ContentAsia Awards

For the first time this year, we’re giving micro-dramas a space of their own, drawing attention to ultra-short narratives told in five minutes or less in vertical or horizontal formats and designed for quick consumption. Despite their brief runtime, the micro dramas we are looking for in this category deliver engaging plots, character development and emotional impact.

A category dedicated to outstanding TV series that bring published books and novels to live on screen. These adaptations transform written source material for a different medium, both honouring the original and at the same time reimagining the story visually and proving that great stories can, with enou, thrive in any medium.

We’ve come a long way from Steamboat Willie and Snow White… this category recognises today’s best storytelling and entertainment – animated, live-action or a mix of both – aimed at people under the age of 13. Entries will be judged on their ability to entertain a specific target audience with age-appropriate content that sparks imagination, encourages curiosity and delivers meaningful life lessons. Entries need to be a minimum of seven minutes per episode.

This category is for original programmes created/made in Asia and not adapted from existing reality formats. Entries for this category should have all the hallmarks of reality TV – situations that look unscripted, involving ordinary people or celebrities placed in particular situations for an entertaining outcome. There’s often a competition element, but there doesn’t have to be.

Games shows are as old as television itself, and here’s where we honour the made-in-Asia programmes – or segments of programmes – that carry on the tradition of contestants competing to win a prize, be it via a quiz, a skill or just sheer staying power.

In the grand spirit of ContentAsia Awards’ winners “Hear U Out” (Mediacorp, Singapore, 2024) and “Point of View” (Surya Citra Television, Indonesia, 2023)… we are looking for Asian talk shows that entertain or inform – or both. Like all of our Awards categories, we don’t mind where the show airs/streams or plays as long as it’s long-form (min 20 mins) and has personality and entertainment value.

This category is for feature-length productions (movies or telemovies) produced in Asia with a window on television broadcast/streaming platforms.

This category is for programmes with a diverse mix of entertainment elements. These can be anything/everything from music, comedy and dance, to talent and/or games. There’s usually some kind of audience participation, but there doesn’t have to be. Whether there’s a live audience (or not) and regardless of the number of hosts, the key here is the mix of elements. Whether there’s a live audience (or not) and regardless of the number of hosts, the key here is variety. Like all of our Awards categories, we don’t mind where the show airs/streams or plays as long as it’s long-form (min 23 mins) and has personality and entertainment value.

This category is for programmes that aim to entertain and keep sports fans in the loop on everything from news and updates to scores, analysis, insights, interviews and issues impacting the world of sports and its heroes.

This category is for programmes made in Asia that deal with LGBTQ+ themes, story lines and characters, able to follow in the footsteps of previous winners “Last Twilight” (GMM TV CO., LTD., Thailand, 2024), and “Moonlight Chicken” (GMMTV Co., Ltd., Thailand, 2023).

For the stuff that makes us laugh out loud. In the spirit of the multi-platform universe in which we live, we don’t care where or how the show was distributed, as long as it’s not a single clip, a one-off gag, or (as funny as these can be) a random capture of a win/fail. We’re looking for great stories of at least 23 mins per episode, with a beginning, a middle and an end, with comic characters and humorous plots.

This category is for drama programming made in Asia for multiple markets in the region, or for a regional or international/global audience. Entries will be judged for their regional/universal themes and qualities. Episodes have to be at least 30 broadcast-minutes long. 

This category is for scripted formats (Asian adaptations of dramas from any market within Asia or international) adapted for audiences in Asia, whether for a specific market in Asia or for multiple markets across the Asia region.

PLEASE NOTE: Format rights HAVE to have been acquired from a third party in order to be eligible for this category.

This category is for non-scripted formats (local or international) adapted for audiences in Asia, whether for a specific market in Asia or for multiple markets across the Asia region.

PLEASE NOTE: Format rights HAVE to have been acquired from a third party in order to be eligible for this category.

Factual is as factual does: true stories, real information, honest as possible (with disclosure for recreation and re-enactment), designed to throw light on actual events, situations, people, animals or the natural world targetting a single market in Asia.

For obvious reasons – including focus/relevance/scale/budget – we’ve separated factual programmes made for regional or global markets from those primarily targeting single Asia markets. But the requirements remain the same: true stories, real information, honest as possible (with disclosure for recreation and re-enactment), designed around true events, real situations, actual people, animals or the natural world. The category does not include “based on the true story of…” series, where the plot is inspired by real events but has been adjusted significantly for dramatic effect. Nor does it include factual entertainment (see Best Factual Entertainment category).

A category for original shows (not based on formats) created in Asia for a single market in Asia. These could include dating shows , cooking, travel, social experiment, DIY/makeover programmes… in short, programmes based on real situations that show us how to do stuff or deal with places, people and issues that viewers might learn from. FYI – There’s a different category for factual entertainment programmes based on a format from Asia or abroad.

A category for original dating shows, cooking, travel, social experiment, DIY/makeover shows targetting audiences in multiple markets… in short, programmes based on real situations that show us how to do stuff or deal with places, people and issues that viewers might learn from. There’s a different category – Best TV Format Adaptation (Non-scripted) – for factual entertainment programmes based on a format from Asia or abroad.

This category is for social issues, cultural affairs, political analysis, crime exposes… programmes that take audiences beyond the headlines, delve behind the scenes, untangle often complicated situations, and lay out the implications of unfolding events. We’re looking for one programme of at least 30 TV minutes (including commercial breaks), or one full episode of a series that explores a particular issue, and targets audiences in a single market in Asia.

We’ve separated current affairs made for a single Asia market from those made for multiple regional and/or international markets, again because this better recognises the difference in scale and focus from programmes made for single markets. Overall though, the category criteria are the same – programmes that deal with social issues, cultural affairs, political analysis, crime exposes… in other words, programmes that take audiences beyond the headlines, delve behind the scenes, untangle often complicated situations, or lay out the implications of unfolding events. We’re looking for one programme of at least 30 TV minutes (including commercial breaks), or one full episode of a series that explores a particular issue and structured to appeal to audiences across multiple markets.

Songs make or break… here’s where we gather the best songs created for TV shows or movies in Asia. Judging criteria include how the song enhances the production’s theme and mood, and whether judges think the song has a life beyond the TV show/movie.

Great sound design in a TV programme enhances storytelling, immerses the audience in the story, and heightens on-screen atmosphere and emotion, going way beyond simply supporting visuals and creating a seamless auditory experience that elevates the overall production.

When asked about the qualities of a great director, one of our favourite programming people told us this: “If you care about something in a film, it’s because the director made you care”. What we’re going for in this category are directors who, as Quentin Tarantino said, want to (and can) “top expectations… to blow you away.”

This one is for male actors with a substantial role in a TV programme or series. They’re not the main attraction, but they play a significant role in the development of the story.

This one is for female actors with a substantial role in a TV programme or series. They’re not the main attraction, but they story and the lead character could not do without them.

This one is for male leads who make us forget they’re acting, who are able to make the divide between fact and fiction irrelevant. Whoever they are off-screen falls away physically and emotionally in service of the character they are playing.

An award for female leads who make us forget they’re acting, who are able to make the divide between fact and fiction irrelevant. Whoever they are off-screen falls away physically and emotionally in service of the character they are playing.