How can Singapore keep public service media accessible to domestic audiences?

SINGAPORE - Singapore is studying new ways to support local content and keep public service media accessible to domestic audiences.

On March 7, Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo said in Parliament that

her ministry is taking notes from the UK and Australia,

both of which have introduced laws to protect public service media apps.

The Singapore authorities are also consulting device manufacturers and industry players on ways to keep public service media apps competitive and visible, even as audiences shift to streaming platforms such as Netflix and YouTube on smart televisions.

The Straits Times explains the need to keep public service media accessible in Singapore, and the measures undertaken by the UK and Australia to do so.

Q: Why is public service media important to Singapore?

Public service media plays an important role amid heightened geopolitical competition in emphasising the national position and identity, Mrs Teo said in Parliament in Mandarin on March 7.

Mediacorp and SPH Media’s outlets are the only ones that report the news and analyse the impact of events from a Singaporean perspective, she said.

But they face increasing competition from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services – as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Xiaohongshu – that are driven by algorithms, said Mrs Teo.

Algorithms designed to highlight popular content or programmes that users are most likely to watch are often in conflict with the mission of public service media, which typically prioritises material of social value over achieving ratings or generating advertising revenue.

Local programmes, which face an uphill battle for visibility, also risk being buried amid endless waves of international content on streaming platforms.

“Given the important role of our (public service media) entities to inform, educate and connect Singaporeans, we must be very concerned about their visibility being obscured by the decisions of third-party platforms,” Mrs Teo said.

“Our public service media content must remain visible and easily accessible to our audiences.”

Mediacorp has been seeking new pastures to compete in the streaming era. In 2024, it inked several deals with global brands for its shows. These include a distribution deal with Netflix for Emerald Hill, a local spin-off of 2008 hit drama The Little Nyonya. It is the first Mediacorp Chinese drama to debut simultaneously on Netflix and Mewatch, Mediacorp’s video-on-demand app. 

In 2023, Mediacorp also signed a pre-sale distribution deal with Netflix for Malay crime drama Operandi Gerhana (Phantom Squad).

Similarly, SPH Media has sought to boost its apps’ visibility by partnering Samsung, selling its tablet with a subscription package for The Straits Times.

Q: How have Australia and the UK protected public service media?

Laws to promote public service media entities are often referred to as “visibility” or “prominence” frameworks in countries such as Australia and the UK. They aim to support local content and ensure that local news and other media remain accessible to domestic audiences.

Both countries have passed laws that require smart TVs to pre-install public service apps to ensure national programmes do not fall out of the view of the public, even as apps replace traditional TV channels.

Under the UK’s Media Act, which became law in 2024, smart TV and streaming device manufacturers are required to ensure that the on-demand services of public service broadcasters are easy to discover. The law aims to support British public service broadcasters and their on-demand platforms such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

Smart speakers, too, are required to guarantee access to UK radio channels. In a blog post on its laws in 2023, the UK said it aims to keep viewers tuned in to British broadcasters and allow the broadcasters to make more content by levelling the playing field with global streaming giants.

A similar policy will kick in later in 2025 in Australia, which requires TV manufacturers to ensure local broadcasters are easy to find when users turn on their TVs.

The apps of national channels such as SBS On Demand and ABC iview must be pre-installed on all smart TVs sold in Australia.

The law will also require these apps to be prominently shown on the app menus of smart TVs, and not buried behind the apps of major players like Netflix and Disney+.

Q: Is there government overreach?

The policy has sparked debate among broadcasters, TV associations and device manufacturers in Australia over which apps are displayed first on smart TVs, and whether or not the authorities are overreaching.

FreeTV, an association representing free-to-air Australian TV networks, argued for the policy as a means to level the playing field for local networks that have invested heavily in producing local content. FreeTV had accused hardware makers of hiding local content.

Associations backing major TV brands like Sony and Samsung said such claims are untrue and that the manufacturers do not charge for the availability of apps.

The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association, too, launched a national campaign against the policy, publishing local advertisements that accuse the government of controlling TV content.

In the UK, the move to give priority to public service content was welcomed by broadcasters, but the policy’s critics have also cautioned about government overreach.

Analysts have highlighted an inherent tension between the privileges given to public service channels and the freedom of services to innovate and improve their user experience. Law firm TaylorWessing said clear boundaries must be set regarding the demands that public service broadcasters can make.