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Kuala Lumpur, 8 May 2026 – HITZ has officially crowned Zach Ryan as the winner of #NEXTONHITZ, the station’s talent search campaign to discover and develop the next generation of Malaysian radio and digital personalities.
The announcement marks the conclusion of the five-week #NEXTONHITZ campaign, which was created to spotlight emerging young talent and strengthen HITZ’s commitment to building fresh, audience-connected personalities for today’s evolving media landscape. The initiative attracted aspiring broadcasters and content creators from across the country, generating strong engagement both on-air and across digital platforms.
The grand finale and winner announcement took place at Tribeca Serviced Hotel by Millennium, Bukit Bintang, and was streamed live on HITZ’s official TikTok account, allowing audiences nationwide to follow the competition in real time.
Speaking on the campaign, HITZ Brand Manager Sean Farrell Matjeraie said that #NEXTONHITZ was designed to uncover personalities who can genuinely connect with young Malaysians, both on radio and digital platforms.
“Radio today is more than just being good on-air. We were looking for personalities who are creative, adaptable, confident, and able to connect with audiences on whatever platform they are consuming content,” he said.
“At HITZ, chemistry with the audience is everything. #NEXTONHITZ gave us the opportunity to discover new talent with strong personality, fresh ideas, and the energy that reflects the station.”
Over a two-week competition period, contestants faced a series of challenges designed to test their communication skills, creativity, adaptability, and on-camera presence. These included celebrity interviews, live on-air hosting tasks, video content creation, and original segment development.
“Each challenge was intentionally designed to push contestants beyond their comfort zones and test their resourcefulness and resilience. We wanted to see how they handled pressure, adapted creatively, and connected with audiences across multiple formats,” Sean added.
The winners announced at the finale are:
- Champion: Zach Ryan
Prize: One-year full-time radio announcer contract worth RM50,000 - Second Place: Dee Alimin
Prize: RM2,000 - Third Place: Anne-Marie
Prize: RM1,000 - Best Vlog: Adam Imanullah
Prize: Canon Powershot V1
In addition to the champion, finalists who placed second through fifth were also recognised for their strong potential and offered part-time contracts with HITZ.
Beyond the competition, #NEXTONHITZ served as a platform for young Malaysians to explore opportunities within the entertainment, broadcasting, and digital content industry.
“We hope participants walk away with more confidence in themselves and a clearer understanding of the opportunities available in the industry today. Whether it’s radio, digital content, hosting, or entertainment, there are now more pathways than ever for young talent to build a career and find their audience,” Sean said.
HITZ is part of the 13 radio networks under Astro Audio. As Malaysia’s leading English-language radio station, HITZ delivers the biggest hit music, entertainment, and youth culture content to audiences nationwide.
With over 300,000 TikTok followers, HITZ continues to dominate as a go-to music and pop culture brand. Audiences can tune in via radio, follow HITZ on its official social media platforms, or download the HITZ app from the App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei AppGallery.
HITZ – Malaysia’s #1 Hit Music Station
