November 8, 2023

In “Lights. Camera. Action on Caldecott” (October, 2023), Channel NewsAsia delves into the history of Singapore’s broadcasting hub, the Caldecott Broadcast Centre. The documentary spans many decades, and discusses the intersections between developments in Singapore’s broadcasting industry and the nation’s history.

Dr Jinna Tay (Senior Lecturer, NUS Communications and New Media) provides her expertise to the documentary. She discusses the post-colonial context in which Singapore’s broadcasting industry burgeoned, highlighting that although English used to be the language of the broadcast, it was not accessible for the lay Singaporean, which rendered it necessary to provide programs in mother tongue languages to reach the population.

As the documentary discusses the developments in the uses of broadcasting as an instrument of entertainment and persuasion, it draws parallels between Singapore’s broadcasting and political developments. On Singapore’s transition from an industrial to a highly skilled economy in the 1990s, Dr Tay notes that Singapore also considered how its broadcasting could play a role not only within the nation, but also in the region.

She notes that as Singaporeans’ viewing preferences developed, there became an increasing need to have their own stories be told and represented on screen. Citing the inaugural Singapore Idol as an example, Dr Tay notes that although singing contests were had before, they were not part of a global franchise. In this way, Singapore Idol allowed citizens to think of Singapore as part of the global media community. It also localised entertainment and celebrity culture – Singaporeans were excited by the prospect of seeing local singers who could have been their neighbours, or gone to school with them.

In all, Dr Tay provides compelling accounts of the role of broadcasting in shaping Singapore and our media landscape.

Watch the documentary here.