Restructuring of IDA and MDA a step in the right direction

THE government's decision to restructure the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and Media Development Authority (MDA) to form the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Government Technology Organisation (GTO) is timely. As Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said in Parliament on Tuesday, it will help Singapore seize opportunities presented by technological changes. The reorganisation will take effect from April 1 and both bodies will be officially established in the second half of the year.

Few industry sectors have experienced as much change as ICT (information and communications technology) and the media over the past decade and a half. It is increasingly acknowledged at the international level that the convergence of the media and technology landscapes needs a convergence of regulators - since consumers no longer draw a line between media and technology, and rather look at great platforms, services and content. Singapore is not the first country to change policy to accommodate this need. In the UK, for example, communications regulator Ofcom's remit already spans communications and media.

The ability to change and adapt is something regulators and policymakers need to have, as otherwise policy and regulation can end up being a hindrance rather than helping to improve Singapore's position in the infocomm media sector. For example, it is possible today to watch international TV programmes on any device via an Internet connection at any time, bypassing cable TV service providers as well as free-to-air TV channels. The content provider could be located in a different jurisdiction, subject to a different set of regulations. From a regulatory point of view, who should regulate and monitor the content in Singapore? The body in charge of telecom regulation (since the content is streamed over the Internet), or the body in charge of media content regulation?