Singapore:

The list of 119 nominations for the 2002 Awards was released today. Winners will be announced at a live televised ceremony in Singapore on 4 December 2002. The show will be aired on leading television channels in 11 countries across the region.

This year, 1,300 entries — including a record number of entries from Japan and China — were received from 14 countries. This is 9 per cent higher than last year. In addition to Japan and China, the countries that participated this year included India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The number of entries for the Asian Television Awards has more than tripled in the past five years. “The increased interest is a definite sign that Asian producers are more confident of the quality of their product and are more willing to pitch their creations against fellow producers in Asia,” says the Asian Television Awards’ chairman of judges Jonathan Hallett.

The 29 Awards cover a wide range of genres, including drama series, comedy, tele-movie, current affairs, youth and sports. Two categories were added this year to cater to the growing diversity of locally produced genres in the region. The new categories this year are Best Talk Show and Best Original Song. A total of 61 entries were received for the new categories.

Among the notable trends this year were the increase in the number of interactive programmes entered as well as a marked rise in the number of documentaries put forward by broadcasters and production houses from across the region. Music and variety shows were also more lavish than in previous years, with many more high-budget contenders.

The growing focus on interactivity is part of a global trend towards developing new and varied ways of relating with television audiences, say Hallett. “In this, Asia takes its place with the rest of the world. As economies improve and Asia continues its migration to digital platforms, we expect interactive applications to become a prominent part of the Awards,” he adds.

The range of topics addressed in many categories was also more controversial than in previous years, including issues such as homosexuality, mental illness, child abuse, domestic violence, and dealing with poverty in old age. “This indicates a significant increase in Asian stations’ willingness to address and deal with sensitive topics in a variety of ways,” Hallett says.

This year’s entries were assessed by almost 50 judges from 11 countries sitting on seven juries held across the region.

ASIAN TELEVISION AWARDS 2002 NOMINATIONS

The following programmes and performances have been nominated for awards in 26 categories of this year¹s Asian Television Awards. 29 awards, including Broadcaster of the Year, Terrestrial Channel of the Year, and Cable Satellite Channel of the Year will be awarded at a live televised ceremony on December 4.

The nominations…

Best Documentary Programme

• Asian Enigma: Secrets of the Deep — Bang Productions Ltd for Discovery Networks Asia (Hong Kong)
• How High is the Mountain — Public Television Service (Taiwan)
• Mother — Shanghai TV Station (China)
• Planet Soccer — Discovery Networks Asia (Singapore)
• Thirst for Knowledge — Sichuan Television (China)

• Lion of Gir — Miditech (P) Ltd (India)
• Mystery of Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey — China Central Television (China)
• Spaceship Earth ‘The Lone Cuckoo-Evolve to Survive’ — Asahi National Broadcasting Co Ltd (Japan)
• Vampire from the Abyss — NHK (Japan)

• Bloomberg International — Bloomberg Television (Japan)
• STAR News Hour — New Delhi Television Ltd for STAR News (India)
• News at 6.30 — Television Broadcasts Ltd (Hong Kong)
• News Biz Today — CNN International (Hong Kong)
• World Business Tonight — Channel NewsAsia MediaCorp News Pte Ltd (Singapore)

• FTV’s Hall of Dissent — Formosa Television (Taiwan)
• Focus Asia — STAR World (Hong Kong)
• Reality Bites: Mental Health in Kashmir — New Delhi Television Ltd for STAR News (India)
• Witness — New Delhi Television Limited for STAR News (India)

• Epol Apple — ABS CBN Foundation (Philippines)
• Fruity Pie — Public Television Service (Taiwan)
• Gembira Bersama Tasya — PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri, TBK (Indonesia)
• Hirayamanawari: ‘Sac Ebak/Upuan’ — ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)
• Wansapanataym: Rico Puno — ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)

• Golden Bowl — Nippon Television Network Corporation (Japan)
• Reunion — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 8 (Singapore)
• Step into the Past — Television Broadcasts Ltd (Hong Kong)
• The Sunshine on the Back of the Mountain - Public Television Services (Taiwan)
• The Vagrant — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 8 (Singapore)
• A War Diary — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)

• Love Matters, Coffee on Cream — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)
• Remembering, SongBook — ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)
• Relax A Bit — China Central Television (China)
• Silver Journey — Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (Korea)
• When Camellia Petals Falls — NHK (Japan)

• Ah Girl II — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel i (Singapore)
• Bubble Gang — GMA Networks Inc (Philippines)
• Living with Lydia, The Dim Sum Party — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)
• Mr Kiasu, Ole Ole Ole — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)
• Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, I Do I Do I Do — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)

• Anniversary All Star Snap — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• Concert Mega Siti Nurhaliza 2001 — Natseven TV Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
• Miss Chinese International Pageant 2002 — Television Broadcasts Ltd (Hong Kong)
• MTV Asia Awards, Main Show — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)
• One Night with Regine — ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)

