Revision as of 16:45, 28 May 2017 editTide rolls (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled219,196 edits rm per WP:NOTCRYSTAL← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 09:31, 13 January 2025 edit undoOrenburg1 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users166,844 editsm ce | ||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{short description|Singaporean commercial media company}} | |||
{{Use Singapore English|date=May 2023}} | |||
{{multiple issues| | |||
{{ |
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} | ||
{{refimprove|date=June 2013}} | |||
}} | |||
{{Infobox company | {{Infobox company | ||
| name = Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. | |||
| logo = Mediacorp flat logo (2015).svg | |||
| logo = File:MediaCorp_logo_December_2015.svg | |||
| logo_size = 200px | |||
| logo_caption = Mediacorp logo since 8 December 2015 | |||
| logo_caption = Flat version of the 2015 logo, used as the primary logo since 2023. | |||
| logo_size = 300px | |||
| image = 224 Mediacorp Campus Building.jpg | |||
| type = Private Limited | |||
| image_size = 250px | |||
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1963|02|15}} | |||
| image_caption = The Mediacorp Campus at One-north | |||
| location = 1 Stars Avenue | |||
| founded = {{start date and age|1936|6|1|df=yes}} | |||
| industry = ]<br>]<br>]<br>Media consultancy<br>] | |||
| hq_location = 1 Stars Avenue (Mediapolis@onenorth) | |||
| area_served = ]<br> Southern ]<br> ] | |||
| hq_location_city = | |||
| key_people = Ernest Wong <small>(])</small><br />Shaun Seow <small>(])</small><ref>{{cite web|title=New Mediacorp CEO is Shaun Seow|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1139240/1/.html|publisher=Channel News Asia|accessdate=7 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
| hq_location_country = Singapore | |||
| owner = ] | |||
| area_served = Worldwide | |||
| parent = ] | |||
| key_people = Niam Chiang Meng (])<br />Tham Loke Kheng (]) | |||
| subsid = Mediacorp TV Singapore Pte Ltd<br/>Mediacorp Press Ltd<br/>Mediacorp VizPro International Pte Ltd<br/>]<br/>]<br/>Media Research Consultants Pte Ltd<br/>OOH Media Pte Ltd<br/>1-Net Singapore Pte Ltd | |||
| parent = ] | |||
| homepage = | |||
| type = ] | |||
| industry = {{ubl|]}} | |||
| predecessors = {{Plainlist| | |||
* Radio Singapura (1945–1965) | |||
* Television Singapura (1961–1965) | |||
* Radio Television Singapore (1965–1980) | |||
* Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (1980–1994) | |||
* Singapore International Media (1994–1999) | |||
}} | |||
| products = {{flat list| | |||
* Broadcasting | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| services = {{flat list| | |||
* Television | |||
* radio | |||
* online | |||
}} | |||
| num_employees = 3,000 | |||
| num_employees_year = 2022 | |||
| website = {{URL|mediacorp.sg}} | |||
| revenue = {{increase}} US$750.8 million | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{chinesetext}} | |||
'''Mediacorp Pte. Ltd.''' is the ] ] of Singapore. Owned by ]—the investment arm of the ]—it owns and operates television channels, ], and ] properties. It is headquartered at the Mediapolis development in Queenstown's ] precinct, which succeeded ]—the long-time home of its predecessors—in 2015; as of 2022, Mediacorp employs over 3,000 employees; a large number of them are in both public and private sector broadcasting.<ref>{{cite web |title=MediaCorp's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding, Acquisitions & News |url=https://www.owler.com/company/mediacorp |accessdate=12 April 2024 |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
'''Mediacorp Pte Ltd''', better known as '''Mediacorp''', is a group of commercial media companies in ], with business interests in television and radio ], interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and ]. | |||
The company forms half of the ] ] in the country alongside ]; the company was established in its current form in 1999, following the 1994 privatization of one of its predecessors—the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)—as a group of state-owned enterprises known as Singapore International Media. | |||
Currently, Mediacorp runs 7 television channels and 12 radio channels, making it the largest media ] and provider in Singapore, and the only terrestrial TV broadcaster in the city-state. It is wholly owned by ], a government-owned investment arm.<ref></ref> | |||
Mediacorp holds a monopoly on ] in Singapore, operating six channels broadcasting in the ] of ] (] and the pan-Asian news channel ]), ] (] and ]), ] (]), and ] (]), as well as the streaming service ]. It also operates eleven radio stations, and the websites '']'' and '']''—both of which had previously operated as print publications. | |||
== History == | |||
Its monopoly on terrestrial television was briefly broken in the early-2000s by ]. In 2004, amid struggles at its two channels, SPH sold the MediaWorks subsidiary to MediaCorp in exchange for stakes in its television and publishing businesses; only its Chinese-language Channel U would continue under MediaCorp. SPH divested its stake in MediaCorp in 2017 after ''Today'' ceased print publication. | |||
=== 1935-1961: Beginnings in radio === | |||
The company group began with the advent of radio broadcasting in Singapore when the broadcasting licence was awarded to the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation (BMBC) in 21 July 1935. The company officially opened its studios and transmitters at ] two years later in 1 March 1937. The corporation was taken over by the Straits Settlement government in 1940 as a part of the British Department of Information known as Malaya Broadcasting Corporation. | |||
==History== | |||
Not long after Singapore ] in 1959, there were plans to obtain television transmission rights. This manifested into the entity Television Singapura in 4 April 1961. Television Singapura began transmission tests from 21 January to 15 February 1963, where it was launched as Singapore's first television station and officially began broadcasting. Regular broadcasts there since 3 April (later known as ]) were mainly in ] and ]. On 23 November of the same year, a second channel was launched as ], airing programmes mainly in ] and ]. | |||
===1925–1965: Pre-independence era=== | |||
Meanwhile in ], ] (]: ''Televisyen Malaysia'') began broadcasting on 28 December in time for the New Year on the next year. Television Singapura was subsequently rebranded (also to coincide with the ]) as sister channel "Television Malaysia (Singapura)". The first advertisement was aired on 1 January 1964 to reduce the station's reliance on subsidies. | |||
====First experiments==== | |||
=== 1965-1980: Radio Television Singapore (RTS) === | |||
The history of radio broadcasting in Singapore began with the formation of the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya (AWSM) in April 1925, which launched shortwave transmission from a studio in the Union Building at Collyer Quay using a 100-watt transmitter lent by the ] under callsign 1SE (One Singapore Experimental).<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 March 1925|title=LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepresswk19250311-1.2.17 |access-date=2021-04-03 |via=NewspaperSG |newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly)|language=en-SG}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Listening-In|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19250507-1.2.76|access-date=2021-04-03 |via=NewspaperSG |newspaper=] |language=en-SG}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 April 1925|title=Wireless in Malaya |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19250408-1.2.75 |access-date=2021-04-03 |via=NewspaperSG |newspaper=]|language=en-SG}}</ref> The transmissions could be received as far as ], albeit with atmospheric interferences at times.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 June 1925|title=Singapore Broadcasting |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19250625-1.2.42 |access-date=2021-04-03 |via=NewspaperSG |newspaper=]|language=en-SG}}</ref> In 1930, Sir Earl from the Singapore Port Authority commenced its short wave broadcast every fortnight either on Sundays or Wednesdays. The ] of the ] was inaugurated on 19 December 1932 as the BBC Empire Service, broadcasting on ]<ref name="WS closures 2005 analysis">{{cite news|last= Repa|first= Jan|title= Analysis: BBC's voice in Europe|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4375652.stm|access-date= 16 July 2012|work= BBC News|date= 25 October 2005|archive-date= 27 July 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080727002945/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4375652.stm|url-status= live}}</ref> and aimed principally at ] across the ]. In his first ] (1932), ] characterised the service as intended for "men and women, so cut off by the snow, the desert, or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them".<ref name="Historic moments 30s">{{cite web|title= Historic moments from the 1930s|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1122_75_years/page2.shtml|publisher= BBC World Service|access-date= 16 July 2012|archive-date= 2 May 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130502144345/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1122_75_years/page2.shtml|url-status= live}}</ref> First hopes for the Empire Service were low. The ], ], said in the opening programme: | |||
After the separation of Singapore from the Malaysian federation, all of the Television Malaysia operations in Singapore, and the radio stations, were joined together to become Radio and Television of Singapore (RTS). RTS was officially dissolved in 31 January 1980 by announcer David Gabriel,<ref>Good Evening, From Tomorrow, RADIO TELEVISION SINGAPORE -becomes- ] abbreviation change of name "SBC" took over</ref> who declared its transition as a statutory board known as the ] (SBC) the next day. | |||
<blockquote>Don't expect too much in the early days; for some time we shall transmit comparatively simple programmes, to give the best chance of intelligible reception and provide evidence as to the type of material most suitable for the service in each zone. The programmes will neither be very interesting nor very good.<ref name="Historic moments 30s"/><ref>Transcribed from recording on World Service 75th Anniversary DVD; full extract transmitted as part of opening program – the Reith Global Debate – of the 'Free to Speak' 75th anniversary season</ref></blockquote> | |||
=== 1980-1994: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation === | |||
On 3 February 1980, SBC's flagship guide Radio and TV Times were printed for the very first time, becoming an important source of weekly radio and television programme schedules serving the island. First published in English and Mandarin, these magazines also served up local and international entertainment news and trivia. (They would eventually evolve to become magazines '']'' and ''i-Weekly''. | |||
In Singapore, the BBC World Service in ] is essentially treated as a domestic broadcaster, easily available 24/7 through long-term agreement with British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation which expanded the array of programmes available for resident listeners. In 1933, Radio ZHI was launched as the first professional shortwave broadcasting station in Singapore. Owned by the Radio Service Company of Malaya, it was a shortwave radio station that delivered static-free broadcasts. Radio ZHI acquired a loyal following in Singapore and abroad. Despite its success, the station closed at the end of December 1936 when its license expired<ref>{{cite news|title=Why Kill ZHI?|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19361218-1.2.69|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=18 December 1936}}</ref> because the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation was granted the status of having the radio monopoly.<ref>{{cite news|title=MONOPOLY GRANTED TO B-M-B-C-|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19361219-1.2.65|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=19 December 1936}}</ref> | |||
On 31 January 1984, SBC's third channel ] was launched. The decade also witnessed the launch of two radio stations: Perfect 10 (now known as ]) which was Singapore's first 24-hour radio station in 1989 and ], the first Mandarin music radio station. | |||
SBC began stereo broadcasting on all of its television channels on 1 August 1990. | |||
====British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation==== | |||
A dedicated Educational television slot known as the CDIS began broadcasting solely on SBC Channel 12 on 4 January 1993. On 1 February of the same year SBC celebrated its 30 years of television broadcasting. On 7 June, SBC8 expanded its broadcasting hours on weekdays, from 3:00pm until closedown. On 1 December, SBC was the first broadcaster in Singapore to launch an international satellite television directed from Caldecott Hill and the Singapore International Foundation's regional broadcasting venture, ] (SITV). | |||
The '''British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation''' ('''BMBC''') was created on 12 April 1935 with a nominal capital of $500,000,<ref>{{cite news|title=BROADCASTING STATION IN SINGAPORE.|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19350412-1.2.57|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=12 April 1935}}</ref> formed on 21 July 1935 and awarded a broadcasting license by the ] on 1 June 1936 as a radio network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radioheritage.com/radio-malaysia-celebrates-75-years/|title=Radio Malaysia Celebrates 75 Years|website=radioheritage.com|date=3 June 2021|author=Adrian Petersen}}</ref> The station was initially scheduled to start broadcasting in 1935, but was subsequently delayed to 1936 due to initial government uncertainties.<ref>{{cite news|title=Radio Station Delay|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19350821-1.2.13|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=21 August 1935}}</ref> The station broadcast from the hill on Thomson Road.<ref>{{cite news|title=Malayan B. B. C. 's Building On Hill Off Thomson Road|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19360531-1.2.125|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=31 May 1936}}</ref> ZHL made its first broadcast of Chinese music on 10 June 1936 as an experiment.<ref>{{cite news|title=CHINESE MUSIC ON THE AIR.|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19360609-1.2.74|access-date=22 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=9 June 1936}}</ref> The BMBC conducted auditions in November 1936.<ref>{{cite news|title=Auditions For Local Radio Stars.|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19361111-1.2.140.5|access-date=22 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=11 November 1936}}</ref> On 1 March 1937 at 6pm, its studios and transmitters at ] were officially opened by ] ], aiming at a potential target audience of 10,000 listeners.<ref name=radio192446 /><ref name="RememberSingapore">{{cite web |title=Broadcasts, Dramas and Dreams… Caldecott Hill in 80 Years |url=https://remembersingapore.org/2017/04/16/caldecott-hill-broadcasts-dramas-dreams/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003044856/https://remembersingapore.org/2017/04/16/caldecott-hill-broadcasts-dramas-dreams/ |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |access-date=September 23, 2023 |publisher=Remember Singapore |quote=The new entity received complaints that its acronym SBC was easily confused with the Singapore Bus Service (SBS). Others sarcastically mocked that SBC stood for “si bei cham” (damn terrible in Hokkien).}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=OPENING BY GOVERNOR ON MARCH 1.|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19370221-1.2.77|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=21 February 1937}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=RADIO ZHL INAUGURATION TO-DAY|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/morningtribune19370301-1.2.37|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=Morning Tribune|date=1 March 1937}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=SIR SHENTON THOMAS OPENS SINGAPORE'S NEW BROADCASTER.|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19370302-1.2.84|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2 March 1937}}</ref> | |||
In a move to adjust its budget, BMBC cut the number of weekly hours in late June 1937, from the initial 34 3/4 hours to 28 3/4. The Sunday schedule was cut from seven hours to four: before the revision, the daytime period ran from 11am to 1:30pm and the evening period from 5:30pm to 10pm. This was cut to 11:30am to 1:30pm for the daytime period (reducing half an hour) and 6pm to 8pm for the evening period (cutting two and a half hours). On weekdays the schedule ran from 6pm to 10pm, simply cutting the last quarter hour on air (before then, the station closed at 10:15pm). On Saturdays, the afternoon period remained in the 12:45pm to 2pm slot, but the evening period, starting at 6pm, now ended at 9:35pm instead of 11:15pm. This also prompted ZHL to reduce the number of artists to those able to perform without paying fees. Juvenile sessions were dropped because the artists had paid more. The existing charter suggested that the daily schedule would last at least four hours, with extensions depending on listener feedback. Any potential expansion was hampered purely by lack of budget. The monthly income was of $3,500, $2,500 from the licence and $1,000 from the Municipality. There were hopes to increase the income due to the start of sponsored programmes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corporation's Attempt To Balance Budget|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19370628-1.2.53|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=28 June 1937}}</ref> Plans for shortwave broadcasting had been outlined in July 1937, despite concerns over the quality of its reception.<ref>{{cite news|title=SHORT-WAVE BROADCAST TO COVER MALAYA B. M. B. C. POLICY OUTLINED|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19370702-1.2.86|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Malaya Tribune|date=2 July 1937}}</ref> In its first trimester on air, the BMBC was operating at a loss, a cause of "grave concern" for the staff.<ref>{{cite news|title=B.M.B.C. RUNNING AT A LOSS|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/pinangazette19370903-1.2.88|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle|date=3 September 1937}}</ref> | |||
The SBC channels began a complete rebranding exercise as 1994 approached; beginning with Channel 5 launching its new look plus transferring of its Malay programming to Channel 12 on Saturday, 1 January 1994 at midnight. Channel 12 and Channel 8 completed their rebranding exercise on 1 February and 29 May 1994, respectively. On Monday, 29 August, Channel 5's flagship breakfast programme ''AM Singapore'' premiered as the first of its kind in the island. | |||
Work on the shortwave BMBC station started in October 1937, aiming at a March 1938 launch date. The station was to broadcast at a frequency of 31.48 meters daytime and 49.9 meters nighttime. The programming would be the same as the existing medium wave ZHL station.<ref>{{cite news|title=SHORT-WAVE RADIO STATION SOON|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19371003-1.2.99|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=3 October 1937}}</ref> | |||
=== 1994-1999: Privatisation as the Television Corporation of Singapore === | |||
On 1 October 1994, SBC underwent a privatisation process into becoming a new holding group called the Singapore International Media Company Group (SIM, Chinese: 新加坡國際傳媒機構) helming three companies: ] (TCS, Chinese: 新加坡電視機構), ] (RCS, Chinese: 新加坡廣播電台機構) and ] (STV12, Chinese: 新加坡電視12). | |||
In January 1938, it was announced that the BMBC would cease receiving its monthly $1,000 grant from the municipality effective the end of February.<ref>{{cite news|title=B. M. B. C. Subsidy To Cease|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/morningtribune19380129-1.2.25|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Morning Tribune|date=29 January 1938}}</ref> In the year ending February 28, 1938, the BMBC was operating at a net profit of $275.88; compared to the loss of $5,368.67<ref>{{cite news|title=B.M.B.C. SHOWS $275 PROFIT|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19380502-1.2.105|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Malaya Tribune|date=2 May 1938}}</ref> The number of listeners now stood at 4,213, up from the initial figure of 2,598 - even so, the figure was relatively lower than the planned target of 10,000 in the formal launch the previous year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Radio Listeners Increase|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19380505-1.2.17|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Budget|date=5 May 1938}}</ref> Ahead of the start of the shortwave service, it was reported that it would be picked up by over 9,000 radio receivers in Malaya - combined with over 4,000 in Singapore, the number of potential listeners was going to increase threefold.<ref>{{cite news|title=ALL MALAYA WILL SOON HEAR SINGAPORE|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19380601-1.2.179.18|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Malaya Tribune|date=1 June 1938}}</ref> The station started on 19 July 1938 under the callsign '''ZHP''' (the "P" stood for "'''P'''rogress") attracting an audience not just in Malaya, but also in Sarawak, Borneo and the Dutch Indies, especially in tin mines and rubber estates.<ref>{{cite news|title=P. For Progress|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19380720-1.2.77|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=20 July 1938}}</ref> | |||
TCS 8 began 24-hour broadcasting on 1 September 1995 after almost 32 years. The channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day. On the same day, ] split the existing Channel 12 into 2 channels: ]; a multilingual channel with programmes in Malay, Tamil, English and foreign languages were broadcast during primetime; and ], highbrow channel that specialised in niche programming such as sports, arts, culture, documentaries and children's programming. Because of the restructure, Channel 8 became the first channel to broadcast 24 hours a day permanently and became the full-fledged Mandarin channel. At the same time, all Tamil programmes were being handed over to the newly re-launched TV12's main channel, Prime 12. Channel 5 became the second TV channel broadcast 24 hours a day, starting from 29 September 1995. | |||
Thanks to the wider coverage range of ZHP, ZHL was able to broadcast more sporting events, namely horse races, tennis and the football, specifically the ]. Before the change in policy, it was more likely for attendees to go to the matches.<ref>{{cite news|title=MORE SPORT BROADCASTS|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19380728-1.2.66|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=28 July 1938}}</ref> | |||
TCS launched its own film production studio ]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1635_2010-01-31.html|title=Raintree Pictures|year=2010|accessdate=11 April 2014}}</ref> on 1 August 1998. Singapore International Media (SIM) ceased operations on 31 December 1998 to become its current form Media Corporation of Singapore, or MediaCorp for short. | |||
The shortwave frequency moved in on 1 October 1938 from 30.96 meters to 48.58 meters, under the new callsign '''ZHO''', at the request of the Posts and Telegraphs Department. The extant medium wave frequency (225 metres or 1333kc) remained unchanged.<ref>{{cite news|title=New B.M.B.C. Short Wave Transmission|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19380928-1.2.35|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942)|date=28 September 1938}}</ref> | |||
=== 1999-2008: Formation of Mediacorp, rivalry with SPH Mediaworks, additional channels === | |||
On 1 March 1999, Mediacorp launched ] (CNA) as Singapore's first national news channel, broadcasting on terrestrial analogue. | |||
In February 1939, the government started giving aid to the BMBC. The listener base was by then upgraded to 15,000 listeners: 5,000 in Singapore, a further 5,000 in the Federated Malay States, 2,000 in Penang, 1,000 in Johor and 350 in Malacca. Statistically, out of the 5,104 licence holders (number of receivers) in Singapore, 2,574 were Europeans and Eurasians, 2,023 were Chinese, 219 were Malays, 195 were Indians, 87 were Japanese and six were Siamese.<ref>{{cite news|title=B.M.B.C. TO GET MORE AID FROM GOVERNMENT|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19390219-1.2.18|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=19 February 1939}}</ref> The shortwave transmitter carrying ZHO upgraded its power in mid-1939, from 400 watts to 2 kilowatts.<ref>{{cite news|title=B. M. B. C. ANNUAL REPORT|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19390622-1.2.117|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Malaya Tribune|date=22 June 1939}}</ref> At the 1939 Annual Report, there were plans to create two separate services, an {{frac|8|1|2}}-hour European service and a {{frac|9|1|2}}-hour Asiatic one. Included in the proposal was the creation of a second medium wave transmitter for the two programmes to be delivered from the extant facilities.<ref>{{cite news|title=SINGAPORE PLAN FOR MORE BROADCASTING|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19390628-1.2.84|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=29 June 1939}}</ref> Subsequently, a second plan to increase the power of the shortwave transmitter was held in early 1940, this time increasing its coverage to reach out to the entirety of Malaya, Borneo, the Netherlands Indies and Siam. Much of the equipment used was already manufactured in Singapore.<ref>{{cite news|title=INCREASED POWER FOR B.M.B.C. TRANSMITTER Work Being Completed On The Short-Wave Unit|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19400125-1.2.22|access-date=8 August 2023|newspaper=The Straits Budget|date=25 January 1940}}</ref> | |||
On 30 January 2000 Prime 12 and Premiere 12 were renamed ]; and ] respectively. Suria became a full-fledged Malay channel while Central has its programming shared between children's programming from morning to early-evening, Tamil programmes during primetime and arts and cultural programmes at night. ], a full-fledged sports channel was also launched on the same year. | |||
====Malaya Broadcasting Corporation==== | |||
Mediacorp's television monopoly was broken in 6 May 2001 when ] (SPH) were given a television broadcasting licence, resulting in ] being established. MediaWorks offered two channels; the Chinese-language ] and English-language ], which was later renamed to ]. At the same time, MediaCorp was given the license to print, write and distribute the free daily tabloid ]. Both networks were engaged in a highly competitive pursuit for island-wide viewer ratings for several years. Eventually, to stop further economic losses, Mediacorp and ] (SPH) agreed to merge their free-to-air television and free newspaper operations after several agreements on 17 September 2004. The merger between the two networks legally completed on 31 December of that year, creating the new holding company MediaCorp Television Broadcasting Arm which would manage and operate the remaining channels. ] survived the transfer into the Mediacorp network on New Year's Day, Channel i however ceased broadcasting due to its commercial liability. | |||
The corporation was taken over by the ] government in 1940<ref>{{cite news|title=NEW MALAYAN RADIO POLICY Government To Buy B.M.B.C.|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitsbudget19400229-1.2.24|access-date=25 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Budget|date=29 February 1940}}</ref> as a part of the British Department of Information, subsequently nationalised and reorganised as the Malaya Broadcasting Corporation (MBC),<ref name=RememberSingapore /> the local counterpart to the ] (BBC). Additional ] programming was added on 16 September 1940.<ref>{{cite news|title=French Broadcasts From Singapore|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19400914-1.2.77|access-date=8 August 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=14 September 1940}}</ref> | |||
In order to counter German propaganda, a second shortwave transmitter was added on 29 September 1940, ZHP 3 (the existing transmitter was renamed ZHP 1). The station carried a special programme in German on Friday nights from 10pm to 10:30pm. The remainder of the line-up consisted of music and news, in ], ], ], ] and French. ZHL and ZHP 1 carried primarily content in English and Chinese dialects, with some Malay programming as well.<ref>{{cite news|title=Enhanced Native Broadcasts From Singapore|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/pinangazette19400925-1.2.50|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle|date=14 September 1940}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=TO-DAY'S RADIO|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/maltribune19401015-1.2.104.1|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Malaya Tribune|date=15 October 1940}}</ref> By April 1941 ZHP 2 was activated. The station was merely a relayer of ZHL's output, that was also heard on ZHP 1.<ref>{{cite news|title=Where To Listen In To-Day|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/sundaytribune19410406-1.2.75|access-date=27 September 2023|newspaper=Sunday Tribune|date=6 April 1941}}</ref> | |||
On 1 January 2007, ] was launched and Channel 5 became the first ] station in Singapore to broadcast in ]. MediaCorp also launched ], an online television service. Its radio division was forced to lock listeners from the United States out of its webcasts, due to royalty rates imposed by the ]. | |||
====Syonan Broadcasting Station==== | |||
On 19 October 2008, TV12 Central dissolved to become two separate channels: ], which succeeded the ] and ] slots of the channel; and ], a exclusively ] channel succeeding the ] slot. | |||
During World War II, when the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Singapore from 1942 to 1945, the radio station on the island of Singapore was seized by the Japanese authorities and renamed Syonan Hoso Kyoku ('Light of the South' Broadcasting Corporation, 昭南放送局, known in English as the Syonan Broadcasting Station or SBS), the local counterpart to the ] (NHK). Broadcasts under the new administration started on 13 March 1942 and broadcast over three frequencies, one in medium wave for within Singapore, another to relay output from Tokyo and a shortwave frequency aimed at the time in Australia.<ref>{{cite news|title=Syonan Radio Station Rebuilt From Ruins|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/syonantimes19430310-1.2.26?qt=syonan,%20broadcasting&q=Syonan%20Broadcasting|access-date=9 August 2023|newspaper=Shonan Times|date=10 March 1943}}</ref> After repairs, broadcasts officially started on 28 March.<ref>{{cite news|title=LOCAL BROADCASTS FROM TO-MORROW|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/syonantimes19420327-1.2.17|access-date=27 March 2023|newspaper=Shonan Times|date=28 March 1942}}</ref> Programming was at the outset of occupation airing daily from 7pm to 10pm (later the closing time moved to 10:30pm) with an additional hour-long period from 10am to 11am for educational programming. Programming was still in the same mix of languages as before but content in Japanese was added.<ref>{{cite news|title=ラヂオ ニュース|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/syonantimes19420608-1.2.19|access-date=25 September 2023|newspaper=Shonan Times|date=6 June 1942}}</ref> | |||
