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Country | Singapore |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Singapore Johor Bahru/Johor Bahru District (Malaysia) Batam/Batam Islands, Riau Islands (Indonesia) |
Headquarters | Bestway Building, 12 Prince Edward Road, 079212 Singapore |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English Tamil |
Picture format | 576i (4:3 SDTV) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Mediacorp TV12 |
Sister channels | Suria |
History | |
Launched | 1 September 1995 |
Closed | 19 October 2008 |
Replaced by | Vasantham (physical slots, frequency and channel space) Okto (format) |
Former names | Channel 12 (1984 – 1995) Premiere 12 (1995 – 2000) |
Availability (at time of closure) | |
Terrestrial | |
Analog terrestrial television | Channel 24 |
Central was a Singaporean English and Tamil language free-to-air television channel. Its programming schedule was composed of three timeshared channels on its frequency slot: Kids Central, Vasantham Central and Arts Central.
Previously, Indian-related programming was broadcast along with Malay-language programmes on Prime 12, while Premiere 12's schedule consisted of arts, documentaries and kids shows.
MediaCorp TV12 Central was closed down on 19 October 2008 when Vasantham Central relaunched as the standalone channel Vasantham. Arts Central and Kids Central were merged into a single channel named okto, with kids and arts programming.
On 26 August 1994, ahead of the bill that suggested the planned privatisation of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, the Minister for Information and the Arts (Brigadier General) George Yeo announced the plan for the creation of a fourth free-to-air television channel in Singapore, offering a predominantly cultural lineup. Under this plan, Channel 8 would switch to an entirely-Chinese format, causing the Tamil shows there to move to Channel 12, using its new format to concentrate primarily on Malay and Indian content. In contrast, the cultural output that was on the former Channel 12 would move to a new UHF channel, due to the lack of VHF slots available. [1]
Television Twelve (later renamed Singapore Television Twelve), who following the privatisation was the owner of Channel 12, received the greenlight from the Singapore Broadcasting Authority to broadcast a UHF channel on 27 July 1995. [2] Test transmissions began on 1 August 1995, with trial programming running nightly from 7 to 9 pm and the test pattern filling the rest. [3]
In preparation for the launch of the two channels, it was announced that the logos and identities of services were to be revealed on officially formal full launch night (1 September) at 8:00pm SGT, as part of a special programme, 12 By 12: TV12's Launch Show, which was to be simulcast over both channels. The former Channel 12 output that had been virtually unchanged since its inception in 1984 (aside the inclusion of Malay content that would later appear on Prime 12) was to be carried over by the frequency 72 hours a week, with 15 1/2 hours devoted to sports, which The New Paper was its "crowd puller", football being its main driving force, emphasizing on Serie A, the S. League and Asian football. Sandra Buenaventura, CEO of Singapore Television Twelve, said that the channels were "like a tin of assorted biscuits", reflecting the individual nature of the specialist programming of the new services. [4]
Unlike Prime 12, much of Premiere 12's programmes were in English. The channel also planned to air a weekly slot for "baby boomers" featuring comedy series from the 1970s and old movies and Late Show With David Letterman. [3]
The channel officially formal full launched took place at 8:00pm SGT on 1 September 1995. Up until the start of the launch show 12 By 12: TV12's Launch Show, what would become Prime 12 was still carrying the "old" Channel 12. [5]
Data from Nielsen Survey Research Singapore show that Premiere 12's viewership share went from 10% in September 1995 to 22% in February 1996, attributed to the channel's better selection of programmes than Channel 5. [6]
At the end of 1999, Singapore Television Twelve announced that Premiere 12 was going to be replaced by Central as part of a company-wide restructuring of MediaCorp's television output, with the launch set for 30 January 2000. [7]
Central's programming schedule was composed of three timeshared channels:
On launch week, Kids Central reportedly had 70,000 to 173,000 viewers, Vasantham Central exceeded 30% share and the showing of the Cirque du Soleil performance Quidam on Arts Central attracted 140,000 viewers. [8] On 28 February 2000, Singapore Television Twelve increased Central's on-air hours from 91½ to 110½ hours per week. [9]
Arts Central had a new look with tidier programme schedule and a revamped line-up in April 2007, which turned out to be the last. [10]
