CHAPTER 36 - Making Zoe Tay & Joanne Peh Stars

Summary

“I had to manage people from different nationalities, cultural background and political convictions.”

— Oor Yit Teik, CSE Pioneer

MEDIACORP SUPERSTAR ZOE TAY owes her success in part to NTI. The link is MediaCorp Deputy Group CEO Chang Long Jong, a CSE pioneer. The government scholar recalled, “When I graduated in 1985, the Public Service Commission could not get me a job related to my training. They offered me an administrative post with Singapore Broadcasting Corporation –– now known as MediaCorp –– and I accepted it.” Two years later, Long Jong joined the drama production unit which organised the first Star Search contest in 1988. Zoe won the inaugural competition and the rest is history. She went on to reign as the Queen of Caldecott Hill.

Zoe is not the only MediaCorp royal to benefit from Long Jong's work. Fourteen years later, the spotlight fell on Joanne Peh, one of MediaCorp's seven princesses. In the 2002 Miss Singapore Universe pageant, Joanne won the ‘Miss Elegant’ and ‘Miss Personality’ titles. MediaCorp Studios, which came under Long Jong, saw her potential and took her under its wing as an artiste. It was an astute move. Joanne went on to win accolades including the 2009 Best Actress Award for her role in the hit drama ‘The Little Nyonya’.

Long Jong's engineering background proved to be a great help to his career. About 70 per cent of his work involves managing people; setting goals for the teams under his portfolio, and helping them achieve these targets. His initial training in management came during his industrial attachment with an engineering and construction firm which was then building the Treasury Building in Shenton Way. He said, “That stint taught me to deploy and supervise manpower. I learned to solve problems, an invaluable skill in my job.” He oversees, among other things, Channels 5, 8 and MediaCorp Studios.

Joining Long Jong in the entertainment industry are Lee Yat Cheong, and Dennis Sng Cheng Hong. They are with the Media Development Authority. Yat Cheong oversees the infrastructure and land development for Singapore's media sector. Dennis is tasked to grow Singapore into a vibrant global media capital. The Media Development Authority is a promotional and regulatory body, formed in 2003 by the merger of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, the Films and Publications Department and the Singapore Film Commission.