The Asian Television Awards, founded in 1996, are awards recognizing programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry. Held every December, it comprises 56 categories across news, documentaries and current affairs, kids and animation, entertainment, drama, technical, digital, as well as performances including acting and directing. The Awards draw about 1,400 entries each year from a wide range of broadcasters, including free-to-air TV stations, pay-TV platforms, OTT platforms, as well as many independent production houses in Asia. Every year, a panel of more than 50 judges from more than 10 countries evaluate and select the entries. The winners are then awarded across 3 evenings: a Gala Dinner in Kuching for the technical and creative categories followed by a live telecast the next day for the entertainment and acting categories, also in Kuching. The digital awards are presented separately in another country.
Award Categories Award categories change between editions. The 2025 edition introduced the Best Micro Drama Series, and the 2026 edition introduces the Best AI Application category. Below are reference categories that have appeared in the history of the Asian Television Awards.
Short Video and Social Categories Best Short Form Video Series - Scripted Best Short Form Video Series - Unscripted Best Short Form Video Series - Factual Best Short Form Video Series - Entertainment Best Branded Content Best Music Video Best Music Livestream Best Influencer - Health, Beauty & Fitness Best Influencer - Travel & Lifestyle Best Influencer - Sports and Gaming
Digital Categories Best Single Digital Programme/Short Film Best Digital Non-Fiction Programme/Series Best Digital Fiction Programme/Series Best Original Digital Drama Series Best Original Digital Entertainment Programme Best Leading Male Performance - Digital Best Leading Female Performance - Digital Best Host/Presenter - Digital
Technical and Creative Categories Best Cinematography Best Direction (Non-Fiction) Best Direction (Fiction) Best Editing Best Original Screenplay Best Theme Song Best Scriptwriting
Performance Categories Best News Presenter or Anchor Best Current Affairs Presenter Best Entertainment Presenter/Host Best Sports Presenter/Commentator Best Actor in a Leading Role Best Actress in a Leading Role Best Actor in a Supporting Role Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Programming Categories Best Documentary Programme (one-off/special) Best Documentary Series Best Natural History or Wildlife Programme Best News Programme Best Single News Story/Report (10min or less) Best Current Affairs Programme Best Drama Series Best Single Drama or Telemovie Best Comedy Programme Best Children's Programme Best Preschool Programme Best Entertainment (one-off/annual) Best General Entertainment Programme Best Game or Quiz Programme Best Music Programme Best Reality Show Best Infotainment Programme Best Talk Show Best Social Awareness Programme Best Adaptation of an Existing Format Best Lifestyle Programme Best 2D Animated Programme Best 3D Animated Programme Best Live Sports Coverage Best Sports Programme
Best AI Application
Best AI Application - Audio Best AI Application - Environment or Character Best AI Application - Synthetic Cinematography
Grand Awards YEAR Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year Cable & Satellite Network of the Year Terrestrial Channel of the Year Cable & Satellite Channel of the Year 2006 – – Seoul Broadcasting System CNN International 2007 Mediacorp Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific – – 2008 – – 2009 – – Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Discovery Channel 2010 Mediacorp Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Mediacorp 5 2011 CNN International NHK General TV CNN International 2012 Korean Broadcasting System Shanghai Media Group KBS2 International Channel Shanghai 2013 Mediacorp Fox International Channels Asia KBS1 CNN International 2014 CNN International Mediacorp 5 2015 Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific CNA Discovery Channel 2021 Hakka TV Emtek Group - -
