issue 1 2012

MDDebraSoon is responsible
for the entire business
operations of Singapore-
basedChannel NewsAsia,
part of MediaCorpPte Ltd. The
channel, seen in 25 territories
across Asia, is aiming for a
global presence and is clearly
passionate about telling the
worldAsia’s story. What were
CNA'smajormilestones since
launch in 1999?
n the aftermath of what was
then called the Asian
financial crisis we created a
channel that would
represent what was really
happening in Asia. Today
you take it for granted that
you have France 24, CCTV, Al
Jazeera but in 1999 there was really
only CNN and BBC.
We thought that we needed to
give a more nuanced view of what
was going on. The first milestone
was going up on satellite in 2000,
we were carried in only five or six
countries then with a 12m
viewership.
In 2004 we secured landing
rights in China which was a big
step, and the decision to open 10
overseas news bureaux was another
milestone – a big learning curve for
us as a business, as a channel.
Having that presence in South
East Asia still gives us the edge
today because we understand
South East Asia and can present the
region with more insight than some
of the other international
broadcasters.
What are your editorial priorities?
We are focused on Asia but it is a
two‐way process. Weʹd like to
provide Asian perspectives and
insight for the rest of the world, but
it is also about bridging and telling
Asia what is going on in the world.
We are on satellites which span
Asia up to the Middle East and
Australia, we also have a website
which reaches out to everybody
round the world. Editorially that
means you have to be really on top
of things in Asia, thatʹs what drives
the content.
We have a plethora of news
sources today and instant
information about anything. I think
our job is to find information which
is relevant to our audiences,
wherever they are, whenever they
need it. We are not saying anymore
ʹWe are the broadcaster, this is the
newsʹ. We need to help people
make sense of the world and whatʹs
going on around them, add
different perspectives and insights
which they might not be able to
find if they just cull information
from the internet.
How do you use online?
The website can reach the entire
world, the on‐air product currently
doesnʹt. So the website needs to
have its own strong business case,
it complements the on‐air but it
also has its own presence. The aim
is for this to be the best website
about Asian news for everybody
and this year we are embarking on
a big revamp of the website.
Who are your audiences?
We have one international feed.
Realistically, international news
channels feed a higher end, more
educated, more elite viewer base. I
think that applies all around the
world. We want to target opinion
formers, influential people who can
make things happen.
Which markets are key to you?
We are currently on Asiasat 3S
which means our footprint is in 25
territories across the Asia Pacific
region with over 30m households
and hotel rooms. Our Pan Asia
Cross Media Survey which is run
by Synovate shows that in Asia we
I
ASIA
INSIGHT
Being on
top of
things in
Asia is
what
drives the
content
“
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40 | ISSUE 1 2012 | THE CHANNEL