In June 1942, the Syonan station broadcast ] learning classes to students, installing sets in 87 schools.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nippon-Go Radio Courses For Syonan Schools|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/syonantimes19420618-1.2.11.1?qt=syonan,%20broadcasting&q=Syonan%20Broadcastingg|access-date=9 August 2023|newspaper=Shonan Times|date=18 June 1942}}</ref> | |||
=== 2008-present: Transition to digital broadcasting === | |||
] commenced their 24-hour broadcasts on 21 January 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.onscreenasia.com/article/channel-newsasia-relaunches/11424|title=Channel NewsAsia relaunches|date=21 January 2013|accessdate=21 January 2013}}</ref> On 30 September of the same year, Mediacorp shut down its Teletext service,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/teletext-end-service-month|title=Teletext to end service this month|last=|first=|date=|work=|newspaper=TODAYonline|access-date=30 December 2016|via=}}</ref> while on 16 December, all MediaCorp free-to-air channels were upgraded to ] format with new ring of upgrades accelerated for households.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
During occupation, a confidential British Far Eastern Broadcasting Service (BFEBS) was carried out by the UK to its occupied territories, briefly having its offices at Caldecott Hill. The facilities were later used as a relay station for the BBC.<ref name=RememberSingapore /> | |||
2015 saw the network's channels kick starting their high definition broadcast: Okto on 4 May and CNA on 26 May. On 8 December of the same year, Mediacorp opened its new premises at Mediapolis@] in ],<ref></ref> plus introducing its new corporate branding. Mediacorp will vacate its premises at ] progressively for a period of nine months. | |||
====Radio Singapore==== | |||
Mediacorp switched its entire broadcasting operations over to become ] on 11 December 2016. | |||
After the war, the British came back into power and reclaimed the radio station, with the station managed by the interim government – British Military Administration (BMA).<ref name=radio192446>{{cite web|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2021-04-06_144935.html|title=Radio broadcasting in Singapore (1924–46)}}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! Year | |||
! width="100" |Date | |||
! Event | |||
|- | |||
| 1994 | |||
| 1 February | |||
| ] (RSI) is a first international shortwave radio station and ] revamp the channel logo for a new look. | |||
|- | |||
| 1995 | |||
| 1 January | |||
| Programmes produced by ] were broadcast in ], via the newly established TCS International cable channel. | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
| 12 February | |||
| TCS, STV12 and CNA becomes MediaCorp TV, ] and MediaCorp News. | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
| 14 February | |||
| ] began broadcasting programmes on ] buses. | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
| 5 November | |||
| SportsCity was renamed City TV and subsequently expanded its broadcasting hours and programme output by including Chinese, Korean and Japanese content during primetime. | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
| 11 January | |||
| City TV ceased transmission due to lack of viewership. As a result, sports programming were being transferred to Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia. Korean, Japanese and Chinese entertainment were also being transferred to Channel 8. | |||
|- | |||
| 2008 | |||
| 1 January | |||
| ] came out with a new look and a new forum for Channel 5, Channel 8 and Channel U websites. | |||
|- | |||
| 2010 | |||
| 1 January | |||
| ] ceased transmission<ref>{{cite news|title=MediaCorp to discontinue TVMobile service|url=http://www.mediacorp.sg/en/media/EDC101116-0000210/MediaCorp%20to%20discontinue%20TVMobile%20service|accessdate=15 December 2009|date=15 December 2009}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| 2010 | |||
| March | |||
| ], a joint venture between MediaCorp and ] was launched.<ref>{{cite news|title=Microsoft and MediaCorp enter strategic partnership to create new online portal|url=http://www.mediacorp.sg/en/media/EDC101020-0000272/microsoft%20and%20mediacorp%20enter%20strategic%20partnership%20to%20create%20new%20online%20portal|accessdate=23 February 2010|date=23 February 2010}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| 2010 | |||
| 31 August | |||
| The premiere of '']'' was shown on ] and ] in English with Malay and Mandarin subtitles. | |||
|- | |||
| 2011 | |||
| 4 April | |||
| It launched a-ok (arts on okto) / ArtBites and broadcast on okto. | |||
|- | |||
| 2013 | |||
| 15 February | |||
| MediaCorp celebrated its first 50 years for TV transmission, during the Chinese New Year season.<ref>{{cite news|title=MediaCorp celebrates 50 years of Television|url=http://mediacorp.sg/en/media/EDC130215-0000092/MediaCorp%20celebrates%2050%20years%20of%20Television|accessdate=15 February 2013|date=15 February 2013}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| 2013 | |||
| 16 December | |||
| All MediaCorp free-to-air channels were upgraded to ] format. New ring of upgrades were accelerated for households.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|title=All MediaCorp TV channels now available in digital broadcast|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/all-mediacorp-tv-channels/924340.html|accessdate=17 December 2013|newspaper=Channel News Asia|date=16 December 2013}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| 2014 | |||
| 12 June | |||
| Sports on Okto, a block dedicated to sports programming, was launched on Okto. | |||
|- | |||
| 2015 | |||
| 1 April | |||
| xinmsn ceased operations and all of its operations were moved to Toggle and ] | |||
|- | |||
| 2016 | |||
| 26 November | |||
| The final entertainment programme to be televised live from Caldecott Hill, the 3rd episode of the 20th season of The Sheng Siong Show, and was marked with a symbolic switching off the lights of the TV theatre. | |||
|- | |||
| 2017 | |||
| 26 March | |||
| The final live telecast from Caldecott Hill from Channel News Asia's news studio. | |||
|- | |||
| 2017 | |||
| 2nd quarter | |||
| MediaCorp will completely shift out of Caldecott Hill and into Mediapolis and open its campus to the community with an array of public facilities. This marks the end of 80 years of transmission from Caldecott Hill. | |||
|} | |||
Two separate stations were introduced from 23 December 1945. The existing service was renamed '''Blue Network''', carrying programming in English and Malay. The second service, the '''Red Network''', carried content in Tamil, Hindustani and Chinese dialects. The Blue Network was carried on the 41,61,225 metre band and the Red Network, on the 41,61,300 metre band.<ref>{{cite news|title=NEW RADIO SCHEDULES Begin TODAY|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/sundaytribune19451223-1.2.29.1|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=Sunday Tribune|date=23 December 1945}}</ref> | |||
== Television == | |||
Mediacorp offers seven free terrestrial television channels, and six high-definition channels As a result of the MediaCorp-MediaWorks merger in late 2004, ] currently holds a 20% interest in MediaCorp's TV operations.<ref></ref> | |||
On 1 April 1946, Radio Malaya Singapore and the Federation of Malaya (RMSFOM; or Radio Malaya), a short- and mediumwave service, was established in Singapore. Radio news and information, as well as local entertainment, were aired on its stations in English and later ] and ]. In June 1947, the BBC initiated a one-year takeover plan of the BFEBS.<ref>{{cite news|title=B.B.C. TO CONTROL S'PORE STATION|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19470611-1.2.2|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=11 June 1947}}</ref> The plan was culminated on 8 August 1948.<ref>{{cite news|title=B.B.C. TO OPEN HERE AUG. 8|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/freepress19480731-1.2.20|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Singapore Free Press|date=31 July 1948}}</ref> | |||
Changes to programming led to the Blue Network adding some Chinese content on from 1 January 1949. Both networks increased their airtime.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Changes|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19481208-1.2.87|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=8 December 1948}}</ref> This was due to requests from individual communities, who demanded more programmes for them.<ref>{{cite news|title=RADIO PROGRAMME CHANGES|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19481208-1.2.84|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=8 December 1948}}</ref> The Chinese output gained its own station on 1 January 1951, the '''Green Network'''.<ref>{{cite news|title=CHINESE GET OWN RADIO|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19501212-1.2.60|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=12 December 1950}}</ref> | |||
Radio Malaya left the ] on 4 November 1951 at closedown.<ref>{{cite news|title=RADIO MALAYA FADES OUT OF CATHAY|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19511101-1.2.51|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=1 November 1951}}</ref> The two networks increased their schedule again in January 1952.<ref>{{cite news|title=BROADCASTS TO LAST LONGER|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19520103-1.2.143|access-date=28 September 2023|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=3 January 1952}}</ref> | |||
On the basis of the Radio Malaya broadcasters that moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1958, Radio Singapura took over on 4 January 1959 as the radio service for Singapore, organised into a station each for English, Malay and Mandarin listeners, plus a blocktime slot for Tamil speakers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_a1xwdpd9w|title=Diary of a Nation (SBC 1988) - 4 January 1959: Radio Singapura|website=] }}</ref> Shortwave broadcasts commenced on 14 February 1960, consisting of relays of extant Radio Singapore output.<ref name="eresources.nlb.gov.sg">{{cite web |date=9 February 1960 |title=Singapore radio to give shortwave broadcasts|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19600209-1.2.151 |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The frequency changed in 1961, with test transmissions in the new frequencies (7250, 6175, 6615 and 4280) were carried from mid-January.<ref name="eresources.nlb.gov.sg"/> A new radio station, ''Siaran Istimewa'', was announced in May 1961<ref>{{cite web |date=29 December 1960 |title=TEST TRANSMISSIONS BY RADIO S'PORE|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19601229-1.2.90 |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> as the nation's first multilingual radio station signing on offially on 3 June, with programming in all 4 languages airing on the 990 kc (990 kHz) band.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 June 1961 |title=SPECIAL BROADCASTS ON RADIO SINGAPORE FOR NATIONAL DAY PLANS|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19610603-1.2.81?qt=%22990%20kc%22&q=%22990%20KC%22 |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> When Singapore joined Malaysia on 16 September 1963, Radio Singapura's stations became part of Radio Malaysia and rebranded as "Radio Malaysia (Singapura)".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2021-04-06_153721.html|title=Radio broadcasting in Singapore (1946–65)}}</ref> | |||
From 2 March 1964, the Malay, Tamil and Mandarin language divisions increased their airtime.<ref>{{cite news|date=2 March 1964 |title=AND MORE PROGRAMMES FOR VERNACULAR SECTIONS, TOO |newspaper=The Straits Times |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19640302-1.2.86 |access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref> The number of radio news bulletins was increased from 29 to 42.<ref>{{cite news|date=2 March 1964 |title= | |||
More daily news broadcasts for Singapore from today |newspaper=The Straits Times |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19640302-1.2.80 |access-date=22 September 2023}}</ref> | |||
====Television broadcasting==== | |||
Shortly after Singapore ] on 3 June 1959, there were plans to obtain television transmission rights. This manifested the founding of Television Singapura on 4 April 1961. | |||
''Television Singapura'' aired test broadcasts on channel 5 from 21 January to 15 February 1963, ahead of its first official ] on the evening of 15 February 1963. Minister for Culture ] became the first person to appear on Singapore TV, announcing that "Tonight might well mark the start of a social and cultural revolution in our lives." The first programme aired was a documentary, ''TV Looks at Singapore''. The pilot service would broadcast for one hour and 40 minutes nightly; at the time, it was estimated that only one in 58 Singaporeans owned a television.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lim Ann Qi|first=Angela|title=PROGRAMME FOR TV PILOT SERVICE|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630214-1.2.34.11|access-date=19 January 2020|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=14 February 1963}}</ref> | |||
On 2 April 1963, Channel 5 was officially inaugurated by ] ]; the service expanded to 7:15 to 11:00 p.m. nightly. By September, its broadcast day had been lengthened to begin at 6:30 p.m.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lim Ann Qi|first=Angela|title=Television Singapura The Straits Times|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630402-1.2.88|access-date=19 January 2020|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=2 April 1963}}</ref> Initially, Channel 5 carried programmes in all four of ]. On 31 August, ] started trial broadcasts,<ref>{{cite news|date=31 August 1963 |title=Television Singapura to mark Solidarity Day |newspaper=The Straits Times |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630831-1.2.98?qt=%22channel%205%22&q=%22Channel%205%22 |access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref> before starting its regular service on 23 November 1963.<ref>{{cite web |title=S'PORE TV ON TWO CHANNELS FROM TODAY |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19631123-1.2.77 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=8 August 2023 |date=23 November 1963}}</ref> | |||
In January 1964, Television Singapura became the state branch of the new ] from Kuala Lumpur and was subsequently rebranded as sister channel "Television Malaysia (Singapura)". ], Singapore, like its three other partners–Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya—had its own radio network, but Singapore was the only state to have its own television network. The state's radio and television broadcast right was included as an annex in the ] which garnered autonomy in this area, among others. | |||
Television advertising started on 15 January 1964.<ref name=commercialtvinnauguration>{{cite news|title=Commercial TV inauguration|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19640110-1.2.57?ST=1&AT=advanced&K=%22tv%20singapura%22&KA=%22tv%20singapura%22&DF=01%2F01%2F1964&DT=28%2F02%2F1964&Display=0&NPT=&L=&CTA=&QT=%22tvsingapura%22&oref=article|access-date=28 July 2020|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=10 January 1964}}</ref> | |||
===1965–1980: Radio Television Singapore=== | |||
After the separation of Singapore from the Malaysian federation, its radio and television outlets became part of Radio Television Singapore (RTS), a division of the Ministry of Culture. This led to expansions of the network, including a move to the new $3.6 million Television Centre at Caldecott Hill on 27 August 1966.<ref>{{cite web |date=26 August 1966 |title=New era of service for the viewers |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19660826-1.2.69 |access-date=10 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Within days of independence, TV Singapura's main studio was damaged by a fire on the afternoon of 16 August 1965; this did not affect Radio Singapore's broadcasts.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 August 1965 |title=New era of service for the viewers |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19650816-1.2.3 |access-date=20 July 2024 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
An FM service was announced in January 1967, set to start in June or July of that year, where the four existing stations would be relayed.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 January 1967 |title=Radio Singapura to have F.M. service|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19670112-1.2.57 |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The experimental FM service started testing in May 1967 and upgraded to a pilot service on 23 June, with FM being ideal for Singapore's size.<ref>{{cite web |date=23 June 1967 |title=Latest public amenities for people in Republic|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19670623-1.2.158.3 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The service went regular on 15 July, broadcasting over five frequencies: 94.2 (Malay), 95.8 and 96.8 (Chinese), 96.8 (Tamil) and 92.4 (English).<ref>{{cite web |date=23 June 1967 |title=FM stereo test runs|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19670715-1.2.71 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Test broadcasts of the FM Stereo service started on 18 July 1969 using the 92.4 frequency.<ref>{{cite web |date=17 July 1969 |title=Regular FM service on Radio S'pura|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19690717-1.2.21 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> New radio studios were built in 1972, starting with the addition of the Radio House, then in 1975 by a new complex costing $4.2 million.<ref name="RememberSingapore" /> | |||
From 30 March 1973, Channel 5 began focusing on English and Malay-language programmes, while Channel 8 would focus on Chinese- and Tamil-language programmes.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 March 1973 |title=NEW TIMES FOR TV SCREENING FROM FRIDAY |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19730327-1.2.46?qt=rts,%20%22channel%205%22,%20tamil&q=%22RTS%22%20%22Channel%205%22%20%22Tamil%22 |access-date=14 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> On 24 October 1973, RTS aired a 40-minute documentary titled ''Addiction: Three Experiences'', chronicling the lives of three drug addicts. The documentary was given a Special Commendation by the ] in 1974.<ref>{{cite news |title=Prize winning SBC film on Ch 3 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830315-1.2.120 |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=15 March 1983}}</ref> | |||
In January 1974, RTS bought two ] transmitters worth $700,000. The old transmitters installed in 1966 would remain as standby equipment.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 January 1974 |title=RTS buys two colour TV transmitters costing $700,000 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19740127-1.2.18 |access-date=17 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> On 2 May 1974, the two channels conducted colour test broadcasts of '']'',<ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 1974 |title=Colour TV films go on test from today |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19740502-1.2.67 |access-date=17 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> followed in July by its first live colour broadcast—the ]. About 2,000 colour television sets were sold in Singapore three days before the match.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lim Ann Qi|first=Angela|title=Singapore Colour Live Telecast on FIFA World Cup Via Satellite Transmission|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19740707-1.2.37.1|access-date=19 January 2020|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=7 July 1974}}</ref> On 9 August, that year's ] became the first live broadcast to be produced by RTS in colour.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lim Ann Qi|first=Angela|title=Singapore First Colour Television|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19740809-1.2.107.1|access-date=19 January 2020|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=9 August 1974}}</ref> The second phase of the pilot colour service began on 11 November 1974, with newsreels being converted to colour, but it still had to air monochrome newsreels because some of the footage available was still in black and white. The number of weekly hours given to colour programming increased from two to four on weekdays and four to six on weekends.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 October 1974 |title=TV newsreels in colour from Nov 11 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19741027-1.2.5 |access-date=17 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
In honour of the impending launch of full-time colour broadcasts, RTS held a contest to design a new logo. After 662 submissions, the winning design by Loh Hong Liat and Lawrence Wong Heng Kwok was unveiled in August 1975. Lok designed the letters "R and T" which represent recording, while Wong designed the letter "S".<ref>{{cite web |date=5 August 1975 |title=Pemenang peraduan cipta logo RTS terima cek $250|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19750805-1.2.20.1 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Full-time colour broadcasts began on 1 November 1977.{{Cn|date=March 2024}} | |||
RTS radio stations began extending broadcasting hours of programmes in stereo on 3 April 1978, adding technical costs to the broadcaster.<ref>{{cite news |title=Longer hours for stereo listeners |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19780225-1.2.56 |access-date=7 February 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=25 February 1978}}</ref> | |||
In accordance with the ], the RTS radio stations moved their frequencies effective 23 November 1978: | |||
*English Service: 630 kHz | |||
*Chinese Service: 680 kHz → 675 kHz | |||
*Multilanguage Service: 790 kHz → 792 kHz | |||
*Malay Service: 990 kHz | |||
*Tamil Service: 1370 kHz → 1368 kHz | |||
Since their frequencies were already spaced in the multiples of 9 kHz before the Geneva Frequency Plan, the English and Malay stations had their frequencies unchanged.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 October 1978 |title=Radio frequencies to be changed|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19781003-1.2.46?qt=%22792%20khz%22&q=%22792%20KHZ%22 |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
===1980–1994: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation=== | |||
] | |||
The ability for RTS to grow was hampered by administrative and budgetary constraints, leading to frequent turnover in staff, and a reliance on imported programmes rather than domestic productions. In September 1979, an act was proposed in the ] to separate RTS from the Ministry of Culture, and replace it with a new statutory body known as the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). The SBC was envisioned as an autonomous, state-owned enterprise akin to ] and comparable to the BBC in the United Kingdom and its neighbours' RTM and TVRI.<ref>{{cite web |date=8 September 1979 |title=RTS may go statutory to raise its standards |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19780908-1.2.36 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=13 September 1979 |title=HEIR TO RTS |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19790913-1.2.67.19 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The SBC Act was approved in parliament on 12 January 1980.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 January 1980 |title=SBC act approved |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800112-1.2.6 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
A competition for a new SBC logo was initiated in January 1980. The characteristics of the new brand were to be "simple and attractive", while not having more than three colours, including the background. The winner would receive a cash prize worth $5,000.<ref>{{cite web |date=17 January 1980 |title=$5,000 PRIZE FOR SBC LOGO |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800117-1.2.33 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
The government officially dissolved RTS on 31 January 1980 and transferred its assets to the SBC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/19fe790d-ffda-49ed-a925-ec237e7dda6e|title=Singapore Broadcasting Corporation is established - Singapore History|website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg}}</ref> The rebrand was not ceremonious. Ahead of closedown, an announcement was made telling viewers of the rename. The following morning, at 6 a.m., SBC formally started with no preamble, with the only visible changes being a new interim ] logo, updated ] sequences, and a new news intro.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 February 1980 |title=New SBC plays it low key |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19800203-1.2.3 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The new logo competition finished on 16 February. A preliminary selection was determined by five judges on 22 February. At first the logo was set to be introduced in March.<ref>{{cite web |date=26 February 1980 |title=4.042 logo diterima |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19800221-1.2.12 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> A total of 4,042 entries were received.<ref>{{cite web |date=21 February 1980 |title=SBC logo competition draws 4000 entries |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19800226-1.2.22 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The new logo was unveiled to the public on 18 May 1980.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 May 1980 |title=SBC's NEW LOGO |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800519-1.2.14 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The winner was Laurence Wong Heng Kwok—who had previously co-designed the RTS logo.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 May 1980 |title=TV-radio time to be extended |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800519-1.2.41 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Its programming had not changed much following the relaunch, to the point that some viewers mockingly said that "SBC" stood for "Same Boring Channel",<ref>{{cite web |date=26 March 1981 |title=Entertainment is SBC's main weakness says Soo Khoon |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19810326-1.2.26.9 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> while some confusing it for the ] (SBS) and others pejoratively nicknaming it "'''s'''i '''b'''ei '''c'''ham" which meant "damn terrible" in Hokkien.<ref name=RememberSingapore /> SBC introduced "weather girls" on 1 May 1980 for its English news broadcasts, before expanding to other languages in 1981. The format ended in March 1982 because it wanted the weather report to be the same as the other languages and the "weather report within the news bulletin was adequate".<ref>{{cite news |title=BEHIND THE CAMERA with Kannan Chandran |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19820306-1.2.114.5 |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=6 March 1982}}</ref> From June 1980, SBC would start sponsoring the ] on its television channels, which it anticipated could bring in an additional S$1 million in revenue.<ref>{{cite web |date=21 February 1980 |title=SBC time clock may earn $1m |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800502-1.2.40 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> SBC began adapting a new format for its television news broadcasts in August 1980.<ref name="here's">{{cite news |title=Here's to good news |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19800724-1.2.120.9.1 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=24 July 1980}}</ref> The new format would feature two newscasters and more on-location reporting.<ref name="here's" /> | |||
SBC introduced ] for the ] campaign on 17 December 1980, with the People's Action Party getting 12 minutes of broadcast, the United Front and the Workers' Party three minutes each and United People's Front three and a half minutes.<ref>{{cite news |title='Siaran Parti Politik' ke udara malam ini |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19801217-1.2.62?qt=siaran,%20politik&q=siaran%20politik |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=Berita Harian (Singapore) |date=17 December 1980}}</ref> The shortest available broadcasts were for parties with six candidates with two and a half minutes.<ref name="tak dapat" /> The participating parties were required to send five copies of their manifestos to SBC. A final broadcast was held on 22 December.<ref name="tak dapat">{{cite news |title=4 parti tak dapat muncul di TV? |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19801206-1.2.13?qt=siaran,%20politik&q=siaran%20politik |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=Berita Harian (Singapore) |date=6 December 1980}}</ref> | |||
The English-language current affairs programme ''Friday Background'' debuted in March 1981.<ref name="mixed">{{cite news |title=Goodbye, SBC — many memorable moments, but a mixed legacy |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940925-1.2.74.16.1 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=25 September 1994}}</ref> In April 1981, to maximise SBC's resources in improving its sports presentation, the Malay and Chinese versions of the corporation's sports programme ''Sports Parade'' were cancelled; the programme now only airs in English.<ref>{{cite news |title=SPORTING LANGUAGE |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19810210-1.2.75.2 |access-date=18 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=10 February 1981}}</ref> | |||
In May 1981, on the day President ] was pronounced dead, SBC's television channels cancelled their regular programming and replaced them with "solemn music and serious documentaries". The next day, the corporation aired two episodes of ''Destiny'' and an episode of ''Sandiwara'', which SBC thinks were too serious to be aired. SBC also decided not to repeat the state funeral of Sheares because it would "lend levity to a sad occasion".<ref>{{cite news |title=Distasteful to have repeat telecast? |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19810517-1.2.51 |access-date=18 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=17 May 1981}}</ref> | |||
On 1 January 1982, SBC renamed its radio stations: | |||
*Radio 1 (English; present-day Gold 905) | |||
*Radio 2 (Malay; present-day Warna 942) | |||
*Radio 3 (Chinese; present-day Capital 958) | |||
*Radio 4 (Tamil 6am to 9pm and Chinese 9pm to midnight; present-day Oli 968) | |||
*Radio 5 (Classical Music, the former FM Stereo; present-day Symphony 924) | |||
The revamp was the result of a 1978 survey where listeners preferred entertainment programming over talk.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 December 1981 |title=New Year gift: New-sound radio|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19811216-1.2.125.8.1?qt=%22radio%20one%22&q=%20%22Radio%20One%22 |access-date=9 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
