Documentary

Singapore, China intensify partnership in TV, documentaries

Published

16 years ago

July 10, 2010

MUMBAI: Television audiences in China and Singapore can look forward to more programmes co-produced by the two countries, including telemovies, documentaries and a televised concert featuring film and TV theme songs.

These were among the outcomes of a business mission organised by the Media Development Authority (MDA) to Beijing, China, aimed at helping Singapore’s media companies gain further inroads into China. Fourteen Singapore companies – with a mix of content producers, channel operators, platform owners and media fund managers – took part in the four-day trip.

China and Singapore had begun exchanges in TV more than 20 years ago. Singapore dramas shown in China in the 80s and 90s and their theme songs are fondly remembered by Chinese till today. And the popularity of Little Nyonya in China when it was shown earlier this year has helped to re-kindle Chinese interest in Singapore TV productions.

Said MDA Chairman Dr Tan Chin Nam, “With a rising global demand for entertainment and media, there is immense potential for China and Singapore to join forces to harness the opportunities in the fast expanding international media space, especially in presenting content from New Asia to the world.

We hope to build on this traction and ignite a new wave of China-Singapore media collaboration that is broader and deeper in scope. Other than paving the way for Singapore media companies to enter into China, we also hope to position Singapore as a key partner for Chinese media enterprises going international.”

Altogether, nine agreements were sealed during the business mission, paving the way for industry collaborations, ranging from financing, pre-production, production to distribution and marketing.

The first was a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MDA and China International TV Corporation (CITVC) and China Radio Film TV Program Exchange Centre (CPEC) to exchange programmes, co-produce content and participate in annual TV trade markets hosted by the other party, namely the China Radio, Film & TV International Expo hosted by CITVC in Beijing, and the Asia Media Festival hosted by MDA in Singapore. Both CITVC and CPEC are wholly-owned subsidiaries of China Central Television (CCTV).

Next was a tripartite MoU between MDA, Central Newsreel Documentary Film Studio (CNDF) and China Information Business Network (CIBN) to co-produce a slate of five TV documentary series for global distribution. CNDF, part of the CCTV group of companies, specialises in producing TV and movie documentaries, backed by a treasure trove of archival footage on China dating back to 1938. CIBN is a professional new media network operating in the digital broadcast, mobile TV and internet space.

Combining the strengths of each party, the documentary slate resulting from the partnership is expected to feature rich moving visuals of past and contemporary China packaged in a way that will appeal to the international market.

Asia Media and Technology Capital Management, part of the Singapore delegation, signed a MoU with CIBN to collaborate on media industry venture investments in China. AMTC manages the $500 million Asia Media & Technology Capital Fund, which invests into media and technology companies in Asia, with a particular emphasis on China.

During the trip, MDA enhanced its collaboration with China Education TV (CETV), with whom it first established a partnership in 2008 to co-produce a 20-part half-hour documentary series titled Our Children. Reflecting contemporary children’s lifestyles in Singapore and China, the series is scheduled to simulcast end of this year on MediaCorp Channel 8 and CETV, a channel under China’s Ministry of Education.

Under the new MoU, MDA and CETV agreed to expand the scope of filming to cover subjects of different age groups, and extend the property across different programme formats and platforms. Both parties hope to develop Our Children into a landmark project that heralds more collaboration in the media-in-learning space.

MDA also signed a letter of intent with the China Film Foundation (CFF) to co-produce a slate of 10 telemovies over the next three years. The telemovies will potentially be shown on CCTV’s movie channel, CCTV-6. This marked the first time that Singapore and China are collaborating on telemovies. Led by legendary Chinese filmmaker Li Qian Kuan, CFF is a non-profit organisation under the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) that promotes film exchanges between China and foreign countries. MDA and CFF will match-make Singapore and Chinese filmmakers to undertake the production of the telemovies.

In addition, the Singapore delegation had fruitful meetings with the State Council of Information Third Bureau and its affiliated company China International Communication Centre, during which preliminary discussions to collaborate in both the traditional and new media space were broached.

Upcoming television, music and film events: On the immediate horizon, audiences in China and Singapore can look forward to a series of co-produced TV, music and film events taking place from September to November this year.

MDA CEO Dr. Christopher Chia signed a letter of intent with China Broadcasting Performance Arts Group (CBPAG) General Manager Mr Wang Shu Wei, to co-host the China-Singapore Film and TV Golden Melodies Concert. The concert, which is tentatively slated to take place in Beijing on 19 September 2010, will feature singers and artistes from both countries performing popular drama theme songs. The TV recording of the concert will be broadcast in China and Singapore at a later date.

The concert will be executive produced by Singapore broadcaster MediaCorp, together with China Radio Film and TV Culture Performance, a company under CBPAG. The two parties signed a letter of intent on their collaboration at the press briefing.

MDA and CBPAG also agreed to incorporate a China-Singapore youth pianist showcase to the programme line-up for the Second Beijing International Piano Festival opening on 18 November, where young promising pianists from both counties will perform alongside music maestros from around the world.

