ASEAN DIGITAL BROADCASTING MEETINGS

ASEAN DIGITAL BROADCASTING MEETING

One of the more interesting project which I helped to facilitate was a series of ASEAN DIGITAL BROADCASTING Meetings. The idea of this gathering of broadcasters on a regular basis was mooted by the then Permanent Secretary in the PMO’s Office , Brunei.. Pengiran Ismail.

The first meeting was held in Brunei on 15/16 March 2004. It was supported by MDA and the PMO of Brunei. Co-organised by RTB and MediaCorp, it was attended by 70 delegates from the technology broadcasting departments of ASEAN countries. Manufacturers and vendors also attended the meeting. I helped to co-chair the meeting with the Director of RTB.

According to the Press Release the meeting was to share latest knowledge and applications relating to digital television terrestrial broadcasters. The group set up guidelines for implementing common specifications for digital television set-top boxes and receivers, thereby with the hope achieving economies of scales (with a total households of more than 500million). The second meeting was held in Singapore on 14 June 2004. Pengiran Ismail and CEO of NDA Christopher Chia gave very encouraging opening remarks. Subsequently the group expanded to include content and policy persons involved in free-to-air broadcasting in the ASEAN region. The ASEAN Ministers responsible for Information etc endorsed the meetings. One of the notable achievements was the agreement among members at the AMRI meeting in BALI Indonesia to adopt DVB as a digital TV standard (except for the Philippines) .

The latest meeting the 9^th ADB was held in Singapore in November 2010. Members discussed the implementation of the new version of DVBT (T2), interative TV , the digital dividend, Dolby Surround Sound, Disaster Recovery etc as well as the switching of existing analogue TV services. The next meeting will be hosted in 2011 by the Philippines.

It was always a satisfying experience when I attended ADB meetings. First I know that I was among friends. Secondly the knowledge gained from the experience of the others was enriching. And thirdly the networking enabled and facilitated some of the projects that were done in the company.

I attended the recent meeting at the Concorde Hotel mainly to inform members and friends that I had retired from MediaCorp after more than 40 years there. And to introduce my consultancy company MediAComm Associates LLP – dealing with digital media and all things digital. They were all kind enough to wish me well.

ASEAN Members: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

The Phoenix and the Dragon

The Phoenix and the Dragon

All Singaporeans should be saddened by the demise of Kwa Geok Choo wife of MM Lee Kuan Yew. The great love story of Mr and Mrs Lee had been told and retold many times, a couple with 61 years of loving care for each other , started a long time ago in Cambridge England with MM Lee’s vision of building the Singapore nation and the support of his loving wife to carry out this mission successfully. . It is a story of the Phoenix and the Dragon which can be best expressed in film memorable.

Many had paid their respects to Madam Kwa Geok Choo. Many important people, many common folks had paid tributes to this great grand lady the likes of which will not be felt in Singapore never again, I think……

“an exceptional worman who passed on excellent values to her children”
”kind and caring woman that helped my daughter to study in England”
”brilliant,compassionate and motherly”
”woman behind the success of MM Lee”
“gone thro and thick and thin with him and build Spore for the next generations to come” and many more tributes to a great lady from community centres, coffee shops, cyberspace and public and private events and the media.

I do not know Mrs Lee personally but I do know that she was a caring wife and kind person. I had the opportunity to meet her and MM Lee during outdoor broadcasts of the National Day Rally at the Singapore Conference Hall and Kallang Theatre. Usually then two days before the Rally she would accompanied MM to the theatre to rehearse the teleprompter and also to check on the suitablility of his shirt for the TV telecast. Many a times MM would turn to her for advice on he looked on TV and she would lovingly gave her comments like too bright, too gaudy and made him look older or younger etc. She would also turn to the engineers and producers politely for opinions. Eventually it was MM who made the final decision. Also she would politely remind security to ensure that the tea for MM should be in placed at the lectern on stage. And when we got into the late of the night rehearsing the script she gently reminded MM that the crew needed to make adjustments for the night and retire for the next day. She won the admiration of all the crew members involved in the recording and she was met with high respects from all whenever she appeared in the TV Studios and Outside Broadcasts.

Without doubt Madam Kwa Geok Choo with her husband had dedicated their lives for a better Singapore. She will be forever be in our memories.

