National Geographic Channel to air second instalment of "Every Singaporean Son"

SINGAPORE - The National Geographic Channel (NGC) will be airing the second instalment of the Ministry of Defence's (MINDEF) "Every Singaporean Son" (ESS) on August 6, which will make its TV premiere almost two years after its inaugural season.

"Every Singaporean Son II: The Making of an Officer" (ESS II) will be a six-part series following the lives of full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) as they undergo leadership training at the Officer Cadet School (OCS).

The 21-part web-series was originally featured on the Cyberpioneer YouTube channel. The NGC version of ESS II will be remade for TV by incorporating exclusive access that will feature behind-the-scenes shots into the lives of full-time NSFs as they undergo their 38-week journey at the OCS.

The first series of ESS received impressive ratings in Singapore, garnering eight times more viewers tuning in to its premiere, placing the channel at the top of the charts across all English-language cable television channels in the same time slot. ESS remains the highest-rated programme across all factual entertainment channels on Singapore Cable TV to this day

"ESS II: The Making of an Officer is more than a story about citizen soldiers - it is a story of service, self-discovery and respect. Officer Cadets are put through tough and realistic exercises that train them to be competent, committed and confident leaders, anchored on the SAF's Core Values and military ethos," said COL Seet Uei Lim, Commander, Officer Cadet School.

"With NGC's wide audience reach, we are pleased to continue our partnership with the channel to give both local and regional viewers a deeper insight into a true Singapore story that informs and entertains at the same time", he added.

'Every Singaporean Son: The Making of an Officer' will premiere with back-to-back episodes on August 6, 9pm on National Geographic Channel. Viewers can catch ESS II on StarHub TV CH. 411 and SingTel Mio TV CH. 201. In addition, National Geographic Channel will air a catch-up marathon of the first season of Every Singaporean Son on August 4 from 1.25pm , which focuses on Basic Military Training in Singapore.

grongloh@sph.com.sg