On 30 March 1982, SBC 5 began airing the children's storytelling programme ''Share A Story,'' with the Tuesday's broadcast aimed at 3 to 5-year-old children and the Thursday's broadcast aimed at 6 to 9-year-old children.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV series to help kids speak better |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19820330-1.2.4 |access-date=18 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=30 March 1982}}</ref> In 1982, commercial breaks during prime time on SBC 5 were four minutes long with six to nine advertisements squeezed in, while SBC 8's were eight to ten minutes.<ref>{{cite news |title=It all ads up: Two is best, five is the limit |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830123-1.2.25 |access-date=12 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=23 January 1983}}</ref> On 1 February 1983, SBC's television news broadcasts received a new studio set, described as "duck-egg blue" and "three-dimensional". A special semi-circular table was created for the set. The previous set was "pink" in colour. The new set was inspired from news and current affairs programmes in the United States.<ref name="look for">{{cite news |title=New look for TV news |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830202-1.2.155.8.2 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=2 February 1983}}</ref> Other changes include each newscaster reading different stories<ref name="look for" /> and more graphics and illustrations.<ref name="look for" /> | |||
The next day, SBC launched ''Newswatch'', a children's news programme aimed at 10 to 14-year-old children<ref name="serious">{{cite news |title=Kannan Chandran describes SBC's first attempt at serious journalism for children |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830115-1.2.115.2 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=15 January 1983}}</ref> It would air three times a week for 10 minutes; every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:20 pm.<ref name="serious" /> The idea for ''Newswatch'' was suggested by the-then Cultural Minister in 1980<ref>{{cite news |title=Newswatch debut shows it has much potential |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830203-1.2.48 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=3 February 1983}}</ref> and planning for its creation started the following year,<ref name="serious" /> involving the studying of similar news programmes such as '']''<ref name="on TV">{{cite news |title='Here is news' on TV for children |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830114-1.2.9 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=14 January 1983}}</ref> and ''Video Despatch''.<ref name="serious" /> The development for Newswatch was headed by SBC news executive Myrna Thomas and is assisted by William Earl of ].<ref name="on TV" /> The initial presenters of ''Newswatch'' were Woon Liew and Shantini Sundram.<ref name="serious" /> Toh Seng Ling, who presented Newswatch in 1990, would later become the newscaster for ''News 5 Tonight'' in April 2001.<ref>{{cite news |title=New host, new look for News 5 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20010430-1.2.22.3 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=Today |date=30 April 2001}}</ref> | |||
SBC Radio 1 and SBC Radio 3 started carrying hourly news bulletins on 1 May 1983.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 April 1983 |title=Radio news by the hour|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830428-1.2.121.7.3 |access-date=8 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
On 31 January 1984, SBC launched ], a new television service devoted to cultural programming. In connection to its launch, the English and Mandarin news bulletins had their length extended to 30 minutes the following day. The move was taken considering mass interest in Cantonese productions in Malaysia, as well as the limited number of Mandarin speakers in the country. Musical programmes were also included in the agreement, and would also be distributed to Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Europe and North America.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 January 1984 |title=TV news to include commercial breaks |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19840113-1.2.25.18 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> On 30 July, SBC started dubbing its series to ] for the video market in Malaysia, in a contract with Unity Records that was valid from 1 September.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 January 1984 |title=SBC serials to be dubbed in Cantonese |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singmonitor19840731-1.2.7.9 |access-date=24 March 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
SBC began on-camera coverage of Parliament proceedings in 1985.<ref name="mixed" /> ''Today in Parliament'' began on 1 March 1985 with a one-hour long broadcast.<ref>{{cite news |title=Move on, Renmington Steele |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850302-1.2.22.12.10 |access-date=12 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=2 March 1985}}</ref> Studio 6, a studio specially made for local programmes especially dramas, was completed in early 1985.<ref>{{cite news |title=More air time for local dramas |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850207-1.2.24.39 |access-date=22 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=7 February 1985}}</ref> | |||
Advertisements on SBC in 1986 were limited to four for a half-hour programme and eight for an hour-hong programme.<ref name="nerves" /> In May 1986, SBC introduced "subtitle ads", advertisements appearing as a single-line sentence or one letter at a time and appear for 10 seconds. This format is used to compensate for the advertisement limit imposed by the corporation. However, they only appear on programmes that do not have translation subtitles. While this advertisement format enabled more companies to advertise on television due to its cheaper rates, it has caused irritation among viewers.<ref name="nerves">{{cite news |title=New-style SBC ads get on viewers' nerves |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19860511-1.2.23.17 |access-date=12 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=11 May 1986}}</ref> | |||
On 3 August 1987, by request from listeners overseas, SBC began adding financial news bulletins from Radio 5 on the shortwave versions of Radio 1 and 3, while FM and mediumwave listeners can tune in to regular programming during the bulletin.<ref>{{cite news |title=SBC financial news on short-wave too |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19870730-1.2.28.15 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=30 July 1987}}</ref> In August 1988, SBC news broadcasts adopted a new "upbeat and viewer-friendly" look. The backdrop is now that of the skyline of Singapore. It generated positive response from viewers.<ref>{{cite news |title=SBC news takes on a more glamorous look |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19881119-1.2.32.7 |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=19 November 1988}}</ref> | |||
On 1 January 1989, SBC launched two new radio stations: ] (airing English contemporary hits for youth) and ] (airing Mandarin music). | |||
SBC stopped airing Late News bulletins on Channel 12 in English and Channel 8 in Mandarin on 2 January 1989 due to fewer news developments happening between the main news and the late news bulletins.<ref>{{cite news |title=SBC to stop Late News service from Jan 2 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19881209-1.2.36.13 |access-date=22 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=9 December 1988}}</ref> | |||
Two further radio services were announced in December 1989: 93.3 (airing Mandarin music) and a yet-unnamed MOR service (which would later become ]). The former was scheduled to launch on 1 January 1990, similar to Perfect 10 the year before. The existing numbered radio services had some changes: broadcasting hours on Radios 2 and 4 (Malay and Tamil) were extended to 2 a.m.<ref name="launch"/> in June 1989, along with Radio 3 (Chinese) but only on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays,<ref>{{cite news |title=Making music in the midnight hour |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19891019-1.2.51.11.1 |access-date=12 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=19 October 1989}}</ref> and Mandarin language broadcasts were phased out from Radio 5.<ref name="launch">{{cite web |date=8 December 1989 |title=SBC to launch new English and Mandarin radio channels|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19891208-1.2.38.11 |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The MOR service, Class 95, started on 1 April 1990.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 April 1990 |title='Classy' SBC radio station goes on air today|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19900401-1.2.24.22 |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> "Ria" (airing popular Malay music) started later. | |||
93.3 at its beginning was also known as '''Radio 6'''.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 March 1990 |title=As the dial turns|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19900304-1.2.67.5.2 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The station would also have the same broadcasting hours as almost all of SBC's radio stations.<ref>{{cite news |title=Welcome addition but 'format and hours leave room for improvement' |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19900109-1.2.32.3 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=9 January 1990}}</ref> | |||
SBC announced on 21 February 1990 that it would begin ] stereo broadcasts by August that year, spending $3.5 million in the installation of the systems.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 February 1990 |title=SBC to broadcast in stereo from August|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19900222-1.2.31.13 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Channel 5 began stereo broadcasting on 8 August 1990, the first programme in the new format being ''Countdown to National Day 90''.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 July 1990 |title=Countdown to N-Day is SBC's first stereo effort|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19900727-1.2.39.5 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> With the start of stereo broadcasts, SBC invested $5 million to upgrade its production facilities for the new technology.<ref>{{cite web |date=14 October 1990 |title=SBC to invest $5 m more towards stereo programmes|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19901014-1.2.22.5 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Channel 12 followed in December.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 December 1990 |title=SBC 12 goes stereo|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19901201-1.2.47.7.3 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Business Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Additionally, SBC had further ambitious projects throughout the 90s, costing a grand total of $700 million: a new studio complex, upgraded equipment and transmission facilities and the development of new programmes and staff. To minimize congestion from Caldecott Hill, a second facility was to be opened tentatively from ], the location of the television transmitter.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 November 1990 |title=SBC to spend $700m on new projects|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19901102-1.2.30.8 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
By the early 90s, SBC's Mandarin drama series were already being exported to places such as China and Canada.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 December 1991 |title=BG Yeo: SBC to be privatised in 2 years' time | |||
|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19911219-1.2.2 |access-date=18 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
Up until 1991, broadcasts of the television channels started and ended with multilingual greetings (Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, English), in what was known as the "good-night girls". The start-up and closedown sequence, including the ], was known in Singaporean terminology as a "presso". From then on, SBC replaced the videos, which changed annually, by a CGI animation created by Ong Lay Hong, that was to be used in both start-ups and closedowns. The new video bagged a bronze medal at the ] Title Fair in June 1991, out of more than thirty entries from Asia. Such animation conveyed "human warmth" by including footage from SBC programmes, and the music was arranged to match the multi-ethnic nature of Singapore, incorporating drum beats, sitars and violins.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 September 1991 |title=Good-night, good-bye |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19910922-1.2.42.27.2 |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Four of the five numbered SBC radio stations got their names changed over the course of several months from late 1991 to early 1992. Radio 2 was renamed Warna; Radio 3, The City Channel; Radio 4, Olikkalanjiam and Radio 5, Symphony. Radio 1 maintained its name since the station was "well established as a leader".<ref>{{cite web |date=4 November 1991 |title=New names for four SBC radio stations|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19911104-1.2.29.5 |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
SBC began accepting programmes from production houses in 1992. One of the first programmes commissioned was Kalau Dapur Tak Berasap from Communications 2000.<ref name="real">{{cite news |title=It's a real train for escape scene |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19980212-1.2.68.3.1 |access-date=28 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=12 February 1998}}</ref> SBC ended live broadcasts of parliament proceedings in June 1992; earlier the corporation trialed broadcasts of the Budget debate. SBC's highlights of parliament coverage continued but only as a 15-minute broadcast.<ref>{{cite news |title=Case for live telecast |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19920602-1.2.26.1 |access-date=12 December 2023 |work=Business Times |date=2 June 1992}}</ref> | |||
In January 1993, SBC added 20 hours a week of broadcasting hours for its television channels. As a result, each channel refined its identity {{endash}} SBC 5 will only air English and Malay shows, SBC 8 with Mandarin and Tamil and SBC 12 with "serious fare" and sports. Some programmes were reshuffled, while newer programme genres, including talk shows and classic TV in the form of sitcom reruns were introduced.<ref name="small">{{cite news |title=Surprises on the small screen |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19921122-1.2.51.14 |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=22 November 1992}}</ref> The corporation also introduced ]; originally began in 1992 with the Saturday morning cartoon slot "Nine to Twelve".<ref name="small" /> | |||
An educational programming block known as CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore) began airing on Channel 12 on 4 January 1993 produced by the Ministry of Education for SBC similar to Malaysia's ] and the then Indonesian ] blocktime service on ]. On 1 February of that year, SBC celebrated its 30 years of television broadcasting. Before 7 June 1993 Channel 8 continued to sign-on as late as 5:50pm, On that day itself, Channel 8 expanded its airtime, now broadcasting from 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and at 9:00 a.m on saturdays (3:00 p.m before the increase). In November that year, SBC announced a satellite television network named ] (SITV), to start on 1 January 1994. The service was to be operated by the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) with the aim of promoting the Singaporean way of life abroad, and was to broadcast over a rented transponder in the Palapa satellite from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. nightly.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 November 1993 |title=S'pore to beam TV shows to Asia |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19931111-1.2.2 |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
By 1993, SBC had ambitions to produce more local content and broadcasting hours on channels 5 and 12, with Malay content scheduled to move to Channel 12.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 September 1993 |title=Windfall from SBC |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19930905-1.2.47.4.2 |access-date=12 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Channel 8 would stick to the existing formula of Mandarin and Tamil.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 September 1993 |title=Longer hours on SBC next year |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19930904-1.2.11.1.3 |access-date=12 September 2023 |website=The Business Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> SBC made its first attempt at producing an English drama by producing the made-for-TV movie ''Time Tomorrow'', which aired on 9 March 1993.<ref>{{cite news |date=14 March 1993 |title=She could not get through; but SBC did |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19930314-1.2.47.10.1 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> | |||
In 1993, SBC launched a ] programme called ''Sell-a-Vision'' (provided by Quantum International and represented locally by LeisureMart Pte Ltd) which broadcast twice daily for two hours a day on its television channels and was expected to run until May 1994. However, ''The Straits Times'' writer Cherian George mentioned that ''Sell-a-Vision'' was not part of SBC's twelve minutes of advertising per hour rule.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 March 1994 |title=Sell-a-vision: Has SBC sold out? |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940306-1.2.50.6.3 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> It would also expand to SBC 8 in October 1994.<ref>{{cite news |date=28 August 1994 |title=Page 24 Advertisements Column 1 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940828-1.2.36.1 |access-date=12 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> | |||
On 1 January 1994, Channel 5 moved its remaining Malay programming to Channel 12, and re-launched as an English-language channel. On the same day, AM radio broadcasts were cut without prior warning.<ref>{{cite web |date=8 January 1994 |title=MW band cut with no warning |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940108-1.2.50.7?qt=%22medium%20wave%22,%20singapore&q=%22medium%20wave%22%20%22singapore%22 |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Radio Singapore International (RSI) was launched on 1 February 1994 as the official radio international broadcasting company in Singapore, airing news and current affairs, lifestyle, and music programming in English, Malay, Mandarin and ].<ref name="about1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rsi.sg/aboutus.htm|title=About us|publisher=Radio Singapore International|accessdate=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127161435/http://www.rsi.sg/aboutus.htm|archive-date=27 November 2005}}</ref><ref name="resource1">{{cite news |date=1 February 1994 |title=New regional radio service starts today |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940201-1.2.33.2 |access-date=9 August 2023 |newspaper=The Straits Times}}</ref> | |||
SBC began preparing for 24 hour broadcasts for its information-based radio stations in late 1993. 93.3 started 24 hour broadcasts on 1 May 1994; Radio One on 16 May 1994; Class 95 in June<ref name="call2">{{cite news |date=14 May 1994 |title=Can't sleep at 3 am? Call the radio deeiay |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940514-1.2.72.6.7 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> and City Sounds 95.8 in October<ref name="call2" /> (later moved to December).<ref>{{cite news |date=7 July 1994 |title=Six new deejays for SBC's City Sounds |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940707-1.2.61.6.4 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> ] launched on 23 September 1994, playing sentimental Mandarin pop music.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 September 1994 |title=Third Mandarin radio station starts up today |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940923-1.2.67.5.2 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> | |||
===1994–1999: Privatisation=== | |||
On 18 December 1991, the Minister of Information and the Arts ] announced that the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation was to be ] within a period of two years. Its three television channels would be placed under the control of "two or three companies" and the radio stations spun off to a separate company. There were already talks with foreign investors from Hong Kong and the United States regarding the possibility of allowing potential stakes in the new companies.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 December 1991 |title=SBC to go private in two years |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19911219-1.2.4 |access-date=18 August 2023 |website=The Business Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The decision was delayed in March 1993 from year-end 1993 to year-end 1994 to allow for greater competition in the region and abroad.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 March 1993 |title=SBC's likely privatisation delayed one year to end-'94 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19930318-1.2.10.1 |access-date=18 August 2023 |website=The Business Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> SBC held a committee for the names of the new corporations. One peculiar suggestion came from lettering artist Rathna Kumari, who suggested that the facilities service was to be called "The Backbone", the radio network "Silksound" and the company in charge of channels 5 and 8 "FutureVision".<ref>{{cite news |date=27 August 1994 |title=Quirkiness lives too |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940827-1.2.46.2.4 |access-date=27 September 2023 |publisher=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
In September 1993, SBC announced that Malay programming would be moved to SBC 12 and expanded, and SBC 5 would become an English-language channel.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 September 1993 |title=All Malay shows on SBC 12 from next year |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19930901-1.2.34.6 |access-date=9 August 2023 |newspaper=The Straits Times}}</ref> On 1 January 1994, SBC 5 relaunched with its new English-language format as Channel 5.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=19 December 1993 |title=35 hours of TV to ring in 1994 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19931219-1.2.105.18 |access-date=12 October 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> Singapore International Television launched the same day, broadcasting an hour of programming for international audiences nightly via satellite; the channel opened with a special edition of Channel 5's ''Inside Asia'' followed by a relay of its 10:30 p.m. news. The first half hour was to be devoted to current affairs and lifestyle programming.<ref>{{cite web |date=23 December 1993 |title=Jan 1 launch for SIF's satellite TV broadcasts |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19931223-1.2.32.12?qt=television,%20maldives&q=Television%20Maldives |access-date=17 August 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Radio Singapore International (RSI) was launched on 1 February 1994 as the official international radio broadcasting company in Singapore, airing news and current affairs, lifestyle, and music programming in English, Malay, Mandarin and ].<ref name="about1" /><ref name="resource1" /> 93.3 started 24 hour broadcasts on 1 May 1994, followed by Radio One on 16 May 1994, Class 95 in June,<ref name="call" /> and City Sounds 95.8 in December.<ref>{{cite news |title=Six new deejays for SBC's City Sounds |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940707-1.2.61.6.4 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=7 July 1994}}</ref><ref name="call">{{cite news |title=Can't sleep at 3 am? Call the radio deeiay |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940514-1.2.72.6.7 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=14 May 1994}}</ref> ] launched on 23 September 1994, playing sentimental Mandarin pop music.<ref>{{cite news |title=Third Mandarin radio station starts up today |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940923-1.2.67.5.2 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=23 September 1994}}</ref> | |||
On 1 October 1994, SBC was formally privatised into the new holding company Singapore International Media (SIM), with four business units: Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS, which controlled Channel 5 and 8), Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS), Singapore Television Twelve (STV12, which controlled Channel 12) and SIM Communications (SIMCOM).<ref>{{cite news|date=1 October 1994 |title=A NEW ERA DAWNS IN SINGAPORE BROADCASTING |newspaper=] |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/straitstimes19941001-1.1.60|access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> The Singapore Broadcasting Authority allocated $40 million per annum of money to TV12 to provide 45 out of the 60 hours a week of public service broadcasting, with 19 hours for arts, sports and culture programming, 15 for Malay programming and 11 for Indian programming. The rest of the hours was funded by TV12.<ref name="arts" /> | |||
In early 1995, TCS scrapped the duty officers, who were responsible to gauge feedback from viewers. The programme advisory committee {{endash}} which were made up of members of the public and were useful for internal check {{endash}} were also scrapped.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV delivers audiences to advertisers, entertainment and news come second |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19950423-1.2.79.22.1 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |issue=23 April 1995}}</ref> TV12 moved to the Bestway building sometime in July 1995.<ref name="arts">{{cite news |title=More Malay, Indian programmes plus arts, sports |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19950802-1.2.62.3.1 |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=2 August 1995}}</ref> | |||
On 1 September 1995, Channel 8 expanded into a 24-hour network focusing exclusively on Mandarin-language programmes, while its Tamil programming was assumed by ]—a relaunch of Channel 12 which focused on multilingual programming. TV12 also launched a UHF spin-off channel known as ], which featured arts, culture, documentaries, children's, and sports programmes.<ref name="arts2">{{cite news |date=2 August 1995 |title=More Malay, Indian programmes plus arts, sports |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19950802-1.2.62.3.1 |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=31 August 1995 |title=More as TV 12 splits into 2 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19950831-1.2.34.2?qt=%22premiere%2012%22&q=%22Premiere%2012%22 |access-date=27 August 2023 |website=The New Paper (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
In October 1995, TV12 was originally asked by the Singapore Broadcasting Authority to launch another classical music station in response to changes in RCS' 92.4, but later turned down due to the lack of funding from the authorities.<ref>{{cite news |title=92.4 FM steps up volume on classicals |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19951021-1.2.73.4.5 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=21 October 1995}}</ref> | |||
TCS viewed Channel 5 and Premiere 12 as practising "complementary programming" as much as possible, as Channel 5 was positioned as a mass appeal channel while TV12 catered to the special interest audience, with the latter promising to not appeal to the lowest common denominator.<ref name="arts"></ref> However, the separation of TCS and TV12 had caused the channels of both companies competing each other with similar programming at the same time slot, causing viewers to have less choice.<ref>{{cite news |title=Psychic link or unsporting conduct? |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19960505-1.2.74.30.1 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=5 May 1996}}</ref> Local programming production on TV12, especially Prime 12, is 60% coming from production houses while 40% comes from TV12 itself, using personnel from Vision Production.<ref name="real"></ref> | |||
On the occasion of TCS' third anniversary, its executive Daniel Yun said that its two channels, Channel 5 and Channel 8 will become more Singaporean with increasing local productions and its viewers become increasingly bilingual. Yun pointed out that they are not just channels for the "English-educated yuppie" and "the HDB heartlander" respectively.<ref>{{cite news |title=Channels 5 and 8 will become very S'porean |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19971019-1.2.92.19 |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=19 October 1997}}</ref> | |||
In March 1998, George Yeo announced at the Parliament that RCS would launch three new radio stations later in the year {{endash}} ], ] and an unnamed financial radio station.<ref>{{cite news |title=One FM goes for news and gold |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19980422-1.2.93.2.5 |access-date=27 January 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=22 April 1998}}</ref> On 1 March 1999, TCS launched ] (CNA), a local ].<ref>{{cite web |date=1 March 1999 |title=Launch of Channel NewsAsia |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/1999030102.htm |access-date=22 November 2019 |website=NAS}}</ref> TCS launched its own film production studio ] on 1 August 1998. | |||
===1999–2015: Media Corporation of Singapore=== | |||
] | |||
] | |||
On 15 June 1999, the Singapore International Media group of companies restructured as the Media Corporation of Singapore (MediaCorp). The new name was created to avoid confusion with the ]. There were unfounded rumours of a merger between TCS and STV12, which were denied by Richard Tan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Teo |first1=P. L. |date=16 June 1999 |title=SIMple change of name for media group.(p. 3) |url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19990616-1.2.78.4.1 |access-date=14 July 2019 |work=The Straits Times}}</ref> MediaCorp later announced the creation of new strategic business units in July:<ref>{{cite web |date=7 July 1999 |title=New sports channel coming your way |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19990707-1.2.77.6.3 |access-date=29 August 2024 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
*TV Channel Management (channels 5 and 8, upcoming sports channel) | |||
*Public Broadcasting (Singapore Television Twelve, namely Prime 12 and Premiere 12) | |||
*Radio (12 stations owned by the Radio Corporation of Singapore) | |||
*TV/Film Production and Distribution (programme production and distribution units of TCS, STV12 and subsidiary companies) | |||
