Background

MediaCorp is Singapore’s leading media company with the most complete range of platforms, spanning television, radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, digital and out-of-home media.

It pioneered the development of Singapore’s broadcasting industry, with the broadcast of Radio in 1936 and Television in 1963. Today, MediaCorp has over 50 products and brands in four languages (English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil), reaching out to all adults in Singapore every week.

Our industry firsts include the Digital Video Broadcast technology for outdoor digital television, and Asia’s first Digital Audio Broadcast radio service. Initiatives in the digital space include online classifieds, Internet TV-on-demand and High Definition TV broadcast.

MediaCorp is an active regional player through co-productions in TV dramas and movies, magazines publishing, as well as Channel NewsAsia International, one of the first Asian-owned English news channels.

Our financial and strategic relationships in the region since 2007 include a venture with Indonesia’s most integrated media company PT Media Nusantara Citra and its parent, Global Mediacom, and International Media Corporation in Vietnam, set up to develop and produce television entertainment and economic news content.

Winner of numerous international awards and accolades including Asia Television’s Broadcaster of the Year, MediaCorp’s vision is to become Asia’s top media company, delivering valued content to the world.

Call-for Proposals

To support the development of the TV Media industry, MediaCorp is calling for proposals for topics related to Future TV. These proposals should be aimed at meeting the following objectives.

• Development and introduction of new services and solutions for MediaCorp’s Over-the-top (“OTT”) interactive service targeted at consumers
• To augment and enrich viewer’s TV experience with immersive content, innovative services and interactive applications
• New forms of non-linear, on demand engagements with viewers over multiple viewer screens, such as television, Connected TVs, online-PCs, and smart-phones.
• Introduce transactional functions and communicative features that leverage the bi-directional capabilities of the OTT platform
• Innovations that carry potential for both commercial and pervasive user adoption in the new interactive media space

Areas of focus in this joint-CFP are as follows.

• Future TV Applications
• Social Analytics and Search Technologies
• Future Video Technology
• TV commerce and transactions
• Social media on TV

Eligibility

MediaCorp would like to collaborate with individuals or entities that meet the following requirements.

–      Technology partners

• Organisations that are looking for Singapore partners to help create, develop and experiment their products.

–      Local and overseas R&D institutions

• To collaborate with local and overseas R&D institutions such as research labs, universities, polytechnics to develop cutting-edge technologies for the local Interactive Media community

–      Content creators and application developers

• Individuals or organisations that have numerous ideas and can enhance MediaCorp’s products on the different device platforms
• Applicants must be willing to be engaged by MediaCorp or be willing to sell the developed application with source codes.

Proposals submitted must illustrate how they meet the future needs of MediaCorp and the general public

Support

In support for this call for proposal, successful proposals can look forward to the following support from MediaCorp and MDA

• MDA and MediaCorp joint funding for successful proposals
• Access to MediaCorp test-beds and common services
• Software Development Support from MediaCorp
• Possible test-marketing and commercialisation opportunities with MediaCorp
• Selected proposals may be promoted and deployed across MediaCorp’s media platforms

Resources

Interested applicants may wish to refer to the MediaCorp CFP slides (download  slides), IDMPO MDA slides (download  slides) and the relevant submission templates listed in the MDA/IDMPO CFP Funding criteria section below.

MDA /IDMPO’s CFP Funding Criteria

Available support for MDA:

1. JAM Microfunding (Fund startups up to $50,000).  Please see details on the application procedures: Form 1.
2. Digital Technology Development Scheme (IDM R&D) (Co-funding up to 50% of qualifying project costs for R&D projects). Please see details on the application procedures: Form 1 and Form 2.
3. Digital Technology Development Scheme (Commercialisation) (Repayable grant up to 30% of commercialization project costs).  Please see details on the application procedures: Form 1 and Form 2.

It should be noted that the above schemes will not support the following activities:

1. Expenditure outside of Singapore;
2. Installations, part of live performances, or exhibitions;
3. Ongoing administrative costs of organizations;
4. Establishment of infrastructure; and
5. Operating expenditure not directly related to the project.

The proposals are assessed and approved by an evaluation panel consisting of representatives from MDA and its partners. The selected projects will then be further evaluated and approved by MDA. Applicants will be assessed based on the evidence of their ability and commitment to successfully manage and deliver the project. Candidates may be required to attend an interview after the closing date.

To submit an application for the MediaCorp_CFP, complete the one of the above submission templates and send it: mda_idmpo@mda.gov.sg

Only Shortlisted applicants will be contacted within 8 weeks of  submission.

Period of Call: 21 March 2011to 30 Apr  2011.

Please submit your proposals to the emails specified above by 30 Apr  2011, 2359 hrs.

Milestones and Deliverables

The deliverable at the end of the project should be a polished IDM application, service for various digital platforms for publishing and distribution.

Development milestones and deliverables will be determined by MDA and the partner(s). Disbursement of funding will be on a reimbursement basis and administered by MDA.

Between milestone submissions, MDA and partners may organize demo/ feedback sessions where team members will be required to showcase and demonstrate work-in-progress builds for play-testing and feedback gathering.

All assets (for example, source code and technology) and copyrights to the completed projects will belong to the applicants. MDA reserve the right to use the projects including the content therein for non-commercial and publicity purposes.

The MDA and partners will require due credits in the website and all promotional & publicity programmes / materials of the completed product as acknowledgement for the support and assistance rendered by the MDA and partners under the initiative.

Applicants are expected to undertake and complete the project upon official approval from panel review.

Termination of Project

In the event that the applicant decides to terminate the project, the applicant would have to compensate MDA/IDMPO or its partners by refunding the entire sum of funds which has been disbursed to applicants at the time of termination.

Enquiries

For enquiries, please contact:

MediaCorp – Andy Quek,  Andyquek@mediacorp.com.sg

MDA  – Kenneth Fu, Kenneth_Fu@mda.gov.sg

Marcus Moo, Marcus_Moo@mda.gov.sg