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Country | Singapore |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Singapore Johor Bahru/Johor Bahru District (Malaysia) Batam/Batam Islands, Riau Islands (Indonesia) |
Network | Mediacorp TV12 (19 October 2008-30 April 2019) Mediacorp TV (1 May 2019-present) |
Headquarters | Mediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507 |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English Chinese |
Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed) |
History | |
Launched | 19 October 2008(as a standalone channel) 1 May 2019(as a children's block on Channel 5) 6 February 2021(as a children's block on Channel 8) |
Closed | 30 April 2019 (as a standalone channel) |
Replaced by | Channel 5, Channel 8 and meWatch (children's programs) Channel 5 and meWatch (sports programming) |
Okto is a Singaporean children's programming block broadcast by Mediacorp's Channel 5 in English and Channel 8 in Mandarin Chinese.
The brand originally operated as a standalone free-to-air channel from 19 October 2008 to 1 May 2019, having been spun off from the Arts Central and Kids Central strands aired by Central (whose Tamil language programming had been concurrently spun off as the new channel Vasantham). The channel also occasionally aired sports programming, which from 2017 to its closure occupied the whole night schedule.
On 1 May 2019, the channel was discontinued, and Okto transitioned to becoming a children's block on Channel 5. The brand was later extended to Channel 8 in Chinese.
In March 2008, MediaCorp announced that it would split its channel Central into two separate channels; a channel serving the Indian community, and a channel focused on arts and children's programming. [1] On 19 October 2008, the channel officially launched as Okto, alongside the new Tamil channel Vasantham. [2] [3] The name Okto was derived from the Greek numeral for "eight", as the channel was on StarHub TV channel 8 (which previously was occupied by Channel i) and Singtel Mio TV channel 108. [4]
Okto was split into two strands; children's programming occupied most of the schedule (later branded as Okto Jr.), [5] [6] while programming from evening to closedown focused on arts and cultural programming. In June 2014, coinciding with its rights to selected matches of the FIFA World Cup, the Sports on Okto brand was introduced. [7]
In 2017, arts programming was dispersed from Okto to other Mediacorp channels, in favour of expanding the nightly OktoSports block. [5] [6]
On 1 May 2019, Okto was discontinued as a television channel, with its children's programming becoming a daytime block on Channel 5 under the Okto on 5 branding, and a content brand on Mediacorp's streaming platform Toggle; previously, Channel 5's daytime programming largely consisted of a simulcast of Mediacorp's news channel CNA. Okto's sports programming was also moved to Toggle and Channel 5. [8] Okto's channel license was subsequently surrendered to the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). [9]
On 6 February 2021, the Okto brand was extended to Channel 8's children's programming block 乐乐窝 (Lè Lè Wō), which was rebranded as Okto尽在8' (Okto on 8)
Since its standalone channel era, Okto mostly aired English language-produced series with selected shows being broadcast in their original language. The channel aired mostly children's programmes, as well as some arts and sports programmes. The channel's target audiences were children aged 2–13, and adults aged 18–39. [6]
From June 2014 to 30 April 2019, Sports on Okto (later renamed as OktoSports) was introduced which showed sporting events live as well as recorded and delayed coverage. It occupied the nightly schedule from 9pm to closedown every night from 2017 to 2019. [5]
Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. is a Singaporean state-owned public media conglomerate, based in 1 Stars Avenue, One-north. Owned by Temasek Holdings—the investment arm of the Government of Singapore—it owns and operates television channels, radio, and digital media properties. As of 2022, Mediacorp employs over 3,000 staff in total with a larger part of them are in both public and private sector broadcasting.
Television in Singapore began on 15 February 1963. The public broadcaster, MediaCorp TV, has a monopoly on terrestrial television channels and is fully owned by government holding company Temasek Holdings. Local pay TV operators are StarHub TV and Singtel TV. The private ownership of satellite dishes was previously forbidden.
Channel 5 is an English-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel primarily airs general entertainment and news programming in the English language.
CNA is a Singaporean multinational news channel owned by Mediacorp, the country's state-owned media conglomerate. CNA broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Singapore, and internationally as a pay television channel to 29 territories across the Asia-Pacific.