CBPAG is a state-run professional performing arts group under Sarft. These two events are supported by Sarft and Singapore’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

Documentary

Stripes on Screen as BBC Player Roars with Tiger Day Special

Published

7 months ago

July 28, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: From Ranthambore with roar. This World Tiger Day, BBC Player is sinking its claws into the untamed heart of India with Legendary Tigers of India, a gripping documentary that prowls onto screens this Independence Day, 15 August . Narrated by the late, legendary conservationist Valmik Thapar, the film is more than just stripes and stares. It’s a moving chronicle of survival, strength, and the shifting story of India’s national animal. Thapar, one of the world’s foremost tiger experts, spent a full monsoon-to-monsoon year tracking a new generation of Bengal tigers deep within Ranthambore, one of India’s most iconic tiger reserves.

With intimate access and five decades of experience behind the lens and in the wild, Thapar offers rare glimpses of tigers not just as apex predators, but as emotionally complex, intuitive creatures navigating shrinking habitats and growing human presence.

The film roars to life from Thapar’s own jungle home at the forest’s edge, blending dramatic visuals with a deeply personal narrative. From mother cub dynamics to solitary alpha males, the documentary captures the instinctual ballet of survival, mating, territoriality and raw jungle drama woven through the lens of ecological urgency and reverence.

Premiering exclusively on BBC Player in India via Tata Play Binge and Prime Video (add-on subscription required), this special release is BBC’s tribute to India’s tiger legacy. With India currently home to more than 70 per cent of the world’s wild tigers 3,682, as per the 2023 census the documentary feels both timely and timeless.

In an age of noisy content, Legendary Tigers of India invites audiences to pause, listen, and marvel. Not just at the majesty of the tiger, but at a conservation journey that began with 1,411 tigers in 2006 and roared back in triumph. This isn’t just a documentary. It’s a call to protect what still prowls.

Documentary

JioHotstar and RBI unlock India’s financial pulse with docuseries timed to 90-year milestone

Published

9 months ago

June 3, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Money may talk, but the Reserve Bank of India is finally telling its own story—on screen. JioHotstar, in collaboration with the RBI, has premiered a five-part docuseries titled RBI Unlocked: Beyond the Rupee, diving deep into the institution that keeps India’s ₹ economy ticking.

Launched on 3 June 2025, and produced by Chalkboard Entertainment, the series coincides with the 90 anniversary of the central bank. For the first time, viewers get unprecedented access to high-security gold vaults, printing presses, war rooms, and the inner sanctums of financial decision-making.

“At the heart of this initiative is a unique collaboration brought to life through JioHotstar”, noted the release. The series explores how the RBI influences inflation, interest rates, and currency control while navigating national and global economic tremors.

The docuseries also chronicles pivotal moments in the bank’s history, including the 1991 pledging of gold, the economic liberalisation wave, and the RBI’s bio-bubble approach during the Covid-19 crisis. These events are brought to life through interviews with past and present RBI governors, the financial services and economic affairs secretaries, and prominent economists.

Through archival footage and dramatic recreations, RBI Unlocked peels back the layers of policy, power, and public perception. The storytelling style maintains JioHotstar’s reputation for rooted, issue-based content with wide reach.

RBI Unlocked: Beyond the Rupee is now streaming on JioHotstar, offering 1.4 billion Indians a rare glimpse into the gears that power their everyday financial realities.

Documentary

Edstead premieres ‘Molecules of Hope’ to spotlight India’s healthcare changemakers

Published

9 months ago

May 16, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: In an evocative blend of insight and emotion, Edstead, the research-first documentary studio, has launched Molecules of Hope, a three-part series that uncovers the beating heart of India’s healthcare transformation. The series, which premiered today, journeys through the stories of Entod Pharmaceuticals, UE Lifesciences, and Ujala Cygnus Healthcare Services—three organisations pushing boundaries across medicine, technology, and accessibility.

From research labs to rural clinics, the series captures real-world impact with unvarnished intimacy. Each episode offers a deep dive into the work of companies breaking barriers—whether it’s driving cutting-edge ophthalmic research, delivering early breast cancer detection in underserved areas, or building hospital networks for the Bharat hinterland. Through authentic storytelling and carefully curated narratives, Edstead showcases the layered realities behind the headlines—where innovation, human intent, and systemic change meet.

“India’s healthcare sector stands at a critical inflection point, and we saw a powerful opportunity to document this transformation through purposeful, human-centered storytelling”, said Edstead founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee. “This series is not just about science or systems; it’s about the people at the heart of progress. By collaborating with organisations driving real change, we’ve been able to craft narratives that resonate deeply and reflect the tangible impact unfolding across the country.”

Molecules of Hope emerges at a time when India’s healthcare ecosystem is being rewritten—not just by large hospitals or pharma giants, but by lean startups, community health pioneers, and tech-led disruptors. Edstead’s production not only elevates these voices but also bridges storytelling with purpose, turning brand impact into cultural narrative.

Through a mix of moving imagery, lived testimonials, and context-rich reporting, the series positions Edstead at the forefront of meaningful branded content. As healthcare becomes more decentralised, inclusive, and technologically driven, Molecules of Hope captures the unsung moments and unlikely heroes shaping this new era.

The series is now streaming across Edstead’s digital platforms and partner channels.