ASEAN broadcasters forge SMART Alliance

25 March 2009

Singapore – The six founding members of the SMART alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in three areas: content, sales and marketing, technology.
Comprising ABS-CBN (Philippines), BBTV (Thailand), International Media Corporation (Vietnam), Media Nusantara Citra (Indonesia), Media Prima (Malaysia) and MediaCorp (Singapore), the alliance is seeking synergies of commercial benefit to its member broadcasters.
On the content side, there are plans to distribute, develop and co-produce programming, sharing ideas and successful formats – such as a pan-regional singing talent search contest.
For sales and marketing, the alliance grouping will be able to deliver marketing and promotional solutions on a regional platform, with talk of targeting regional ad agencies and clients.
MediaCorp CEO Lucas Chow, speaking in his capacity as SMART Alliance Steering Committee Chairman, says the preparation of a pan-regional advertising sales package will take some time,
"But having said that, with the talent search contest for example, it would make sense to find pan-regional sponsors for the whole thing," said Chow.
On the technology front, the alliance is well positioned to exploit economies of scale as a buyer of technology and equipment. The transition from analogue to digital was one such technological initiative under discussion.
Chow is believed to have been the driving force behind the alliance, with the concept well-received by the founding broadcasters and their top executives in attendance for the MOU signing.
Asked whether other countries or broadcasters would be welcome to join the SMART alliance, Chow said Brunei was another obvious possible member from Southeast Asia.
As a region, ASEAN alone presents a combined market size of more than half a billion eyeballs and a growing middle-class population with increasingly substantial spending powers.
Added Chow, "As a community of regional media companies, we believe there is scope for an alliance that is established and driven purely by commercial considerations and goals. Our hope is that we will be the alliance of choice of all media companies in the Asia Pacific within the next 3 years or so".