By Nicholas Yong
More than two decades after it was launched, and just months after it comprehensively revamped its website, news and lifestyle aggregator AsiaOne is expected to shut down as early as next month.
AsiaOne is the primary content aggregator for SPH’s publications, featuring stories from the likes of The Straits Times and The New Paper, while also syndicating content from SPH magazines, such as Her World.
The news comes on the back of Wednesday’s announcement that SPH will be cutting 230 jobs by the end of the year, as part of a previously announced 10 per cent reduction in its work force.
Source: Yahoo!
Categorised in asiaone.com, EN, Her World, The Straits Times, Yahoo.sg.
Singapore Press Holdings plans to divest its 20 per cent stake in Mediacorp TV (which owns Channels 5, 8 and U and Mediacorp Studios) and 40 per cent stake in Mediacorp Press, the publisher of the Today newspaper, for $18 million, the firm said on Friday (Aug 25).
SPH expects to record a writedown of about $31 million in its books. The deal is likely to be completed at the end of September.
The deal comes 12 years after SPH purchased the stakes as part of a media industry asset consolidation in 2005. During the consolidation, SPH transferred a TV channel to Mediacorp and took a 20 per cent stake in Mediacorp TV.
SPH also merged its free newspaper Streats with Today, and invested in a 40 per cent stake in Mediacorp Press.
As part of the deal announced on Friday, Mediacorp will also stop publishing any soft copy or computer-readable format of Today that has the look and feel of a hardcopy version of the newspaper, for a period of five years.
Source: Straits Times, Channelnewsias
Categorised in channelnewsasia.com, EN, MediaCorp, SPH, The Straits Times.
By Boon Chan
The range and quality of local media content last year were generally good, say the Programme Advisory Committees (PAC), which have issued their third annual report to the Infocomm Media Development Authority.
But the four committees – one for each of the official languages – also called for improvements in scripting and technical standards in Mediacorp Channel 5 and Suria dramas.
Well-made programmes singled out for mention include Channel 5 game show Don’t Forget To Remember, Channel U child labour documentary Lost Innocence, Suria drama Aduh… Bibikku! (Oh… My Maid!) and Vasantham current affairs series Ethiroli (Echo).
The PAC also paid attention to local broadcaster Mediacorp’s online content platform Toggle.
While there have been “vast improvements” made to the Toggle platform, including push notifications for episode updates, more needed to be done, including better streaming quality.
Source: Straits Times
Categorised in Advisory Committee for Chinese Programmes (ACCESS), EN, Infocomm Media Development Authority, MediaCorp, Programme Advisory Committee, The Straits Times.
ST: This story was first published on June 20, 2016, and updated on May 17, 2017.
SINGAPORE – You either love it or hate it. National Day Parade (NDP) theme songs often draw strong reactions – and robust debate in some cases.
Here’s a look back at NDP songs through the years.
2005: REACH OUT FOR THE SKIES
The catchy song was performed by Taufik Batisah, winner of the first season of Singapore Idol, and actress Rui En.
Source: Straits Times
Categorised in EN, NDP 2005, Reach Out For The Skies, The Straits Times.
by Gwendolyn Ng
SINGAPORE – Veteran local television stars Zoe Tay, Chen Hanwei and Aileen Tan, alumni of the inaugural Star Search talent hunt in 1988, stole the limelight at Sunday (April 16) night’s Star Awards, which celebrates the best of homegrown Mandarin television programmes.
They won Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
Tay, dubbed queen of local television station Mediacorp perhaps more for her glamour than her acting chops, won only her second Best Actress honour at the Star Awards last night 21 years after her first.
Accepting her trophy, Tay playfully addressed it, saying: “Long time no see. I’ve already given birth to three kids.â€
She won the prize for playing a cancer-stricken nurse manager in medical drama You Can Be An Angel 2 (2016). She was up against Rebecca Lim, who starred in the same show; Rui En, who played a dissatisfied housewife in If Only I Could; Jeannette Aw of The Dream Job; and Jesseca Liu, who played a lawyer in Hero.
Do we smell star potential? Actor #AndieChen brings son #Aden along for the photocall. He is joined by actress #RuiEn . pic.twitter.com/AJ8b0cOF8L
— Straits Times Life (@ST_LifeTweets) April 16, 2017
Source: Straits Times
Categorised in EN, Social Media, Star Awards, Star Awards 2017, The Straits Times, Twitter.