*News and Current Affairs (Channel NewsAsia) | |||
*Print Media (Caldecott Publishing) | |||
*Multimedia (multimedia units of all subsidaries). | |||
On 30 January 2000, MediaCorp launched three new channels. Prime 12 and Premiere 12 were relaunched as ] and ] respectively; Suria would be a Malay-language channel, while Central would be divided into three dayparted ] under the brands "Kids Central" (children's programming), "Vasantham Central" (Tamil-language programming), and "Arts Central". ], a sports channel, was also launched the same day.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 2000 |title=Programme Ratings for STV12 Channels Soared on Debut! |url=http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/tv12_ratings.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010627114642/http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/tv12_ratings.htm |archive-date=27 June 2001 |access-date=24 January 2020 |website=MediaCorp Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=February 2000 |title=STV12 to Increase Programming Hours on Central |url=http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/tv12_central.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010410010024/http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/tv12_central.htm |archive-date=10 April 2001 |access-date=24 January 2020 |website=MediaCorp Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=30 January 2000 |title=Page 45 Miscellaneous Column 1 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes20000130-1.2.61.1 |access-date=23 May 2024 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> In September 2000, CNA launched an international feed, intending to expand the service into a ] network.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 September 2000 |title=Asian launch of Channel NewsAsia |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/data/pdfdoc/2000092803.htm |access-date=29 December 2019 |website=NAS}}</ref> On 10 November, ] was launched as a ] to compete with ]' '']''.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 August 2000 |title=ROLLING OUT NEW PAPERS |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes20000806-1.2.33.16?qt=%22media%20corporation%22&q=%22Media%20Corporation%22 |access-date=19 July 2024 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The newspaper was owned by MediaCorp, ], and ], with ] pulling out two days earlier.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Abdul Rahim |first1=Zackaria |date=10 November 2000 |title=TODAY is here |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/today20001110-1.2.5.3 |access-date=23 September 2019 |website=Today (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 November 2000 |title=DelGro pulls out of new newspaper |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes20001109-1.2.6.3 |access-date=1 August 2019 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Ernest Wong was appointed CEO of MediaCorp on 1 October 2000. He had worked with the corporation since 1994, when he joined the Audit Committee of what would become Singapore International Media. Among his accolades in the group were the start of its news channel and its international expansion, as well as the investment in the internet and theatrical businesses.<ref>{{cite web |title=CHAIRMAN STATEMENT ON THE APPOINTMENT OF MR ERNEST WONG AS MEDIACORP GROUP CEO - DELIVERED AT A MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD ON 29 SEP 2000 |url=http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/tv_20000929.htm |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=MediaCorp Group |date=29 September 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010410004910/http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/tv_20000929.htm |archive-date=10 April 2001}}</ref> At the time, the government planned to list MediaCorp on the stock market by the end of 2000 or the start of 2001.<ref>{{cite web |title=MediaCorp may be listed late this year |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes20000929-1.2.9.1 |website=The Business Times (retrieved from NLB) |access-date=28 September 2023 |date=29 September 2000}}</ref> | |||
On 12 February 2001, MediaCorp completed its establishment of a new senior management team, with Wong serving as CEO of the holding company (Media Corporation of Singapore Pte Ltd) and MediaCorp TV, Farrell Meisel as ] (COO) of MediaCorp, Kenneth Tan as COO of MediaCorp TV, Woon Tai Ho as COO of MediaCorp TV12, and Chua Foo Yong MediaCorp as COO of MediaCorp Radio.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 February 2001 |title=MediaCorp Group New Management Team at MediaCorp & New Business/Collabrotions/Program Acquisition |url=http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/mcgp_20010212.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011222212156/http://corporate.mediacorpsingapore.com/press_release/mcgp_20010212.htm |archive-date=22 December 2001 |access-date=23 September 2019 |website=MediaCorp}}</ref> | |||
MediaCorp's monopoly on free-to-air television was broken in May 2001, when the Singapore government granted new free-to-air licenses to ], a subsidiary of publisher Singapore Press Holdings. The company launched two channels in English and Chinese respectively, TVWorks (later ]) and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian20010823-1.2.15.7.2|title=Iklan TV berganda|publisher=]|date=23 August 2001|accessdate=2 May 2019|page=8}}</ref> In late-2004, citing financial issues, SPH announced an agreement to merge its television business with that of Mediacorp; SPH would transfer Channel i and U to MediaCorp, take a 20% stake in MediaCorp TV, and a 40% stake in ''Today'', while discontinuing its competing ''Streats''.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 September 2004 |title=Media rivals strike deal to curb losses |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes20040918-1.2.2 |access-date=14 September 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=18 September 2004 |title=DETAILS OF THE DEAL: |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20040918-1.2.4 |access-date=14 September 2023 |website=Today (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
Channel i was shut down on 1 January 2005 as it was not considered to be economically viable, while Channel U continued as a complementary service to Channel 8.<ref>{{cite news|last=Koh|first=Joyce|date=8 December 2004|title=SPH, MediaCorp to retrench 204 staff, absorb 297|newspaper=The Business Times|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article.aspx?articleid=biztimes20041208-1.2.7.2}}</ref> Alongside the takeover, Channel 8 amended its Chinese name from ''Dì bā bō dào (''{{zh|s=|t=第八波道|p=|l=}}) to ''Bā píndào'' ({{zh|s=|t=八频道|p=|l=}}) to match the notation that had been used by Channel U ({{Lang-zh|p=Yōu píndào|c=优频道}}); MediaCorp explained that the change was meant to reflect the integration of SPH and its ideas into the company.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 December 2004 |title=It will be Pin Dao from Jan 1 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20041222-1.2.46.5 |access-date=24 September 2023 |website=Today (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> | |||
On 21 October 2004, Mediacorp hosted the first Singapore Radio Awards with nominations only open to its radio stations.<ref>{{cite news |title=Radio awards |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes20040930-1.2.70.5 |access-date=10 February 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=30 September 2004}}</ref> In July 2005, Mediacorp renewed a transmission agreement with the ] (BBC) to extend the broadcast of the ], which has been aired in Singapore since 1976.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20050706-2.2.10.4|title=MediaCorp, BBC renew radio agreement|publisher=]|date=6 July 2005|accessdate=25 April 2019|page=8}}</ref> In May 2007, the company hired an experienced senior management staff team to help steer the company to strengthening position in the Asian region.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20070530-1.2.10.5|title=New faces, new challenges|publisher=]|date=30 May 2007|accessdate=1 May 2019|page=8}}</ref> On 11 November 2007, Mediacorp launched ], the first high definition television channel in Singapore.<ref>{{cite web |title=MediaCorp's HD channel – HD5 – lifts off |url=http://www.corporate.mediacorp.sg/press_release/pr_1192408181.htm |access-date=22 September 2019 |website=MediaCorp |date=13 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323115410/http://www.corporate.mediacorp.sg/press_release/pr_1192408181.htm |archive-date=23 March 2010}}</ref> | |||
In 2007, in effort to establish a new generation of actresses, MediaCorp identified and grouped the seven most ] upcoming actresses from Singapore in the 2000s, namely ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], then all in their twenties, and referred to them collectively as "Seven Princesses of MediaCorp" (新传媒七公主).<ref>{{Cite web |title=娱乐吃瓜:15年过后 "七公主"都过得如何了? {{!}} 早报 |url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20220628-1287420 |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=www.zaobao.com.sg |language=zh-Hans}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=洪 |first=铭铧 |date=28 February 2007 |title=新传媒七公主 谁是未来阿姐? |work=] |quote="新传媒力捧新生代女艺人上位,目前第一阶段行动已见成果,号称七公主的新生代一字排开,包括20岁的姚懿珊,23岁的陈凤玲,24岁的白薇秀,25岁的芮恩,25岁的谢宛谕,27岁的刘芷绚和28岁的欧萱。" "MediaCorp strives to promote the new generation of female artists, and the first phase of action has seen results. The new generation known as the Seven Princesses line-up, including 20-year-old Dawn Yeoh, 23-year-old Felicia Chin, 24-year-old Joanne Peh, 25-year-old Rui En, 25-year-old Fiona Xie, 27-year-old Jesseca Liu and 28-year-old Jeanette Aw."}}</ref> A similar grouping of its male artistes for similar reasons was carried out in 2014, grouping eight promising upcoming Mediacorp actors from ] in the 2010s, namely ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], and were collectively known as the "8 Dukes of Caldecott Hill".<ref>{{Cite web |title=All hail the 8 Dukes: Who will reign supreme? - Toggle |url=http://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/entertainment/localbuzz/photos/all-hail-the-8-dukes-who-will-5252298#slideshow-1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912101834/http://entertainment.toggle.sg/en/entertainment/localbuzz/photos/all-hail-the-8-dukes-who-will-5252298#slideshow-1 |archive-date=2017-09-12 |access-date=2017-09-12 |website=Toggle}}</ref><ref name="AsiaOne">{{Cite web |date=2015-03-12 |title=Up-and-coming actors not among Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes nominees |url=https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/and-coming-actors-not-among-star-awards-top-10-most-popular-male-artistes-nominees |access-date=2021-08-26 |website=AsiaOne |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Seah">{{cite news |last1=Seah |first1=May |date=7 May 2014 |title=Dawn of the Dukes |url=http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/television/dawn-dukes |access-date=17 March 2017 |work=TODAYonline |language=en}}</ref> | |||
All Mediacorp radio stations converted to 24/7 broadcasting from 1 January 2008. At the time, the only stations that still closed down were Capital 95.8, Ria 89.7, Symphony 92.4, 938LIVE and 96.3 The International Channel (renamed XFM later in 2008).<ref>{{cite web |date=28 December 2007 |title=Radio all day and all night|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20071228-1.2.56.4 |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=Today (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> In February, Mediacorp acquires 20% stake in Chinese outdoor advertising firm, Dahe Media, awhile at the same time, the company entered a strategic investment partnership with Vietnamese company, the International Media Corporation (IMC) in which they will "look forward to lending expertise in the areas of programming, branding, promotion, management and airtime sales".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20080222-2.2.10.1|title=MediaCorp makes strategic investment in Vietnam's Internal Media Corporation|publisher=]|date=22 February 2008|accessdate=29 April 2019|page=6}}</ref> | |||
In March 2008, it was announced that Central would be split into two separate channels, with Vasantham Central being spun-off as a full-time channel serving the Tamil community, and children's and arts programming moving to a new channel.<ref name="wong1">{{cite web |last1=Wong |first1=Alicia |date=1 March 2008 |title=Dedicated Indian and kids TV channels |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/today20080301-1.2.6.1 |access-date=24 March 2020 |website=Today (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref> The changes took effect in 19 October of that year, with the launch of the new ] and ] channels.<ref>{{cite web |date=21 October 2008 |title=Two more to savour |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/today20081021-1.2.30.11 |access-date=30 October 2019 |website=Today (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref><ref name="wong1"/> In August 2008, MediaCorp also launched ], an online television service.<ref name="S.2011">{{citation |author=Sharma, Ravi S. |title=Understanding the Interactive Digital Media Marketplace: Frameworks, Platforms, Communities and Issues: Frameworks, Platforms, Communities and Issues |date=31 October 2011 |pages=121– |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AuieBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA121 |publisher=IGI Global |isbn=978-1-61350-148-1}}</ref> | |||
Owing to the diminished effectiveness of a shortwave radio service over time with changing technology and media consumption habits, RSI was dissolved on 31 October 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=Radio Singapore International to stop transmission |url=http://corporate.mediacorp.sg/press_release/pr_1212480863.htm |access-date=22 September 2019 |website=MediaCorp |date=3 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415070755/http://corporate.mediacorp.sg/press_release/pr_1212480863.htm |archive-date=15 April 2009}}</ref> | |||
In January 2009, Mediacorp established its Interactive Media Division where its online and mobile properties will be consolidated into a new division.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20090103-1.2.29.6|title=MediaCorp sets up interactive media division|publisher=]|date=3 January 2009|accessdate=25 April 2019|page=22}}</ref> In March, Mediacorp was among 6 ASEAN broadcasting companies including ], ] (MNC) and ] jointly to form a regional broadcasting alliance, ] to carry out an alliance to cooperate in three areas—content, sales and marketing, and technology—and take advantage of economies of scale and combined markets that the region can offer.<ref name="Smart Alliance formed">{{cite web |title=ASEAN broadcasters forge SMART Alliance |url=http://www.corporate.mediacorp.sg/press_release/pr_1237886951.htm |accessdate=22 September 2019 |website=MediaCorp |date=24 March 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417060228/http://www.corporate.mediacorp.sg/press_release/pr_1237886951.htm |archivedate=17 April 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ASEAN broadcasters forge SMART Alliance |url=http://www.casbaa.com/news/member-press-release/asean-broadcasters-forge-smart-alliance/ |accessdate=27 September 2020 |website=CASBAA |date=24 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20090325-2.2.4.8|title=A Smart alliance of six|publisher=]|date=25 March 2009|accessdate=29 April 2019|page=8}}</ref> In December, the company began to phased out its cost-cutting measures and restoring full pay for its staffs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20091208-2.2.4.6|title=MediaCorp to restore full pay|publisher=]|date=8 December 2009|accessdate=25 April 2019|page=8}}</ref> | |||
In 2009, Mediacorp was appointed as the media partner for the ] in ] with ] providing news coverage in a year-long partnership. The appointment makes the company became the first global media partner of the exhibition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20090409-1.2.94.14|title=WORLD EXPO 2010 SHANGHAI: MEDIACORP A GLOBAL MEDIA PARTNER|publisher=]|date=9 April 2009|accessdate=2 May 2019|page=74}}</ref> Mediacorp had extended its partnership with the Japanese public broadcaster, ] for another 3 years, until 2012, during The Asian Pitch competition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20090711-1.2.8.13|title=MEDIACORP AND NHK EXTEND PARTNERSHIP|publisher=]|date=11 July 2009|accessdate=29 April 2019|page=14}}</ref> In March 2010, the company signed a licensing deal with Global Yellow Pages in which the deal allows Mediacorp reproduced or using the latter's data on its online classified advertising platform Mocca on a "revenue-sharing arrangement".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes20100316-1.2.9.9.1|title=Global Yellow Pages in deal with MediaCorp|publisher=]|date=16 March 2010|accessdate=5 May 2019|page=7}}</ref> | |||
In March 2011, Mediacorp announced an "organisational alignment and movements" in its sales business which took effect on 1 April.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20110319-1.2.25.3|title=MOVEMENTS IN MEDIACORP’S SALES BUSINESS|publisher=]|date=19 March 2011|accessdate=2 May 2019|page=24}}</ref> On 12 August, Mediacorp selected ] and Maki and Associates as the architects of its new campus, which to be located at Mediapolis@one-north.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20110813-1.2.7.9|title=MediaCorp unveils design for its new campus|publisher=]|date=13 August 2011|accessdate=1 May 2019|page=6}}</ref> | |||
In 2012, the company partnered with French mobile advertising firm Sofialys "to implement a new multi-platform advertising serving solution".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20120713-1.2.53.3|title=MediaCorp, Sofialys tie up on mobile ad solutions|author=Wong Siew Ying|publisher=]|date=13 July 2012|accessdate=29 April 2019|page=46}}</ref> In August 2013, Mediacorp consolidated its sole Malay channel, ] and its two Malay radio stations, ] and ] into a new division, known as the Malay Broadcast Division.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian20130802-1.2.7.1|title=Divisyen Siaran Melayu gabung Suria, Warna, Ria|publisher=]|date=2 August 2013|accessdate=1 May 2019|page=2}}</ref> | |||
In April 2015, Mediacorp retrenched its 33 staffs as part of its corporate restructuring exercise.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian20150410-1.2.6.4.1.1|title=MediaCorp hentikan 33 kakitangan|author=Norhaiza Hashim|publisher=]|date=10 April 2015|accessdate=25 April 2019|page=4}}</ref> In June, Mediacorp set up its Digital Group to overseen products and services for online consumers and marketers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20150629-1.2.34.2|title=MediaCorp to sharpen digital strategy with Digital Group|publisher=]|date=29 June 2015|accessdate=5 May 2019|page=26}}</ref> | |||
===2015–present: New headquarters and transition to digital=== | |||
] | |||
On 8 December 2015, Mediacorp officially opened a new headquarters at ]'s Mediapolis development. The 12-storey complex was designed by ] and Maki and Associates and features a "fenceless" design with four studios, a 1,500-seat "broadcast-ready" theatre, and an integrated multi-platform newsroom. The company expected to complete the migration from its previous ] facilities by July 2016. Alongside the new headquarters, Mediacorp also unveiled a new logo, which was designed to reflect the broadcaster's "vibrancy" and "multiplicity", acting as an "a window to the world and a reflection of life".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/mediacorp-officially-launches-new-campus|title=New logo a 'window to the world' as Mediacorp opens new campus|website=TODAYonline|access-date=6 January 2020}}</ref> | |||
In April 2017, Mediacorp began to phase out print publication of ''Today'' by discontinuing its weekend editions. The weekday editions were then discontinued in September 2017, leaving ''Today'' as a digital publication.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Three-year plan' sees Today digital-only in buyback deal |url=https://www.gxpress.net/article/5034/-three-year-plan-sees-today-digital-only-in-buyback-deal |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=www.gxpress.net |language=en}}</ref> SPH would concurrently divest its stakes in Mediacorp for S$18 million.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2017-09-30 |title=SPH completes sale of Mediacorp stakes |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/sph-completes-sale-of-mediacorp-stakes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320051106/https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/sph-completes-sale-of-mediacorp-stakes |archive-date=20 March 2021 |access-date=2017-12-30 |work=The Straits Times |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes20170826-1.2.8.2|title=SPH to divest Mediacorp stakes for $18m|publisher=]|date=26 August 2017|accessdate=29 April 2019|page=4}}</ref> In September 2018, magazines ] and ''i-Weekly'' ceased print publications and went solely on their digital platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-12 |title=8 Days and i-Weekly magazines to go digital-only, last print editions in September {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/8-days-and-i-weekly-magazines-to-stop-print-editions |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}</ref> ''i-Weekly'' would later merge with ''Channel 8 News'' to form '']'' for Chinese news, entertainment and lifestyle contents. | |||
Analogue broadcasting of Mediacorp channels ended at midnight on 2 January 2019, transitioning exclusively to digital television.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/five-things-to-know-about-digital-tv-before-analogue-tv-transmissions-cease-from-jan-2|title=5 things to know about digital TV before analogue TV transmissions cease from Jan 2|date=21 December 2018|website=The Straits Times|language=en|access-date=5 January 2020}}</ref> | |||
On 1 May 2019, Okto was discontinued as a standalone channel, with its children's programming becoming a daytime ] on Channel 5 under the ''Okto on 5'' branding.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mothership.sg/2019/02/okto-closing-down-merging-with-channel-5/|title=okto closing down, merging with Channel 5|author=Matthias Ang|publisher=]|date=20 February 2019|accessdate=23 July 2019}}</ref> Okto's sports programming was moved primarily to other Mediacorp outlets.<ref>{{cite web |title= Mediacorp integrates English-language channels Channel 5 and okto|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mediacorp-channel-5-okto-english-tv-programmes-11261968|website=Channel NewsAsia |date=20 February 2019 |access-date=20 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mediacorp-to-integrate-okto-channel-with-channel-5-from-may|title= | |||
Mediacorp to integrate okto channel with Channel 5 from May|author=Toh Ting Wei|publisher=]|date=20 February 2019|accessdate=23 July 2019}}</ref> Channel 8 similarly rebranded its existing children's block as ''Okto尽在8'' (lit. ''Okto on 8'') | |||
On 30 January 2020, Mediacorp rebranded its digital media platforms Toggle, MeRadio and MeClub as ], meListen and meRewards respectively. The rebranding came as part of the broadcaster's "Made for You" initiative to build multi-platform services "designed around consumers' preferences and consumption habits".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.contentasia.tv/news/singapore%E2%80%99s-mediacorp-aligns-digital-services-toggle-meradio-poofed-jan-2020-%E2%80%9Cme%E2%80%9D-takes-over|title=Singapore's Mediacorp aligns digital services; Toggle, MeRadio poofed from Jan 2020 as "me" takes over|website=ContentAsia|access-date=4 March 2020}}</ref> | |||
The company partnered with technology company, Amobee on 24 February 2021 to launched Mediacorp AdDirect, a self-service advertising solution platform which "provides an easy, efficient and effective way for businesses to reach their target customers".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mediacorp.sg/corporate/news-release/media-releases/mediacorp-addirect-to-simplify-ad-buying-for-all-businesses-14307466|title=MEDIACORP ADDIRECT TO SIMPLIFY AD BUYING FOR ALL BUSINESSES|publisher=Mediacorp|date=24 February 2021|accessdate=23 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-launches-self-service-ad-platform-to-address-ad-woes|title=Mediacorp unveils new automated ad buy platform, starts with TV spots|publisher=Marketing Interactive|date=24 February 2021|accessdate=23 July 2021}}</ref> | |||
In July 2022, Mediacorp collaborated with ] to set up a new centre for omnichannel marketing to aid small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which intended to "provide training to SMEs" and "support them in planning, creating, and driving omnichannel marketing campaigns".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-nanyang-polytechnic-aid-smes|title=Mediacorp and Nanyang Polytechnic partner to aid SMEs in omnichannel marketing|publisher=Marketing Interactive|date=12 July 2022|accessdate=12 May 2023}}</ref> The company also partnered with ] (WWF) in November to produce science-based edutainment content for ] in order to "build a factually accurate source of engaging edutainment for kids".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-and-wwf-sg-scale-science-based-edutainment-for-sg-kids|title=Mediacorp and WWF SG scale science-based edutainment for SG kids|author=Chloe Tan|publisher=Marketing Interactive|date=1 November 2022|accessdate=12 May 2023}}</ref> | |||
In December 2022, the company entered partnership with ], ] and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to produce and acquire video content.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-partners-youtube-and-baby-shark-creator|title=Mediacorp partners YouTube and Baby Shark creator to beef up content slate|author=Chloe Tan|publisher=Marketing Interactive|date=9 December 2022|accessdate=12 May 2023}}</ref> | |||
On 16 January 2023, Mediacorp announced a rebranding of nearly all of its properties, which officially took effect on 1 February. The properties adopted a unified branding scheme based around ], with logos prefixed by an encircled Mediacorp insignia, and branding elements also incorporating a ] formed from the top of the insignia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-16 |title=Mediacorp refreshes logo with focus on 'M' prefix |url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-refreshes-logo-with-focus-on-m-prefix |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Marketing-Interactive |language=en}}</ref> The company signed a deal with global technology research company, Ecosystm in May 2023 to engage with commercial and content collaborations. The deal combined Ecosystm's "research and thought leadership" with Mediacorp's "creative capabilities and wide audience reach".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-partners-with-ecosystm-to-drive-stronger-engagement-with-audiences|title=Mediacorp partners with Ecosystm to drive stronger engagement with audiences|author=Camillia Dass|publisher=Marketing Interactive|date=24 May 2023|accessdate=12 May 2024}}</ref> | |||
In December 2023, Mediacorp signed an agreement with Taiwanese production company Mission International for content development at the Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF). Both companies also will co-develop scripts ranging from different genres.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/asia/mediacorp-mission-international-development-agreement-1235825496/|title=Singapore’s MediaCorp, Taiwan’s Mission International Sign Development Agreement at ATF|author=Naman Ramachandran|publisher=]|date=7 December 2023|accessdate=19 April 2024}}</ref> | |||
==Services== | |||
===Television=== | |||
Mediacorp operates six ] ] broadcast in the four ] of the country (], ], ] and ]). The company holds a ] on ] within the country. | |||
<div style="height: px; overflow: auto;"> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
! Channel | |||
|- style="background:dodgerblue; color:white" align="center" | |||
! Frequency | |||
| '''Ch No''' || '''Channel''' / '''Slogans''' || '''Channel content''' || width="14%" | '''Transmission''' ||'''Format''' || '''Launch Date''' || '''Website''' | |||
! Name | |||
|- | |||
! ] | |||
|802 (DVB-T2)||]/"It's Good to be Home on 5"||A ] ] ] and ] ] ] for the ] community in ].||]||]||1 January 2007 (DVB-T) (] ])|| | |||
! Language | |||
|- | |||
! Picture format | |||
|2 (]); 102/802 (])||]/"It's Good to be Home on 5"||A ] ] and ] ] ] for the ] community in ].||] and ]||]/]||15 February 1963 (] ])<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=MediaCorp Interactive History|url=http://www7.mediacorp.sg/interactivehistory/|publisher=MediaCorp|accessdate=24 October 2012}}</ref><br>16 December 2013 (DVB-T2) (] ])<ref name=history/>|| | |||
! Type | |||
|- | |||
! Broadcast area | |||
|4 (]); 104/804 (])||]/"Sinar Bersama Anda"||A ] and ] ] ] for the ] community in ].||] and ]||]/]||30 January 2000 (] ])<ref>{{cite web|title=Suria Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/MediacorpSuria/info|accessdate=24 October 2012}}</ref><br>16 December 2013 (] ])|| | |||
! Transmitter site | |||
|- | |||
! ] | |||
|5 (]); 105/805 (])||]/"Live It Up"|| A ] ] ] and ] ] for the ] community in ].||] and ]||]/]||] (] ])<ref>{{cite web|title=Channel U Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/channelu/info|accessdate=24 October 2012}}</ref><br>28 March 2017 (] ])|| | |||
! ] | |||
|- | |||
! Opening date | |||
|3 (]); 103/803 (])||] / "Heavy head of entertainment , see little faster"||A ] ] and ] ] ] for the ] community in ].||] and ]||]/]||23 November 1963 (] ])<ref>{{cite web|title=Channel 8 Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/MediaCorpCh8/info|accessdate=24 October 2012}}</ref><br>16 December 2013 (] ])|| | |||
|-style="background:#faebd7" | |||
|- | |||
| rowspan=2|29 | |||
|6 (]); 106/806 (])||]/"Naalthorum Navarasam"||A ] and ] ] ] for the ] community in ].||] and ]||]/]||19 October 2008 (] ])<ref name=history/><ref name=two_new_channels>{{cite news|last=Seah|first=May|title=Two new free-to-air channels launch in Singapore|url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/384243/1/.html|accessdate=24 October 2012|newspaper=Channel NewsAsia|date=21 October 2008}}</ref><br>16 December 2013 (] ])|| | |||
| rowspan=2|538] | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
|7 (]); 107/807 (])||]/"Understand Asia"||A ] ] ] & ] ] in ] such as international news ], information, ] & ], ] & ]s.||] and ]||]/]||1 March 1999 (] ])<br>26 May 2015 (] ])<ref name=history/>|| | |||
| 2<sub>]</sub> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
|8 (]); 108/808 (])||]/"It's ok to call the shots"||A ], lifestyle, ], ], ], ] and ] ] for the ] community in ].||] and ]||]/]||19 October 2008 (] ])<ref name=two_new_channels/><br>4 May 2015 (] ])|| | |||
| rowspan=6|] (] ]) | |||
|} | |||
| rowspan=4|] | |||
| rowspan=6|]<br>]/] (])<br>]/], ] (]) | |||
| rowspan=6|] | |||
| {{Ya}} | |||
| rowspan=2|] ] ] | |||
| {{launch date and age|15 February 1963}} (as TV Singapura)<br>{{launch date and age|2 April 1963}} (as TV Singapura Channel 5) | |||
|-style="background:#faebd7" | |||
