Cessation of Teletext Service

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what has been the usage pattern of Teletext in the last five years; (b) what is the number of users prior to its discontinuance; and (c) what assessment has been made on the impact of its discontinuance on users before the service is withdrawn.

Mdm Speaker, I thank Ms Denise Phua and Mr Low Thia Khiang for their questions on the cessation of Mediacorp's Teletext service.

Teletext was launched 30 years ago in 1983 as a commercial service. Since then, media consumption patterns have changed dramatically. The Internet has grown to become a key information source. Increasingly, consumers are accessing information over the Internet through a variety of devices, such as smart phones, tablets, desktops, laptops and connected TVs. These changes in consumption patterns and the wide availability of alternative information sources led to a significant global decline in Teletext users over the years, including in Singapore. For example, MediaCorp previously shared data from a survey conducted in 2011 that showed there were about 187,000 who accessed daily stock price information. This year, the number dropped by 85% to about 28,000. As such, MediaCorp decided to cease the Teletext service, as it was no longer commercially viable. Mediacorp's decision is no different from her counterparts in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, where broadcasters have also similarly decided to shut down their Teletext services.

Madam, I understand that some of the elderly population are used to getting their information on Teletext and are impacted by the cessation of the service. While the information on Teletext, such as stock prices, weather and flight information, are readily available on the Internet, we do recognise that some of our elderly may still find it difficult to access such information.

To help seniors learn and use technology in their daily lives, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) runs the Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII). This initiative can help our seniors get online, which will allow them to access the information that was previously on Teletext and more. The Media Development Authority (MDA) has also been working with IDA to ensure that the SII reaches out to the seniors that need our help, so that they can learn how to find and access such information online. Seniors, without home access to the Internet, are able to utilise 124 free web-surfing points, known as Silver Infocomm Hotspots, which have been set up at various Community Clubs, self-help group centres, Residents' Committees and our libraries. Our Libraries, Madam, also offer older Singaporeans courses and workshops on basic

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computing as well as how to use common mobile devices and access NLB eResources and eBooks. In addition, seniors can also borrow e-devices, such as iPads and eReaders, from selected libraries. These e-devices are accompanied by training that shows users how to use and care for the devices.

I would also like to share that, apart from Teletext, there are other similar information services in the market. For example, StarHub currently provides an interactive information service to its cable television customers. All StarHub TV subscribers can access information, such as finance, weather and traffic updates, by pressing the interactive button on their StarHub remote, or by tuning in to channel 899. At the same time, Madam, MediaCorp has kept up-to-date by offering information through many other ways, especially through its websites and mobile applications, to better serve their consumers.

Madam, amidst all the discussions on the difficulties that seniors may face with the cessation of Teletext, it has been encouraging for us to know that there have been seniors who have written to the media to share their positive experiences of learning and using computers and smart phones. An example is Mr Lim Chan Kong, an 81-year old grandfather who has written to both The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao to share his journey towards computer literacy and his belief that it is never too old to learn. I share this belief and encourage everyone to help the seniors in their family learn how to adapt to this new digital age. Together, Madam, we can make our society a more digitally-inclusive one.

Madam, I have some supplementary questions. I understand from the answer that there were about 28,000 users before Mediacorp decided to terminate the service. My question is, whether Mediacorp has studied the profile of this 28,000, the impact of its discontinuation and whether the Minister is aware that the IDA conducted a survey in 2011 which showed that only 15% of elderly 60 and above used the Internet and a computer, and there are more than 50% of the elderly aged 50 to 59 years who neither use a computer nor the Internet over the past 12 months at the point of the survey. In a situation as such, how can IDA confidently say that it will be a smooth transition for the elderly to be able to access information with the discontinuation of Teletext?

The next supplementary question is: why did Mediacorp terminate the service in such a hurry, before IDA's programme kicked in to ensure that the elderly has sufficiently grasped the ability or have the ability to access the Internet and with a satisfactory mode of replacement of the information?

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Lastly, is the Minister aware that there were a lot of complaints on the ground from the elderly about the discontinuation of the service? What is the Minister's answer to that?

Madam, the Ministry and MediaCorp have both received a lot of feedback from the ground, especially from the elderly, about the cessation of the Teletext service. We must expect that people who are impacted will be upset and, therefore, we have to offer them alternatives.

To answer the Member's second question, the programme to assist our seniors is ongoing. In fact, we have started the programme well before the cessation of the service to get our seniors on board onto the digital bandwagon. Many programmes have been rolled out by IDA and MDA to help our seniors to migrate to a digital lifestyle. I can go through the long list of the programmes that IDA and MDA have been doing long before 2011, because we recognise that we have to build a digitally-inclusive society. I cannot question Mr Low's figures – about 60% or 50%, I do not have my figures here. Our data, which were shared by MediaCorp, show that only 28,000 people have been accessing the Teletext service. It does not mean that these 28,000 users do not have an alternative; it is just that they are using Teletext because it is available.

At the moment, with the kinds of services that we are providing to the seniors through our Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII) programme, we have trained about 77,000 seniors, and the programme is ongoing.

Finally, the decision to cease is actually a commercial decision by Mediacorp, in consultation with the Ministry. We have to allow MediaCorp to make that decision and, recognising that there are alternatives in place, we have to give them that leeway because they are in the market and they know better how to conduct such a service.

I thank the Member for the suggestions. I will take them back to IDA and MDA and discuss how best we can implement them. I want to assure the Member that all our materials are in multi-languages because we recognise that, for the senior citizens, some of them may not be conversant in English. But as for the Member's suggestion of doing more hands-on approach by getting some of our champions to work together with the seniors, it is being done. Some of the CCs do have programmes whereby they get the youngsters to run the programme together with the seniors. I will ask IDA and MDA to follow up on the Member's suggestions.