Performance Categories
YEAR Best Actor in a Leading Role Best Actress in a Leading Role Best Actor in a Supporting Role Best Actress in a Supporting Role Best Comedy Performance by an Actor/Actress 1996 Roderick Paulate – – Mieke WidjajaMoses Lim 2000 Keiko Takeshita – – Gurmit Singh Vernetta Lopez 2001 Raymond Bagatsing Ivy Lee – – Gurmit Singh Tan Khen Hua 2002 Koh Shih Hsun Aiza Seguerra – – Adrian Pang Irene Ang 2003 Tou Chung Hua Vernetta Lopez – – Gurmit Singh Lydia Sun 2004 Jack Kao Eula Valdez – – Michael V. Selena Tam 2005 Nonie Buencamino Kim Jung Eun – – Michael V. Selena Tam Kym Ng 2006 Mathialagan M Phiyada Akkrasaranee – – Michael V. Janet Khoo 2007 Antony Starr Gina Pareño – – Teng Thurstheng Myolie Wu 2008 Raymond Lam Chiranan Manochaem – – Chusak Iamsuk 2009 Adrian Pang Michelle Yim – – Chusak Iamsuk 2010 Bowie Lam Rebecca Lim Lim Kay Tong Susan Tse Chua En Lai 2011 Kevin Cheng Charmaine Sheh Evergreen Mak Fala Chen Suhaimi Yusof 2012 Moses Chan Rui En Lucas Luo Nancy Wu Michelle Chong 2013 Chris Wu (Wu Kangren) Jade Chou Jeffrey Xu Aileen Tan Chua En Lai 2014 Pierre Png Puteri Balqis Azizi Rayson Tan Hsieh Chiung-Hsuan Irene Ang 2015 Zhang Jia-Yi Zhou Xun Lim Kay Tong Nusba Punnakanta Ivana Wong 2016 Lung Shao-hua Cheryl Yang Jeff Catz Tien Hsin Carla Dunareanu 2017 Tsai Chen-nan Kara Hui Zhu Houren Yang Kuei-Mei Bobby Au-Yeung 2018 Rexen Chang Kim Nam-joo Jirayu Tantrakul Sinjai Plengpanich 2019 Tsu-wu Hsieh Tisanart Sornsuek Anyarin Terathananpati Atthaphan Phunsawat2020 Anthony Wong Yogurt Lee Barun Sobti–2021 Mark Chao Satomi Ishihara Ranvir Shorey Tu Tai-Fong–2022 Rexen Cheng Eswari Gunasagar Jeffrey Xu Mingjie Prim Chanikan Tangkabodee–2023 Frederick Lee Tu Tontawan Tantivejakul Sou Gaku Yang Li-Yin–2024 Ananda Everingham Charmaine Sheh Lan Wei-Hua Esther Huang–2025 Sarun Naraprasertkul– Gun Attaphan Phunsawat Lei Du–
YEAR Best News Presenter Best Current Affairs Presenter Best Entertainment Presenter Best Sports Presenter 2007 Martin Soong Karan Thapar Bobby Chinn – 2008 Christine Tan Guo Liang – 2009 Anjali Rao Jon Niermann – 2010 Karan Thapar Bobby Chinn – 2011 Anna Coren Bernard Lo Denise Keller – 2012 Barkha Dutt Oli Pettigrew Dominic Lau 2013 Menaka Doshi Stephen Engle Phanya Nirunkul Richard Lenton 2014 Rajdeep Sardesai Kristie Lu Stout Simon Yin Andrew “ET” Ettingshausen 2015 Barkha Dutt Steve Chao Nick Baker Richard Lenton2020 Danie Laurel Ade Mulya Varavuth Jentanakul Michael Schiavello2021 Rico Hizon Anand Narasimhan Jaaved Jaaferi Kartika Berliana2022 Celia Chan Darren Lim Maine Mendoza2023 Rico Hizon Tian Wei Manila Luzon Rama Sugianto2024 Kishore Ajwani Anne Hu Meng Fei2025 Charms Espina– Hu Gua, Chen Bing-Li, Lan Lan, York Kuo, Lai Hui-Ru Hannisa Sandi
Winners 1996 CategoryWinnersBest Actor in a Leading RoleRoderick PaulateBest Comedy Performance by an Actor/ActressMoses LimBest Actress in a Supporting RoleMieke Widjaja
2000 CategoryWinnersBest Actor in a Leading RoleRoderick PaulateBest Actress in a Leading RoleKeiko TakeshitaBest Comedy Performance by an Actor/ActressGurmit SinghVernetta Lopez
2001 CategoryWinnersBest Actor in a Leading RoleRaymond BagatsingBest Actress in a Leading RoleIvy LeeBest Comedy Performance by an Actor/ActressGurmit SinghTan Khen Hua
2002 CategoryWinnersBest Actor in a Leading RoleKoh Shih HsunBest Actress in a Leading RoleAiza SeguerraBest Comedy Performance by an Actor/ActressAdrian PangIrene Ang
2003 CategoryWinnersBest Actor in a Leading RoleTou Chung HuaBest Actress in a Leading RoleVernetta LopezBest Comedy Performance by an Actor/ActressGurmit SinghLydia Sun
