Singapore, 30 March 2016 – Singaporean audiences can soon look forward to more exciting “Made in Singapore” content from as early as the third quarter of this year. StarHub’s new wave of Public Service Broadcast (PSB) lineup boasts of travelogues shot in the most exotic corners of the world, quirky kids infotainment shows and sports programmes that shine the spotlight on the everyday superhuman athletes. For the first time ever, viewers who enjoy consuming content on the go, will also be able to indulge in highly engaging short-form content—each ranging from five to 15 minutes’ in duration. Local movie fans will also be treated to an array of locally produced telemovies centred on the kaleidoscopic facets of Singaporeans’ lives.
PSB content is produced under the Media Development Authority of Singapore’s (MDA) Public Service Broadcast Contestable Funds Scheme (PCFS). The PCFS aims to extend the reach of PSB content to multiple broadcast platforms, as well as to bring more opportunities to local production houses to deliver creative, high-quality PSB content. Viewers will be able to catch StarHub’s exciting lineup of PSB content on its self-packaged channels, E City (StarHub TV Channel 111/825) and SuperSports Arena (StarHub TV Channel 112/205), as well as via its online streaming service, StarHub Go. In total, StarHub will be commissioning about 110 hours of original productions. These productions will incorporate PSB values, such as celebration of the Singapore’s culture and heritage, and promotion of the Singaporean identity, through innovative storytelling.
Digital Content for the Digerati
To deepen the engagement with digitally savvy audiences, StarHub will be commissioning five titles ranging from drama anthology series to animation films which will be housed on StarHub Go. These 5 short films include Void Deck, a drama anthology series on lesser known satellite towns in Singapore; and Timescapes, an animation series that brings to life Singapore’s vanished landmarks like the Stamford National Library and iconic heartland playgrounds. The creator of Timescapes, Robot Playground Media is known for his work on an SG50 film, The Violin, which garnered rave reviews on the digital space for its visual mastery coupled with musical brilliance. In line with StarHub’s drive on innovation, the world’s first mystery thriller series, which will be shot in 360-degree virtual reality technology, is currently in development as well.
Original movies to Debut on StarHub’s Screens
To cater to the growing appetite for locally developed movies, original films with a strong blend of Singaporean flavour will debut on StarHub TV. Some of these key titles include Causeway Carjack, a black comedy that revolves around a pair of Malaysian carjackers and a spoilt Singaporean boy; and Zi Char, an inspiring film about a blind girl who overcame all odds to become a successful chef, and went on to revamp her father’s food stall business. Papahan Films, producer of the highly acclaimed local movie Banting in 2015, will also be creating a sci-fi fantasy telemovie based on time travel for the upcoming slate.
Riveting Travelogues and Reality Programmes in Infotainment Lineup
Travelogue and reality programmes are popular genres among Singaporean viewers. To cater to this demand, StarHub will be commissioning travelogues and reality programmes weaved in with inspirational themes. With as many as six travelogues to be commissioned, audiences will be transported to far-flung cities to experience emotional stories that will tug at the heartstrings, as well as motivating stories in the relentless pursuit of excellence.
“We are encouraged that our first batch of PSB content was well-received by the local audience. Two of our titles were even acquired by other broadcasting platforms—testament to the emphasis on quality that we place in our local productions,” enthused Ms Lee Soo Hui, Head of Media Business Unit, StarHub. “We are also pleased with the concept proposals that came in for this batch. Beyond innovative storytelling, there is a good mix of heartwarming telemovies, inspiring reality series, and travelogues that showcase amazing stories of the human spirit. To continue to engage viewers on the digital sphere, we will also be producing exciting bite-sized content for them to enjoy on the go. Today’s audiences are spoilt for choice in their entertainment options, so we are working hard to produce content that will not only capture and intrigue imaginations, but also have a strong local flavour that Singaporean viewers can identify with.”
Ms Dorothy Lai, Director (Public Service Broadcast), Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) said, “MDA is glad to be partnering StarHub again to support a second slate of PSB content which Singaporeans can look forward to from third quarter of this year. Through PCFS funding, local producers are exposed to more opportunities to create compelling and entertaining content for different platforms. The diversity of content from this second slate commissioned by StarHub speaks volumes of the creativity of our local talent.” She added, “From heartwarming telemovies to unusual travelogues and engaging short form content, there will be something to appeal to audiences of different age groups. We hope that our collaboration with StarHub will continue to encourage more viewers to watch local content.”
For more information, please visit www.starhub.com/star-pitch.
