Towards a more educated, empowered and discerning media consumer

Dated: 3 March 2011

Media Fiesta, a month-​long media campaign for all Singaporeans

Singaporeans from all segments of society, young and old, can now learn how they can become more savvy and discerning in the way they consume media. Media Fiesta 2011, the third edition of a month-long festival offering interactive media activities, experiential games and a showcase of local talent and media offerings, kicked off today at *SCAPE. Themed “Celebrate and Discover Media”, Media Fiesta 2011 will bring Singaporeans on an exploratory journey into the highly-dynamic world of media. Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch.

Media Fiesta 2011 is hosted by the Media Development Authority (MDA) and organised by Pico Art International. Through Media Fiesta, MDA seeks to nurture a culture of creativity and foster a connected and cohesive society through:

1. Exposing Singaporeans to the whole spectrum of traditional and interactive digital media, and raising their awareness of emerging media technologies

2. Promoting the discerning and responsible use of media, and

3. Providing opportunities for Singaporeans to appreciate made-by Singapore media content, services and applications, and embrace media for work, learning and play

Four Anchor Events Showca​​se Local Talents

Targeting over 120,000 Singaporeans including students, parents and young working adults, Media Fiesta 2011 will showcase various media platforms - covering music, publishing, games and film - through four anchor events which will be held, over four weekends in March. These are:

1. Celebration of Singapore Music (5 March, *SCAPE): A musical showcase featuring the best of up-and-coming Singaporean talents.
2. Enchanted Journey through the Pages (13-16 March, Woodlands Regional Library): A workshop where children will get hands-on experience in story writing and e-publishing.
3. Singapore Game Box Inter-Tertiary Challenge (17-20 March, nex): Gaming competition finals featuring made-in-Singapore games.
4. Singapore Movies Under The Stars (26-27 March, *SCAPE): An outdoor screening of classic and latest local films.

Along with this, some 70 partner events organised by various partner organisations will be held island-wide to reach out to Singaporeans in the month of March.

Interactive Media Transform​er Exhibition

Media Fiesta 2011 will also feature the ‘Media Transformer’, an interactive mobile display which will travel across Singapore via the four Anchor Events. It comprises:

1. The Future Media Showcase which offers hands-on experience with the latest media applications and technologies. Visitors will get a chance to try out newly-launched local games, such as the World of Temasek and TaiChi for All 2011 by Portege Sense;check out new media services on Next Generation National Broadband Network and create your own 3D video.
2. The Singapore Game Box where visitors can play the latest local games such as OrCganic and Tactics Anthem Online, which are also featured in the Singapore Game Box Inter-Tertiary Challenge.
3. The ABC’s of Media segment will equip visitors with knowledge about internet filtering services and parental lock options for safe media consumption. In addition, visitors can pick up cyber wellness tips and vote for their preferred content rating symbols.

Note: For full details of Anchor Events, see Media Fiesta 2011 Programme Guide

Introduction of ‘World of Temasek’ a​nd ‘A Day with the Classifiers’

One of the highlights at this year’s Media Fiesta is the launch of Singapore’s first 3D massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), which is set in a historical context —the World of Temasek. This is the result of a unique collaboration by the National Heritage Board (NHB), Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), Magma Studios and top academics in the field. The locally designed game breaks new ground in integrating entertainment, education, heritage and culture —putting Singapore on the global map for creative content and leadership in media and heritage.

As part of its ongoing effort to increase awareness of Media Classification amongst the members of the public, MDA is organising a series of classification workshops as part of Media Fiesta. These ‘A Day with the Classifiers’ sessions will focus on the importance of classification and how this enables Singaporeans to make more informed media choices. Participants will gain an insight into the classification process through a movie-screening and interactive discussion and activity facilitated by the film classification team.

Mr Aubeck Kam, Chief Executive Officer of the Media Development Authority said: “Through Media Fiesta, MDA seeks to promote positive media consumption habits, and to promote the enjoyment of Made-by-Singapore content, services and applications. We would like to thank our partners and sponsors for helping make Media Fiesta a truly community-supported event.”

A collaborative effort, Media Fiesta 2011 has the support of over 70 partners and sponsors from both the public, people and private sectors such as Asian Film Archive, KooBits, M1, MediaCorp, Monsters Under the Bed, National Heritage Board, National Library Board, National University of Singapore, nex, Panasonic Singapore, *SCAPE, Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association, SingTel, and StarHub

“We are extremely pleased and honoured to be co-organising with the Media Development Authority again for the third edition of Media Fiesta. This is a uniquely Singapore festival and we are proud to be able to showcase local talents and their achievements in media,” said Miss Jean Chia, Managing Director of Pico Art International.

For more information, please see the following annex enclosed for information:

Annex 1​ –Acknowledgements

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About Med​​​​​​ia Fies​​ta
Media Fiesta is an annual, month-long nation-wide initiative by t​​​he Media Development Authority that provides Singaporeans with fun and engaging opportunities to experience and learn more about media, and how they can use media in a responsible and discerning way, for work, learning and play. For more information on Media Fiesta, visit www.mediafiesta.sg or www.facebook.com/mediafiesta.

About Media Developm​​​​ent Authority (MDA)
​​The Media Development Authority of Singapore (www.mda.gov.sg) promotes the development of vibrant and competitive film, television, radio, publishing, music, games, animation and interactive digital media industries in Singapore. It has developed an industry masterplan, Singapore Media Fusion 2015 (www.smf.sg) to advance this goal. MDA also promotes a connected society, consumer choice and a pro-business environment.

About Pico Art International
​Pico Art International is a Singapore-based multinational corporation, specialising in global experiential marketing. Founded in 1970, the company has 34 offices worldwide. Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, it has expanded its core business and competencies, evolving from exhibition design and fabrication to value-added event marketing on an international scale. Please visit www.pico.com for more information.