| ] | |||
| 4<sub>]</sub> | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Na}} | |||
| {{launch date and age|31 January 1984}} | |||
|-style="background:#faebd7" | |||
| rowspan=2|31 | |||
| rowspan=2|554] | |||
| ] | |||
| 3<sub>]</sub> | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Ya}} | |||
| rowspan=2|] ] ] | |||
| {{launch date and age|31 August 1963}} (Test transmissions)<br>{{launch date and age|23 November 1963}} (Official) | |||
|-style="background:#faebd7" | |||
| ]{{efn|replacing ] formerly by ]}} | |||
| 5<sub>]</sub> | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Na}} | |||
| {{launch date and age|1 September 1995}} | |||
|-style="background:#faebd7" | |||
| rowspan=2|33 | |||
| rowspan=2|570] | |||
| ] | |||
| 6<sub>]</sub> | |||
| ] | |||
| ] and ] | |||
| {{Ya}} | |||
| rowspan=2|] ] ] | |||
| {{launch date and age|1 March 1999}} | |||
|-style="background:#faebd7" | |||
| ] | |||
| 7<sub>]</sub> | |||
| ] | |||
| ] ] | |||
| {{Na}} | |||
| {{launch date and age|6 May 2001}} | |||
|}</div> | |||
===Radio=== | |||
=== Notable TV shows from Mediacorp === | |||
Mediacorp operates twelve ], with eleven domestic stations, as well as a relay of the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mediacorp.sg/en/corporate/radio |title=MediaCorp: Radio |access-date=28 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325085456/http://www.mediacorp.sg/en/corporate/radio |archive-date=25 March 2014 }}</ref> The company's ] service was discontinued on 1 December 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Digital radio from MediaCorp to cease |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1162810/1/.html |access-date=22 September 2019 |website=Channel NewsAsia |date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102153518/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1162810/1/.html |archive-date=2 November 2011}}</ref> Mediacorp's stations dominate listenership in the country, owning all but one of the top ten stations in Singapore based on average listenership according to surveys by ] in 2024, with its stations having an average weekly listenership of 3.93 million in total.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mediacorp radio stations land 9 out of top 10 spots in Nielsen survey, record 3.93 million weekly listeners |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/938-yes-933-987-mediacorp-radio-stations-listeners-nielsen-rating-survey-4480626 |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=CNA |language=en}}</ref> | |||
{{Split section |List of television programmes broadcast by Mediacorp |discuss={{TALKPAGENAME}} |date=January 2017}} | |||
==== TV drama and sitcom series ==== | |||
<div style="height: px; overflow: auto;"> | |||
;Chinese language | |||
{|class="wikitable" | {|class="wikitable" | ||
! Year | |||
! Name of drama | |||
! Description | |||
|- | |- | ||
! Frequency || TRP (kW) || Station || RDS || Language || Genre || Broadcast area || Transmitter site || Opening date | |||
| 1982 | |||
| '']''<br>实里达大劫案 | |||
| First Singaporean ]. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 88.9 MHz || 5 || ] || BBC_WS__ || ] || ]/] || rowspan=12 | ] || rowspan=12 | ] || {{launch date and age|19 December 1932}} as the '''BBC Empire Service''' | |||
| 1984 | |||
| '']''<br>雾锁南洋 | |||
| The first epic drama. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 89.7 MHz || 6 || ] || RIA897|| ] || ] (]) || {{launch date and age|1 December 1990}} | |||
| 1993<br>1996<br>2002 | |||
| '']''<br>双天至尊 | |||
| First drama series in Singapore about gambling. Its three seasons were released in 1993, 1996 and 2002 respectively. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 90.5 MHz || 6 || ] || GOLD905 || ] || ] || {{launch date and age|1 March 1937}} as '''ZHL''' <small>(under ''British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation'')</small> | |||
| 1996 | |||
| '']''<br>敢敢做个开心人 | |||
| The first local Chinese sitcom. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 92.4 MHz || 10 || ] || SYMPHONY924 || ] || ] || {{launch date and age|18 July 1969}} as '''FM Stereo Service''' | |||
| 1998 | |||
| '']''<br>神雕侠侣 | |||
| The most expensive ] drama ever produced by MediaCorp, based on ]'s novel. The serial made waves in the Taiwan and China markets and was repeated due to overwhelming audience demand. It also made screen idols out of ] and ], who were the charismatic leads. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 93.3 MHz || 6 || ] || YES933 || ] || ] (]/]) || {{launch date and age|1 January 1990}} | |||
| 2003 | |||
| '']''<br>荷兰村 | |||
| A long-running Chinese drama in Singapore TV history with 125 episodes. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 93.8 MHz || 6 || ] || CNA938 || ] || ]/] || {{launch date and age|2 October 1998}} as '''NewsRadio 938''' | |||
| 2004 | |||
| '']''<br>喜临门 | |||
| A long-running Chinese drama, it had 142 episodes in two parts. The first part was shown from May to August, while the second part began in October. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 94.2 MHz || 10 || ] || WARNA942 || ] || ] (]) <br/> ] || {{launch date and age|1959|01|04|df=y}} as '''Radio Singapore''' and '''Malay Service''' | |||
| 2005 | |||
| '']''<br>同心圆 | |||
| A long-running Chinese drama with 100 episodes in two parts. The first part (60 episodes) aired from May to July, while the second part (40 episodes) began in October. Was nominated for best drama serial in 2005, but lost to '']''. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 95.0 MHz || 6 || ] || CLASS95 || ] || ]|| {{launch date and age|1 April 1990}} as '''Radio 7''' | |||
| 2007 | |||
| '']''<br>手足 | |||
| MediaCorp's long-running 83-episode Chinese drama in 2007. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 95.8 MHz || 10 || ] || CAPITAL958 || ] || ] (]) <br/> ]/] || {{launch date and age|1 January 1951}} as '''Green Network''' | |||
| 2008 | |||
| '']''<br>心花朵朵开 | |||
| MediaCorp's long-running 113-episode Chinese drama in 2008. | |||
|- | |||
| 2008 | |||
| '']''<br>小娘惹 | |||
|A 34-episode blockbuster on ] culture in pre and post-] ], celebrating ]'s 45th anniversary. It is the first drama to have been broadcast through ] in dual sound. Awarded Best Drama Series Award in Star Awards 2009. | |||
|- | |||
| 2009 | |||
| '']''<br>未来不是梦 | |||
| A 20-episode drama about Singapore's ] sector, commissioned by the ]. Filming was conducted in ] and ], and was partially filmed in ], the leads were also interviewed by ]. This drama was featured on ] ]. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 96.8 MHz || 10 || ] || OLI968 || ] || ] (]) <br/> ] || {{launch date and age|1 January 1951}} as '''Red Network''' | |||
| 2009 <br> 2010 | |||
| '']''<br>想握你的手 | |||
| MediaCorp's long-running 180-episode Chinese drama in 2009, and also the mid-year drama in 2010 (2nd half version). | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 97.2 MHz || 6 || ] || LOVE972 || ] || ] (]) || {{launch date and age|23 September 1994}} | |||
| 2009 | |||
| '']''<br>当我们同在一起 | |||
| A 36-episode drama celebrating MediaCorp Channel 8's 46th anniversary. Awarded Best Drama Series Award in Star Awards 2010. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 98.7 MHz || 6 || ]|| 987FM || ] || ] || {{launch date and age|1 January 1989}} as '''Perfect Ten 98.7FM''' | |||
| 2011<br>2013<br>2014 | |||
|}</div> | |||
2016 | |||
| '']''<br>警徽天职 | |||
| A police blockbuster trilogy in collaboration by the ]. Its four seasons were released in ], ], ] and ], and was made as the second 9pm trilogy series after '']''. | |||
|- | |||
| 2013<br>2015 | |||
| '']''<br>志在四方 | |||
| A 30-episode mega blockbuster in 2013, celebrating 50 years of television. The drama focuses on the television industry. | |||
|- | |||
| 2013<br>2014<br>2015 | |||
| '']''<br>信约 | |||
| An end-year mega blockbuster trilogy spanning three years, from 2013 to 2015. The first volume of the series, '']'', will celebrate 50 years of television. It will be the first periodical drama to use special effects. The series revolves around the human spirit in Singaporeans of yonder years, from the 1920s to the 1930s. The producer was interviewed by local news programme Singapore Today in its 'live' outdoor telecast. ], Part 2 of the series, revolves around World War II and the Independence days. ], the final season of the series, revolves around post-independence, and how Singaporeans come together as a nation to overcome national crisis. It will culminate with the celebrations for the nation's 50th birthday (SG50) in 2015. | |||
|} | |||
2014-2015 | |||
;English language | |||
* '']'' (2006) - local English sitcom, starring Korean actor ] | |||
* '']'' - local English drama, starring Linda Liao, Utt, Joanne Peh; two seasons | |||
* ''Code of Law'' (2012) - local English drama about the legal profession in Singapore, premiered 13 September 2012 | |||
* '']'' (2008) - local English drama, starring Patrick Teoh, Darren Lim, Nick Shen, Nathaniel Ho, Rebecca Lim | |||
* '']'' (2009) - Channel 5's drama, premiered 14 April 2009 | |||
* '']'' (2000-2002) - local English drama, starring Edmund Chen, Amy Cheng, Vernetta Lopez, Nick Shen | |||
* '']'' (1996-2001) - the longest running English drama in Singapore, spanning around 1960s - 1980s | |||
* '']'' (2004) - local English drama, starring Flora Chan, Zhu Mi Mi, Ho Wen Long, Amy Cheng | |||
* '']'' - local English sitcom, starring ] | |||
* '']'' (2006) - local English sitcom, starring ] and ], premiered 25 July 2006 | |||
* '']'' (2000) - local English comedy, starring Andrea D'Cruz, Celest Chong, Jimmy T, Kevin Verghese | |||
* '']'' (1994) - the first local English TV drama. | |||
* '']'' - local English drama, starring Cynthia Koh | |||
* '']'' - local English sitcom, starring ] | |||
* '']'' (1997-2007) - local English sitcom, starring ]; criticized for its heavy use of ]) | |||
* '']'' (2010) - local English action-drama about an elite team of ICA, premiered 2 December 2010 | |||
* ''Point of Entry 2'' (2012) - local English action-drama about an elite team of ICA, premiered 5 January 2012 | |||
* '']'' (2010-2011) - local English drama, about the legal profession in Singapore, premiered 7 January 2010 | |||
* '']'' (2009) - local English drama, premiered 14 April 2009 | |||
* '']'' (2005) - local English drama, starring Sharon Au | |||
* '']'' (1994) - the first local English sitcom, criticized for its use of Singlish | |||
* '']'' - TV drama; an attempt at making a superhero show with local personalities | |||
* '']'' (2006) - local English sitcom, starring ], premiered 28 September 2006 | |||
===Digital platforms=== | |||
;Tamil language | |||
* '']'' | |||
* '']'' | |||
* '']'' | |||
* '']'' - Season 1: '']''; Season 3: ''Vettai 3 : The Final Judgment'' | |||
=== |
====mewatch==== | ||
{{main|meWatch}} | |||
] being recorded at MediaCorp's studios]] | |||
] | |||
'''mewatch'''<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-revamps-toggle-meradio-and-meclub/|title=Mediacorp revamps Toggle, MeRadio and MeClub|last=Farveen|first=Farzanah|date=4 November 2019|website=Marketing Interactive|language=en-US|access-date=30 January 2020}}</ref> (formerly Toggle) was launched on 1 February 2013 as an ] service. On 1 April 2015, ] was merged with Toggle.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Kyle Malinda|last1=Shah|title=Goodbye Xinmsn, Hello Toggle: Microsoft & MediaCorp Disband Entertainment Site|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/goodbye-xinmsn-hello-toggle-microsoft-014111654.html|website=]|access-date=15 November 2016|date=1 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TOGGLE|url=https://www11.mediacorp.sg/explore/list/toggle|website=Mediacorp|access-date=15 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115133647/https://www11.mediacorp.sg/explore/list/toggle|archive-date=15 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Ryan|last1=Lawler|title=MediaCorp Taps Tvinci To Launch Toggle, Its Virtual Cable Service in Singapore|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/01/28/mediacorp-tvinci-toggle/|website=]|access-date=15 November 2016|date=28 January 2013}}</ref> It is Mediacorp's digital video service that redefines TV viewing, bringing Toggle Originals, catch-up content, live coverage of key national events, news, entertainment, and behind-the-scene exclusives to viewers across multiple devices – computers, tablets, smartphones, smart television sets, and digital media players. | |||
====melisten==== | |||
* ''Berita'' - ]'s flagship news programme in Malay, first shown at 8pm SST and repeats at 11:30pm ] | |||
] | |||
* ''Tamil Seithi'' - ]'s flagship news programme in Tamil, shown at 8:30pm SST and repeats at 11:30pm SST on Monday to Wednesday, time varies before closedown on Thursdays to Sundays | |||
'''melisten'''<ref name=":1" /> (formerly MeRadio) is an audio digital platform focusing on live audio streaming of Mediacorp's eleven radio stations as well as audio ]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mediacorp's revamped MeRadio app and website now offer more interactive features |url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/mediacorp-me-radio-app-website-podcast-features-10874290 |access-date=30 January 2020 |website=CNA Lifestyle |date=30 October 2018}}</ref> This platform is also where they offered their ] stations, such as IndieGo for ] and ].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Mediacorp Goes Indie with indiego – the Latest Offering from Singapore's Largest Digital Radio Network|url=https://www.mediacorp.sg/corporate/news-release/media-releases/mediacorp-goes-indie-with-indiego-the-latest-offering-from-15471402|website=Mediacorp|date=16 December 2021|access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref> | |||
*'' News 5'' - ]'s and ]'s flagship news programme in English, shown at 9:00pm SST | |||
* ''Primetime World'' - ]'s flagship news programme in English, shown at 9:00pm SST | |||
* ''News Tonight'' - ]'s flagship news programme in Mandarin, first shown at 10:00pm SST and repeated on ] at 11:00pm SST | |||
== |
==Mediacorp Partner Network== | ||
In 2018, Mediacorp launched the Mediacorp Partner Network. Under the MPN, Mediacorp signed agreements with brands like: | |||
* '']'' - talk about crime prevention, partially based on the German programme; produced by MediaCorp Studios and ] | |||
* ESPN on 6 August 2018, where Mediacorp will be the exclusive representative for all ad sales in Singapore for ESPN.com, while ESPN will launch a dedicated Singapore edition of the ESPN site to deliver a mix of local sports news and features in addition to coverage of global sports.<ref>{{cite web|author=Farzanah Farveen|title=Mediacorp Partner Network brings on board ESPN in multi-year agreement|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-partner-network-brings-on-board-espn-in-multi-year-agreement/|website=Marketing Interactive|access-date=6 August 2018|date=7 August 2018}}</ref> | |||
* '']'' - cases of past murders | |||
* 99.co on 29 August 2018 to create property related news and information for consumers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mediacorp Partner Network and 99.co tie up|url=https://www.marketing-interactive.com/mediacorp-partner-network-and-99-co-tie-up/|website=Marketing Interactive|access-date=31 August 2018|date=31 August 2018}}</ref> | |||
* ''True Courage'' - the extraordinary courage of some Singaporeans | |||
* Edipresse in November 2018 to co-develop content across digital editorial platforms, TV, live radio and events. Such content will be made available on both Mediacorp and Edipresse Media platforms, utilising the regional reach and influence of both companies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mediacorp and Edipresse Media Singapore join hands to deliver luxury content|url=http://www.asiaradiotoday.com/news/mediacorp-and-edipresse-media-singapore-join-hands-deliver-luxury-content|website=Asia Radio Today|access-date=6 December 2018|date=4 May 2019}}</ref> | |||
* VICE on 23 April 2019 to bring original VICE digital and TV content to a new Singapore audience via Mediacorp's multi-platform reach.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mediacorp Partner Network and 99.co tie up|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/mediacorp-partners-vice-to-bring-original-content-to-singapore-11471100|website=Channel NewsAsia|access-date=23 April 2019|date=4 May 2019}}</ref> | |||
== |
==Flagship programmes== | ||
Some of Mediacorp's flagship programmes include: | |||
Mediacorp offers twelve free-to-air FM radio channels,<ref></ref> all of which can be accessed online and via mobile apps. The company's ] (DAB) service was discontinued on 1 December 2011.<ref></ref> | |||
* '']'' – Mediacorp's Chinese awards event.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Soo Fang |date=23 June 1996 |title=Popularity sections to play minor role at Star Awards |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19960623-1.2.80.9.9 |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg |page=14 |language=en-SG}}</ref> | |||
* '']'' | |||
* ] – long-form Channel 8 drama. 255-episode 118 I aired from 2014 – 2015, 218-episode 118 II ran from 2016 – 2017, and a special 23-episode 118 Reunion aired in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=《118》故事人洪荣狄 随时为大选改剧情 |work=My Paper 我报 |url=http://mypaper.sg/entertainment/118-gu-shi-ren-hong-rong-di-sui-shi-wei-da-xuan-gai-ju-qing-20150825 |date=25 August 2015 |language=zh |access-date=21 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121182555/http://mypaper.sg/entertainment/118-gu-shi-ren-hong-rong-di-sui-shi-wei-da-xuan-gai-ju-qing-20150825 |archive-date=21 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
* ] – long-form Channel 5 daily drama that centred on the lives of multiracial and multigenerational families in a middle-income neighbourhood, in the Holland Village, Tanglin. The 823-episode show ran from 2015 to 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/tanglin-mediacorp-singapore-longest-running-tv-show-last-episode-10538146|title=Tanglin: The show you never knew people loved is coming to an end|website=CNA Lifestyle|access-date=2019-04-08}}</ref> | |||
* ] – long-form Channel 5 weekends drama launched in 2018 (after ''Tanglin'''s conclusion).<ref>{{cite web|title=KIN is the Most Underrated Show on Toggle Right Now|url=https://ricemedia.co/culture-events-mediacorp-kin-underrated-show-toggle-right-now/|website=RICE Media|date=16 November 2018}}</ref> | |||
* ] – singing talent search competition that aimed to promote the Getai culture and discover aspiring Getai singers. Season 1 was shown on Channel 8 in 2015, and Season 2 in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tv.toggle.sg/en/channel8/shows/getai-challenge/ |title=GeTai Challenge 歌台星力量- Toggle |access-date=8 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527180607/https://tv.toggle.sg/en/channel8/shows/getai-challenge/ |archive-date=27 May 2015 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> | |||
* ] – an initiative launched by Mediacorp in 2018 to showcase and curate local music compositions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.8days.sg/entertainment/asian/spop-sing-hunt-next-local-singing-sensation-379411|title=SPOP SING! on the hunt for next local singing sensation|publisher=]|date=22 April 2018|accessdate=12 May 2020}}</ref> | |||
* ''Abang Teksi'' (''Taxi Brother'') – Suria only Malay sitcom aired season 1 from 2017 and season 2 from 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.beritaharian.sg/gah/hiburan/rugi-abang-teksi-tidak-mahu-ikut-perkembangan-teknologi|title=Rugi abang teksi tidak mahu ikut perkembangan teknologi|author=Hanim Mohd Saleh|publisher=]|date=18 October 2017|accessdate=12 May 2020}}</ref> | |||
* ''Forensik'' (''Forensics'') – Suria drama and spin-off to English counterpart ''Code of Law'' launched in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://berita.mediacorp.sg/hiburan/forensik-drama-pertama-suria-diadaptasikan-dari-siri-saluran-5-135386|title='Forensik' drama pertama Suria diadaptasikan dari siri Saluran 5, Code Of Law|author=Syawal Yusoff|publisher=Berita Mediacorp|date=1 January 2020|accessdate=12 May 2020}}</ref> | |||
==Production== | |||
{| class="sortable wikitable" | |||
In 2000, MediaCorp Studios was created to produce content for MediaCorp TV channels, such as Channel 5, Channel U and Channel 8.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/6077618Z:SP | title=Mediacorp Studios Pte Ltd | website=] | access-date=10 September 2020}}</ref> In 2001, ''EagleVision'' was created to produce content for Suria and Vasantham.<ref>{{cite book|title=Eaglevision: MediaCorp Studios|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UlH_ygEACAAJ|year=2002|publisher=MediaCorp}}</ref> They co-produce programmes with regional broadcasters and production houses such as ] Malaysia,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/Media-Prima-Bhd-Media-Prima-and-MediaCorp-to-jointly-produce-Kasih-Berbisik-TV-Drama--17995422/|title=Media Prima Bhd: Media Prima and MediaCorp to jointly produce Kasih Berbisik TV Drama|agency=Market Screener|date=25 February 2014}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBPRHSykcPI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/sBPRHSykcPI| archive-date=2021-10-28|title=Mediacorp, Radio Television Malaysia present 13th edition of Muzika Ekstravaganza| website=]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mci.gov.sg/pressroom/news-and-stories/pressroom/2018/9/strengthening-brunei-singapore-relations-through-aksi|title=Strengthening Brunei-Singapore Relations Through A New Joint Production, AKSI! (or Action!)|agency=]|date=7 September 2018}}</ref> ] Philippines,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.contentasia.tv/news/abs-cbn-unveils-new-studios-banner-philippines-programmer-adds-sound-stages-and-facilities|title=ABS-CBN unveils new Studios banner; Philippines’ programmer adds sound stages and facilities to music and talent management in upsized global strategy|agency=ContentAsia|date=2 December 2024}}</ref> Eightgeman Taiwan and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediacorp.sg/en/corporate/mediacorp-in-the-news/media-releases/epic-singapore-taiwan-suspense-series-slated-for-2019-11005232|title=Epic Singapore-Taiwan Suspense Series Slated for 2019|publisher=Mediacorp|date=5 December 2018|access-date=16 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204012156/https://www.mediacorp.sg/en/corporate/mediacorp-in-the-news/media-releases/epic-singapore-taiwan-suspense-series-slated-for-2019-11005232|archive-date=4 December 2021}}</ref> | |||
| '''Frequency''' | |||
| '''Station''' | |||
| '''Language''' | |||
| '''Format''' | |||
| '''Website''' | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 89.7 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 90.5 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| English | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 92.4 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| English | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 93.3 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 93.8 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| English | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 94.2 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 95.0 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| English | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 95.8 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 96.8 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 97.2 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 98.7 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| English | |||
| ] | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
| 99.5 MHz | |||
| ] | |||
| English | |||
| Adult | |||
| | |||
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | |||
|} | |||
==Controversies== | |||
== Over-the-top broadcast: Toggle == | |||
Mediacorp offers free-to-air and pay-to-air ] broadcasting website Toggle on 1 April 2015, after Xinmsn, a joint content website with ], was disbanded. Toggle provides additional content pertaining entertainment, lifestyle tips, news and information; and is accessible online on smart phones, tablets and connected TVs.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Kyle Malinda|last1=Shah|title=Goodbye Xinmsn, Hello Toggle: Microsoft & MediaCorp Disband Entertainment Site|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/goodbye-xinmsn-hello-toggle-microsoft-014111654.html|website=]|accessdate=15 November 2016|date=1 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TOGGLE|url=https://www11.mediacorp.sg/explore/list/toggle|website=Mediacorp|accessdate=15 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Ryan|last1=Lawler|title=MediaCorp Taps Tvinci To Launch Toggle, Its Virtual Cable Service In Singapore|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/01/28/mediacorp-tvinci-toggle/|website=]|accessdate=15 November 2016|date=28 January 2013}}</ref> | |||
===1982 misinformation over Zainal Abidin=== | |||
== See also == | |||
At 6:54am on 6 October 1982, SBC Radio 2 claimed that Malaysian squash champion Zainal Abidin died in a car accident. Said announcement turned out to be a voice test conducted by a newsreader ahead of the 7am bulletin. In the wake of the voice test, Zainal received calls regarding his status. SBC subsequently apologised to Zainal.<ref>{{cite news |title=SBC says sorry to squash champ |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19940707-1.2.61.6.4 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=7 July 1994}}</ref> Azmi Mahmud, who did the voice test, was sacked on 22 January 1983, in the fallout of the incident.<ref>{{cite news |title=SBC man sacked 3 months after that voice test |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830123-1.2.32 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=23 January 1983}}</ref> To prevent further mishaps, SBC tightened its controls on its news procedures.<ref>{{cite news |title=SBC switches controls on news bulletins |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830128-1.2.52 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Straits Times |date=28 January 1983}}</ref> | |||
===Copyright infringement with RecordTV=== | |||
In 2007, cloud software DVR service RecordTV (now ]) filed a lawsuit against Mediacorp for copyright infringement which the latter claimed as "groundless threats". This comes after the company sent two "cease and desist" letters to RecordTV which "stated the consequences" of alleged copyright violations, which led Mediacorp counter-sued against RecordTV.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20090703-1.2.6.9|title=Still a copyright infringement|publisher=]|date=3 July 2009|accessdate=25 April 2024|page=10}}</ref> In December 2009, Mediacorp won the case against RecordTV, in which the Singapore High Court found that RecordTV had infringed copyright laws by allowing users to record programmes shown on three Mediacorp-owned channels.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20091222-2.2.5.10|title=MediaCorp wins counter claims suit|author=S. Ramesh|publisher=]|date=22 December 2009|accessdate=25 April 2024|page=8}}</ref> | |||
===2017 ''OK Chope!'' controversy=== | |||
On 29 March 2017, an edition of the Channel 5 comedy panel game show ''OK Chope!'' featured the following question: | |||
<blockquote>] slams ____ for threatening Malaysia’s progress.</blockquote> | |||
of which the answer was "fake news". The panelists while trying to find an answer to fill the blank, referred to "kissing Malaysian officers" and the ], whose release was postponed in Malaysia due to the inclusion of a minor gay character. The segment went viral on social media and prompted anger from Malaysian netizens. The Malaysian Artistes Association and the Selangor ] both demanded that ] should apologise for insulting and ridiculing Najib or would face a ban from Malaysian TV shows. Mediacorp issued an apology on 5 April 2017 and removed the episode from Toggle.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 April 2017 |title=Producers Of A Singaporean Gameshow Had To Apologise For Their Segment About PM Najib |url=https://says.com/my/news/singaporean-comedy-show-ok-chope-poked-fun-at-najib |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407200352/https://says.com/my/news/singaporean-comedy-show-ok-chope-poked-fun-at-najib |archive-date=7 April 2017 |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=Says}}</ref> | |||
== Awards and accolades == | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
|- | |||
! Year | |||
! Award-giving body | |||
! Category | |||
! Recipient | |||
! Result | |||
! {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2008 | |||
| ] | |||
| rowspan="2" | Asia's Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year | |||
| rowspan="2" | Mediacorp | |||
| {{won}} | |||
| <ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20081212-2.2.5.5|title=MediaCorp: Asia's Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year, again|publisher=]|date=12 December 2008|accessdate=2 May 2019|page=8}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| 2013 | |||
| ] | |||
| {{won}} | |||
| <ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/today20131206-2.2.12.7|title=MediaCorp wins Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year award|publisher=]|date=6 December 2013|accessdate=2 May 2019|page=10}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
==See also== | |||
{{Portal|Singapore|Companies}} | {{Portal|Singapore|Companies}} | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* {{Cl|Singapore Chinese dramas}} | * {{Cl|Singapore Chinese dramas}} | ||
== |
== Notes == | ||
{{Notelist}} | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
== |
==External links== | ||
{{commons category|MediaCorp}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
{{ |
{{Mediacorp}} | ||
{{Smart Alliance}} | {{Smart Alliance}} | ||
{{ASEAN TV}} | {{ASEAN TV}} | ||
{{CATV}} | {{CATV}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} | |||
{{authority control}} | |||
{{Use British English|date=September 2010}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mediacorp}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Mediacorp}} | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] |
Latest revision as of 09:31, 13 January 2025
Singaporean commercial media company
[REDACTED] Flat version of the 2015 logo, used as the primary logo since 2023. | |
The Mediacorp Campus at One-north | |
Company type | State-owned |
---|---|
Industry | |
Predecessors |
|
Founded | 1 June 1936; 88 years ago (1936-06-01) |
Headquarters | 1 Stars Avenue (Mediapolis@onenorth), Singapore |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Niam Chiang Meng (chairman) Tham Loke Kheng (CEO) |
Products |
|
Services |
|
Revenue | US$750.8 million |
Number of employees | 3,000 (2022) |
Parent | Temasek Holdings |
Website | mediacorp |
Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. is the state-owned media conglomerate of Singapore. Owned by Temasek Holdings—the investment arm of the Government of Singapore—it owns and operates television channels, radio, and digital media properties. It is headquartered at the Mediapolis development in Queenstown's One-north precinct, which succeeded Caldecott Hill—the long-time home of its predecessors—in 2015; as of 2022, Mediacorp employs over 3,000 employees; a large number of them are in both public and private sector broadcasting.
