KL Converge Gives Clearer Picture On Malaysian Media City

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- The ongoing Content Malaysia 2014 alongside the creative industry multi-platform KL Converge 2014 exhibition and conference is giving the industry a heads up on the Kuala Lumpur media city project. Professor Erik Knudsen of Salford University in Manchester, United Kingdom (UK), said it must be remembered that the creative industry revolved around people, ideas and stories. "Creative people don't hang around in corporate buildings. And the challenge is how to create an environment where people love to hang out. It is about bringing the people together and build an environment that the people want to work in," he said. Knudsen, a film maker and lecturer at the Film Practice School of Arts and Media at the University of Salford, was speaking at the Content Malaysia 2014 conference focusing on Mediacity UK. The Malaysian media city project, a collaboration between the Malaysian government and Media City Development Sdn Bhd, is expected to be completed in 2020. It was previously reported that the US$261.90 million (RM850 million)project, announced in the 2010 budget, will redevelop the Angkasapuri complex which houses national broacaster Radio Television Malaysia (RTM), the Malaysian public broadcaster. Knudsen pointed out that the developer of Mediacity UK had invested a lot in media an asset management in ensuring adequate equipment and facilities at the institution to cater to the culture industry in the country. University of Salford, the first academy established in the media city, was among the sponsors of the media city. Creative industry in Malaysia contributes about 1.3 percent to the national gross domestic product and is expected to grow to three per cent in three years. The seminar also featured representative from The Multimedia Development Corporation and Reed Midem, a leading event organiser of international tradeshows in the entertainment, real estate and internet sectors, with over 500 events in 39 countries. Speaking to reporters later, Knudsen said in order for Malaysia to develop its own media city, it was important to recognise the technologies that exist in the creative industry. "Recognise what's already there and build whatever media structure that you want to build on that basis. Don't start from scratch. They will be the life blood of fueling the bigger players," he said, adding that most innovation and training were coming from small and medium scale companies. He said the media city facilities should cater to all segments of the industry and be able to attract the creative people to use it. Knudsen also stressed on the importance of the media city being an 'open' institution if it wanted to succeed. "If the media city that is developed becomes an enabling institution, open, inviting, flexible, than it will work. If it's closed and about keeping people away, then it will fail," he said. --BERNAMA