The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union has decided against converting the ABU Song Festival into a Song Contest.

The ABU Programme Bureau has decided against the creation of a Song Contest which would have replaced the ABU Song Contest. The discussion took place as part of the 19th ABU Programme Bureau meeting on September 4. It had been proposed by members of the Bureau that the ABU should convert its existing ABU Song Festival into a Song Contest; however, the members of the Bureau opted to retain the Song Festival.

The ABU TV Song Festival was held for the first time in 2012 and is a non-competitive showcase from across the Asia-Pacific region. Each participating broadcaster chooses acts to showcase their nation, with a mix of genres and languages to feature in the show. The ABU TV Song Festival was rebranded for the 2025 edition as the ABU Song Festival. This follows a discussion in 2024 to open the ABU TV Song Festival up to radio members, after the ABU Radio Song Festival was last held in 2019.

The following nations have taken part in the event:

🇦🇫 Afghanistan (2012 to 2013, 2015 to 2018)
🇦🇺 Australia (2012 to 2014, 2019)
🇧🇯 Benin (2018)
🇧🇹 Bhutan (2025)
🇧🇳 Brunei (2013 to 2014, 2020 to 2021)
🇨🇳 China (2012 to 2014, 2016 to 2017, 2019 to 2020, 2023 to 2024)
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (2012 to 2019, 2023 to date)
🇮🇳 India (2015, 2017 to date)
🇮🇩 Indonesia (2012 to 2022, 2024)
🇮🇷 Iran (2013)
🇯🇵 Japan (2012 to date)
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan (2015 to 2019, 2021 to 2022)
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan (2013, 2018)
🇲🇴 Macau (2014 to 2021, 2023 to date)
🇲🇾 Malaysia (2012 to 2013, 2015, 2017 to 2018, 2020 to 2021, 2023 to date)
🇲🇻 Maldives (2014 to 2018, 2022)
🇲🇳 Mongolia (2025)
🇳🇵 Nepal (2020)
🇷🇺 Russia (2018)
🇸🇬 Singapore (2012 to 2013)
🇰🇷 South Korea (2012 to date)
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka (2012 to 2013, 2016, 2023, 2026)
🇹🇭 Thailand (2013 to 2014)
🇹🇳 Tunisia (2016)
🇹🇷 Turkey (2014 to 2015, 2018 to date)
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan (2017 & 2018, 2020, 2022 to 2024)
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan (2018, 2020, 2024)
🇻🇺 Vanuatu (2020)
🇻🇳 Vietnam (2012 to 2023)
🇿🇲 Zambia (2017)

The Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union has previously organised two song contests and planned to launch a competition during the late 2010s. Between 1985 and 1987, the ABU organised the ABU Popular Song Contest, thsi was followed by the ABU Golden Kit World Song Festival between 1989 and 1991. The ABU planned to launch the ABU Song Contest in 2020 but due to COVID-19 the contest was cancelled and plans have been shelved for the event.

Over the course of the Song Contests, the following nations competed in the contests:

Image Source: ABU | Source: ABU

Posted by:Anthony Granger

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