Programme Award Categories

• All programmes* commissioned and / or produced by Mediacorp for at least one Mediacorp owned and operated platform and / or Mediacorp-operated third-party platform (e.g. Channel 8, Channel U, CAPITAL 958, LOVE 972, YES 933, mewatch, melisten, Mediacorp channels on Spotify, Mediacorp channels on Apple Music and Mediacorp YouTube channels), and released during the qualifying period of 1^st January 2025 to 31^st December 2025 (the “Qualifying Period”) are eligible for Star Awards 2026 (each, an “Eligible Programme”).

  *References to “programmes” in this document shall mean programmes in Chinese, including all local dramas, sitcoms, entertainment, infotainment, news & current affairs (excluding pilots, children’s programmes and coverage events, e.g. NDP, Chingay, etc), radio and audio programmes.

• Serialised programmes with multiple episodes must have at least 50% of episodes released during the Qualifying Period. This applies to regular drama serial, short-form drama serial, regular entertainment, short-form entertainment, infotainment, radio and audio programmes.

• For long running programmes with no pre-determined fixed number of episodes, at least 26 episodes must have been released during the Qualifying Period.

• For programmes where the release period crosses 2 qualifying years (excluding long running programmes with no pre-determined fixed number of episodes), all programmes that have already qualified for the previous year will not be eligible for the current year.

• Each programme can only qualify once for the Star Awards. For illustration purposes, if a programme that is released across 2025 and 2026 is an Eligible Programme for Star Awards 2026, it will not be eligible for Star Awards 2027.

• Short-form Drama Serial and Short-form Entertainment Programmes refer to drama serials and entertainment programmes (excluding behind-the-scenes and repurposed short clips which are directly extracted from the main programme) that are:

  • 20 mins or less in net average duration of the series; AND
  • at least 50% released during the Qualifying Period

• Microdramas refer to drama series (excluding behind-the-scenes and repurposed short clips directly extracted from the main programme) that are:

  • 3 minutes or less in net average episodic duration of the series; AND
  • at least 50% released during the Qualifying Period

• For Best Drama Serial, Best Short-form Drama Serial, Best Entertainment Programme, Best Short-form Entertainment Programme, Best Infotainment Programme and Best Radio Programme, returning series are eligible for nomination independent of the other series’ previous nominations.

• All co-productions^ commissioned or co-commissioned by Mediacorp, wherein Mediacorp has invested at least 30% in cash and / or value of in-kind, in gross production budget, will qualify.

  ^This refers to all programmes in Chinese, including all local dramas, sitcoms, entertainment, infotainment, news & current affairs (excluding pilots, children’s programmes and coverage events, e.g. NDP, Chingay, etc), radio and audio programmes.

• Specifically for Best Entertainment Programme, nominations can be serialised regular entertainment programmes or one-off entertainment specials (i.e. awards shows, charity shows, festive programmes etc)

• Specifically for Best Original Song, nominations must be new and original compositions (with lyrics) that are exclusively written for any drama (including both regular and short-form dramas) which is an Eligible Programme. For avoidance of doubt, this is not limited to the main or opening theme songs. Original instrumental music (without lyrics) does not qualify.

• Specifically for Best Radio Programme, the duration of the content must be of minimum 60 minutes per week and has a scheduled airtime that runs consecutively for 2 months within the Qualifying Period.

Performance Award Categories

• For Performance awards, artistes are eligible if he / she:

  • has starred in a lead role or was the main host in at least one Eligible Programme; OR
  • has performed a supporting role or was an episodic host in at least one Eligible Programme.

  Artistes who have appeared as a guest performer in an Eligible Programme do not qualify.

• Specifically for Best Rising Star award, nominees have to fulfil the following criteria:

  • 5 years or less of professional screen acting and / or hosting experience^ (as at 1st January 2025); AND
  • must have performed and / or presented in at least 5 episodes of Eligible Video Programme(s).

  Nominees who were previously nominated or have won any popularity and / or performance awards in previous Star Awards are no longer eligible.

  ^professional screen acting and / or hosting experience excludes any cameo appearances and / or experiences before 18 years of age.

• Specifically for Young Talent Award, nominees have to fulfil the following criteria:

  • must be 16 years of age and below (during the production of the relevant Eligible Programme); AND
  • must have performed and / or presented in an Eligible Programme, but does not need to satisfy the criteria of a lead role / main host / supporting role / episodic host.

• Specifically for Best Programme Host (Entertainment / Infotainment), nominees have to fulfil the following criteria:

  • must have hosted or co-hosted an Eligible Programme (includes episodic or segmental hosts).
  • for purposes of this award, term “host” shall also include any proactive “master ofceremony” host(s) for a continuing or single performance in an eligible Entertainment / Infotainment programme (including performative talent competitions and skill-based competitions). Gamemasters, judges, mentors, and advisors qualify only if their duties extend beyond such roles to include presenting as the proactive “master of ceremony” for the eligible Entertainment / Infotainment programme.

• Specifically for Best Audio Personality, nominees must be a main host of a radio or audio programme that is an Eligible Programme.

Phase 1: Nomination

• The Star Awards 2026 nomination panel is made up of an esteemed selection of industry veterans and established media practitioners, who will vote from the list of entries that have qualified for the respective awards based on the above eligibility criteria (the “Qualified Entries”).

