Mediacorp Studios

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Mediacorp Studios is a Singaporean production company owned by Mediacorp that produces original programming for its channels. It was established in its current form in 1999 with the creation of a unit grouping all of its production studios.

History

Before the current unit was established, SBC operated SBC Entertainment Productions 5, which produced content for Channel 5, in both English and Malay languages. In 1993, its controller was Anwar Rashid. [1] The unit was renamed TCS Production 5 in 1994, vice-presided by Kenneth Liang. [2] The unit produced the channel's local sitcoms and talk show of the 1990s, including Under One Roof , Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd , Happy Belly , [3] , My Grandson, the Doctor , Can I Help You? and Ja's Court respectively. [4]

In 1998, second Production 5 VP Daniel Yun left the unit and joined Raintree Pictures. [5]

On 1 August 1999, MediaCorp Studios was created as a strategic business unit (SBU) of the new MediaCorp conglomerate. [6] The unit was presided by Lee Cheok Yew, who was the chief executive of TCS, and was sacked in February 2000; MediaCorp Studios gained a new CEO, Franklin Wong, formerly of Hong Kong broadcaster Asia Television. [7] Under his presidency, he planned to improve the quality of its productions, aiming to be the best in Asia. [8] The company primarily exported to mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan where its shows gained a higher revenue, but wanted to cast its net wider by reaching more markets. [9]

A block of MCS titles premiered in 2009 on TV5. [10] As of 2024, Mediacorp still sells titles to various Philippine television broadcaster, with the latest being Third Rail which aired on GMA Network. [11]

A Malaysian subsidiary, Mediacorp Studios Malaysia, opened in 2011, producing shows for NTV7. The first such production was Kampong Ties, which gained a second window on Channel 8 in Singapore. [12]

On 2 December 2024, Mediacorp Studios began leasing an ABS-CBN Corporation-owned property, ABS-CBN Soundstage at the Horizon IT Park, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Philippines, to increase its global footprint. [13]

References

  1. "Malay stars for SBC's drama and musical". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 6 October 1993. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  2. "TCS SAYS". The New Paper (retrieved from NLB). 5 October 1995. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  3. "LOCAL OBSESSIONS". The New Paper (retrieved from NLB). 7 May 1996. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  4. "'farcical' 'tedious'". The New Paper (retrieved from NLB). 29 May 1996. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  5. Tong, Kelvin (8 August 1998). "Got a story? Climb on-board Raintree". The Straits Times . p. 3. Retrieved 2 February 2024 via NewspaperSG.
  6. "EXPORT DRIVE FOR TV SHOWS". The Business Times (retrieved from NLB). 7 July 1999. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  7. "Top man at TCS quits". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 10 February 2000. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  8. "His shows aim to be Asia's best". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 25 February 2000. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  9. "EXPORT DRIVE FOR TV SHOWS". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 18 May 2000. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  10. "MediaCorp Launches Block in the Philippines". World Screen. September 10, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  11. "Singaporean series 'Third Rail' arriving soon on GMA". GMA Network . April 19, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  12. "Relive kampung capers". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 14 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  13. "ABS-CBN unveils new Studios banner; Philippines' programmer adds sound stages and facilities to music and talent management in upsized global strategy". ContentAsia. 2 December 2024.