The company forms half of the mass media duopoly in the country alongside SPH Media Trust; the company was established in its current form in 1999, following the 1994 privatization of one of its predecessors—the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)—as a group of state-owned enterprises known as Singapore International Media.
Mediacorp holds a monopoly on terrestrial television in Singapore, operating six channels broadcasting in the official languages of English (Channel 5 and the pan-Asian news channel CNA), Mandarin Chinese (Channel 8 and Channel U), Malay (Suria), and Tamil (Vasantham), as well as the streaming service meWatch. It also operates eleven radio stations, and the websites Today and 8days—both of which had previously operated as print publications.
Its monopoly on terrestrial television was briefly broken in the early-2000s by SPH MediaWorks. In 2004, amid struggles at its two channels, SPH sold the MediaWorks subsidiary to MediaCorp in exchange for stakes in its television and publishing businesses; only its Chinese-language Channel U would continue under MediaCorp. SPH divested its stake in MediaCorp in 2017 after Today ceased print publication.
History
1925–1965: Pre-independence era
First experiments
The history of radio broadcasting in Singapore began with the formation of the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya (AWSM) in April 1925, which launched shortwave transmission from a studio in the Union Building at Collyer Quay using a 100-watt transmitter lent by the Marconi Company under callsign 1SE (One Singapore Experimental). The transmissions could be received as far as Penang, albeit with atmospheric interferences at times. In 1930, Sir Earl from the Singapore Port Authority commenced its short wave broadcast every fortnight either on Sundays or Wednesdays. The BBC World Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was inaugurated on 19 December 1932 as the BBC Empire Service, broadcasting on shortwave and aimed principally at English speakers across the British Empire. In his first Christmas Message (1932), King George V characterised the service as intended for "men and women, so cut off by the snow, the desert, or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them". First hopes for the Empire Service were low. The Director General, Sir John Reith, said in the opening programme:
Don't expect too much in the early days; for some time we shall transmit comparatively simple programmes, to give the best chance of intelligible reception and provide evidence as to the type of material most suitable for the service in each zone. The programmes will neither be very interesting nor very good.
In Singapore, the BBC World Service in English is essentially treated as a domestic broadcaster, easily available 24/7 through long-term agreement with British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation which expanded the array of programmes available for resident listeners. In 1933, Radio ZHI was launched as the first professional shortwave broadcasting station in Singapore. Owned by the Radio Service Company of Malaya, it was a shortwave radio station that delivered static-free broadcasts. Radio ZHI acquired a loyal following in Singapore and abroad. Despite its success, the station closed at the end of December 1936 when its license expired because the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation was granted the status of having the radio monopoly.
British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation
The British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation (BMBC) was created on 12 April 1935 with a nominal capital of $500,000, formed on 21 July 1935 and awarded a broadcasting license by the British crown on 1 June 1936 as a radio network. The station was initially scheduled to start broadcasting in 1935, but was subsequently delayed to 1936 due to initial government uncertainties. The station broadcast from the hill on Thomson Road. ZHL made its first broadcast of Chinese music on 10 June 1936 as an experiment. The BMBC conducted auditions in November 1936. On 1 March 1937 at 6pm, its studios and transmitters at Caldecott Hill were officially opened by Governor of the Straits Settlements Shenton Thomas, aiming at a potential target audience of 10,000 listeners.
In a move to adjust its budget, BMBC cut the number of weekly hours in late June 1937, from the initial 34 3/4 hours to 28 3/4. The Sunday schedule was cut from seven hours to four: before the revision, the daytime period ran from 11am to 1:30pm and the evening period from 5:30pm to 10pm. This was cut to 11:30am to 1:30pm for the daytime period (reducing half an hour) and 6pm to 8pm for the evening period (cutting two and a half hours). On weekdays the schedule ran from 6pm to 10pm, simply cutting the last quarter hour on air (before then, the station closed at 10:15pm). On Saturdays, the afternoon period remained in the 12:45pm to 2pm slot, but the evening period, starting at 6pm, now ended at 9:35pm instead of 11:15pm. This also prompted ZHL to reduce the number of artists to those able to perform without paying fees. Juvenile sessions were dropped because the artists had paid more. The existing charter suggested that the daily schedule would last at least four hours, with extensions depending on listener feedback. Any potential expansion was hampered purely by lack of budget. The monthly income was of $3,500, $2,500 from the licence and $1,000 from the Municipality. There were hopes to increase the income due to the start of sponsored programmes. Plans for shortwave broadcasting had been outlined in July 1937, despite concerns over the quality of its reception. In its first trimester on air, the BMBC was operating at a loss, a cause of "grave concern" for the staff.
Work on the shortwave BMBC station started in October 1937, aiming at a March 1938 launch date. The station was to broadcast at a frequency of 31.48 meters daytime and 49.9 meters nighttime. The programming would be the same as the existing medium wave ZHL station.
In January 1938, it was announced that the BMBC would cease receiving its monthly $1,000 grant from the municipality effective the end of February. In the year ending February 28, 1938, the BMBC was operating at a net profit of $275.88; compared to the loss of $5,368.67 The number of listeners now stood at 4,213, up from the initial figure of 2,598 - even so, the figure was relatively lower than the planned target of 10,000 in the formal launch the previous year. Ahead of the start of the shortwave service, it was reported that it would be picked up by over 9,000 radio receivers in Malaya - combined with over 4,000 in Singapore, the number of potential listeners was going to increase threefold. The station started on 19 July 1938 under the callsign ZHP (the "P" stood for "Progress") attracting an audience not just in Malaya, but also in Sarawak, Borneo and the Dutch Indies, especially in tin mines and rubber estates.
Thanks to the wider coverage range of ZHP, ZHL was able to broadcast more sporting events, namely horse races, tennis and the football, specifically the Malayan Cup. Before the change in policy, it was more likely for attendees to go to the matches.
The shortwave frequency moved in on 1 October 1938 from 30.96 meters to 48.58 meters, under the new callsign ZHO, at the request of the Posts and Telegraphs Department. The extant medium wave frequency (225 metres or 1333kc) remained unchanged.
In February 1939, the government started giving aid to the BMBC. The listener base was by then upgraded to 15,000 listeners: 5,000 in Singapore, a further 5,000 in the Federated Malay States, 2,000 in Penang, 1,000 in Johor and 350 in Malacca. Statistically, out of the 5,104 licence holders (number of receivers) in Singapore, 2,574 were Europeans and Eurasians, 2,023 were Chinese, 219 were Malays, 195 were Indians, 87 were Japanese and six were Siamese. The shortwave transmitter carrying ZHO upgraded its power in mid-1939, from 400 watts to 2 kilowatts. At the 1939 Annual Report, there were plans to create two separate services, an 8+1⁄2-hour European service and a 9+1⁄2-hour Asiatic one. Included in the proposal was the creation of a second medium wave transmitter for the two programmes to be delivered from the extant facilities. Subsequently, a second plan to increase the power of the shortwave transmitter was held in early 1940, this time increasing its coverage to reach out to the entirety of Malaya, Borneo, the Netherlands Indies and Siam. Much of the equipment used was already manufactured in Singapore.
Malaya Broadcasting Corporation
The corporation was taken over by the Straits Settlements government in 1940 as a part of the British Department of Information, subsequently nationalised and reorganised as the Malaya Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), the local counterpart to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Additional French programming was added on 16 September 1940.
In order to counter German propaganda, a second shortwave transmitter was added on 29 September 1940, ZHP 3 (the existing transmitter was renamed ZHP 1). The station carried a special programme in German on Friday nights from 10pm to 10:30pm. The remainder of the line-up consisted of music and news, in Hindustani, Dutch, Tamil, Arabic and French. ZHL and ZHP 1 carried primarily content in English and Chinese dialects, with some Malay programming as well. By April 1941 ZHP 2 was activated. The station was merely a relayer of ZHL's output, that was also heard on ZHP 1.
Syonan Broadcasting Station
During World War II, when the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Singapore from 1942 to 1945, the radio station on the island of Singapore was seized by the Japanese authorities and renamed Syonan Hoso Kyoku ('Light of the South' Broadcasting Corporation, 昭南放送局, known in English as the Syonan Broadcasting Station or SBS), the local counterpart to the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). Broadcasts under the new administration started on 13 March 1942 and broadcast over three frequencies, one in medium wave for within Singapore, another to relay output from Tokyo and a shortwave frequency aimed at the time in Australia. After repairs, broadcasts officially started on 28 March. Programming was at the outset of occupation airing daily from 7pm to 10pm (later the closing time moved to 10:30pm) with an additional hour-long period from 10am to 11am for educational programming. Programming was still in the same mix of languages as before but content in Japanese was added.
In June 1942, the Syonan station broadcast Japanese language learning classes to students, installing sets in 87 schools.
During occupation, a confidential British Far Eastern Broadcasting Service (BFEBS) was carried out by the UK to its occupied territories, briefly having its offices at Caldecott Hill. The facilities were later used as a relay station for the BBC.
Radio Singapore
After the war, the British came back into power and reclaimed the radio station, with the station managed by the interim government – British Military Administration (BMA).
Two separate stations were introduced from 23 December 1945. The existing service was renamed Blue Network, carrying programming in English and Malay. The second service, the Red Network, carried content in Tamil, Hindustani and Chinese dialects. The Blue Network was carried on the 41,61,225 metre band and the Red Network, on the 41,61,300 metre band.
On 1 April 1946, Radio Malaya Singapore and the Federation of Malaya (RMSFOM; or Radio Malaya), a short- and mediumwave service, was established in Singapore. Radio news and information, as well as local entertainment, were aired on its stations in English and later Mandarin Chinese and Malay. In June 1947, the BBC initiated a one-year takeover plan of the BFEBS. The plan was culminated on 8 August 1948.
Changes to programming led to the Blue Network adding some Chinese content on from 1 January 1949. Both networks increased their airtime. This was due to requests from individual communities, who demanded more programmes for them. The Chinese output gained its own station on 1 January 1951, the Green Network.
Radio Malaya left the Cathay building on 4 November 1951 at closedown. The two networks increased their schedule again in January 1952.
On the basis of the Radio Malaya broadcasters that moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1958, Radio Singapura took over on 4 January 1959 as the radio service for Singapore, organised into a station each for English, Malay and Mandarin listeners, plus a blocktime slot for Tamil speakers. Shortwave broadcasts commenced on 14 February 1960, consisting of relays of extant Radio Singapore output. The frequency changed in 1961, with test transmissions in the new frequencies (7250, 6175, 6615 and 4280) were carried from mid-January. A new radio station, Siaran Istimewa, was announced in May 1961 as the nation's first multilingual radio station signing on offially on 3 June, with programming in all 4 languages airing on the 990 kc (990 kHz) band. When Singapore joined Malaysia on 16 September 1963, Radio Singapura's stations became part of Radio Malaysia and rebranded as "Radio Malaysia (Singapura)".
From 2 March 1964, the Malay, Tamil and Mandarin language divisions increased their airtime. The number of radio news bulletins was increased from 29 to 42.
Television broadcasting
Shortly after Singapore reached self-government status on 3 June 1959, there were plans to obtain television transmission rights. This manifested the founding of Television Singapura on 4 April 1961.
Television Singapura aired test broadcasts on channel 5 from 21 January to 15 February 1963, ahead of its first official pilot broadcast on the evening of 15 February 1963. Minister for Culture S. Rajaratnam became the first person to appear on Singapore TV, announcing that "Tonight might well mark the start of a social and cultural revolution in our lives." The first programme aired was a documentary, TV Looks at Singapore. The pilot service would broadcast for one hour and 40 minutes nightly; at the time, it was estimated that only one in 58 Singaporeans owned a television.
On 2 April 1963, Channel 5 was officially inaugurated by Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof Ishak; the service expanded to 7:15 to 11:00 p.m. nightly. By September, its broadcast day had been lengthened to begin at 6:30 p.m. Initially, Channel 5 carried programmes in all four of Singapore's official languages. On 31 August, Channel 8 started trial broadcasts, before starting its regular service on 23 November 1963.
In January 1964, Television Singapura became the state branch of the new Televisyen Malaysia from Kuala Lumpur and was subsequently rebranded as sister channel "Television Malaysia (Singapura)". During its time as part of Malaysia, Singapore, like its three other partners–Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya—had its own radio network, but Singapore was the only state to have its own television network. The state's radio and television broadcast right was included as an annex in the Malaysia Agreement which garnered autonomy in this area, among others.
Television advertising started on 15 January 1964.
1965–1980: Radio Television Singapore
After the separation of Singapore from the Malaysian federation, its radio and television outlets became part of Radio Television Singapore (RTS), a division of the Ministry of Culture. This led to expansions of the network, including a move to the new $3.6 million Television Centre at Caldecott Hill on 27 August 1966.
Within days of independence, TV Singapura's main studio was damaged by a fire on the afternoon of 16 August 1965; this did not affect Radio Singapore's broadcasts.
An FM service was announced in January 1967, set to start in June or July of that year, where the four existing stations would be relayed. The experimental FM service started testing in May 1967 and upgraded to a pilot service on 23 June, with FM being ideal for Singapore's size. The service went regular on 15 July, broadcasting over five frequencies: 94.2 (Malay), 95.8 and 96.8 (Chinese), 96.8 (Tamil) and 92.4 (English). Test broadcasts of the FM Stereo service started on 18 July 1969 using the 92.4 frequency. New radio studios were built in 1972, starting with the addition of the Radio House, then in 1975 by a new complex costing $4.2 million.
From 30 March 1973, Channel 5 began focusing on English and Malay-language programmes, while Channel 8 would focus on Chinese- and Tamil-language programmes. On 24 October 1973, RTS aired a 40-minute documentary titled Addiction: Three Experiences, chronicling the lives of three drug addicts. The documentary was given a Special Commendation by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union in 1974.
In January 1974, RTS bought two colour television transmitters worth $700,000. The old transmitters installed in 1966 would remain as standby equipment. On 2 May 1974, the two channels conducted colour test broadcasts of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, followed in July by its first live colour broadcast—the 1974 FIFA World Cup final. About 2,000 colour television sets were sold in Singapore three days before the match. On 9 August, that year's Singapore National Day Parade became the first live broadcast to be produced by RTS in colour. The second phase of the pilot colour service began on 11 November 1974, with newsreels being converted to colour, but it still had to air monochrome newsreels because some of the footage available was still in black and white. The number of weekly hours given to colour programming increased from two to four on weekdays and four to six on weekends.
In honour of the impending launch of full-time colour broadcasts, RTS held a contest to design a new logo. After 662 submissions, the winning design by Loh Hong Liat and Lawrence Wong Heng Kwok was unveiled in August 1975. Lok designed the letters "R and T" which represent recording, while Wong designed the letter "S". Full-time colour broadcasts began on 1 November 1977.
RTS radio stations began extending broadcasting hours of programmes in stereo on 3 April 1978, adding technical costs to the broadcaster.
In accordance with the 1975 Geneva Frequency Plan, the RTS radio stations moved their frequencies effective 23 November 1978:
- English Service: 630 kHz
- Chinese Service: 680 kHz → 675 kHz
- Multilanguage Service: 790 kHz → 792 kHz
- Malay Service: 990 kHz
- Tamil Service: 1370 kHz → 1368 kHz
Since their frequencies were already spaced in the multiples of 9 kHz before the Geneva Frequency Plan, the English and Malay stations had their frequencies unchanged.
1980–1994: Singapore Broadcasting Corporation
The ability for RTS to grow was hampered by administrative and budgetary constraints, leading to frequent turnover in staff, and a reliance on imported programmes rather than domestic productions. In September 1979, an act was proposed in the Parliament of Singapore to separate RTS from the Ministry of Culture, and replace it with a new statutory body known as the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). The SBC was envisioned as an autonomous, state-owned enterprise akin to Singapore Airlines and comparable to the BBC in the United Kingdom and its neighbours' RTM and TVRI. The SBC Act was approved in parliament on 12 January 1980.
A competition for a new SBC logo was initiated in January 1980. The characteristics of the new brand were to be "simple and attractive", while not having more than three colours, including the background. The winner would receive a cash prize worth $5,000.
The government officially dissolved RTS on 31 January 1980 and transferred its assets to the SBC. The rebrand was not ceremonious. Ahead of closedown, an announcement was made telling viewers of the rename. The following morning, at 6 a.m., SBC formally started with no preamble, with the only visible changes being a new interim wordmark logo, updated startup and closedown sequences, and a new news intro. The new logo competition finished on 16 February. A preliminary selection was determined by five judges on 22 February. At first the logo was set to be introduced in March. A total of 4,042 entries were received. The new logo was unveiled to the public on 18 May 1980. The winner was Laurence Wong Heng Kwok—who had previously co-designed the RTS logo.
Its programming had not changed much following the relaunch, to the point that some viewers mockingly said that "SBC" stood for "Same Boring Channel", while some confusing it for the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) and others pejoratively nicknaming it "si bei cham" which meant "damn terrible" in Hokkien. SBC introduced "weather girls" on 1 May 1980 for its English news broadcasts, before expanding to other languages in 1981. The format ended in March 1982 because it wanted the weather report to be the same as the other languages and the "weather report within the news bulletin was adequate". From June 1980, SBC would start sponsoring the clock before the news on its television channels, which it anticipated could bring in an additional S$1 million in revenue. SBC began adapting a new format for its television news broadcasts in August 1980. The new format would feature two newscasters and more on-location reporting.
SBC introduced political party broadcasts for the 1980 general election campaign on 17 December 1980, with the People's Action Party getting 12 minutes of broadcast, the United Front and the Workers' Party three minutes each and United People's Front three and a half minutes. The shortest available broadcasts were for parties with six candidates with two and a half minutes. The participating parties were required to send five copies of their manifestos to SBC. A final broadcast was held on 22 December.
The English-language current affairs programme Friday Background debuted in March 1981. In April 1981, to maximise SBC's resources in improving its sports presentation, the Malay and Chinese versions of the corporation's sports programme Sports Parade were cancelled; the programme now only airs in English.
In May 1981, on the day President Benjamin Sheares was pronounced dead, SBC's television channels cancelled their regular programming and replaced them with "solemn music and serious documentaries". The next day, the corporation aired two episodes of Destiny and an episode of Sandiwara, which SBC thinks were too serious to be aired. SBC also decided not to repeat the state funeral of Sheares because it would "lend levity to a sad occasion".
On 1 January 1982, SBC renamed its radio stations:
- Radio 1 (English; present-day Gold 905)
- Radio 2 (Malay; present-day Warna 942)
- Radio 3 (Chinese; present-day Capital 958)
- Radio 4 (Tamil 6am to 9pm and Chinese 9pm to midnight; present-day Oli 968)
- Radio 5 (Classical Music, the former FM Stereo; present-day Symphony 924)
The revamp was the result of a 1978 survey where listeners preferred entertainment programming over talk.
On 30 March 1982, SBC 5 began airing the children's storytelling programme Share A Story, with the Tuesday's broadcast aimed at 3 to 5-year-old children and the Thursday's broadcast aimed at 6 to 9-year-old children. In 1982, commercial breaks during prime time on SBC 5 were four minutes long with six to nine advertisements squeezed in, while SBC 8's were eight to ten minutes. On 1 February 1983, SBC's television news broadcasts received a new studio set, described as "duck-egg blue" and "three-dimensional". A special semi-circular table was created for the set. The previous set was "pink" in colour. The new set was inspired from news and current affairs programmes in the United States. Other changes include each newscaster reading different stories and more graphics and illustrations.
The next day, SBC launched Newswatch, a children's news programme aimed at 10 to 14-year-old children It would air three times a week for 10 minutes; every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:20 pm. The idea for Newswatch was suggested by the-then Cultural Minister in 1980 and planning for its creation started the following year, involving the studying of similar news programmes such as John Craven's Newsround and Video Despatch. The development for Newswatch was headed by SBC news executive Myrna Thomas and is assisted by William Earl of Television New Zealand. The initial presenters of Newswatch were Woon Liew and Shantini Sundram. Toh Seng Ling, who presented Newswatch in 1990, would later become the newscaster for News 5 Tonight in April 2001.
SBC Radio 1 and SBC Radio 3 started carrying hourly news bulletins on 1 May 1983.
On 31 January 1984, SBC launched Channel 12, a new television service devoted to cultural programming. In connection to its launch, the English and Mandarin news bulletins had their length extended to 30 minutes the following day. The move was taken considering mass interest in Cantonese productions in Malaysia, as well as the limited number of Mandarin speakers in the country. Musical programmes were also included in the agreement, and would also be distributed to Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Europe and North America. On 30 July, SBC started dubbing its series to Cantonese for the video market in Malaysia, in a contract with Unity Records that was valid from 1 September.
SBC began on-camera coverage of Parliament proceedings in 1985. Today in Parliament began on 1 March 1985 with a one-hour long broadcast. Studio 6, a studio specially made for local programmes especially dramas, was completed in early 1985.
Advertisements on SBC in 1986 were limited to four for a half-hour programme and eight for an hour-hong programme. In May 1986, SBC introduced "subtitle ads", advertisements appearing as a single-line sentence or one letter at a time and appear for 10 seconds. This format is used to compensate for the advertisement limit imposed by the corporation. However, they only appear on programmes that do not have translation subtitles. While this advertisement format enabled more companies to advertise on television due to its cheaper rates, it has caused irritation among viewers.
On 3 August 1987, by request from listeners overseas, SBC began adding financial news bulletins from Radio 5 on the shortwave versions of Radio 1 and 3, while FM and mediumwave listeners can tune in to regular programming during the bulletin. In August 1988, SBC news broadcasts adopted a new "upbeat and viewer-friendly" look. The backdrop is now that of the skyline of Singapore. It generated positive response from viewers.
On 1 January 1989, SBC launched two new radio stations: Perfect 10 (airing English contemporary hits for youth) and YES (airing Mandarin music).
SBC stopped airing Late News bulletins on Channel 12 in English and Channel 8 in Mandarin on 2 January 1989 due to fewer news developments happening between the main news and the late news bulletins.
Two further radio services were announced in December 1989: 93.3 (airing Mandarin music) and a yet-unnamed MOR service (which would later become Class 95). The former was scheduled to launch on 1 January 1990, similar to Perfect 10 the year before. The existing numbered radio services had some changes: broadcasting hours on Radios 2 and 4 (Malay and Tamil) were extended to 2 a.m. in June 1989, along with Radio 3 (Chinese) but only on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays, and Mandarin language broadcasts were phased out from Radio 5. The MOR service, Class 95, started on 1 April 1990. "Ria" (airing popular Malay music) started later.
93.3 at its beginning was also known as Radio 6. The station would also have the same broadcasting hours as almost all of SBC's radio stations.
SBC announced on 21 February 1990 that it would begin NICAM stereo broadcasts by August that year, spending $3.5 million in the installation of the systems. Channel 5 began stereo broadcasting on 8 August 1990, the first programme in the new format being Countdown to National Day 90. With the start of stereo broadcasts, SBC invested $5 million to upgrade its production facilities for the new technology. Channel 12 followed in December. Additionally, SBC had further ambitious projects throughout the 90s, costing a grand total of $700 million: a new studio complex, upgraded equipment and transmission facilities and the development of new programmes and staff. To minimize congestion from Caldecott Hill, a second facility was to be opened tentatively from Bukit Batok, the location of the television transmitter.
By the early 90s, SBC's Mandarin drama series were already being exported to places such as China and Canada.
Up until 1991, broadcasts of the television channels started and ended with multilingual greetings (Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, English), in what was known as the "good-night girls". The start-up and closedown sequence, including the anthem, was known in Singaporean terminology as a "presso". From then on, SBC replaced the videos, which changed annually, by a CGI animation created by Ong Lay Hong, that was to be used in both start-ups and closedowns. The new video bagged a bronze medal at the Fuji Network System Title Fair in June 1991, out of more than thirty entries from Asia. Such animation conveyed "human warmth" by including footage from SBC programmes, and the music was arranged to match the multi-ethnic nature of Singapore, incorporating drum beats, sitars and violins.
Four of the five numbered SBC radio stations got their names changed over the course of several months from late 1991 to early 1992. Radio 2 was renamed Warna; Radio 3, The City Channel; Radio 4, Olikkalanjiam and Radio 5, Symphony. Radio 1 maintained its name since the station was "well established as a leader".