3D Photo

click picture for You Tube pictures
View this with colour spectacles Red on left and Cyan on Right
Same type of colour spectacle given free by TODAY

S Chandra Mohan

Another Caldecott Hill Old-timer dies – S Chandra Mohan

It is with sadness that I hear the news that Chandra has passed away. Auntie Lucy Leong
called me this evening to inform me.
Please read this news from Channel News Asia

“Broadcasting veteran S Chandra Mohan dies
By Milton Sau | Posted: 28 August 2010 1558 hrs
SINGAPORE : Former director of news and current affairs at the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, S Chandra Mohan, died on Saturday afternoon after a long illness.
He was 72.
For those who were privileged to know him well, Mr Chandra Mohan was a man of smiles.
Former colleagues remember him as a mentor and dear friend.
Tan Lek Hwa, vice-president, English Current Affairs, MediaCorp, said: "He showed me everything from how to tell a story, how to peel the layers of stories and in fact, the most instrumental - it is how to manage national programmes. I feel very sad that he has passed on today because I think we have really lost an industry giant."
The industry giant started his broadcasting career in Radio Television Singapore in the early 1960s.
As a producer, he was on the ground to capture that historic moment of Singapore's separation from Malaysia on 9 August 1965.
He held key positions within the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, playing a pivotal role in the station's programmes and driving award-winning shows such as Diary Of A Nation.
He was also instrumental in the launch of Radio Singapore International (RSI) in 1994.
He retired in 2007 but remains dear to those he had worked with,,,,,”. For more at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com

ST dated 30 Aug also reported that

"DUBBED by some as 'the father of Singapore's broadcast journalism', veteran broadcaster S. Chandramohan passed away on Saturday after a long illness.

The former news and current affairs director, who started his career with Radio Television Singapore (RTS), was 71.

His career spanned five decades - beginning with a stint at the now defunct RTS in the early 1960s. After RTS became the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) in 1980, he was appointed director of current affairs and played an important role in the station's programmes, with the Diary Of A Nation series being a particular success. He was also instrumental in the launch of Radio Singapore International in 1994.

During his tenure, Mr Chandramohan was on the scene to report on, and later oversee, many milestone events - ranging from Singapore's separation from Malaysia on Aug 9, 1965, to various live telecasts of election results and also the Prime Minister's National Day Rally speeches.

Ms Jacintha Stephens, a former current affairs producer at SBC who has been in the broadcast industry for 23 years, remembers him fondly as the 'father of broadcast journalism', who was instrumental in shaping the field in Singapore.

'He mentored and nurtured several generations of broadcast journalists and documentary producers - who are now all over the world. He brought to the profession an intellectual vigour and great passion,' said the media consultant........." Read more at http://straittimes.com

In a letter to his wife Mdm Chandramohan Nirmala Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said "...he was
a professional with a fine political sense, a good understanding of the issues of the day as well as keen insight into the medium, of what would work on TV..it was a pleasure working with him..." For more read TODAY or ST dated Aug 31 2010

When I was a young engineer, Chandra Mohan already made his name as a producer of current affairs programmes that won a number of awards. His programmes informed and educated the population. He rose to the top position of Director of News and Current Affairs in the late 70s and early 80s. It was then that I had encounters with him at the Television Studio Three where the Prime Minister’s National Day messages were recorded. My job then was simply to operate the auto-cue. Over the years he took charge of productions such the National Day Rallies (done at the Singapore Conference Hall and the Kallang theatre) and the General Election coverages. He was instrumental in the early 80s to introduce programmes such as Friday Background, Feedback, Tinjuan, Focus etc which were impactful to Singaporeans. He co-ordinated the implementation of Today in Parliament and the engineers supported this project in okaying the microphones and lighting systems which were critical to this coverage, among other things.

I knew him to be a very serious person in his work. In the years I know him one outstanding habit of his was to be perfect in his production work. He would want pictures to be properly composed and make-up to be properly done. In one of the production meeting much to the relief of the engineers he said “ I can tolerate technical breakdown but not a bad picture composition even though it is just a talking head” He must have countless productions where VVIPs were involved, sometimes there were scoldings from important people and more often he took the blame on behalf of the crew. The production crew respected him a lot.
In 82/83 because of the expansion of SBC the News and Current Affairs were split with him running the Current Affairs Unit. Improvements were made in presentations and the acquisition of new technology equipment such as Electronic News Gathering cameras transformed the face of News and Current affairs reporting.
In the late 90s when he became Director of Radio Singapore International which he set-up I began lunching with him together with Michael Loke Director of Human resources. The other half of Chandra was friendly and warm but still a reserved and serious person exhibiting a high level of professionalism in his work. During the extension years after his retirement, he was still immaculate in writing a VVIP story with enthusiasm.
Taking account of all his work on Caldecott Hill over the years I think he should be remembered as one of those dedicated and loyal backroom boys that helped build the nation.

Farewell Chandra and rest in peace.

I remember the NDP

I remember the NDP

My first encounter with the NDP was in the year 1969, two years after joining the Department of Broadcasting. I was rostered to work in the black and white NEC TVOB van as a sound assistant. My job was to install and operate effects microphones. The mics were hanged on the lamp-posts along High Street. That year the contingents marched past this road. I remembered on the day of the live telecast the late Mrs Wong forwarded instructions to producer “ More effects sound more effects sound!” She was monitoring the progress of the parade at the master control room on Caldecott Hill together with some senior management staff(which included George Ang the Chief Engineer then). And I was a young sound operator trying desperately to oblige with more effects sound. Later on I found out that that there were viewers who complained that the effects did not bring up the fullness and boom of the Parade. It was then that I realized how important each and every staff in a TV show was especially the NDP.
Since that year I had grown from doing sound, microwave transmission, vision control , supervisor , engineer work to even Chairman of the Technical Committee a few times –responsible for vision, sound and lighting for the whole Parade. The most memorable Parade was in 1986 when together with Colonel Tang Mun Poh we brought night-lighting to NDP. As mentioned elsewhere in this blog, it was the biggest challenge we had ever faced in an Outside Broadcast Operation and to this day the night segment became the essential part of the NDP.