On 31 December 2004, MediaCorp and SPH MediaWorks agreed to merge effective the following day. The merger is no longer in effect on 29 September 2017, when SPH divested from Mediacorp.
Central was a Singaporean free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate MediaCorp.
Daisy Irani is a Singaporean television actress, director, and producer of Indian origin.
Vasantham is a Tamil-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts entertainment and news programming targeting the Singaporean Indian community.
ABC Kids is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's part-time channel, broadcasting shows between the hours of 5 am and 7:30 pm for children 6 years old and younger, including an upper preschool audience. It shares the same bandwidth as ABC TV Plus which broadcasts outside ABC Kids' scheduled hours and supplements the flagship ABC TV channel with extra adult-oriented programming. It has an educational program for children ages 2 to 13 called "ABC Reading Eggs" for Australia, internationally called "Reading Eggs" and owned by Edmentum.
Vetri S3 is a 2016 Tamil soap opera that aired on MediaCorp Vasantham from 27 June 2016 to 22 September 2016 at 10:00PM SST for 47 episodes. The show starred Jaynesh, Eswari Gunasagar, M. Meshanthe, Suriavelan, Manimala M and among others.
Aaram Arivu is a Tamil-language soap opera that aired on MediaCorp Vasantham from 27 June 2016 to 28 August 2016 at 10:30PM SST for 32 episodes. The show starred Shafinah Banu, Karthik Moorthy, Janani Devi, Dhurrgah Mathivanan and among others.
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Kannaadi Pookkal is a 2016 Singaporean Tamil-language soap opera starring Nithiyia Rao, Varman Chandra Mohan and Shafinah Banu. It aired on MediaCorp Vasantham. from 29 August 2016 to 27 October 2016 on Monday and Thursday at 10:30 SST for 33 episodes.
Azhagiya Thamizh Magal is a 2016 Singaporean Tamil-language soap opera, starring Vikneswary Se, Bharathi, Narain, Leena, Shamini Gunasagar, Mahalakshmi and among others. It aired on MediaCorp Vasantham every Monday to Thursday at 22:00 starting 26 September 2016 and 9 December 2016.
Rayil Sneham is an Indian Tamil-language travel series focusing on China. Each episode highlights the history, culture, architecture and wildlife of China. This 3 season series has all the original footage. It is hosted by Nithiya Rao. It aired every Tuesday at 9:00 PM SST on MediaCorp Vasantham from 18 October 2016 to 10 January 2017 for 13 episodes.
Alaipayuthey is a 2017 Singaporean Tamil-language soap opera starring A. Panneeirchelvam, Puravalan Narayanasamy, Jenani, Jayaganesh, Magalakshmi Sudarsanan, Brendon Kuah, Rubini and Vimala Velu. It aired every Monday through Thursday at 10:30PM (SST) on MediaCorp Vasantham from 16 January 2017 to 30 March 2017 for 43 episodes. It replaced Masala. The show's final one-hour episode aired Thursday 30 March 2017 at 10:00 PM SST.
Thalli Pogathey is a 2017-2017 Singaporean-Tamil-language family soap opera starring Jaynesh, Indra, Vignesh, Vimala and Puravalan. It replaced mystery thriller Drama Yaar? and it broadcast on MediaCorp Vasantham on Monday through Thursday from 3 July 2017 to 21 September 2017 at 10:30PM (SST) for 45 Episodes.
Udayam is a Singaporean Tamil language reality makeover show produced by Lavin Selvan. Its first season aired on MediaCorp Vasantham from 7 September to 26 October 2017 on every Thursday at 9:00PM for 8 episodes, and its third season aired in 2020. Its initial concept is an adaptation from American reality television series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show was hosted by television personality Udaya Soundari and clinched the awards for its production and host being the best info-ed series for its first 2 seasons.
mewatch is a Singaporean digital video on demand service wholly owned by Mediacorp. It was launched on 1 February 2013 as an over-the-top media service and an entertainment and lifestyle website Toggle.
City TV was a Singaporean free-to-air television channel owned by Mediacorp. The channel initially specialized in sporting events, but due to low viewer interest, the channel attempted to remain afloat by adding Chinese-language programming under the new name City TV. The channel eventually shut down in January 2002, due to problems with advertising revenue.