Govt to study need for mandatory screening of local animation on TV channels

CYBERJAYA, April 17 — The Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) is ready to study the need to set a special mandatory quota for local television companies to broadcast local animations on their respective channels.

Its Minister, Fahmi Fadzil said this could help local creators showcase their works to the public.

“This is a matter I support, I feel there is a need for us to look at digital content produced in the country, not just for us to generate or publish but for us to broadcast and exhibit.

“If our films have this mandatory screening scheme, perhaps for animations and several other matters we need to consider what are the suitable policies that can help these digital content creations to showcase their works to the general public, especially in Malaysia,” he told the media after the Creative Industry Series 2: Digital and Creative Technology Content Town Hall session, here, today.

Almost 400 participants joined the more than two-hour town hall session, organised by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), and it was also attended by Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching, MDEC chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and MDEC chief executive officer Mahadhir Aziz.

Fahmi said the government was also ready to study efforts to help the creators export their works.

“We need to look at what we can do to export the works at least to the Southeast Asian region, (because) compared to ASEAN, we see that Malaysia has a population of 34 million but Asean has over 660 million people.

“So, in terms of the market segment, there are more opportunities. So, we must look at what we can do to help them, not just domestically but to export their works abroad,” he said.

At the same time, Fahmi said the government would also hold further talks with the relevant parties following complaints by local animation companies claiming that television stations refused to buy their works due to the high price.

“This is an economic issue, I need to hold further discussions with all parties involved to understand. Unlike telefilm productions or other productions, we cannot deny the reality that animation works need bigger resources and whether or not our television stations can afford them.

“Maybe, for next year, we can consider what we can do to perhaps provide additional support to creators like Les’ Copaque (Production),” he said.

Earlier, during the town hall session, Les’ Copaque Production founder Burhanuddin Md Radzi voiced his grievance regarding the dilemma faced by local animation creators about their works that could not be aired on local television stations due to several factors and raised the need to give priority to local products for television broadcasts.