Dated: 19 June 2001
The CEO Roundtable 2001 for broadcasters, organised by the publication Asia Pacific Broadcasting, was held today at Singapore Expo, in conjunction with the BroadcastAsia2001. The theme for the CEO Roundtable was "Enhanced &Interactive TV". The session which was supported by the Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA), was launched by Mr Lim Hock Chuan, Chief Executive Officer, SBA.
Enhanced &Interactive TV is among the technologies that are quickly catching on in the broadcasting industry. Some 25 chief executives and senior management from leading broadcasting organisations in the Asia-Pacific region attended the session, to learn from each other and discuss the implementation of this latest technology. Senior executives from HBO, Discovery Channel, BBC World, ESPN and Bloomberg were among some of the members who attended the session.
On new forms of TV, Mr Lim Hock Chuan said, "In trying to understand the new media, we should think beyond simply extending one media into the next. With convergence, I think it is the inter-play between very different media, the subtle interaction of ideas and capabilities that each medium brings with it that really counts. It is not easy to figure this out. We are into uncharted territory. No guide posts, and no road maps. There is no ready answer as to what will be the winning formula. "
Hence for players using new media, Mr Lim suggested that they "develop a feel for it. For enhanced interactive TV, the feel can only come by doing. It means being willing to subordinate our own expertise and views. It means treating the new medium on its terms not yours. It means having the ability to direct our mind to focus on unintended consequences and try to understand why it happened."
The keynote speaker of this year's CEO Roundtable was Mr Scott Goodfellow, Chief Executive Officer of CNBC Asia Pacific. In his opinion, Enhanced &Interactive TV will come about slowly in most places and with greater rapidity in a few - mainly countries with relatively new digital distribution platforms, using primary satellite or fibre, will offer these changes first.
.webp)