MediaCorp Channel 8

MediaCorp Channel 8
新传媒8频道
Launched November 23, 1963
Network MediaCorp TV
Owned by MediaCorp
Picture format 576i (16:9 and 4:3) (SDTV),
1080i (HDTV)
Slogan 最亲切(Translation: The Most Endearing)
Country Singapore
Language Mandarin Chinese, Tamil (until September 27, 1995)
Broadcast area Singapore
Headquarters Caldecott Broadcast Centre
Formerly called Saluran 8 Television Singapura
(November 23, 1963–December 27, 1963)
Saluran 8 Television Malaysia (Singapura)
(December 28, 1963–August 9, 1965
Radio Television Singapore Channel 8 (RTS-8)
(August 9, 1965–January 31, 1980)
Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Eighth Frequency/Channel 8 (SBC-8)
(February 1, 1980-May 27, 1994)
Television Corporation of Singapore Eighth Frequency/Channel 8 (TCS-8)
(May 28, 1994-February 11, 2001)
Replaced Saluran 8 Television Singapura
(November 23, 1963–December 27, 1963)
Saluran 8 Television Malaysia (Singapura)
(December 28, 1963–August 9, 1965
Radio Television Singapore Channel 8 (RTS-8)
(August 9, 1965–January 31, 1980)
Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Eighth Frequency/Channel 8 (SBC-8)
(February 1, 1980-May 27, 1994)
Television Corporation of Singapore Eighth Frequency/Channel 8 (TCS-8)
(May 28, 1994-February 11, 2001)
Website http://xinmsn.com/8
Availability
Terrestrial
MediaCorp - Analogue Channel 8 (UHF 196.25 MHz)
MediaCorp - Digital (DVB-T) Channel 29 (UHF 599.25MHz) Multiplex carrying Mediacorp channels digitally.
Cable
StarHub TV Channel 103
MediaCorp (via SCTV socket) Channel 8 (UHF 196.25 MHz)
IPTV
mio TV Channel 3

MediaCorp Channel 8 (Chinese: 8频道, Before January 1, 2005: 第八波道) is a 24-hour free-to-air Singapore Mandarin general news and entertainment television channel in Singapore. It is one of the two Singapore Mandarin over-the-air television channel in Singapore the other being MediaCorp Channel U was formerly known as SPH MediaWorks Channel U.

Contents

History

Channel 8 was officially regular television set services on Novemebr 23, 1963 as Saluran 8 Television Singapura is a first free-to-air terrestrial television station in Singapore that broadcasts in Singapore English although the station also aired Tamil programmes at the time. Its sister station Saluran 5 Television Singapura was launched on April 2, 1963 with a mix of Singapore English and Malay language programmes.

The then 10-month old Television Malaysia (was launched on February 15, 1963) became part of Televisyen Malaysia (launched on December 28, 1963) as its state station for Singapore viewers a role served until August 9, 1965 when Singapore became independent us Singapore already had its own television staion seventeen months earlier. It was part of Televisyen Malaysia and acts as a sister channel common inception of national television later renamed Television Malaysia (Singapura) when Singapore became part of Malaysia on 16 September 1963 was originally broadcast in black and white.

The two networks separated after Singapore left the federation two years later common at Singapore is expelled from the Federation of Malaysia future form Television Singapura and Radio Singapura which Television Malaysia (Singapura) becomes Radio Television Singapura (RTS) these until Singapore separated from Malaysia on August 9, 1965 event after Singapore became independent from Malaysia declarated indepencence national event celebrated at Singapore National Day the campaign Singapore and Malaysia sign the separation agreement. Malaysian Parliament votes to expel Singapore from the Republic an Singapore becomes independent after separating from Malaysia became was renamed Radio Television Singapura (RTS).

Channel 8 began transmitting in colour on May 1, 1974.

Channel 8 began transmitting in full colour on November 1, 1977.

The station was emerged on February 1, 1980, RTS became Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) (Chinese: 新廣第八波道).

