SINGAPORE - For the first time, Singtel TV is commissioning Public Service Broadcast content. This is content that serves national and social objectives by promoting social values important to Singapore and Singaporeans, and celebrates local culture, heritage and racial and religious harmony.

The local telecommunications giant is looking for creative talent to produce up to 20 hours of original short-form content in Chinese.

The initiative is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority's Public Service Broadcast (PSB) Contestable Funds Scheme.

Examples of PSB programmes include Mediacorp shows such as Channel 5's crime drama Code Of Law, which has spanned four seasons since its 2012 debut, Channel 8's period drama The Journey: A Voyage (2013) and Channel U's singing competition Project Superstar (2014).

Mr Goh Seow Eng, Singtel's managing director for home, consumer Singapore, hopes the initiative can highlight local stories.

He said in a statement: "There are many uniquely Singapore stories waiting to be told and local creative talents to be discovered. We look forward to bringing these stories to life as we commemorate Singapore's bicentennial."

Proposals from local production companies will be evaluated on how well they communicate PSB themes, creativity and innovation in storytelling and delivery, audience appeal, resource planning and allocation as well as credentials of the production crew.

More details will be shared at a briefing for local production companies on March 22 at Pixel at one-north, a resource centre and focal point for media-content creators, owners and games developers. Registration is now open at www.singtel.com/PCFS.

The original content produced through the initiative is expected to air in December this year on Singtel TV's channels, Jia Le Channel HD (Channel 502) and e-Le (Channel 11/501). It will also be available on the Singtel TV Go mobile app for free, without a subscription.