SINGAPORE : MediaCorp has started the process of digitising its vast archives for public use.

This will allow users to download the content, be it on the mobile phone or via broadband, within minutes after a programme is aired.

MediaCorp has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute of Infocomm Research.

If everything works according to plan, this interactive technology could be available in three years.

"From the users' perspective, it is not about technology. It is about the ability to access content and how this content comes to them. For example, one of the research that we are looking at is how we can process the same content that we have and deliver it through various platforms like mobile phones, TV and even to high definition (TV) by using the same stream of delivery," says Henry Lim, deputy CEO (Corporate Services), MediaCorp.

This means, whether a customer is using a mobile phone or on broadband, he would be able to download the content, depending on the speed available.

"Together with intelligent media search technology and voices technology as well as image recognition, we will form an intelligent system that provides MediaCorp with a digital archive that is indexed according to the intelligence that we have put in," says Dr Susanto Rahardja, director of Institute for Infocomm Research.

The Metadata allows users to search the media, personalise it and at the same time, provides the user with a multi-media experience that is catered to the particular demand, quality and resolution according to users' request.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) has thrown its weight behind this project and A*STAR's strategic marketing and commercialisation arm Exploit Technologies too, played an important role in the tie-up.

"We are always looking to encourage our industry, particularly big industry players like MediaCorp, to move into R&D. So, one of the things we will looking at in MDA is to help to incentivise and facilitate MediaCorp in going deeper into R&D, and create more innovative and exciting genres of programmes," said Michael Yap, deputy CEO of MDA.

And nothing but the best technology will be utilised in this tie-up.

"Definitely many of the research technologies have been sent for world competition where they are typically in 1st, 2nd or 3rd place rankings. One good example is the technology that is currently being looked at by MediaCorp and MDA, involving the archiving, searching, indexing and compression of the media content," said Yow Tau Keon, senior VP of Exploit Technologies.

Although it is still work in progress, the digitising process promises to be efficient and effective, rivalling the best in the world. - CNA /ls