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Channel 8 (Singapore)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with 8TV (Malaysian TV network), a Chinese-language television channel owned by Media Prima.

Channel 8
Mediacorp Channel 8.jpg
CountrySingapore
Broadcast areaSingapore
NetworkMediacorp TV
HeadquartersMediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507
Programming
Language(s)Mandarin
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerMediacorp Pte Ltd
Sister channelsChannel U
Channel 5
Suria
Vasantham
CNA
History
Launched31 August 1963; 58 years ago (1963-08-31) (Test transmissions)
23 November 1963; 58 years ago (1963-11-23) (Official)
Links
Websitehttp://tv.mewatch.sg/zh/channel8
Availability
Terrestrial
VHFChannel 8
Digital terrestrial televisionChannel 3
IPTV
StarHub TVChannel 103 (HD)
Singtel TVChannel 3 (HD)
Streaming media
meWATCHAvailable on meWATCH website or mobile app
(Singapore only)

Channel 8 (Chinese: 8頻道) is a Singaporean free-to-air television channel, airing in Mandarin Chinese. It was created by Television Singapura on 31 August 1963 with experimental broadcasts, before going official on 23 November that year.

History

Channel 8 began its test transmissions on Saturday, 31 August 1963, Malaysia's national day. Its first day consisted of a Hokkien film, repeats of India's participation in the South East Asian Cultural Festival and Singapore Celebrates.[1] A second test transmission took place between 16 and 20 September of that year and devoted much of its time to the week-long celebrations, to coincide with the historic Proclamation of Malaysia, and the political campaigns leading up to the 1963 General Election.

Channel 8 officially began broadcasting on 23 November 1963 at 7:40 p.m. as "Saluran 8 Televisyen Singapura" and aired at first in Chinese (including Mandarin, dialects of Chinese and Cantonese) and Tamil. Its sister station Saluran 5 Televisyen Singapura was launched on 2 April that year with a mix of English and Malay-language shows. Following the separation from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, Channel 8 became part of Television Singapore, and was later integrated as part of "Radio Television Singapore". This led to the expansions of the network, including a move to the new $3.6 million Television Centre in Caldecott Hill on 26 August 1966.[2]

Channel 8 began broadcasting in colour on 1 May 1974. In 1978, all its Chinese language programming as well as advertisements, as a result of the government's Speak Mandarin Campaign, were broadcast solely in the Mandarin dialect. In the fall of 1982, Channel 8 debuted the country's pioneer Mandarin language drama series, Seletar Robbery. At first, Channel 8 drama productions used 16mm film, before transitioning to videotape in 1987–88, in contrast its variety programming (either live or taped) had always been videotape productions since the start of colour television. It started airing 24 hours a day on 1 September 1995, becoming a Mandarin-language only channel as all its Tamil programs were transferred to a new channel, Prime 12. It was privatised on 12 February 2001 as part of Mediacorp.

Channel 8 had a pay-to-view sister television channel named Channel 8i that existed from 19 November 2011 to 1 December 2016.

References

  1. ^ "Television Singapura The Straits Times". The Straits Times. 31 August 1963. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  2. ^ "New home for TV..." The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 August 1966. Retrieved 8 August 2019.

External links

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