MCI response to PQ on PSB programmes funding

06 JAN 2020

Parliament Sitting on 6 January 2020

QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

15. Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how much funding is provided for Mediacorp on the annual basis for the past five years; (b) how many (i) TV and (ii) radio programmes have been funded by the Government for the past five years; and (c) whether the funding is sufficient given the decreasing amount of advertising dollars that Mediacorp can generate over the years. 

Answer:

  1. The Government has allocated about $310 million annually to support Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) programmes over the last five years. The funding supports the provision of an average of 3,000 hours of TV programmes a year across Mediacorp’s Free-to-Air TV channels and in the four official languages. The funding also supports the development of capabilities and digital platforms to complement PSB programming. PSB funding for radio supports the Malay and Tamil radio stations Warna, Ria and Oli, dialect news broadcasts on Capital 958FM, and programming on Symphony 924FM and CNA 938FM.  
     

  2. The Government recognises that the media landscape and media consumption habits are rapidly changing. The entry of many international content providers into the market has also intensified the competition for local viewers.  These changes have brought about challenges for public service broadcasters around the world.

  3. In light of these trends, Mediacorp is taking steps to innovate and transform its business model and content offerings to better serve its audience. The Government regularly reviews its funding for PSB programmes to ensure value for money and that Singaporeans continue to enjoy high quality PSB programmes that meet the diverse needs of our communities.