By Boon Chan
Local broadcaster Mediacorp’s deputy chief executive officer Chang Long Jong will be quitting the company after three decades to join Singapore-headquartered entertainment company mm2 Asia as its new group chief executive officer.
Mm2 Asia announced this on Tuesday (Jan 10) and Mr Chang will be taking up his new job from April 3.
He is currently the deputy chief executive officer and chief customer officer at Mediacorp, where he oversees its major media assets including television, radio, newspaper, magazines and streaming service Toggle. He also leads the company’s events business, Vizpro, and training business, Singapore Media Academy.
Mr Chang, 56, had joined the broadcaster, then called Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, in 1985.
Source: Straits Times
Categorised in EN, MediaCorp, The Straits Times.
By Chew Hui Min
SINGAPORE – My Paper and The New Paper (TNP) will merge to form a revamped TNP that will be distributed free from December, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) announced on Monday (Oct 17).
The new TNP, which will combine the strengths of both products, will be available at existing distribution points including MRT stations. It will continue to be available online.
The new TNP will be launched on Dec 1, and available for free from Monday to Saturday at existing distribution points, including MRT stations, SPH said yesterday. The paper will also be available online.
Categorised in EN, MyPaper, SPH, The New Paper, The Straits Times.
By Jessica Lim
6. Help shoppers hone their style
Shoppers these days want to make a statement.
“Retailers should help us do that,” says Ms Neo Lirong, 29.
The bachelorette, who styles Mediacorp artists such as Chen Liping and Rui En, hopes retailers here can help her hone her style.
Source: Straits Times
Categorised in EN, The Straits Times.
Greater diversity, better quality, improved programme formats and audience engagement among positives highlighted by the committees in latest report.
Background
IMDA’s Programme Advisory Committees (PAC) have issued a report consolidating their observations and feedback on content standards and the quality of broadcast content in Singapore’s four official languages, particularly local Public Service Broadcast (PSB) productions. The committees comprise members of the public across various age groups, ethnicities, occupations, areas of interest and specialisation.
This report contains PAC observations for the period of August 2014 to March 2016.
Snapshot of Key Observations/ Feedback
1. Greater diversity and improvements in production quality in dramas, infotainment programmes
Dramas
The PAC observed that there were improvements in storytelling standards, cinematography and editing techniques for the dramas produced during the period in review. In addition, the committees observed that there was a wider range of themes and genres in the dramas they reviewed, including themes such as active aging and, courtroom issues and genres such as psychological thrillers, which were not attempted as much previously. Long-form dramas such as 118 (Channel 8) and Tanglin (Channel 5) were also a welcome addition as they provided platforms to present topical issues in a light-hearted manner.
While feedback on dramas produced during the period in review was largely positive, the PACs felt that some producers could imbue more depth and balance into their stories.
2. PSB programmes with more innovative programming formats and better audience engagement
The period in review saw MDA supporting more than 20 programmes from MediaCorp and StarHub under its PSB Contestable Funds Scheme (PCFS). The PACs commended these programmes for their originality and for injecting diversity into the PSB landscape. Some PCFS-supported programmes were also developed into transmedia content like comic books and these efforts paved the way for better audience engagement.
3. In-programme advertising should be clearly distinguishable, prevalence of health supplement advertisements on minority radio stations an area of concern
The PAC also reviewed public feedback relating to broadcast programmes that were brought to MDA’s attention. For example, some members of the public had highlighted that some advertising segments on Channel 5 and 8 were inserted just before a programme’s end credits. These segments featured the programme’s characters promoting products on the same sets as if they were part of the programme. While the PACs did not have objections to the use of a programme’s artistes or sets for advertorials, they felt that such advertising segments should be clearly distinguishable from the rest of the programme.
Source: MDA, Straits Times 1 | 2, Channelnewsasia.com, Channel 8 News
Categorised in Advisory Committee for Chinese Programmes (ACCESS), Channel 8 News, channelnewsasia.com, EN, Infocomm Media Development Authority, Programme Advisory Committee, The Straits Times, Toggle SG.
