KUALA LUMPUR: The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) yesterday signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Media Prima Bhd to promote creative industry-related events and initiatives undertaken through the National ICT Initiative via MSC Malaysia.

As a start, Media Prima’s TV3 will be airing the content produced by MSC Malaysia-status companies, providing the platform for aspiring entrepreneurs and technopreneurs to showcase their products while offering an opportunity for these developers to commercialise their intellectual property.

MDeC chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said that the collaboration would further boost efforts to accelerate growth in the creative industry and encourage people to venture into the industry, a “particularly critical” move as Malaysia moves towards a high-value economy.

MDec directs and oversees the national ICT development initiative.  

The MoU has targeted a few projects for commercialisation. One such project is a 3D animation series entitled ‘BoBoiBoy’, produced by MSC Malaysia-status company Animonsta Studios Sdn Bhd. The series gained success after being aired on TV3 and is now being shown on Disney Channel Southeast Asia.

Other projects include a public service announcement series, and a subsequent collaboration with Media Prima on the MDeC-initiated Cerita Rakyat Malaysia (Ceramy).

The first Ceramy production will be the legend of Puteri Santubong, for which Media Prima is already scouting for production houses.

Media Prima’s TV networks chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar said the roles and responsibilities of the two parties under the three-year MoU would include Media Prima being the preferred media partner for MDeC and MSC Malaysia-funded content; mentoring project applicants and managers in terms of content readiness for broadcast, content quality and target audience; promoting the creative industry initiatives organised by MDeC; and assessing and marketing the programmes chosen for commercialisation and distribution.

“Media Prima will also cooperate in the development of the industry as well as develop our role in various corporate responsibility programmes,” said Izham.

Badlisham added that the 280 or so companies under MDeC had pulled in revenue of US$200 million (RM596 million), a figure which he hoped would double by 2015 as the growth of the industry in the region was about 24%.

Izham added that the collaboration leveraged off MDeC’s role and integrated content from Media Prima.

“The collaboration between us and MDeC requires us to gauge the commercial value and financial viability of the ideas presented,” he said, adding that it would help production houses and animation studios which create good work and ideas, but do not know how to “bring them to TV stations”.

This article appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, August 16, 2011.