Channel 8 (Singapore)

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

Channel 8
Launched31 August 1963 (1963-08-31) (Test transmissions)
23 November 1963 (1963-11-23) (Official)
NetworkMediacorp TV
Owned byMediacorp Pte Ltd
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Slogan重头娱乐，鲜睹为快
(Heavy entertainment, fresh and quick)
CountrySingapore
LanguageMandarin
Broadcast areaSingapore
HeadquartersMediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507
Sister channel(s)Channel U
Channel 5
Suria
Vasantham
CNA
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)

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 formation of the Federation of Malaya, 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 27 August 1966.

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. 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.

Its long line of Chinese language dramas, a source of pride for Singapore's Chinese-speaking community, began in the fall of 1982.

Programming
gollark: Can you operate the touchscreen underwater?
gollark: I don't actually care, as I do not routinely drop phones in water.
gollark: Phone companies, yes.
gollark: I don't think it's a necessary tradeoff. They're just doing it anyway.
gollark: The newer ones are basically just ekeing out incredibly marginal improvements and charging more.

See also
  • Mediacorp Channel 8i

References
  1. "Television Singapura The Straits Times". The Straits Times. 31 August 1963. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
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