SBC began accepting programmes from production houses in 1992. One of the first programmes commissioned was Kalau Dapur Tak Berasap from Communications 2000. SBC ended live broadcasts of parliament proceedings in June 1992; earlier the corporation trialed broadcasts of the Budget debate. SBC's highlights of parliament coverage continued but only as a 15-minute broadcast.
In January 1993, SBC added 20 hours a week of broadcasting hours for its television channels. As a result, each channel refined its identity – SBC 5 will only air English and Malay shows, SBC 8 with Mandarin and Tamil and SBC 12 with "serious fare" and sports. Some programmes were reshuffled, while newer programme genres, including talk shows and classic TV in the form of sitcom reruns were introduced. The corporation also introduced block programming; originally began in 1992 with the Saturday morning cartoon slot "Nine to Twelve".
An educational programming block known as CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore) began airing on Channel 12 on 4 January 1993 produced by the Ministry of Education for SBC similar to Malaysia's TV Pendidikan and the then Indonesian TPI blocktime service on TVRI. On 1 February of that year, SBC celebrated its 30 years of television broadcasting. Before 7 June 1993 Channel 8 continued to sign-on as late as 5:50pm, On that day itself, Channel 8 expanded its airtime, now broadcasting from 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and at 9:00 a.m on saturdays (3:00 p.m before the increase). In November that year, SBC announced a satellite television network named Singapore International Television (SITV), to start on 1 January 1994. The service was to be operated by the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) with the aim of promoting the Singaporean way of life abroad, and was to broadcast over a rented transponder in the Palapa satellite from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. nightly.
By 1993, SBC had ambitions to produce more local content and broadcasting hours on channels 5 and 12, with Malay content scheduled to move to Channel 12. Channel 8 would stick to the existing formula of Mandarin and Tamil. SBC made its first attempt at producing an English drama by producing the made-for-TV movie Time Tomorrow, which aired on 9 March 1993.
In 1993, SBC launched a home shopping programme called Sell-a-Vision (provided by Quantum International and represented locally by LeisureMart Pte Ltd) which broadcast twice daily for two hours a day on its television channels and was expected to run until May 1994. However, The Straits Times writer Cherian George mentioned that Sell-a-Vision was not part of SBC's twelve minutes of advertising per hour rule. It would also expand to SBC 8 in October 1994.
On 1 January 1994, Channel 5 moved its remaining Malay programming to Channel 12, and re-launched as an English-language channel. On the same day, AM radio broadcasts were cut without prior warning.
Radio Singapore International (RSI) was launched on 1 February 1994 as the official radio international broadcasting company in Singapore, airing news and current affairs, lifestyle, and music programming in English, Malay, Mandarin and Indonesian.
SBC began preparing for 24 hour broadcasts for its information-based radio stations in late 1993. 93.3 started 24 hour broadcasts on 1 May 1994; Radio One on 16 May 1994; Class 95 in June and City Sounds 95.8 in October (later moved to December). Love 97.2 launched on 23 September 1994, playing sentimental Mandarin pop music.
1994–1999: Privatisation
On 18 December 1991, the Minister of Information and the Arts George Yeo announced that the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation was to be privatised within a period of two years. Its three television channels would be placed under the control of "two or three companies" and the radio stations spun off to a separate company. There were already talks with foreign investors from Hong Kong and the United States regarding the possibility of allowing potential stakes in the new companies. The decision was delayed in March 1993 from year-end 1993 to year-end 1994 to allow for greater competition in the region and abroad. SBC held a committee for the names of the new corporations. One peculiar suggestion came from lettering artist Rathna Kumari, who suggested that the facilities service was to be called "The Backbone", the radio network "Silksound" and the company in charge of channels 5 and 8 "FutureVision".
In September 1993, SBC announced that Malay programming would be moved to SBC 12 and expanded, and SBC 5 would become an English-language channel. On 1 January 1994, SBC 5 relaunched with its new English-language format as Channel 5. Singapore International Television launched the same day, broadcasting an hour of programming for international audiences nightly via satellite; the channel opened with a special edition of Channel 5's Inside Asia followed by a relay of its 10:30 p.m. news. The first half hour was to be devoted to current affairs and lifestyle programming.
Radio Singapore International (RSI) was launched on 1 February 1994 as the official international radio broadcasting company in Singapore, airing news and current affairs, lifestyle, and music programming in English, Malay, Mandarin and Indonesian. 93.3 started 24 hour broadcasts on 1 May 1994, followed by Radio One on 16 May 1994, Class 95 in June, and City Sounds 95.8 in December. Love 97.2 launched on 23 September 1994, playing sentimental Mandarin pop music.
On 1 October 1994, SBC was formally privatised into the new holding company Singapore International Media (SIM), with four business units: Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS, which controlled Channel 5 and 8), Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS), Singapore Television Twelve (STV12, which controlled Channel 12) and SIM Communications (SIMCOM). The Singapore Broadcasting Authority allocated $40 million per annum of money to TV12 to provide 45 out of the 60 hours a week of public service broadcasting, with 19 hours for arts, sports and culture programming, 15 for Malay programming and 11 for Indian programming. The rest of the hours was funded by TV12.
In early 1995, TCS scrapped the duty officers, who were responsible to gauge feedback from viewers. The programme advisory committee – which were made up of members of the public and were useful for internal check – were also scrapped. TV12 moved to the Bestway building sometime in July 1995.
On 1 September 1995, Channel 8 expanded into a 24-hour network focusing exclusively on Mandarin-language programmes, while its Tamil programming was assumed by Prime 12—a relaunch of Channel 12 which focused on multilingual programming. TV12 also launched a UHF spin-off channel known as Premiere 12, which featured arts, culture, documentaries, children's, and sports programmes.
In October 1995, TV12 was originally asked by the Singapore Broadcasting Authority to launch another classical music station in response to changes in RCS' 92.4, but later turned down due to the lack of funding from the authorities.
TCS viewed Channel 5 and Premiere 12 as practising "complementary programming" as much as possible, as Channel 5 was positioned as a mass appeal channel while TV12 catered to the special interest audience, with the latter promising to not appeal to the lowest common denominator. However, the separation of TCS and TV12 had caused the channels of both companies competing each other with similar programming at the same time slot, causing viewers to have less choice. Local programming production on TV12, especially Prime 12, is 60% coming from production houses while 40% comes from TV12 itself, using personnel from Vision Production.
On the occasion of TCS' third anniversary, its executive Daniel Yun said that its two channels, Channel 5 and Channel 8 will become more Singaporean with increasing local productions and its viewers become increasingly bilingual. Yun pointed out that they are not just channels for the "English-educated yuppie" and "the HDB heartlander" respectively.
In March 1998, George Yeo announced at the Parliament that RCS would launch three new radio stations later in the year – NewsRadio 93.8, Inter FM and an unnamed financial radio station. On 1 March 1999, TCS launched Channel NewsAsia (CNA), a local news channel. TCS launched its own film production studio Raintree Pictures on 1 August 1998.
1999–2015: Media Corporation of Singapore
On 15 June 1999, the Singapore International Media group of companies restructured as the Media Corporation of Singapore (MediaCorp). The new name was created to avoid confusion with the Singapore Institute of Management. There were unfounded rumours of a merger between TCS and STV12, which were denied by Richard Tan. MediaCorp later announced the creation of new strategic business units in July:
- TV Channel Management (channels 5 and 8, upcoming sports channel)
- Public Broadcasting (Singapore Television Twelve, namely Prime 12 and Premiere 12)
- Radio (12 stations owned by the Radio Corporation of Singapore)
- TV/Film Production and Distribution (programme production and distribution units of TCS, STV12 and subsidiary companies)
- News and Current Affairs (Channel NewsAsia)
- Print Media (Caldecott Publishing)
- Multimedia (multimedia units of all subsidaries).
On 30 January 2000, MediaCorp launched three new channels. Prime 12 and Premiere 12 were relaunched as Suria and Central respectively; Suria would be a Malay-language channel, while Central would be divided into three dayparted blocks under the brands "Kids Central" (children's programming), "Vasantham Central" (Tamil-language programming), and "Arts Central". Sportscity, a sports channel, was also launched the same day. In September 2000, CNA launched an international feed, intending to expand the service into a pan-Asian network. On 10 November, Today was launched as a free newspaper to compete with Singapore Press Holdings' Streats. The newspaper was owned by MediaCorp, Singtel, and SMRT, with DelGro pulling out two days earlier.
Ernest Wong was appointed CEO of MediaCorp on 1 October 2000. He had worked with the corporation since 1994, when he joined the Audit Committee of what would become Singapore International Media. Among his accolades in the group were the start of its news channel and its international expansion, as well as the investment in the internet and theatrical businesses. At the time, the government planned to list MediaCorp on the stock market by the end of 2000 or the start of 2001.
On 12 February 2001, MediaCorp completed its establishment of a new senior management team, with Wong serving as CEO of the holding company (Media Corporation of Singapore Pte Ltd) and MediaCorp TV, Farrell Meisel as chief operating officer (COO) of MediaCorp, Kenneth Tan as COO of MediaCorp TV, Woon Tai Ho as COO of MediaCorp TV12, and Chua Foo Yong MediaCorp as COO of MediaCorp Radio.
MediaCorp's monopoly on free-to-air television was broken in May 2001, when the Singapore government granted new free-to-air licenses to SPH MediaWorks, a subsidiary of publisher Singapore Press Holdings. The company launched two channels in English and Chinese respectively, TVWorks (later Channel i) and Channel U. In late-2004, citing financial issues, SPH announced an agreement to merge its television business with that of Mediacorp; SPH would transfer Channel i and U to MediaCorp, take a 20% stake in MediaCorp TV, and a 40% stake in Today, while discontinuing its competing Streats.
Channel i was shut down on 1 January 2005 as it was not considered to be economically viable, while Channel U continued as a complementary service to Channel 8. Alongside the takeover, Channel 8 amended its Chinese name from Dì bā bō dào (Chinese: 第八波道) to Bā píndào (Chinese: 八频道) to match the notation that had been used by Channel U (Chinese: 优频道; pinyin: Yōu píndào); MediaCorp explained that the change was meant to reflect the integration of SPH and its ideas into the company.
On 21 October 2004, Mediacorp hosted the first Singapore Radio Awards with nominations only open to its radio stations. In July 2005, Mediacorp renewed a transmission agreement with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to extend the broadcast of the BBC World Service Radio, which has been aired in Singapore since 1976. In May 2007, the company hired an experienced senior management staff team to help steer the company to strengthening position in the Asian region. On 11 November 2007, Mediacorp launched HD5, the first high definition television channel in Singapore.
In 2007, in effort to establish a new generation of actresses, MediaCorp identified and grouped the seven most promising upcoming actresses from Singapore in the 2000s, namely Jesseca Liu, Jeanette Aw, Rui En, Fiona Xie, Joanne Peh, Felicia Chin and Dawn Yeoh, then all in their twenties, and referred to them collectively as "Seven Princesses of MediaCorp" (新传媒七公主). A similar grouping of its male artistes for similar reasons was carried out in 2014, grouping eight promising upcoming Mediacorp actors from Singapore in the 2010s, namely Zhang Zhenhuan, Romeo Tan, Desmond Tan, Jeffrey Xu, Xu Bin, Ian Fang, Aloysius Pang and Shane Pow, and were collectively known as the "8 Dukes of Caldecott Hill".
All Mediacorp radio stations converted to 24/7 broadcasting from 1 January 2008. At the time, the only stations that still closed down were Capital 95.8, Ria 89.7, Symphony 92.4, 938LIVE and 96.3 The International Channel (renamed XFM later in 2008). In February, Mediacorp acquires 20% stake in Chinese outdoor advertising firm, Dahe Media, awhile at the same time, the company entered a strategic investment partnership with Vietnamese company, the International Media Corporation (IMC) in which they will "look forward to lending expertise in the areas of programming, branding, promotion, management and airtime sales".
In March 2008, it was announced that Central would be split into two separate channels, with Vasantham Central being spun-off as a full-time channel serving the Tamil community, and children's and arts programming moving to a new channel. The changes took effect in 19 October of that year, with the launch of the new Vasantham and Okto channels. In August 2008, MediaCorp also launched MOBTV, an online television service.
Owing to the diminished effectiveness of a shortwave radio service over time with changing technology and media consumption habits, RSI was dissolved on 31 October 2008.
In January 2009, Mediacorp established its Interactive Media Division where its online and mobile properties will be consolidated into a new division. In March, Mediacorp was among 6 ASEAN broadcasting companies including Media Prima, Media Nusantara Citra (MNC) and ABS-CBN Corporation jointly to form a regional broadcasting alliance, Smart Alliance to carry out an alliance to cooperate in three areas—content, sales and marketing, and technology—and take advantage of economies of scale and combined markets that the region can offer. In December, the company began to phased out its cost-cutting measures and restoring full pay for its staffs.
In 2009, Mediacorp was appointed as the media partner for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai with Channel NewsAsia providing news coverage in a year-long partnership. The appointment makes the company became the first global media partner of the exhibition. Mediacorp had extended its partnership with the Japanese public broadcaster, NHK for another 3 years, until 2012, during The Asian Pitch competition. In March 2010, the company signed a licensing deal with Global Yellow Pages in which the deal allows Mediacorp reproduced or using the latter's data on its online classified advertising platform Mocca on a "revenue-sharing arrangement".
In March 2011, Mediacorp announced an "organisational alignment and movements" in its sales business which took effect on 1 April. On 12 August, Mediacorp selected DP Architects and Maki and Associates as the architects of its new campus, which to be located at Mediapolis@one-north.
In 2012, the company partnered with French mobile advertising firm Sofialys "to implement a new multi-platform advertising serving solution". In August 2013, Mediacorp consolidated its sole Malay channel, Suria and its two Malay radio stations, Warna 942 and Ria 897 into a new division, known as the Malay Broadcast Division.
In April 2015, Mediacorp retrenched its 33 staffs as part of its corporate restructuring exercise. In June, Mediacorp set up its Digital Group to overseen products and services for online consumers and marketers.
2015–present: New headquarters and transition to digital
On 8 December 2015, Mediacorp officially opened a new headquarters at one-north's Mediapolis development. The 12-storey complex was designed by DP Architects and Maki and Associates and features a "fenceless" design with four studios, a 1,500-seat "broadcast-ready" theatre, and an integrated multi-platform newsroom. The company expected to complete the migration from its previous Caldecott Hill facilities by July 2016. Alongside the new headquarters, Mediacorp also unveiled a new logo, which was designed to reflect the broadcaster's "vibrancy" and "multiplicity", acting as an "a window to the world and a reflection of life".
In April 2017, Mediacorp began to phase out print publication of Today by discontinuing its weekend editions. The weekday editions were then discontinued in September 2017, leaving Today as a digital publication. SPH would concurrently divest its stakes in Mediacorp for S$18 million. In September 2018, magazines 8 Days and i-Weekly ceased print publications and went solely on their digital platforms. i-Weekly would later merge with Channel 8 News to form 8world for Chinese news, entertainment and lifestyle contents.
Analogue broadcasting of Mediacorp channels ended at midnight on 2 January 2019, transitioning exclusively to digital television.
On 1 May 2019, Okto was discontinued as a standalone channel, with its children's programming becoming a daytime block on Channel 5 under the Okto on 5 branding. Okto's sports programming was moved primarily to other Mediacorp outlets. Channel 8 similarly rebranded its existing children's block as Okto尽在8 (lit. Okto on 8)
On 30 January 2020, Mediacorp rebranded its digital media platforms Toggle, MeRadio and MeClub as meWatch, meListen and meRewards respectively. The rebranding came as part of the broadcaster's "Made for You" initiative to build multi-platform services "designed around consumers' preferences and consumption habits".
The company partnered with technology company, Amobee on 24 February 2021 to launched Mediacorp AdDirect, a self-service advertising solution platform which "provides an easy, efficient and effective way for businesses to reach their target customers".
In July 2022, Mediacorp collaborated with Nanyang Polytechnic to set up a new centre for omnichannel marketing to aid small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which intended to "provide training to SMEs" and "support them in planning, creating, and driving omnichannel marketing campaigns". The company also partnered with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in November to produce science-based edutainment content for Okto in order to "build a factually accurate source of engaging edutainment for kids".
In December 2022, the company entered partnership with YouTube, The Pinkfong Company and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to produce and acquire video content.
On 16 January 2023, Mediacorp announced a rebranding of nearly all of its properties, which officially took effect on 1 February. The properties adopted a unified branding scheme based around flat design, with logos prefixed by an encircled Mediacorp insignia, and branding elements also incorporating a chevron formed from the top of the insignia. The company signed a deal with global technology research company, Ecosystm in May 2023 to engage with commercial and content collaborations. The deal combined Ecosystm's "research and thought leadership" with Mediacorp's "creative capabilities and wide audience reach".
In December 2023, Mediacorp signed an agreement with Taiwanese production company Mission International for content development at the Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF). Both companies also will co-develop scripts ranging from different genres.
Services
Television
Mediacorp operates six free-to-air terrestrial channels broadcast in the four official languages of the country (Malay, Singapore English, Singaporean Mandarin and Tamil). The company holds a monopoly on terrestrial television within the country.
Channel | Frequency | Name | LCN | Language | Picture format | Type | Broadcast area | Transmitter site | 24-hours | Multiplex | Opening date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 | 538MHz | Channel 5 | 2HD | English | HDTV (1080i 16:9) | General entertainment | Singapore Johor Bahru/Johor Bahru District (Malaysia) Batam/Batam Islands, Riau Islands (Indonesia) |
Bukit Batok Transmission Centre | MUX1 Mediacorp Bukit Batok Transmission Centre | 15 February 1963; 61 years ago (15 February 1963) (as TV Singapura) 2 April 1963; 61 years ago (2 April 1963) (as TV Singapura Channel 5) | |
Suria | 4HD | Malay | 31 January 1984; 40 years ago (31 January 1984) | ||||||||
31 | 554MHz | Channel 8 | 3HD | Chinese | MUX2 Mediacorp Bukit Batok Transmission Centre | 31 August 1963; 61 years ago (31 August 1963) (Test transmissions) 23 November 1963; 61 years ago (23 November 1963) (Official) | |||||
Vasantham | 5HD | Tamil | 1 September 1995; 29 years ago (1 September 1995) | ||||||||
33 | 570MHz | CNA | 6HD | English | 24-hour news and current affairs | MUX3 Mediacorp Bukit Batok Transmission Centre | 1 March 1999; 25 years ago (1 March 1999) | ||||
Channel U | 7HD | Chinese | Youth general entertainment | 6 May 2001; 23 years ago (6 May 2001) |
Radio
Mediacorp operates twelve FM radio stations, with eleven domestic stations, as well as a relay of the BBC World Service. The company's digital audio broadcasting service was discontinued on 1 December 2011. Mediacorp's stations dominate listenership in the country, owning all but one of the top ten stations in Singapore based on average listenership according to surveys by Nielsen in 2024, with its stations having an average weekly listenership of 3.93 million in total.
Frequency | TRP (kW) | Station | RDS | Language | Genre | Broadcast area | Transmitter site | Opening date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
88.9 MHz | 5 | BBC World Service | BBC_WS__ | English | News/Talk | Singapore | Bukit Batok Transmission Centre | 19 December 1932; 92 years ago (19 December 1932) as the BBC Empire Service |
89.7 MHz | 6 | Ria 897 | RIA897 | Malay | CHR (Malay) | 1 December 1990; 34 years ago (1 December 1990) | ||
90.5 MHz | 6 | Gold 905 | GOLD905 | English | Classic hits | 1 March 1937; 87 years ago (1 March 1937) as ZHL (under British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation) | ||
92.4 MHz | 10 | Symphony 924 | SYMPHONY924 | English | Classical | 18 July 1969; 55 years ago (18 July 1969) as FM Stereo Service | ||
93.3 MHz | 6 | YES 933 | YES933 | Mandarin Chinese | CHR (Mandopop/K-pop) | 1 January 1990; 35 years ago (1 January 1990) | ||
93.8 MHz | 6 | CNA938 | CNA938 | English | News/Talk | 2 October 1998; 26 years ago (2 October 1998) as NewsRadio 938 | ||
94.2 MHz | 10 | Warna 942 | WARNA942 | Malay | Adult contemporary (Malay) Infotainment |
4 January 1959; 66 years ago (1959-01-04) as Radio Singapore and Malay Service | ||
95.0 MHz | 6 | Class 95 | CLASS95 | English | Hot adult contemporary | 1 April 1990; 34 years ago (1 April 1990) as Radio 7 | ||
95.8 MHz | 10 | Capital 958 | CAPITAL958 | Mandarin Chinese | Classic hits (Mandopop) News/talk |
1 January 1951; 74 years ago (1 January 1951) as Green Network | ||
96.8 MHz | 10 | OLI 968 | OLI968 | Tamil | Adult contemporary (Tamil) Infotainment |
1 January 1951; 74 years ago (1 January 1951) as Red Network | ||
97.2 MHz | 6 | Love 972 | LOVE972 | Mandarin Chinese | Adult contemporary (Mandopop) | 23 September 1994; 30 years ago (23 September 1994) | ||
98.7 MHz | 6 | 987 | 987FM | English | CHR | 1 January 1989; 36 years ago (1 January 1989) as Perfect Ten 98.7FM |
Digital platforms
mewatch
Main article: meWatchmewatch (formerly Toggle) was launched on 1 February 2013 as an OTT service. On 1 April 2015, xinmsn was merged with Toggle. It is Mediacorp's digital video service that redefines TV viewing, bringing Toggle Originals, catch-up content, live coverage of key national events, news, entertainment, and behind-the-scene exclusives to viewers across multiple devices – computers, tablets, smartphones, smart television sets, and digital media players.
melisten
melisten (formerly MeRadio) is an audio digital platform focusing on live audio streaming of Mediacorp's eleven radio stations as well as audio podcasts. This platform is also where they offered their online radio stations, such as IndieGo for independent music and urban adult contemporary.
Mediacorp Partner Network
In 2018, Mediacorp launched the Mediacorp Partner Network. Under the MPN, Mediacorp signed agreements with brands like:
- ESPN on 6 August 2018, where Mediacorp will be the exclusive representative for all ad sales in Singapore for ESPN.com, while ESPN will launch a dedicated Singapore edition of the ESPN site to deliver a mix of local sports news and features in addition to coverage of global sports.
- 99.co on 29 August 2018 to create property related news and information for consumers.
- Edipresse in November 2018 to co-develop content across digital editorial platforms, TV, live radio and events. Such content will be made available on both Mediacorp and Edipresse Media platforms, utilising the regional reach and influence of both companies.
- VICE on 23 April 2019 to bring original VICE digital and TV content to a new Singapore audience via Mediacorp's multi-platform reach.
Flagship programmes
Some of Mediacorp's flagship programmes include:
- Star Awards – Mediacorp's Chinese awards event.
- Star Search
- 118 – long-form Channel 8 drama. 255-episode 118 I aired from 2014 – 2015, 218-episode 118 II ran from 2016 – 2017, and a special 23-episode 118 Reunion aired in 2018.
- Tanglin – long-form Channel 5 daily drama that centred on the lives of multiracial and multigenerational families in a middle-income neighbourhood, in the Holland Village, Tanglin. The 823-episode show ran from 2015 to 2018.
- KIN – long-form Channel 5 weekends drama launched in 2018 (after Tanglin's conclusion).
- Getai Challenge – singing talent search competition that aimed to promote the Getai culture and discover aspiring Getai singers. Season 1 was shown on Channel 8 in 2015, and Season 2 in 2018.
- SPOP SING! – an initiative launched by Mediacorp in 2018 to showcase and curate local music compositions.
- Abang Teksi (Taxi Brother) – Suria only Malay sitcom aired season 1 from 2017 and season 2 from 2019.
- Forensik (Forensics) – Suria drama and spin-off to English counterpart Code of Law launched in 2020.
Production
In 2000, MediaCorp Studios was created to produce content for MediaCorp TV channels, such as Channel 5, Channel U and Channel 8. In 2001, EagleVision was created to produce content for Suria and Vasantham. They co-produce programmes with regional broadcasters and production houses such as Media Prima Malaysia, Radio Televisyen Malaysia, Radio Television Brunei, ABS-CBN Studios Philippines, Eightgeman Taiwan and Taiwan Television.
Controversies
1982 misinformation over Zainal Abidin
At 6:54am on 6 October 1982, SBC Radio 2 claimed that Malaysian squash champion Zainal Abidin died in a car accident. Said announcement turned out to be a voice test conducted by a newsreader ahead of the 7am bulletin. In the wake of the voice test, Zainal received calls regarding his status. SBC subsequently apologised to Zainal. Azmi Mahmud, who did the voice test, was sacked on 22 January 1983, in the fallout of the incident. To prevent further mishaps, SBC tightened its controls on its news procedures.
Copyright infringement with RecordTV
In 2007, cloud software DVR service RecordTV (now InstantTV) filed a lawsuit against Mediacorp for copyright infringement which the latter claimed as "groundless threats". This comes after the company sent two "cease and desist" letters to RecordTV which "stated the consequences" of alleged copyright violations, which led Mediacorp counter-sued against RecordTV. In December 2009, Mediacorp won the case against RecordTV, in which the Singapore High Court found that RecordTV had infringed copyright laws by allowing users to record programmes shown on three Mediacorp-owned channels.
