National media regulations are under increasing threat from the new media, an international seminar of broadcasters in Singapore has heard. “Technological advances are creating a borderless world,” Ling Peck Ling of the Media Development Authority of Singapore told the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) News Group Seminar.
Ms Ling, who is the MDA’s Director (Media Policy), said the Internet in particular represented a challenge to the traditional way of regulating the media because it was very accessible but difficult to regulate. She said Singapore’s approach was to regulate the traditional and new media with a light touch. In the case of the Internet, the MDA’s focus was on race, religion and issues harmful to minors. At the same time, Singapore encouraged the media industry to take initiatives of its own against offensive content. “We would very much prefer that the industry continue to clean up its act rather than for us to roll out new regulations,” she said.
The seminar brought together more than 70 people including senior representatives of 16 members of the ABU’s daily news exchange, Asiavision. Other issues covered included the safety of journalists and how to market news channels.
(Source: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)
