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CASBAA, MDA announce training programme for media professionals
SINGAPORE: The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) and the Media Development Authority of
Singapore (MDA) on 17 November signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a new initiative by CASBAA called the CASBAA Media College early next year.
The MOU was signed by CASBAA chairman Marcel Fenez and MDA chairman Dr Tan Chin Nam.
According to an official release, media-specific training courses to be conducted by the CASBAA Media College will cater for young professionals employed within the broadcast media industry. It aims to groom and enhance the skills sets of existing sales and marketing executives and also to expose management executives from other functional areas to different aspects of the media industry. The programme is open to both CASBAA and non-CASBAA member organisations from Singapore and around the region. CASBAA has committed to permanently base the CASBAA Media College in Singapore.
“Asia’s pay-TV industry is growing rapidly and with it the demand for skilled staff who understand the business. CASBAA has developed this new training programme to arm young executives with the skills and knowledge they need to become well-rounded media professionals,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO, CASBAA. “Singapore is an important media hub so it’s logical for us to base the CASBAA Media College here,” added Twiston Davies.
“In addition to endorsing the programme, the MDA is throwing its weight behind the initiative by providing financial support to eligible participants or their sponsoring organisations under the MDA Capability Development Scheme,” said the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Lim Hock Chuan.
“We are pleased that CASBAA has taken the initiative of implementing this training programme. The MDA is happy to support the programme as part of our drive to raise the standards and skills of media professionals here and grow
Singapore into a vibrant global media city under the Media 21 blueprint. We intend to partner more industry players in such joint efforts to raise the standards of media practitioners and talents.”
The CASBAA programme has been designed and will be conducted by training specialist Wayne Lotherington, the principal of Allsorts Creation, with individual modules provided by senior industry figures drawn from within the Association and directly related industries. Six media-specific modules will be covered in the programme, namely, Media Selling; Presentation; Media Negotiation; Media Leadership & Account
Management; Strategic Thinking; and Creative Thinking. The first intake will commence in early 2004.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
