ABU Radio Song Festival

This article is about ABU Radio Song Festival. For the television version, see ABU TV Song Festival.

2012 TV series or program

ABU Radio Song Festival

Generic logo used for the ABU Radio Song Festivals.

Genre| Song festival
Created by| ABU
No. of episodes| 6 festivals
Production
Production company| Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
Original release
Release| 11 October 2012 (2012-10-11) –
present

The ABU Radio Song Festival is a biennial non-competitive gala that showcases songs or instrumentals by musicians across Asia, organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), and is based on the Eurovision Song Contest.[1] The format consists of a non-televised semi-final and grand final which is broadcast.[2]

Participating countries which have full or additional full ABU membership are invited to submit a song from an act that is unsigned to any record label. These entries are listened to by a panel of jury members, who select fifteen to proceed towards the radio festival final, were another panel of judges determining the top-5 prize winners.[2] The grand final may be broadcast live via radio and television, or as a delayed live recorded broadcast for national broadcasters who may wish to add subtitles in their native languages.[1]

## Development

[edit]

Participation since 2012:

Entered at least once

Never entered, although eligible to do so

Entry intended, but later withdrew

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) had already run an international song contest for its members inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985 - 1987, called the ABU Popular Song Contest, with 14 countries of the Asia-Pacific region competing.[3][better source needed] The show had a similar concept to the current radio song festival with winners being chosen by a professional jury. South Korea, New Zealand and Australia celebrated victories in this competition. In 1989 - 1991 ABU co-produced the ABU Golden Kite World Song Festival in Malaysia with participation of Asia-Pacific countries, as well as Yugoslavia and Finland.[3]

Shortly before launching the ABU Song Festival, the ABU had been considering the possibility to organize the ABU ASEAN TV Song Festival in Thailand.[3] Historically, ASEAN song contests had been organized in periods between 1981 and 1997, however since 2011 the ASEAN Festival had been organized between local Radio stations as Bintang Radio ASEAN. The ABU outlined a plan about a "television song festival" based on the style of the Eurovision Song Contest following the cancellation of Our Sound. Kenny Kihyung Bae, chosen to the project manager, attended Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan to learn more about the contest before putting it to work.[4][5]

In November 2011, the ABU announced that they would organize its own TV and Radio Song Festivals to take place in Seoul, the South Korean capital, in time with 49th General Assembly in October 2012.[6] The name Asiavision Song Contest was initially mentioned as a possibility, but they were later officially titled ABU TV Song Festival and ABU Radio Song Festival. According to the ABU, the deadline for participation applications for ABU TV Song Festival 2012 was 18 May 2012.[7][8]

## Format

[edit]

The ABU Radio Song Festival is a concert performance for musicians, who are not under contract with any label. The ABU recommends its members to introduce participating musicians and their songs on radio.[9] Every participant is chosen by one national radio broadcaster. A jury represented by ABU members chooses 15 finalists from 26 submissions. The finalists perform during the general assembly of the ABU. Another jury awards the best artists.[9][10]

## Participation

[edit]

Further information: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union § Membership

Participation in the contest is open to members of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

Table key

Inactive – Countries who have participated in the past but are now inactive.

Country[11] | Broadcaster(s)  | Debut year  | Most recent entry  | Number of entries  | Wins

|
|
|
|
|

Afghanistan  | RTA | 2018 | 2018 | 1  |
Australia | CRA | 2012 | 2014 | 2  |
Bangladesh  | BB | 2019 | 2019 | 1  |
Bhutan | BBS
CR101  | 2012 | 2014 | 2  |
Brunei | RTB | 2012 | 2015 | 3  |
China | CNR | 2016 | 2016 | 2  |
Fiji  | FBC | 2012 | 2012 | 1  |
India | AIR | 2012 | 2018 | 10  |
Indonesia | RRI | 2012 | 2019 | 8  |
Iran | IRIB | 2012 | 2019 | 4  |
Kazakhstan  | KA | 2018 | 2018 | 1  |
Kyrgyzstan  | KTRK | 2012 | 2012 | 1  |
Macau  | TDM | 2016 | 2018 | 2  |
Malaysia | RTM
Astro All Asian Network | 2012 | 2014 | 3  |
Maldives | PSM  | 2015 | 2019 | 6  |
Myanmar  | MRTV | 2015 | 2016 | 2  |
Nepal  | Radio Nepal | 2016 | 2019 | 3  |
Pakistan | PBC | 2012 | 2014 | 2  |
Romania  | Radio Romania | 2016 | 2016 | 1  |
Singapore | Mediacorp | 2012 | 2016 | 4  |
South Korea | KBS 2FM
KBS Radio 2 | 2012 | 2016 | 5  | 1
Sri Lanka  | MBC Networks | 2014 | 2019 | 3  |
Sudan  | Sudan Radio  | 2012 | 2012 | 1  |
Thailand  | NBT | 2014 | 2016 | 2  |
Turkey  | TRT | 2018 | 2018 | 1  |
Turkmenistan  | TTV | 2018 | 2019 | 2  |
Vanuatu  | ABC
Vanuatu Radio | 2012 | 2012 | 1  |
Vietnam  | VOV | 2012 | 2019 | 5  |

