Mr Robin Hu, Executive Vice President, Chinese Newspapers, Singapore Press Holdings;
Mr Shane Armstrong, Senior Group Publisher, Times Publishing Group;
Mr Seow Choke Meng, Chairman, World Book Fair Organising Committee;
Mr Leslie Lim, Co-Chairman, World Book Fair Organising Committee;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all participants of the World Book Fair 2008, especially those who came from overseas.
Asian Publishing Industry
2 This is the 23 rd year of the World Book Fair. Today, it is one of the key events showcasing Singapore’s publishing industry. Globally, the book publishing industry is expected to grow 3.6% annually to be worth US$144 billion by 2011. The Asia–Pacific region will be the fastest growing market for book publishing, with growth of 5.1% per year from US$27 billion in 2007 to US$33 billion by 2011.(Source: PriceWaterHouseCoopers Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2007-2011)
3 Asia’s economic development and growing affluence have generated greater international interest in th e region. This has resulted in growing interest in Asian-themed materials in our region and also in the West. Media content created by Asians is providing new inspiration and stories for Western audiences. For example, the best-selling novel “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini was made into an acclaimed film, whilst Tash Aw’s “The Harmony Silk Factory” won the Whitbread Prize in 2005. In 2006, the prestigious Man Booker Prize created a new Asian Literary Prize specifically for Asian writers, the first of which was awarded to the Chinese writer, Jiang Rong.
4 Made-By-Singapore children’s educational books have also made breakthroughs in international markets. Today, some three million kindergarten and elementary school students from California use Made-By-Singapore Mathematics textbooks and workbooks. These textbooks are the first Asian content to be approved in any US school.
Singapore : a Trusted Publishing Hub for Asian Media
5 This growing demand for Asian content and the explosion of convergent media have created new and exciting opportunities in Asian media. In terms of content, Asian media reflects the diversity and deep cultural roots of a confident and dynamic Asia. These are narratives by Asians for a global audience.
6 Singapore, with its strategic location in the heart of Asia and a strong and trusted framework for the protection of intellectual property rights, can become a trusted Hub for Asian media. Today we have over 2,600 publishing and printing companies based in Singapore. These include more than 700 publishers of books, journals, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, directories and databases. Singapore is already the Asian headquarters for many top international publishers, such as Reed Elsevier, John Wiley & Sons (Asia), McGraw-Hill Learning Education, Cambridge University Press and Marshall Cavendish International. Singapore ’s excellent infocomm infrastructure also contributes to our development as a premier hub for publication from all over the world.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Publishing Sector
7 While the outlook is bright and we can be optimistic, the publishing industry also faces challenges brought about by new technologies and changing consumption patterns. T he industry is undergoing rapid change as new processes and advancements in digital technologies and Web 2.0 emerge. Yet, opportunities abound for those who are able to harness the potential of new technologies. For instance, the presence of a variety of e-book readers in the market from the Iliad to Sony’s E-Book Reader and the latest from Amazon, the eKindle, offers new platforms for publishers to distribute their content and incorporate other value-added services for readers.
8 In Singapore, Peach Blossom Media was innovative in creating animation features from stories published under Media Development Authority’s (MDA) First Time Writers and Illustrators Publishing Initiative (FTWIPI). Another company, TCZ Studio, had demonstrated that comics could be created not just for print but for the mobile platform as well. Other examples include new ways of marketing, promoting and distributing intellectual property, such as via online platforms like Google Book Search and Amazon. These are just some examples of those who had successfully tapped the opportunities offered by the new digital technology.
World Book Fair
9 Coming back to the World Book Fair, I am happy to see that ASEAN members and other Asian countries have continued to give their strong support for this year’s event. This reflects the relevance of Singapore as a vibrant publishing market for publishers from Asia and beyond.
10 The World Book Fair is a natural platform to showcase Asian content with the potential for international distribution across diverse platforms such as digital and mobile, games and merchandise. It also provides a platform for thought leader from the region to discuss the latest developments in digital marketing, copyright, publishing technologies and international marketing strategies.
11 Today, we also honour the outstanding contributions from Chinese language teachers through the Inspiring Chinese Teachers’ Award and the Outstanding Chinese Language Lesson Plan Award. These awards are a strong recognition of the important role that our teachers play in preserving the Chinese language and culture. I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the award winners and I hope the awards will motivate you to strive for excellence and innovation in helping our children learn the Chinese language.
12 In closing, I would like to congratulate the Singapore Press Holdings and Marshall Cavendish Business Information for organising another successful book fair. It gives me great pleasure to declare the World Book Fair 2008 open.
Thank you.
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