Singapore – To celebrate Singapore’s 50 years of independence in 2015, MediaCorp’s Channel NewsAsia announces plans to develop Singapore-made documentaries, with the support of the Media Development Authority.

Debra Soon, Managing Director of Channel NewsAsia, says, “We are embarking on one of the biggest ventures over the next few years, to produce top notch documentaries to tell the Singapore story. We want to encourage the industry to think of new ways to reach new audiences, in a new age. These documentaries could be one-off one hour titles, or in a series which celebrate the Singapore spirit. MediaCorp is committed to developing the creative industry in Singapore and we believe that this project will be a significant boost to developing understanding of what makes Singapore unique, what makes it tick and who Singaporeans are. Leveraging on the unique platform of Channel NewsAsia, these documentaries will have a reach all over Asia. They should be thought-provoking, insightful and compelling to watch.”

Besides the documentaries which will be outsourced to the industry, CNA has announced a lineup of documentaries in the first year, which focus on setting Singapore’s historical perspective, capturing interesting historical details and iconic moments that shaped the nation. The first two titles, which are already in production, include crowd sourcing, involving Singaporeans in the production in a unique way.

These documentaries will be screened on both the Singapore and regional feeds of Channel NewsAsia. Currently, the channel schedules for broadcast more than 100 hours of documentaries in a year.