Ministry of Communications and Information/ Portfolios/ Infocomm Media/ What We Do

Infocomm Media

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Promoting effective and sustainable competition

Effective and sustainable competition can lead to lower prices, higher service quality, increased consumer choice and greater innovation. To achieve this, MCI works with IMDA on policies to ensure that telecom and media markets have clear competition rules which promote a conducive environment for investment and innovation; thereby allowing healthy, effective and sustainable competition to flourish.
- Challenges
- Actions
Challenges

Ensure that regulatory frameworks promote competition for the benefit of end-users.

Facilitate long-run industry investment despite short-term competitive pressures.

Traditional telecom platforms now carry content (e.g. Internet Protocol Television) and traditional telecom services are now offered over the Internet (e.g. Whatsapp and Skype).
Actions

Regular review of the Telecom Competition Code and Media Market Conduct Code, which enshrines sector-specific competition management frameworks (e.g. requirements such as licensees’ duty to customers; price regulation; fair competition rules; determination of dominance; M&A rules; and enforcement mechanisms).

Maintain open access to the Nationwide Broadband Network so as to promote vibrant and sustainable competition for fibre broadband services.
Ensuring engaging and high quality Public Service Broadcast content

Public Service Broadcast (PSB) programmes foster an informed and cohesive society. But with changes in the media landscape and media consumption habits, the competition for eyeballs has intensified. To ensure PSB programmes remain relevant, the Government will continue to support efforts to raise the quality of PSB content and to make PSB programmes more engaging.
Challenges

Our audience have increasing access to high-quality content from around the world. There is a need to raise the quality of local programmes to ensure they remain relevant and engaging.

Media consumption habits have changed with the increasing reach of the Internet. Viewers, especially among the young and IT-savvy, are now consuming content via all manner of devices beyond free-to-air (FTA) TV. There is a need to make PSB content available beyond FTA TV to reach a wider audience.

PSB programmes need to be innovative and fresh to retain and attract viewers , especially the younger generation.
Actions

The Government will support efforts to raise the quality of PSB programmes and make them more widely accessible on mediums beyond FTA platforms.

The Government will also do more to support fresh and innovative content through the PSB Contestable Funds Scheme (or PCFS), which go towards commissioning more diverse and innovative content and formats across more media platforms, including non-FTA platforms. The PCFS will open up production opportunities to more media companies, including smaller production houses and freelancers and also enable other broadcasters like StarHub to commission more local content.
Progress

The Government is investing $250 million per year over the next five years (FY15 – FY19) to strengthen public service broadcasting. The Government will continue to support efforts to increase the reach of PSB programmes and create a vibrant broadcast ecosystem that promotes the creation of quality and engaging local content.