• Each person from the nomination panel will be entitled cast up to an equivalent number of votes as the number of designated nominees in each award category (eg: if there are 5 nominees for the Best Actress category, then each nomination panel member can cast up to 5 votes for 5 different Qualified Entries).

• Qualified Entries with the highest number of votes will form the official shortlisted nominees of each respective award category (eg: for an award category that allows up to 5 nominees, the top 5 Qualified Entries with the highest number of votes will form the official selection) (the “Valid Nomination”).

• For the Performance and Creative award categories, if an artiste / key creative is nominated for more than one Eligible Programme per award, he / she can only have one Valid Nomination per award. The entry with the highest votes from the nomination panel will be selected as the Valid Nomination.

Phase 2: Professional judging

• The Star Awards 2026 judging panel is made up of an esteemed selection of industry veterans and established media practitioners.

• All Programme categories will be judged on an overall basis and not on individual episodes.

• The final results for each award category are verified by professional auditors.

Programme Award Categories

1. Best Drama Serial

   • Story and plot development
   • Cinematic and dramatic execution
   • Script and dialogue
   • Character creation

2. Best Entertainment Programme

   • Content quality
   • Talent selection and performance
   • Technical execution
   • Content impact and engagement

3. Best Infotainment Programme / Best Short-form Entertainment Programme

   • Content (depth of research, audience impact, pacing)
   • Cinematic and dramatic execution

4. Best Microdrama

   • Story and plot development
   • Cinematic and dramatic execution
   • Script
   • Characters Creation

5. Best Radio Programme

   • Content (compelling and engaging content, originality and innovation, listeners relatability, pacing, program flow)
   • Presenter (presentation skills, quick thinking, knowledgeable and well-read behind the content of the program, connection and interactivity with listeners, team work and chemistry / rapport between DJs, if applicable)

6. Best Original Song

   • Results are determined by professional judging (50%) and public voting (50%).
   • For professional judging, nominees are assessed for:
     • Quality of song
     • Relevance to the content of the Eligible Programme
     • Originality
   • The public voting will commence in March 2026.

Performance Award Categories

1. Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress

   • Understanding of and commitment to the script
   • Embodiment of the character
   • Overall effectiveness of the performance

2. Best Programme Host (Entertainment & Infotainment)

   • Eloquence
   • Sense of presence / charisma
   • Personal style
   • Astuteness / wit

3. Best Rising Star, Young Talent Award

   Acting:

   • Understanding of and commitment to the script
   • Embodiment of the character
   • Overall effectiveness of the performance

   Hosting:

   • Eloquence
   • Sense of presence / charisma
   • Personal style
   • Astuteness / wit

4. Best Audio Personality

   • Content quality
   • Mastery of language
   • Responsiveness
   • Host personality
   • Content relatability and resonance with audience

• For Top 10 Most Popular Male / Female Artistes, personalities have to fulfil the following criteria:

  • Satisfy one of the following criteria:
    • Official nominee of any Performance Award category in the same year; OR
    • Lead role or main host in at least one Eligible Programme that is a series with at least 2 episodes; OR
    • At least 13 episodes in total in the following roles across Eligible Programmes:
      • Lead role, main host, supporting role or co-host in one-off specials (e.g. charity shows, telemovies, countdown shows, etc); AND/OR
      • Supporting role, or episodic host / co-host; AND

  • Personalities’ professional screen acting and / or screen / audio hosting experience^ should be more than 5 years (as at 1^st January 2025).

    ^Professional screen acting and / or screen / audio hosting experience excludes cameo appearances and / or experience before 18 years of age.

• For Most Popular Rising Stars, personalities have to fulfil the following criteria:

  • Satisfy one of the following criteria:
    • Lead role or main host in at least one Eligible Programme; OR
    • Supporting role or episodic host (for video) or co-host (for audio) in at least one Eligible Programme; AND
  • Personalities’ professional screen acting and / or screen / audio hosting experience should be 5 years or less (as at 1^st January 2025). Professional screen acting and / or screen / audio hosting experience excludes cameo appearances and / or experience before 18 years of age.

• All personalities have to be of at least 18 years of age or above as at 1^st January 2025 to be eligible for a popularity award.

• Recipients who have received ten “Top 10 Most Popular Male / Female Artistes” and / or “Most Popular Rising Stars” awards will no longer be eligible for the popularity award but will be awarded a one-time All-Time Favourite Artiste Award in the following year after receiving their 10^th popularity award. For avoidance of doubt, the ten popularity awards do not need to be won in consecutive years.

• Newscasters and Current Affairs presenters are not eligible for this award.

Personalities who satisfy the eligibility criteria for the Popularity Award Categories are shortlisted to participate in a nationwide poll of 1,000 people representing an equal breakdown across various age groups across Singapore’s population (“Popularity Survey”) and a public voting.

The Popularity Survey is conducted independently by an accredited market research company via face-to-face or door-to-door surveys.

Voting for the popularity awards will commence in March 2026.

The final results for the Top 10 Most Popular Male / Female Artiste awards and Most Popular Rising Stars award are determined by the results of the Popularity Survey (20%) and public voting (80%), which are verified by professional auditors.

This is awarded to an artiste who has received a total of ten “Top 10 Most Popular Male / Female Artistes” and / or “Most Popular Rising Stars” awards which, for the avoidance of doubt, will not need to be consecutive. After winning the 10^th popularity award, the personality will be awarded an All-Time Favourite Artiste Award in the following year.