Mediacorp wins 65 accolades at New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2023
Singapore, 19 April 2023 – Mediacorp has clinched six Gold, 11 Silver and seven Bronze awards at the prestigious New York Festivals (NYF) TV & Film Awards 2023. In addition to being conferred 41 Finalist honours, Singapore’s national media network took home a total of 65 accolades at this year’s awards, which honours the best in news, sports, documentary, information and entertainment programmes, including music videos, infomercials and feature films. Mediacorp also picked up one Finalist honour at the New York Festivals Radio Awards 2023, which was announced together with the TV & Film Awards at the NYF’s virtual Storytellers Gala held this morning (SG time).
CNA documentary and current affairs programmes made up the bulk of Mediacorp’s wins this year. Of the six Gold awards picked up, one was in the “News: Program – Best News Documentary/Special” category for CNA Correspondent: The Shanghai Lockdown. The news programme examines Shanghai’s April 2022 citywide lockdown, as documented by CNA’s China correspondent Low Minmin. The lockdown, which affected 26 million residents, caused widespread public anger over issues such as crowded quarantine facilities, difficulties in accessing food and loss of income.
Never Out of Reach, produced by Just Another Production, swept a pair of Golds in two categories: “Documentary: Heroes” and “Craft: Program – Best Camerawork”. The current affairs programme follows the daily struggles of four unique schools in some of Asia's most remote locations. Covering Pakistan, China, India and Thailand, the series gets up close and personal with the founders of these schools, the teachers, the volunteers, and most importantly the students to get a glimpse of how some of Asia's forgotten communities are getting a new lease of life through educating their children.
In the “Documentary: History & Society” category, Riot Island, produced by Peddling Pictures, took home a Gold. The documentary traces the history of Pulau Senang, which in the early 1960s was transformed into a prison without bars as Singapore undertook a revolutionary social experiment to rehabilitate its most feared mobsters through sheer hard work. Riot Island also picked up a Silver in the “Craft: Program – Best Direction” category and a Bronze in the “Documentary: Docudrama” category.
Forgotten Children – Rohingya Refugees clinched Gold in the “Documentary: Current Affairs” category. Produced by Threesixzero Productions Pte Ltd, the current affairs show zooms in on the plight of the Rohingyas, described by the United Nations as the most persecuted minority in the world. Following the refugee crisis caused by the genocides of 2010, vulnerable Rohingya children taking refuge in Malaysia struggle to live in the new land without access to formal education, with some fighting to survive on a daily basis.
The sixth and final Gold for Mediacorp went to Click to Ransom in the “Documentary: Docudrama” category. Produced by Peddling Pictures, the current affairs programme looks back at how a devastating ransomware attack crippled a Japanese hospital, causing staff to be locked out of their system. No longer able to retrieve crucial patient data, they were forced to postpone surgeries, turn away emergency cases, and switch to a paper-based system from scratch.
For the complete list of Mediacorp’s accolades, please refer to Annex A.
Tham Loke Kheng, CEO of Mediacorp, said, “We are tremendously honoured to have our content recognised annually on a global stage at the New York Festivals TV & Films Awards. This year’s 65 accolades, including six Gold awards, are a strong validation of our creative and production capabilities, and are a shining mark of the passion and commitment of our production teams to constantly push the boundaries of excellence. Congratulations to our production partners and my fellow colleagues for doing us proud once again!”
Viewers can catch the award-winning shows on mewatch, Mediacorp’s digital video-on-demand platform, at mewatch.sg.
Annex A – Mediacorp accolades at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2023
No. |
Category |
Title |
Award |
Production Company |
1 |
Best Camerawork |
Never Out of Reach |
Gold |
Just Another Production |
2 |
Heroes |
Never Out of Reach |
Gold |
Just Another Production |
3 |
Best News Documentary/Special |
CNA Correspondent: The Shanghai Lockdown |
Gold |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
4 |
Docudrama |
Click to Ransom |
Gold |
Peddling Pictures |
5 |
History & Society |
Riot Island |
Gold |
Peddling Pictures |
6 |
Current Affairs |
Forgotten Children – Rohingya Refugees |
Gold |
Threesixzero Productions Pte Ltd |
7 |
Streaming Documentary |
Inside Crime Scene |
Silver |
August Pictures Pte Ltd |
8 |
History & Society |
Bali Bombing – The Untold Story |
Silver |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
9 |
Docudrama |
Pitham Kaniya / Ripening Madness |
Silver |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
10 |
Science & Technology |
The Baby Makers: Future Babies |
Silver |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
11 |
International Affairs |
When Titans Clash – The Taiwan (Japan & South Korea) Contingency |
Silver |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
12 |
Best Direction |
Riot Island |
Silver |
Peddling Pictures |
13 |
Social Justice Coverage |
We Don’t Play Dolly |
Silver |
The Moving Visuals Co Pte Ltd |
14 |
Human Rights |
Keeping the Music Alive |
Silver |
Babel Press Ltd |
15 |
Investigative Journalism |
Undercover Asia 9: Baiting the Scammers |
Silver |
Black Leaf Films Limited |
16 |
Social Issues |
The Female Death Riders |
Silver |
Kraken Films |
17 |
Best Editing |
A League of Extraordinary Makers |
Silver |
Storyteller Films |
18 |
Travel & Tourism |
Gems of the Lands (Redu Booktown) |
Bronze |
August Pictures Pte Ltd |
19 |
Best Direction |
Achamillai Manamae |
Bronze |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
20 |
Best Direction |
The Takedown – Doreen Yap |
Bronze |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
21 |
Community Portraits |
Tuesday Report – 7 Essentials - Charcoal |
Bronze |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
22 |
Crime Drama |
Third Rail |
Bronze |
Ochre Pictures |
23 |
Docudrama |
Riot Island |
Bronze |
Peddling Pictures |
24 |
History & Society |
Old Taste Detective 3 |
Bronze |
WaWa Pictures Pte Ltd |
25 |
Editing: Promotion/Open & IDs |
Inside Crime Scene |
Finalist |
August Pictures Pte Ltd |
26 |
Social Justice |
Inside Crime Scene (Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer) |
Finalist |
August Pictures Pte Ltd |
27 |
Climate Change & Sustainability |
Wild Urban Designs |
Finalist |
Beach House Pictures Pte Ltd |
28 |
The Arts |
The Art Scene – The Art of Cuisine |
Finalist |
Creative Stew (Singapore) |
29 |
Original Screenplay |
Skin Deep |
Finalist |
JUO Studios |
30 |
Investigative Journalism |
Looted |
Finalist |
Make Waves Pte Ltd |
31 |
Streaming Comedy |
A Couple of Bros (Downstairs Season 3) |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
32 |
Docudrama |
Abyss of Greed |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
33 |
Graphic Design: Promotion/Open & IDs |
Abyss of Greed |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
34 |
Best Newscast |
Asia Tonight |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
35 |
Science & Technology |
Becoming Human @ Work |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
36 |
Legal Issues |
Catching a Scammer – Singapore’s Serial Swindler |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
37 |
Best Host |
Hear U Out S2 |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
38 |
Streaming Social Justice |
Home is Where the Heart is |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
39 |
Lifestyle Program |
House Everything? S2 |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
40 |
Social Issues |
Insight – China Slacker Generation |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
41 |
Business & Finance |
Insight – China’s Mortgage Crisis |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
42 |
Best Performance by an Actress |
Korban / Sacrifice |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
43 |
Human Rights |
Life Under Siege |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
44 |
Editing: Promotion/Open & IDs |
Saturday Night Movies: Choices |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
45 |
Sound Design: Promotion/Open & IDs |
Saturday Night Movies: Choices |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
46 |
Nature & Wildlife |
Singapore in Red, Green and Blue – Green |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
47 |
Health/Medical Information |
Talking Point: Teen Vaping – Are We in a Crisis? |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
48 |
Best Performance by an Actress |
This Land is Mine |
Finalist |
Weiyu Films |
49 |
Streaming Promotion |
Twisted Strings: Launch |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
50 |
Community Portraits |
Vaerum Vizhuthugalum (Vanishing Trades) |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
51 |
Human Concerns |
Wired Differently – My Child is Autistic |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
52 |
Drama |
Your World in Mine |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
53 |
Best Screenplay |
Your World in Mine |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |
54 |
Streaming Drama |
Third Rail |
Finalist |
Ochre Pictures |
55 |
Streaming Crime Drama |
Third Rail |
Finalist |
Ochre Pictures |
56 |
Best Writing |
Third Rail |
Finalist |
Ochre Pictures |
57 |
Best Direction |
Third Rail (Yeo Lay Har) |
Finalist |
Ochre Pictures |
58 |
Best Performance by an Actor |
Third Rail (Benjamin Heng) |
Finalist |
Ochre Pictures |
59 |
Best Performance by an Actress |
Third Rail (Rebecca Lim) |
Finalist |
Ochre Pictures |
60 |
Environment & Ecology |
The Last Defenders |
Finalist |
Peddling Pictures |
61 |
Nature & Wildlife |
One Year in the Gardens |
Finalist |
Sorahouse |
62 |
Best Screenplay |
Achamillai Manamae (Fearless Heart) |
Finalist |
Storybots Asia Pte Ltd |
63 |
Eco-tourism |
Cool Hotels |
Finalist |
Threesixzero Productions Pte Ltd |
64 |
Drama |
Genie in a Cup |
Finalist |
WaWa Pictures Pte Ltd |
65 |
Best Host |
Old Taste Detective 3 (Kym Ng) |
Finalist |
WaWa Pictures Pte Ltd |
Mediacorp accolades at the New York Festivals Radio Awards 2023
No. |
Category |
Title |
Award |
Production Company |
1 |
Podcasts |
LOVE 972 Radio Drama – The Angel’s Secret |
Finalist |
Mediacorp Pte Ltd |