As part of
Singapore’s effort to protect jobs and livelihoods, the Infocomm Media Development Authority
(IMDA) is introducing a series of initiatives that will help media companies
benefit from more production project opportunities and reduced operating costs,
as well as assist media professionals and freelancers build up their resilience
through training and upskilling.
IMDA will launch
a new $8-million Public Service Content (PSC) Fund that will catalyse more
production projects that in turn will benefit media professionals in the coming
months. Under this initiative, Mediacorp, Viddsee and SPH will commission
short-form content for their digital platforms through a Call for Proposal.
Media
companies and talents can take advantage of the Circuit Breaker – Singapore’s
version of a calibrated lockdown – period to start planning, conceptualising
and submitting their proposals to be ready for production work when COVID-19
restrictions are lifted.
To support
media practitioners affected by the cancellation and postponement of projects,
IMDA will match the Singapore Association for
Motion Picture Professionals’ (SAMPP) COVID-19 Relief Fund1 contribution of
$20,000.
The Film
Exhibition and Distribution Licence Fees will also be waived from 17 April 2020
until further notice. The waiver will apply to new license applications and
renewal of existing licenses. Classification fees for films (public exhibition
and video distribution), video games and label fees will also be waived until
further notice
Minister
for Communications and Information S Iswaran said: “The government will continue
to support our media companies and professionals as they weather this trying
period, so that they can continue to create content that inspires, uplifts and
binds us as one united people.”
For more
information on efforts to support the media sector, log on to: https://www.imda.gov.sg/for-industry/Efforts-To-Support-Singapore-Media-Sector