The NDP has progressed over the years with better planning, better equipment and better people. There were never a shortage of creative ideas. We used to think that the NDP was the best for a particular year but only to see the following year surpassed the previous. I must have left organizing the technical part for the last 10-15years and was clearly looking forward to my retirement when the boss suddenly assigned me the job of co-ordinating the NDP recording in 3Dimensional Television. It is my last fling so to speak and I am looking forward to this year’s parade (year 2010)with enthusiasm and excitement. And certainly very glad that the workforce at Caldecott Hill has matured over the years and could work very closely together now for this mammoth event happening this year at the Padang on 9 August. Watch out for the 3D telecast on Ch 37 in Sep/Nov 2010 and the main telecast in full HD on MediaCorp Channels on the 9th.

A Digression:Earthday Baby has her say

This message has nothing to do with memories of Caldecott Hill. My grandpa , Philip J T Tay , who is still working on Caldecott Hill for the past 43 years and who is the administrator of this blog has allowed me some blog space to pen what I am going to say for the record. Ha Ha.
I was born on Thursday 22 April 2010 at 1741 hrs at Thomson Medical Hospital . My weight was 3.09 kg and now a week later is 3.2kg. I stayed in the hospital for two days being in the “cocoon” which I crouched for the past 10 months. Sure glad to be out!
My dad was given the chance to cut the umbilical cord and the ceremony of this is recorded on camera. It is going to be exciting when I view it when my sight matures.
The first talk I had with my mum is by the method of crying loudly. This seems to be modus operandi and the next few days I had to communicate by this means whenever I need to be fed or when I pooh.
Kongkong(father’sfather) came over every night to take a look at me and carry me just to tell me he loves me very much. Grandpa Tay also came over my cot many time to peep and admire this little me. He shyed away carrying me and I know he is clumsy at this. By his own confession he hardly carried my mum when a baby. The excuse was late hours at Caldecott Hill lah!
Now I am seven days old and everybody from nanny,grandma and pa. mum and dad and my aunties had studied me inside and out. And they seem to know and understand my crying . I was never left to cry for more than 2 minutes!
Dad has started a facebook for me and got me a email . Grandpa promises to start a blog so that he can document my early life from birth till I am able to operate a blog independently. He is retiring soon and he thinks it is great to start blogging me!
Well that’s all folks . Hope to tell you more on my blog as the days pass and the years come…

PS: One of the photos shows I sent a greeting card to my uncle in Sydney and my auntie in Sengkang to wish them happy bithday on 2 May.

With Love from Claire Ong

Raymond has something to say....

I remember Raymond Anthony Fernando. He was the smartest dressed officer in the days of RTS/SBC. With the Public Relations department, i think he was one of courteous person I had met. He recently wrote this to me. He has something to say on behalf of senior citizens..

"Doing more for senior citizens -Show re-runs of old TV Shows. Many of our seniors citizens who have fulfilled their responsibilities in the past should be able to look forward to a better quality of life in their twilight years. ... See MoreMediaCorp TV and radio have a role to play in supporting our elderly. Certainly a trip down memory lane will help to revive the beautiful memories that our seniors have of what they once enjoyed. During the 60s and 70s, there were some very entertaining programmes on television and radio. Television shows like Dr Kildare, Ben Casey, 77 Sunset Strip, Sea Hunt and many more always had a large following. Westerns such as The Rifleman, Rin Tin Tin and The Lone Ranger also had viewers glued to the small screen. Ours seniors will definitely appreciate a revival of such TV shows including comedies like The Jack Benny Show and I love Lucy. I remember Jack Benny could easily secure a laugh just by his body language. Even our local TV productions such as Pop In, Dendang Ria and Talentime were also delightfully entertaining. Though all these programmes were in black and white, I am sure ours seniors will enjoy watching them all over again because it brings back beautiful memories. Could MediaCorp TV introduce a senior citizens slot on Channel 5 to recognise those who have contributed much to nation building?Community support I remember veteran broadcaster Lucy Leong hosting a radio show dedicated to the sick. Listeners could write in and request songs and send get-well wishes for their loved ones who were hospitalised. Such a programme could be brought back as part of a community project to support the sick in hospitals and nursing homes. It will also help seniors if our major supermarkets make available ready-to-cook meals. When the Japanese supermarket Yaohan was in operation here, these cleaned and packed ready-to-cook meals were very popular. Meat and fish packed with vegetables, garlic and ginger enabled consumers to prepare a meal in less than 10 minutes. Such products may also prove useful for working couples who often have little time to prepare dinner.

RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO