It is with great honour that I have been tasked with the role of President of the Magazine Publisher’s Association of Singapore, and I thank you all for that vote of confidence.

I believe Singapore is on the verge of yet another transformation and the next few years will represent one of the most exciting seasons as it progresses towards being a truly global city. Through the years, we have witnessed some truly spectacular developments, with Singapore becoming a key hub for financial services, medical care and emerging technologies. The social and cultural environment has also changed with Singapore now boasting a level of vibrancy and diversity that would have seemed impossible a few years ago. In addition, the world has witness a tangible shift to Asia politically, socially and economically and this is unlikely to change.

I mention all this, because I believe it represents an enormous opportunity for the publishing industry. Singapore’s unique position as a gateway to South-east Asia and the rest of the region will provide some remarkable areas for expansion and growth. Having weathered the economic storm of the last couple of years, this is comforting and should encourage all of us to ensure we are best placed to leverage this remarkable situation.

Of course, there will be challenges. The Internet and web-based media has revolutionised our world and our knowledge of it. How we interact, learn and appreciate the world around us has changed. Emerging technologies and media platforms will continue to evolve; hence, as an industry, we need to understand its impact and how we can embrace it. As Singapore continues to progress, we will inevitably see greater competition for readership and revenues. Developing innovative, relevant and above all sustainable business models will be a challenge for anyone operating in this industry.

As market and submarkets expand and become more complex it is likely that the debate and discussion on many issues, aspects and topics relevant to us will intensify. As thought leaders, it is incumbent on us to ensure that we encourage open discussion and apply a sensible, fair and balanced approach in navigating our way through what is likely to be lively waters. While we each have our own interests, we ultimately represent the broader interests of our members, the industry and the association as a whole.

Thus, it is my personal ambition to ensure that MPAS takes a more proactive role in ensuring that the industry is best positioned to take advantage of opportunities, prepare for changes and challenges, as well as maintain a level of excellence, which commensurate with Singapore’s position as a global city.

Accordingly, we should focus on the following key areas over the coming months:

1. Increase the membership of MPAS

MPAS derives its legitimacy from the membership it represents. It is important to be as broad based as possible, reflecting the entire industry – both stakeholders and participants. In January 2008, a year after MPAS was in operation, there were a total of 74 members. Fifty-nine of which were Ordinary Members, and the rest, were Associate Members. This was a 68 per cent increase compared to the initial membership of 44. Today that membership has dipped, with slightly over 30 members in the organisation, including four associate members.

The last two years have been challenging, with a number of organisations and titles leaving the market. Fortunately, there have been new additions. While the industry may be focused in the hands of a smaller number of players, it still needs to be relevant to those it seeks to represent. One of my main concerns is to ensure that we engage with the industry and energise those who operate within it. The numerous activities that take place under the initiative and guidance of MPAS will serve to provide a platform to connect. However, the most powerful means of reaching out and bolstering active participation of our members as well as cultivating new ones is through personal interaction.

The Committee of MPAS and its members comprise some of the most successful and dynamic people in Singapore. I believe if we leverage this passion and energy through our daily interactions with colleagues, third parties and interested individuals, we would be able to quickly galvanise a collective enthusiasm for MPAS and, above all our common interests.

We need people to be actively committed and not be passive participants. I am dedicated to finding such like-minded individuals, and I urge each and every one of you demonstrate your own leadership and passion to all you deal with.

2. Foster cross platform synergies

Traditional media platforms have increasingly ceased to operate in silos. Whether driven by consumer interests and needs or by a desire to reach out to the widest possible audience we are increasingly seeing the merging of different media platforms — print and online being an excellent example. More critically, technology has allowed for global interaction and access. It has also enabled cross industry and geographical collaboration and partnership. This trend will continue to accelerate and will have profound implications for all of us. Excitingly, it opens up tremendous areas for growth and development.