2004 CategoryWinners Best Documentary Programme (30 minutes or less) "Body Snatchers of Bangkok" from National Geographic Channel (Asia) Best Documentary Programme (31 minutes or more) "Mysterious Hanging Coffins of China" from Discovery Channel and "50 Years of Overseas Adoption of Korean Children" from Munhwa Broadcasting Channel 11 (Joint winners) Best Natural History or Wildlife Programme "Face to Face with the Ice Bear" from NHK Digital Hi-Vision Channel Best News Programme Channel i News from SPH MediaWorks Channel i Best Single News Story/Report (10 minutes or less) Terrorist Bombing of UN Headquarters in Iraq from NHK General TV Channel Best News/Current Affairs Special "Family Bond – Give Us Back Our Father" from Tokyo Broadcasting System Best Current Affairs Programme The Impeachment of President Roh from Munhwa Broadcasting Channel 11 Best Social Awareness Programme "Pijar" from PT Surya Citra Televisi Best Comedy Programme "Bubble Gang" from GMA Network Channel 7 (Philippines) Best Entertainment (One-off/Annual) MTV Asia Award 2004 from MTV Networks Asia Best Entertainment Programme "Masquerade" from Nippon Television Network Best Drama Series "Damo The Legendary Police Woman" from Munhwa Broadcasting Channel 11 Best Docu-drama "HONKOWA – True Horror Stories" from Fuji Television Best Reality Programme "Dunia Lain – Lawang Sewu" PT Televisi Transformasi Indonesia Best Game or Quiz Programme "Fan Pan Tae" from Royal Thai TV Channel 5 Best Music Programme "Shi-Bu-Ki" from Yomiuri Telecasting Channel 10 Best Talk Show "The Big Fight – Has the Time Come to End the Beauty Contest" from NDTV 24X7 Best Live Event Coverage Big [V] Concert frin Star India, Channel [V] Best Children's Programme "Fruity Pie – Lin Lin's Story" from Public Television Service Best Infotainment Programme "Love House" from Munhwa Broadcasting Channel 11 Best Animation "Gokusen" from Nippon Television Network Best Single Drama/Telemovie "Our Memories of the Sugarcane Field" from Tokyo Broadcasting System Best News Anchor of Asia Arnab Goswami for "News night" of NDTV 24×7
2005 Best Documentary Programme (30 minutes or less) : "Building Site" from Dalian Television, China Best Documentary Programme (31 minutes or more) : "Little School Children" from Shanghai Media Group, Dragon TV, China Best Natural History or Wildlife Programme : "A Flash of Blue" from NHK Digital Hi-Vision Channel Best News Programme : Waves of Destruction from NDTV 24X7, India Best Single News Story/Report (10 minutes or less) : "Rebel Impasse" from Ocean Vista Films Ltd, Hong Kong Best Current Affairs Programme : "FTV's Hall of Dissent" from Formosa Television, Channel 53, Taiwan Best Social Awareness Programme : "i-Witness: The GMA Documentaries – Skin and Bones (Buto't Balat)" from GMA Channel 7, Philippines Best Comedy Programme : "Daddy's Girls – Lulu's Special Strawberry Cream Cake" written by Ong Su Mann. Best Entertainment (One-off/Annual) : "Eat Bulaga! Silver Special" from GMA Network, Philippines Best Entertainment Programme : "Masquerade" from Nippon Television, Japan Best Drama Series : "Damo: The Legendary Police Woman" from Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation 11, South Korea Best Docu-drama : "HONKOWA – True Horror Stories" from Fuji Television, Japan Best Reality Programme : "Dance Competition" PT Televisi Transformasi Indonesia Best Game or Quiz Programme : "Fan Pan Tae" from RTA5 Best Music Programme : "Shi-Bu-Ki" from Yomiuri Telecasting Channel 10 Best Talk Show : "Macam Macam Aznil" from Astro Ria, Malaysia Best Live Event Coverage : Big [V] Concert frin Star India, Channel [V] Best Children's Programme : "Fruity Pie – Lin Lin's Story" from Public Television Service Best Infotainment Programme : "Love House" from Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation 11, South Korea Best Animation : "Pozzie" from Nippon Television, Japan Best Single Drama/Telemovie : "Our Memories of the Sugarcane Field" from Tokyo Broadcasting System, Japan Best Terrestrial Channel of the Year : GMA Network, Inc., Philippines
2006 Programming Best Documentary Programme (30 minutes or less) : "My Treasures" by Shanghai Media Group, Documentary Channel (China)