SARAWAK MEDIA GROUP earns two recognitions at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025
It brought home the Government Streaming – Malaysia and Live Event Streaming – Malaysia awards.
SARAWAK MEDIA GROUP was recognised at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2025 for its coverage of the Sarawak Regatta 2024, SUKMA 2024 and PARA SUKMA 2024.
Sarawak Regatta
The iconic Sarawak Regatta, which returned to the Sarawak River from 1 to 3 November 2024, featured the thrilling Sarawak River King Race, where only the strongest and most skilled rowers will earn the title of “River King” on one of Southeast Asia’s most legendary waterways.
But more than the race, Sarawak Regatta 2024 is a celebration of heritage and togetherness, whose roots stretch back over a century. It has been bringing together communities from Sarawak’s diverse ethnic and cultural landscape.
The regatta is known for its vibrant boat races, cultural showcases and performances, and local culinary experiences that serve as a symbol of solidarity across cultures and faiths. It is a visual display of how people from all walks of life unite through shared history and pride. From the paddlers racing to the beat of traditional drums to the families and tourists lining the riverbanks, the regatta embodies Sarawak’s enduring spirit of unity.
In 2024, Sarawak Regatta invested in advanced broadcast technology and featured 14 professional cameras, four drones, and two kilometres of camera coverage.
These tools captured the intense race finishes and sweeping river views, allowing viewers across the globe to enjoy the festivities virtually. The event achieved over 661,000 total views, with a peak of 300,935 unique viewers on the final day.
Aside from promoting local pride, the regatta positions Sarawak as a cultural and tourism destination on the world stage. Its audience grows each year, which proves that a local tradition can make a global impact.
SUKMA 2024, PARA SUKMA 2024
TVS delivered full daily coverage of 21 events from SUKMA 2024 and all 10 events of PARA SUKMA 2024—a major milestone in the station’s broadcasting journey. This marked the first time TVS aired live sports, and even more notably, the first time the PARA SUKMA was broadcast live on any television station.
Aside from the live broadcasts, TVS produced event highlights and capsule features to ensure that every important moment was accessible. Through this, fans were able to catch up on key moments from games that weren’t aired live. Furthermore, TVS gave viewers maximum control over what they watched by launching four additional digital channels.
TVS’s broadcast setup for SUKMA 2024 was ambitious and technologically advanced, as it features a 21-feed Multiple Camera Production (MCP) setup transmitted from various venues across Sarawak.
Feeds were sent via IP encoder/decoder technology to the SUKMA Broadcast Center (SBC) before being distributed to TVS, RTM, and Astro, ensuring wide national reach across multiple platforms.
The coverage was aired through one linear TV channel, two web TV channels, seven dedicated YouTube channels, and two social media platforms.
PARA SUKMA 2024 followed a similar model, with seven venue feeds sent to SBC and broadcast live on the same platforms, again fully managed and executed by the TVS team.
TVS’s investment in live sports coverage paid off as the SUKMA Games attracted over 15.6 million total views. It recorded peak viewership on 20 August, hitting 1.65 million views, and 910,926 unique viewers on 16 August alone.
Despite its shorter duration, the PARA SUKMA also achieved 1.6 million total views, with 250,553 unique viewers on its busiest day, 23 September. This strong engagement, especially for a first-ever live broadcast, underscores the growing audience interest in inclusive sporting events.
Through its multi-platform, multi-channel strategy, TVS proved its ability to deliver dynamic and high-quality sports content. By celebrating athletic achievement and expanding access to both able-bodied and para sports, TVS has opened a new chapter in Malaysian broadcasting—one of inclusion, accessibility, and innovation.
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards commends companies, industry partners, and vendors in the broadcasting industry that introduce technological advancements in the field. The awards programme highlights projects and initiatives in areas such as digitalisation and engineering.
The Asia Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards is presented by Asia Pacific Broadcasting+. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your innovation and excellence in projects that advance the field of broadcasting in Asia, please contact Jane Patiag at awards@charltonmediamail.com.