Businesses, business models and markets need not be limited by physical geography or segmentation. The competition that will be inherent in this arena will naturally be a spur for progress and refinement. However, MPAS will also look at practical ways of opening up channels of partnership with other areas in the media industry. Accessing expertise outside our traditional areas of business can also enrich the expertise that resides in our own industry.

I would sincerely like MPAS to champion a proactive approach to fostering closer collaboration, network and participation with other organisations and industry groups in the media industry as a whole. Above all, I believe it will serve us well to seek out individuals, companies and players who have demonstrated a relentless ability to innovate. There is much to learn that will benefit our development and may provide insight into areas of commercial growth for us all.

3. Take the LEAD

The Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme, was set up to enhance industry and enterprise competitiveness. Through partnerships with industry associations who are willing to take the lead to develop and drive initiatives that will improve the overall capabilities of SMES, this programme provides focused and customised support at the industry level.

Insofar, the LEAD programme has afforded several associations funding. With the 70 per cent grant assistance provided in the last three years, these companies have managed to leapfrog into better positions. MPAS has raised the remaining 30 per cent — funneled from a well-thought through five-year projection — to help smaller, independent publishers establish themselves.

It is my goal to help further that mission, and you have my utmost assurance that I will work closely with the Executive Director and the MPAS Exco to work out very targeted and specific programmes to continue that support.

4. Create global awareness and drive overseas expansion

There can be no doubt that Asia holds a vast interest and fascination for the West. Whether it is the economic expansion in Asia that is driving global recovery and growth, the emergence of a vast consumer pool and affluent middle class, the prominence of culture and arts, etc, the reality is that the rest of the world is interested in what we are doing. While print media industry may be flagging in Europe or in the US, the outlook for Singapore and the Asia-Pacific is considerably more optimistic. It would be a mistake not to take advantage of this pool of interest and investment.

In reaching out globally, we need to come together as a publishing community and work closely with MDA as well as IESingapore to promote our magazine industry overseas. This can be done by group participation in foreign exhibitions or conferences such as the Asian Publishing Convention (APC), which will be held this July in Vietnam, or hosting conventions like the FIPP’s World Magazine Congress, together with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

5. Get online now, and work with young, media talent

The World Wide Web has fundamentally altered every aspect of our lives. In less that 15 years we have evolved into a web-based society influencing everything from how we obtain knowledge and information to how we operate as consumers. To varying degrees, the print industry has embraced this portal from a passive means of providing content to a more interactive experience.

Clearly, one of the areas to focus on is to ensure that members develop the technical skills and competencies in this arena. Fortunately there are schemes out there like MDA’s Spearheading Publishing Innovation for New Enterprise or SPINE, which can assist in this aspect. In essence, MDA will co-invest, together with publishing companies and other industry partners in programmes that present opportunities for global reach and economic returns under a co-sharing of rights and revenues arrangement.

Other schemes like MDA’s META (Media Training and Attachment Programme) that offers attachment of interns at a stipend of $1,000 per month, paid out by MDA, for a period of 12 months, are in place to help publishers offset their start-up or operational costs.

As an association, we need to encourage our members to leverage on such schemes, because they enable publishers to have wider reach and potential of future revenues. Furthermore, it helps to sustain the industry with new creative talent.

6. Fund-Raising Activities

While the future provides enormous opportunities, it will also require investment. The provision of adequate funds to support, drive and sustain MPAS and its mission and goals is a key goal for me. I will endeavour to bring whatever expertise, networks or ability I have in this area to ensure that the association can enjoy a secure financial platform. Likewise, I am sure that the collective skills of the Committee will be of enormous value in helping to focus fund-raising efforts as well as the judicious allocation of MPAS resources.

I am looking forward to put into action the immediate goals I have listed above. They are by no means a limit of the things we can achieve together in the coming year, but a taste of the successes that we can all enjoy in the future. I believe firmly that everyone in this committee has much to contribute, and that we can only move forward by drawing on each other’s strengths and expertise. I thank you all in advance, and it is again, a great pleasure to join and lead the association.

Yours Sincerely,
Frank Cintamani