2017 OK Chope! controversy
On 29 March 2017, an edition of the Channel 5 comedy panel game show OK Chope! featured the following question:
Najib slams ____ for threatening Malaysia’s progress.
of which the answer was "fake news". The panelists while trying to find an answer to fill the blank, referred to "kissing Malaysian officers" and the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, whose release was postponed in Malaysia due to the inclusion of a minor gay character. The segment went viral on social media and prompted anger from Malaysian netizens. The Malaysian Artistes Association and the Selangor UMNO Youth both demanded that Vernetta Lopez should apologise for insulting and ridiculing Najib or would face a ban from Malaysian TV shows. Mediacorp issued an apology on 5 April 2017 and removed the episode from Toggle.
Awards and accolades
Year | Award-giving body | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 13th Asian Television Awards | Asia's Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year | Mediacorp | Won | |
2013 | 18th Asian Television Awards | Won |
See also
- Mass media of Singapore
- Censorship in Singapore
- List of programmes broadcast by Channel 5 (Singapore)
- List of programmes broadcast by Mediacorp Channel 8
- List of programs broadcast by Vasantham
- List of programmes broadcast by CNA
- Category:Singapore Chinese dramas
Notes
- replacing Vasantham Central formerly by Central
References
- "MediaCorp's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding, Acquisitions & News". Owler. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- "LETTERS TO THE EDITOR". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly). 11 March 1925. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Listening-In". The Straits Times. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Wireless in Malaya". The Straits Times. 8 April 1925. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Singapore Broadcasting". The Straits Times. 25 June 1925. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
- Repa, Jan (25 October 2005). "Analysis: BBC's voice in Europe". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Historic moments from the 1930s". BBC World Service. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- Transcribed from recording on World Service 75th Anniversary DVD; full extract transmitted as part of opening program – the Reith Global Debate – of the 'Free to Speak' 75th anniversary season
- "Why Kill ZHI?". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 18 December 1936. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "MONOPOLY GRANTED TO B-M-B-C-". The Straits Times. 19 December 1936. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "BROADCASTING STATION IN SINGAPORE". The Straits Times. 12 April 1935. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- Adrian Petersen (3 June 2021). "Radio Malaysia Celebrates 75 Years". radioheritage.com.
- "Radio Station Delay". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 21 August 1935. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Malayan B. B. C. 's Building On Hill Off Thomson Road". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 31 May 1936. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "CHINESE MUSIC ON THE AIR". The Straits Times. 9 June 1936. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- "Auditions For Local Radio Stars". The Straits Times. 11 November 1936. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Radio broadcasting in Singapore (1924–46)".
- ^ "Broadcasts, Dramas and Dreams… Caldecott Hill in 80 Years". Remember Singapore. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
The new entity received complaints that its acronym SBC was easily confused with the Singapore Bus Service (SBS). Others sarcastically mocked that SBC stood for "si bei cham" (damn terrible in Hokkien).
- "OPENING BY GOVERNOR ON MARCH 1". The Straits Times. 21 February 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "RADIO ZHL INAUGURATION TO-DAY". Morning Tribune. 1 March 1937. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "SIR SHENTON THOMAS OPENS SINGAPORE'S NEW BROADCASTER". The Straits Times. 2 March 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Corporation's Attempt To Balance Budget". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 28 June 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "SHORT-WAVE BROADCAST TO COVER MALAYA B. M. B. C. POLICY OUTLINED". Malaya Tribune. 2 July 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "B.M.B.C. RUNNING AT A LOSS". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 3 September 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "SHORT-WAVE RADIO STATION SOON". The Straits Times. 3 October 1937. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "B. M. B. C. Subsidy To Cease". Morning Tribune. 29 January 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "B.M.B.C. SHOWS $275 PROFIT". Malaya Tribune. 2 May 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Radio Listeners Increase". The Straits Budget. 5 May 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "ALL MALAYA WILL SOON HEAR SINGAPORE". Malaya Tribune. 1 June 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "P. For Progress". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 20 July 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "MORE SPORT BROADCASTS". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 28 July 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "New B.M.B.C. Short Wave Transmission". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). 28 September 1938. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "B.M.B.C. TO GET MORE AID FROM GOVERNMENT". The Straits Times. 19 February 1939. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "B. M. B. C. ANNUAL REPORT". Malaya Tribune. 22 June 1939. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "SINGAPORE PLAN FOR MORE BROADCASTING". The Straits Times. 29 June 1939. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "INCREASED POWER FOR B.M.B.C. TRANSMITTER Work Being Completed On The Short-Wave Unit". The Straits Budget. 25 January 1940. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- "NEW MALAYAN RADIO POLICY Government To Buy B.M.B.C." The Straits Budget. 29 February 1940. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- "French Broadcasts From Singapore". The Straits Times. 14 September 1940. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- "Enhanced Native Broadcasts From Singapore". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 14 September 1940. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "TO-DAY'S RADIO". Malaya Tribune. 15 October 1940. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Where To Listen In To-Day". Sunday Tribune. 6 April 1941. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Syonan Radio Station Rebuilt From Ruins". Shonan Times. 10 March 1943. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- "LOCAL BROADCASTS FROM TO-MORROW". Shonan Times. 28 March 1942. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- "ラヂオ ニュース". Shonan Times. 6 June 1942. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- "Nippon-Go Radio Courses For Syonan Schools". Shonan Times. 18 June 1942. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- "NEW RADIO SCHEDULES Begin TODAY". Sunday Tribune. 23 December 1945. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "B.B.C. TO CONTROL S'PORE STATION". The Straits Times. 11 June 1947. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "B.B.C. TO OPEN HERE AUG. 8". The Singapore Free Press. 31 July 1948. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "The Changes". The Straits Times. 8 December 1948. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "RADIO PROGRAMME CHANGES". The Straits Times. 8 December 1948. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "CHINESE GET OWN RADIO". The Straits Times. 12 December 1950. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "RADIO MALAYA FADES OUT OF CATHAY". The Straits Times. 1 November 1951. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "BROADCASTS TO LAST LONGER". The Straits Times. 3 January 1952. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "Diary of a Nation (SBC 1988) - 4 January 1959: Radio Singapura". YouTube.
- ^ "Singapore radio to give shortwave broadcasts". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 9 February 1960. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- "TEST TRANSMISSIONS BY RADIO S'PORE". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 29 December 1960. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- "SPECIAL BROADCASTS ON RADIO SINGAPORE FOR NATIONAL DAY PLANS". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 3 June 1961. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- "Radio broadcasting in Singapore (1946–65)".
- "AND MORE PROGRAMMES FOR VERNACULAR SECTIONS, TOO". The Straits Times. 2 March 1964. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- "More daily news broadcasts for Singapore from today". The Straits Times. 2 March 1964. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- Lim Ann Qi, Angela (14 February 1963). "PROGRAMME FOR TV PILOT SERVICE". The Straits Times. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- Lim Ann Qi, Angela (2 April 1963). "Television Singapura The Straits Times". The Straits Times. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- "Television Singapura to mark Solidarity Day". The Straits Times. 31 August 1963. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- "S'PORE TV ON TWO CHANNELS FROM TODAY". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 23 November 1963. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- "Commercial TV inauguration". The Straits Times. 10 January 1964. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "New era of service for the viewers". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 26 August 1966. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- "New era of service for the viewers". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 16 August 1965. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- "Radio Singapura to have F.M. service". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 12 January 1967. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- "Latest public amenities for people in Republic". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 23 June 1967. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "FM stereo test runs". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 23 June 1967. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Regular FM service on Radio S'pura". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 17 July 1969. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "NEW TIMES FOR TV SCREENING FROM FRIDAY". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 March 1973. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "Prize winning SBC film on Ch 3". The Straits Times. 15 March 1983. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- "RTS buys two colour TV transmitters costing $700,000". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 January 1974. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- "Colour TV films go on test from today". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 2 May 1974. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- Lim Ann Qi, Angela (7 July 1974). "Singapore Colour Live Telecast on FIFA World Cup Via Satellite Transmission". The Straits Times. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- Lim Ann Qi, Angela (9 August 1974). "Singapore First Colour Television". The Straits Times. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- "TV newsreels in colour from Nov 11". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 October 1974. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- "Pemenang peraduan cipta logo RTS terima cek $250". Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB). 5 August 1975. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Longer hours for stereo listeners". The Straits Times. 25 February 1978. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- "Radio frequencies to be changed". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 3 October 1978. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- "RTS may go statutory to raise its standards". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 8 September 1979. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "HEIR TO RTS". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 13 September 1979. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "SBC act approved". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 12 January 1980. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "$5,000 PRIZE FOR SBC LOGO". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 17 January 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Singapore Broadcasting Corporation is established - Singapore History". eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
- "New SBC plays it low key". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 3 February 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "4.042 logo diterima". Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB). 26 February 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "SBC logo competition draws 4000 entries". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 21 February 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "SBC's NEW LOGO". Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB). 19 May 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "TV-radio time to be extended". Berita Harian (retrieved from NLB). 19 May 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Entertainment is SBC's main weakness says Soo Khoon". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 26 March 1981. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "BEHIND THE CAMERA with Kannan Chandran". The Straits Times. 6 March 1982. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- "SBC time clock may earn $1m". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 21 February 1980. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "Here's to good news". The Straits Times. 24 July 1980. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "'Siaran Parti Politik' ke udara malam ini". Berita Harian (Singapore). 17 December 1980. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "4 parti tak dapat muncul di TV?". Berita Harian (Singapore). 6 December 1980. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Goodbye, SBC — many memorable moments, but a mixed legacy". The Straits Times. 25 September 1994. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "SPORTING LANGUAGE". The Straits Times. 10 February 1981. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- "Distasteful to have repeat telecast?". The Straits Times. 17 May 1981. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- "New Year gift: New-sound radio". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 16 December 1981. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- "TV series to help kids speak better". The Straits Times. 30 March 1982. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- "It all ads up: Two is best, five is the limit". The Straits Times. 23 January 1983. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "New look for TV news". The Straits Times. 2 February 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Kannan Chandran describes SBC's first attempt at serious journalism for children". The Straits Times. 15 January 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "Newswatch debut shows it has much potential". The Straits Times. 3 February 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "'Here is news' on TV for children". The Straits Times. 14 January 1983. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "New host, new look for News 5". Today. 30 April 2001. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "Radio news by the hour". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 28 April 1983. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- "TV news to include commercial breaks". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 13 January 1984. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "SBC serials to be dubbed in Cantonese". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 30 January 1984. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- "Move on, Renmington Steele". The Straits Times. 2 March 1985. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- "More air time for local dramas". The Straits Times. 7 February 1985. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "New-style SBC ads get on viewers' nerves". The Straits Times. 11 May 1986. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- "SBC financial news on short-wave too". The Straits Times. 30 July 1987. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "SBC news takes on a more glamorous look". The Straits Times. 19 November 1988. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- "SBC to stop Late News service from Jan 2". The Straits Times. 9 December 1988. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "SBC to launch new English and Mandarin radio channels". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 8 December 1989. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- "Making music in the midnight hour". The Straits Times. 19 October 1989. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- "'Classy' SBC radio station goes on air today". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 1 April 1990. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "As the dial turns". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 4 March 1990. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "Welcome addition but 'format and hours leave room for improvement'". The Straits Times. 9 January 1990. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "SBC to broadcast in stereo from August". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 22 February 1990. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "Countdown to N-Day is SBC's first stereo effort". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 July 1990. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "SBC to invest $5 m more towards stereo programmes". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 14 October 1990. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "SBC 12 goes stereo". The Business Times (retrieved from NLB). 1 December 1990. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "SBC to spend $700m on new projects". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 2 November 1990. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "BG Yeo: SBC to be privatised in 2 years' time". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 19 December 1991. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- "Good-night, good-bye". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 22 September 1991. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- "New names for four SBC radio stations". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 4 November 1991. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "It's a real train for escape scene". The Straits Times. 12 February 1998. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- "Case for live telecast". Business Times. 2 June 1992. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "Surprises on the small screen". The Straits Times. 22 November 1992. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- "S'pore to beam TV shows to Asia". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 11 November 1993. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- "Windfall from SBC". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 5 September 1993. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- "Longer hours on SBC next year". The Business Times (retrieved from NLB). 4 September 1993. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- "She could not get through; but SBC did". The Straits Times. 14 March 1993.
- "Sell-a-vision: Has SBC sold out?". The Straits Times. 6 March 1994. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "Page 24 Advertisements Column 1". The Straits Times. 28 August 1994. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- "MW band cut with no warning". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 8 January 1994. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "About us". Radio Singapore International. Archived from the original on 27 November 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ "New regional radio service starts today". The Straits Times. 1 February 1994. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ "Can't sleep at 3 am? Call the radio deeiay". The Straits Times. 14 May 1994. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "Six new deejays for SBC's City Sounds". The Straits Times. 7 July 1994. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "Third Mandarin radio station starts up today". The Straits Times. 23 September 1994. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "SBC to go private in two years". The Business Times (retrieved from NLB). 19 December 1991. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- "SBC's likely privatisation delayed one year to end-'94". The Business Times (retrieved from NLB). 18 March 1993. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- "Quirkiness lives too". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 August 1994. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "All Malay shows on SBC 12 from next year". The Straits Times. 1 September 1993. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- "35 hours of TV to ring in 1994". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 19 December 1993. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- "Jan 1 launch for SIF's satellite TV broadcasts". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 23 December 1993. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ "Can't sleep at 3 am? Call the radio deeiay". The Straits Times. 14 May 1994. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "Six new deejays for SBC's City Sounds". The Straits Times. 7 July 1994. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "Third Mandarin radio station starts up today". The Straits Times. 23 September 1994. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "A NEW ERA DAWNS IN SINGAPORE BROADCASTING". The Straits Times. 1 October 1994. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ "More Malay, Indian programmes plus arts, sports". The Straits Times. 2 August 1995. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- "TV delivers audiences to advertisers, entertainment and news come second". The Straits Times. No. 23 April 1995. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "More Malay, Indian programmes plus arts, sports". The Straits Times. 2 August 1995. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- "More as TV 12 splits into 2". The New Paper (retrieved from NLB). 31 August 1995. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- "92.4 FM steps up volume on classicals". The Straits Times. 21 October 1995. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "Psychic link or unsporting conduct?". The Straits Times. 5 May 1996. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "Channels 5 and 8 will become very S'porean". The Straits Times. 19 October 1997. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- "One FM goes for news and gold". The Straits Times. 22 April 1998. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "Launch of Channel NewsAsia". NAS. 1 March 1999. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- Teo, P. L. (16 June 1999). "SIMple change of name for media group.(p. 3)". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- "New sports channel coming your way". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 7 July 1999. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- "Programme Ratings for STV12 Channels Soared on Debut!". MediaCorp Group. February 2000. Archived from the original on 27 June 2001. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- "STV12 to Increase Programming Hours on Central". MediaCorp Group. February 2000. Archived from the original on 10 April 2001. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- "Page 45 Miscellaneous Column 1". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 30 January 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- "Asian launch of Channel NewsAsia". NAS. 28 September 2000. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- "ROLLING OUT NEW PAPERS". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 6 August 2000. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- Abdul Rahim, Zackaria (10 November 2000). "TODAY is here". Today (retrieved from NLB). Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- "DelGro pulls out of new newspaper". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 9 November 2000. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
- "CHAIRMAN STATEMENT ON THE APPOINTMENT OF MR ERNEST WONG AS MEDIACORP GROUP CEO - DELIVERED AT A MEDIA CONFERENCE HELD ON 29 SEP 2000". MediaCorp Group. 29 September 2000. Archived from the original on 10 April 2001. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "MediaCorp may be listed late this year". The Business Times (retrieved from NLB). 29 September 2000. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- "MediaCorp Group New Management Team at MediaCorp & New Business/Collabrotions/Program Acquisition". MediaCorp. 12 February 2001. Archived from the original on 22 December 2001. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
- "Iklan TV berganda". Berita Harian. 23 August 2001. p. 8. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "Media rivals strike deal to curb losses". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 18 September 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- "DETAILS OF THE DEAL:". Today (retrieved from NLB). 18 September 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- Koh, Joyce (8 December 2004). "SPH, MediaCorp to retrench 204 staff, absorb 297". The Business Times.
- "It will be Pin Dao from Jan 1". Today (retrieved from NLB). 22 December 2004. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- "Radio awards". The Straits Times. 30 September 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- "MediaCorp, BBC renew radio agreement". Today. 6 July 2005. p. 8. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- "New faces, new challenges". Today. 30 May 2007. p. 8. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- "MediaCorp's HD channel – HD5 – lifts off". MediaCorp. 13 October 2007. Archived from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- "娱乐吃瓜:15年过后 "七公主"都过得如何了? | 早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ Farveen, Farzanah (4 November 2019). "Mediacorp revamps Toggle, MeRadio and MeClub". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- 洪, 铭铧 (28 February 2007). "新传媒七公主 谁是未来阿姐?". Lianhe Zaobao.
新传媒力捧新生代女艺人上位,目前第一阶段行动已见成果,号称七公主的新生代一字排开,包括20岁的姚懿珊,23岁的陈凤玲,24岁的白薇秀,25岁的芮恩,25岁的谢宛谕,27岁的刘芷绚和28岁的欧萱。" "MediaCorp strives to promote the new generation of female artists, and the first phase of action has seen results. The new generation known as the Seven Princesses line-up, including 20-year-old Dawn Yeoh, 23-year-old Felicia Chin, 24-year-old Joanne Peh, 25-year-old Rui En, 25-year-old Fiona Xie, 27-year-old Jesseca Liu and 28-year-old Jeanette Aw.
- "All hail the 8 Dukes: Who will reign supreme? - Toggle". Toggle. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- "Up-and-coming actors not among Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes nominees". AsiaOne. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- Seah, May (7 May 2014). "Dawn of the Dukes". TODAYonline. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- "Radio all day and all night". Today (retrieved from NLB). 28 December 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- "MediaCorp makes strategic investment in Vietnam's Internal Media Corporation". Today. 22 February 2008. p. 6. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Wong, Alicia (1 March 2008). "Dedicated Indian and kids TV channels". Today (retrieved from NLB). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- "Two more to savour". Today (retrieved from NLB). 21 October 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
- Sharma, Ravi S. (31 October 2011), Understanding the Interactive Digital Media Marketplace: Frameworks, Platforms, Communities and Issues: Frameworks, Platforms, Communities and Issues, IGI Global, pp. 121–, ISBN 978-1-61350-148-1
- "Radio Singapore International to stop transmission". MediaCorp. 3 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- "MediaCorp sets up interactive media division". Today. 3 January 2009. p. 22. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- "ASEAN broadcasters forge SMART Alliance". MediaCorp. 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- "ASEAN broadcasters forge SMART Alliance". CASBAA. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- "A Smart alliance of six". Today. 25 March 2009. p. 8. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- "MediaCorp to restore full pay". Today. 8 December 2009. p. 8. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- "WORLD EXPO 2010 SHANGHAI: MEDIACORP A GLOBAL MEDIA PARTNER". Today. 9 April 2009. p. 74. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "MEDIACORP AND NHK EXTEND PARTNERSHIP". Today. 11 July 2009. p. 14. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- "Global Yellow Pages in deal with MediaCorp". The Business Times. 16 March 2010. p. 7. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- "MOVEMENTS IN MEDIACORP'S SALES BUSINESS". Today. 19 March 2011. p. 24. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "MediaCorp unveils design for its new campus". Today. 13 August 2011. p. 6. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- Wong Siew Ying (13 July 2012). "MediaCorp, Sofialys tie up on mobile ad solutions". Today. p. 46. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- "Divisyen Siaran Melayu gabung Suria, Warna, Ria". Berita Harian. 2 August 2013. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- Norhaiza Hashim (10 April 2015). "MediaCorp hentikan 33 kakitangan". Berita Harian. p. 4. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- "MediaCorp to sharpen digital strategy with Digital Group". Today. 29 June 2015. p. 26. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- "New logo a 'window to the world' as Mediacorp opens new campus". TODAYonline. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- "'Three-year plan' sees Today digital-only in buyback deal". www.gxpress.net. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- "SPH completes sale of Mediacorp stakes". The Straits Times. 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- "SPH to divest Mediacorp stakes for $18m". The Straits Times. 26 August 2017. p. 4. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- "8 Days and i-Weekly magazines to go digital-only, last print editions in September | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- "5 things to know about digital TV before analogue TV transmissions cease from Jan 2". The Straits Times. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- Matthias Ang (20 February 2019). "okto closing down, merging with Channel 5". Mothership. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- "Mediacorp integrates English-language channels Channel 5 and okto". Channel NewsAsia. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- Toh Ting Wei (20 February 2019). "Mediacorp to integrate okto channel with Channel 5 from May". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- "Singapore's Mediacorp aligns digital services; Toggle, MeRadio poofed from Jan 2020 as "me" takes over". ContentAsia. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- "MEDIACORP ADDIRECT TO SIMPLIFY AD BUYING FOR ALL BUSINESSES". Mediacorp. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- "Mediacorp unveils new automated ad buy platform, starts with TV spots". Marketing Interactive. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- "Mediacorp and Nanyang Polytechnic partner to aid SMEs in omnichannel marketing". Marketing Interactive. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- Chloe Tan (1 November 2022). "Mediacorp and WWF SG scale science-based edutainment for SG kids". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- Chloe Tan (9 December 2022). "Mediacorp partners YouTube and Baby Shark creator to beef up content slate". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- "Mediacorp refreshes logo with focus on 'M' prefix". Marketing-Interactive. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- Camillia Dass (24 May 2023). "Mediacorp partners with Ecosystm to drive stronger engagement with audiences". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- Naman Ramachandran (7 December 2023). "Singapore's MediaCorp, Taiwan's Mission International Sign Development Agreement at ATF". Variety. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- "MediaCorp: Radio". Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- "Digital radio from MediaCorp to cease". Channel NewsAsia. 1 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- "Mediacorp radio stations land 9 out of top 10 spots in Nielsen survey, record 3.93 million weekly listeners". CNA. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- Shah, Kyle Malinda (1 April 2015). "Goodbye Xinmsn, Hello Toggle: Microsoft & MediaCorp Disband Entertainment Site". Yahoo. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- "TOGGLE". Mediacorp. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- Lawler, Ryan (28 January 2013). "MediaCorp Taps Tvinci To Launch Toggle, Its Virtual Cable Service in Singapore". TechCrunch. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- "Mediacorp's revamped MeRadio app and website now offer more interactive features". CNA Lifestyle. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- "Mediacorp Goes Indie with indiego – the Latest Offering from Singapore's Largest Digital Radio Network". Mediacorp (Press release). 16 December 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- Farzanah Farveen (7 August 2018). "Mediacorp Partner Network brings on board ESPN in multi-year agreement". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- "Mediacorp Partner Network and 99.co tie up". Marketing Interactive. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- "Mediacorp and Edipresse Media Singapore join hands to deliver luxury content". Asia Radio Today. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- "Mediacorp Partner Network and 99.co tie up". Channel NewsAsia. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- Chin, Soo Fang (23 June 1996). "Popularity sections to play minor role at Star Awards". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. p. 14. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
- "《118》故事人洪荣狄 随时为大选改剧情". My Paper 我报 (in Chinese). 25 August 2015. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- "Tanglin: The show you never knew people loved is coming to an end". CNA Lifestyle. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- "KIN is the Most Underrated Show on Toggle Right Now". RICE Media. 16 November 2018.
- "GeTai Challenge 歌台星力量- Toggle". Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - "SPOP SING! on the hunt for next local singing sensation". 8days. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- Hanim Mohd Saleh (18 October 2017). "Rugi abang teksi tidak mahu ikut perkembangan teknologi". Berita Harian. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- Syawal Yusoff (1 January 2020). "'Forensik' drama pertama Suria diadaptasikan dari siri Saluran 5, Code Of Law". Berita Mediacorp. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- "Mediacorp Studios Pte Ltd". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- Eaglevision: MediaCorp Studios. MediaCorp. 2002.
- "Media Prima Bhd: Media Prima and MediaCorp to jointly produce Kasih Berbisik TV Drama". Market Screener. 25 February 2014.
- "Mediacorp, Radio Television Malaysia present 13th edition of Muzika Ekstravaganza". YouTube. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021.
- "Strengthening Brunei-Singapore Relations Through A New Joint Production, AKSI! (or Action!)". Ministry of Communications and Information. 7 September 2018.
- "ABS-CBN unveils new Studios banner; Philippines' programmer adds sound stages and facilities to music and talent management in upsized global strategy". ContentAsia. 2 December 2024.
- "Epic Singapore-Taiwan Suspense Series Slated for 2019". Mediacorp. 5 December 2018. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
- "SBC says sorry to squash champ". The Straits Times. 7 July 1994. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- "SBC man sacked 3 months after that voice test". The Straits Times. 23 January 1983. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- "SBC switches controls on news bulletins". The Straits Times. 28 January 1983. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- "Still a copyright infringement". Today. 3 July 2009. p. 10. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- S. Ramesh (22 December 2009). "MediaCorp wins counter claims suit". Today. p. 8. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- "Producers Of A Singaporean Gameshow Had To Apologise For Their Segment About PM Najib". Says. 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- "MediaCorp: Asia's Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year, again". Today. 12 December 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "MediaCorp wins Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year award". Today. 6 December 2013. p. 10. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
External links
Mediacorp | |
---|---|
Television | |
Radio | |
Artiste groups | |
Other |
|
Defunct | |
See also: Mass media in Singapore |
Members of the Smart Alliance | |
---|---|
| |
See also: ASEAN • International broadcasting • Lucas Chow • Eugenio Lopez III |
- Mediacorp
- 1936 establishments in the Straits Settlements
- Temasek Holdings
- Radio in Singapore
- Magazine publishing companies
- Newspaper companies of Singapore
- Mass media companies established in 1936
- Mass media companies of Singapore
- Government-owned companies of Singapore
- Multilingual broadcasters
- Singaporean brands
- Publicly funded broadcasters