## Hosting

[edit]

Further information: List of ABU Song Festivals host cities § ABU Radio Song Festival

Year  | Date  | Host country  | Host city  | Venue  | Participants

|
|
|
|
|

2012 | 11 October 2012  |  South Korea[1] | Seoul | KBS Hall | 13[a][b]
2014 | 23 May 2014  |  Sri Lanka[12] | Colombo | Stein Studios | 12
2015 | 29 May 2015  |  Myanmar[13] | Yangon | National Theatre of Yangon | 10
2016 | 26 April 2016  |  China[14] | Beijing | China National Radio Auditorium  | 14
2017 |  Cancelled[c]
2018 | 11 July 2018  |  Kazakhstan[15] | Astana | Kazmedia Centre | 10
2019 | 31 October 2019  |  Bangladesh[16] | Dhaka | Hotel Intercontinental[17] | 8

## Notes and references

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Fiji had initially selected Sevanaia Yacalevu to represent the Pacific nation with the song "Time For A Change", but later withdrew from competition.
2. ^ Sri Lanka had initially selected Surendra Perera to represent the South Asian nation with the song "Wahi Pabalu Sali", but later withdrew from competition.
3. THA Due to the demise of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the 2017 ABU Radio Song Festival, initially scheduled to be held on 27 April 2017 as part of the 2017 RadioAsia Conference, was not held in Thailand. That festival was cancelled.[18]

### References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "ABU Radio Song Festival 2012". Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
2. ^ a b Granger, Anthony. "ABU Radio Song Festival: All you need to know". eurovoix.com. Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 2014-09-09. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
3. ^ a b c Mikheev, Andy (16 August 2012). "Participants - ABU TV and Radio Song Festivals 2012". escKaz.com. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
4. ^ "ABU to launch 'Asiavision Song Contest'?". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
5. ^ "Asiavision contest to begin next year". News.AZ. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
6. ^ "ABU to launch 'Asiavision Song Contest'". EBU. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
7. ^ Hamzah, Hanizah. "ABU TV Song Festival". Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
8. ^ "ABU to launch 'Asiavision Song Contest'". EBU. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
9. ^ a b abu.org.my: ABU Radio Song Festival Archived September 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
10. ^ abu2012seoul.com: Program at a Glance Archived December 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
11. ^ Granger, Anthony (27 October 2014). "All you need to know about the ABU Radio Song Festival". eurovoix.com. Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 2014-10-27. Retrieved 27 October 2014. "Who could debut at this years contest?"
12. ^ "ABU gets leaders' backing for increased activities". ABU Radio Song Festival 2015. ABU. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
13. ^ "ABU Radio Song Festival 2015". ABU. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
14. ^ "China National Radio will be hosting the 2016 RAC & RSF in Beijing". ABU News Q2. Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. p. 29. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
15. ^ "Kazakhstan To Host ABU Radio Song Festival 2018". eurovoix-world.com. Eurovoix World. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2018.[permanent dead link]
16. ^ Granger, Anthony (28 June 2019). "Bangladesh to Host the ABU Radio Song Festival 2019". eurovoix-world.com. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
17. ^ Granger, Anthony (2019-10-31). "Today: ABU Radio Song Festival 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh". Eurovoix World. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
18. ^ "2017 RadioAsia Conference". ABU News. Vol. 35, no. Q4 2016. Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union. December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* ABU Radio Song Festival website

* v
* t
* e

ABU Radio Song Festival

* ABU Song Festivals
* ABU International Dance Festival
* ABU TV Song Festival

Countries|

| Active|

* Radio
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Maldives
* Nepal
* Sri Lanka
* Turkmenistan
* Vietnam

|

Inactive|

* Afghanistan
* Australia
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* China
* Fiji
* India
* Kazakhstan
* Kyrgyzstan
* Macau
* Malaysia
* Myanmar
* Pakistan
* Romania
* Singapore
* South Korea
* Sudan
* Thailand
* Turkey
* Vanuatu

Contests|

* 2012
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019

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