The station was airing stereo audio television on August 1, 1990.

The station was privatized on May 28, 1994, SBC became Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) ((Chinese: 新視第八波道).

Tamil programmes were transferred to Prime 12, later renamed Vasantham on September 27, 1995.

The station was airing 24-hours on daily transmission opened business broadcasting on same date (as of September 27, 1995).

The station was privatized on February 12, 2001, TCS became MediaCorp TV (Chinese: 新傳媒電視第八波道).

Chinese Language Broadcasting

In the infancy of the station, Singapore Mandarin programmes were acquired from stations in Hong Kong, Macau and Republic of China which resulted in these programmes being broadcast in a variety of regional Singapore Mandarin dialects (such as Hong Kong Cantonese and Taiwanese with no dubbing in Singapore Mandarin. This anomaly ended in 1979 when the government began to forbid Singapore's electronic media from broadcasting programmes in any dialects other than Mandarin without prior consent.

This put a pressure on the station's budget, as Singapore Mandarin programmes acquired overseas now have to be dubbed into Mandarin. As a result, SBC decided to begin producing Singapore Mandarin drama series domestically, and established a Singapore Mandarin Drama Department (華文戲劇部) towards that end. The new department had to hire many production staffs overseas, as the station only had experience in producing short television programmes. Due to the closure of Commercial Television and the sale of Rediffusion Television (now Asia Television) and Television Broadcasts Limited in Hong Kong at the time, many production staff from those two television stations were hired, thus creating a basis for domestic Chinese drama series production.

Although there were earlier productions, the station considers Seletar Robbery to be its first-ever Singapore Mandarin drama production and considers the day of its premiere on July 24, 1982 to be the birth of Singapore Mandarin Drama Production.

Privatisation

The station, along with its sister stations TCS-5 and TCS-12, were privatized on October 1, 1994 and became a part of the new Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) (Chinese: 新加坡電視機構). Further restructuring were made and by February 12, 2001, TCS became MediaCorp TV (Chinese: 新傳媒電視).

Competition from MediaWorks

In an effort to inject competition into the Singaporean television broadcasting industry, the government allowed Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) to operate television stations, which resulted in the establishment of SPH MediaWorks. It offered two television channels: SPH MediaWorks Channel U (Chinese: 优頻道) and TV Works (Chinese: 電視通), which was later renamed Channel i (Chinese: 爱頻道).

MediaCorp Channel 8 was formerly known as the Eight Frequency and MediaCorp Channel U were both locked in a fierce ratings battle, with each station releasing statistics indicating that they are prevailing over the other station. The ratings battle began to cool in New Year's Eve on 2004 when Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew commented that Singapore's size cannot sustain more than one television station for each language. This spurred the two sides into a merger negotiation, which was completed in New Year's Eve on 2004. In New Year's Day on 2005, MediaCorp Channel U became a part of MediaCorp TV. SPH MediaWorks Channel i was disbanded in the merger process. The Eighth Frequency became MediaCorp Channel 8 (Chinese: 新傳媒電視8频道).

News Presenters

News Programme Weekday Newscasters Weekend Newscasters
News 8 at One
1点新闻
1.00pm
(Only on weekdays)
Lin Zhi Ying (林稚瑛)
Zhao Quan Yin (赵全胤)
No Broadcast
Singapore Today
狮城6点半
6.30pm
Ng Siew Leng (黄秀玲) Wang Zheng (王征)
News Tonight
晚间新闻
10.00pm (Channel 8)
11.00pm (Channel U)
Lin Chi Yuan (林启元)
Tung Soo Hua (董素华)
Zhang Haijie (张海洁)
Zhao Wen Bei (赵文蓓)

Current Affairs Presenters

Good Morning, Singapore! (7.00am, Mon-Fri)

Focus (10.30pm, Thurs)

Former Presenters

Programmes

See List of programmes broadcast by MediaCorp Channel 8

External links