New Fund Targets Singapore Sports Content

SINGAPORE, November 3: The
Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and the Media Development Authority of Singapore
(MDA) have launched the SSC-MDA Sports Media Fund to support the creation of
multiplatform local sports content.

The S$1 million fund was
set up to support private sector initiatives to drive the growth of the sports
media market in Singapore and develop sports-media-related capabilities. The
content created from the fund is intended for local and international markets,
as well as multiple platforms, with digital media being a key focus. The fund follows the
signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the SSC and MDA in April
to develop the sports media and broadcasting sector in Singapore.

Kelven
Tan, the chief of the sports marketing group for SSC, said: “Singapore is fast
becoming a destination for many major international sports events. Hence,
through the Sports Media Fund, we hope to provide incentives for companies to
use sports as a content genre for growth. This initiative will enhance the
industry’s abilities to ride on the opportunities that the sporting landscape
has to offer. With a thriving sports media and broadcasting sector, we will be
able to generate more interest in sports, attract more private sector involvement
and provide consumers with more sports content choices on more distribution
platforms. All these will ultimately help us to build a strong sports culture
in Singapore.”

Yeo
Chun Cheng, the program director for multiplatform content and chief information
officer of the MDA, added: “We are delighted to take the MOU further with a
call for suitable proposals and ideas from Singapore’s media industry. In
supporting successful applicants, we aim to spur the production of more
Singapore-made sports content, which have cross-platform potential, and extend
the shelf-life and access of local sports content to a wider audience. This
also dovetails with MDA’s efforts to grow the media sector through the creation
of new jobs and talents with specialized skills in the sports media arena.”

—By
Kristin Brzoznowski