• Crescent Over America — Natseven TV Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
• East Timor Special — CNN International (Hong Kong)
• News Magazine: Asian Economy, Japan — Television Broadcasts Ltd (Hong Kong)
• Speak Your Mind: Nepal — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)
• Speak Your Mind: Thailand — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)

• Asia Session: Travis — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)
• Ching Roi Ching Lan — Workpoint Entertainment Co Ltd for Channel 5 (Thailand)
• Snap — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• SOP — GMA Network Inc (Philippines)
• Yummy King — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)

• Bournvita Quiz Contest — Zee Telefilms Ltd for Zee TV (India)
• Game Show: Stop the Clock — Exact Co Ltd for Channel 5 (Thailand)
• Kuis Siapa Berani — PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri, TBK (Indonesia)
• Khelo Number Khelo — Miditech (P) Ltd for Zee TV (India)
• Kaun Banega Crorepati — STAR Plus (India)

• Asia Session: Travis — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)
• Gershwin: The Man I Love — Mainichi Broadcasting Systems Inc (Japan)
• One Night with Regine — ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)
• Satu Jam Bersama Titi DJ — PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri TBK (Indonesia)
• The Old Man of Tuwa — Movie Channel of Dalian TV Station (China)

• Football Asia — World Sports Television for various broadcasters (Singapore)
• Gameplan, Carrera Habagat — Probe Production Inc for GMA Network Inc (Philippines)
• Sports Tonight — New Delhi Television Limited for STAR News (India)
• The Asia Sports Show — World Sports Television for various broadcasters (Singapore)

• 3R: Respect, Relax, Respond — Red Communications for Astro Ria and TV3 (Malaysia)
• I, Collector — MediaCorp TV12 Singapore Pte Ltd (Singapore)
• City Beat — Shanghai TV Station (China)

• Hear Me Out — Nickelodeon Asia Holdings Pte Ltd / MTV Networks Asia (Singapore)
• Speak Your Mind: Thailand — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)
• Youth Quest — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• 3R: Respect, Relax, Respond — Red Communications for Astro Ria and TV3 (Malaysia)

• Daliu — Dalian TV Station, PRC (China)
• HardTalk Pakistan — Infotainment Television Pvt Ltd for BBC World (India)
• Talk Asia — CNN International (Hong Kong)
• You’re Ok, I’m Ok — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)

• Bukit Ho Swee — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 8 (Singapore)
• Cash is King — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• The Orange Rouged — Public Television Service (Taiwan)
• The Sunshine on the Back of the Mountain — Public Television Service (Taiwan)
• A War Diary — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)

• Dreams Come True — Television Broadcasts Ltd (Hong Kong)
• Snap — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• CCTVsi World Cup Soccer Interactive Programming — CCTV / OpenTV Asia Pacific KK (Japan)

• Catherine Yang — Bloomberg Television (Japan)
• Jill Neubronner — CNN International (Hong Kong)
• Martin Soong — CNBC Asia (Singapore)
• Sandrina Malakiano — PT Media Televisi Indonesia (Metro TV) (Indonesia)

• Jessica Soho — GMA Network Inc (Philippines)
• Karan Thapar — Infotainment Television for BBC World (India)
• Lisa Ang — Channel NewsAsia MediaCorp News Pte Ltd (Singapore)
• Niret Alva — Miditech (P) Ltd for BBC World (India)

• Azura Zainal — The Disney Channel Asia (Singapore)
• Bryan Wong — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U(Singapore)
• Donita Rose — MTV Asia LDC (Singapore)
• Kim Ng — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• Sonu Nigam — STAR Plus (India)

• Bryan Wong for Aspirations — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• Christopher Lee for Brotherhood — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 8 (Singapore)
• Jimmy Taenaka for A War Diary — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)
• Kou Shi Xun for The Orange Rouged — Public Television Service (Taiwan)
• Takeshi Kaneshino for Golden Bowl — Nippon Television Network Corporation (Japan)

• Aileen Tan for Three Women and a Half — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 8 (Singapore)
• Aiza Seguerra for Remembering ‘SongBook’ — ABS CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)
• Gua Ah Leh for The Orange Rouged — Public Television Service (Taiwan)
• Hitomi Kuroki for Golden Bowl — Nippon Television Network Corporation (Japan)
• Tan Kheng Hua for A War Diary — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)

• Cynthia Lee for Ah Girl II — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel i (Singapore)
• Irene Ang for Phua Chu Kang — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)
• Pamela Oei for Ah Girl II — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel i (Singapore)
• Quan Yifeng for Happy Family — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• Tan Kheng Hua for Phua Chua Kang — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)

• Adrain Pang for Ah Girl II — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel i (Singapore)
• Bryan Wong for Back to Basics — SPH Mediaworks Ltd for Channel U (Singapore)
• Gurmit Singh for Phua Chu Kang — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)
• Michael V for Bubble Gang — GMA Network Inc (Philippines)
• Pierre Png for Phua Chu Kang — Media Corporation of Singapore for Channel 5 (Singapore)