On 19 October 2008, Central was stop transmission and broadcast. Central's Vasantham Central was officially launching new name becomes Vasantham after officially turned, shifted and switched language channel to standalone Tamil channel for Indian community of Singapore on a frequency and channel space formerly occupied by Premiere 12/Central (Central's Vasantham Central current) [11] [12] and Central's Kids Central and Arts Central was officially launching new name and new merges into single channel becomes Okto was officially divided into two schedule channel programme block on a frequency and channel space formerly occupied by Channel i:
Kids Central was Singapore's most-watched children's channel. Its programmes aim to bring fun television entertainment to children aged 4 to 12 years as well as appeal to people's inner children. The channel was set up to be a strong terrestrial alternative to cable channels and programming blocks aimed at children. [13]
Vasantham Central was focused to the Tamil community of Singapore broadcasting Indian-produced dramas, variety, news, information and entertainment shows in Tamil language. The station offered hours of programming on weekdays and on weekends, with approximately a quarter of local content.
The Children's Day Telemovie Special Matchstick was awarded the Certificate of Distinction at the New York Festivals in 2004. The channel conducted acting workshops, training and events such as Mother's Day celebrations in Tekka Mall.
Arts Central consisted on culture programming with culture, arts, documentaries and classical music. Arts Central offered 20 hours of programming per week.
In 2001, both Hanging by the Thread and AlterAsian received a Finalist status at the New York Festival, and in 2007, the I-Collector series placed as runners-up in the Asian TV Awards.
Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. is a state-owned public media conglomerate in Singapore. Owned by Temasek Holdings—the investment arm of the Government of Singapore—it owns and operates television channels, radio, and digital media properties.
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.
RTM TV1 is a Malaysian free-to-air public television channel owned and operated by Radio Televisyen Malaysia, a broadcasting department of the Malaysian Government. Launched on 28 December 1963, TV1 is the first and oldest TV station in Malaysia. The channel features mostly news, talk shows and documentaries and some in-house, local and international kids, drama and sports programming.
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.
Channel 8 is a Singaporean Mandarin-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts general entertainment and news programming in the Mandarin language, including original and imported programming.
Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad, operating as TV3, is a Malaysian free-to-air television channel owned by Malaysian media conglomerate, Media Prima. TV3 is the third oldest TV station in Malaysia. It was launched on 1 June 1984 as the country's first and oldest private television channel. As of October 2021, TV3 remains to be the most-watched television station in Malaysia with about 17% of its viewing share among other Malaysian television stations, followed by TV9 with 15% of its viewing share, making two of them become the second most-watched television station in the country, despite the declining viewership of 3 free-to-air television channels.
The following lists events that happened during 2001 in Singapore.
The following lists events that happened during 2000 in Singapore.
The following lists events that happened during 1995 in Singapore.
The following lists events that happened during 1994 in Singapore.
Suria is a Malay-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts general entertainment and news programming in the Malay language, including original programming, and imported programmes from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Daisy Irani is an Singaporean television actress, director, and producer who migrated from India.
The following lists events that happened during 2008 in the Republic of Singapore.
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.
Oli 968 is an infotainment radio station in the Tamil language owned by Mediacorp playing for the Indian community in Singapore offering the latest Tamil songs, regional Indian songs, local and international news, lifestyle features and Indian contemporary and classical hits of 24 hours a day. It used to be the only station in Singapore where all of its shows were presenter-led, especially during the early hours. This has since changed as it airs non-stop music and podcasts of earlier aired programs after 1:00am on weekdays while non-stop music airs uninterrupted on weekends.
Okto is a Singaporean children's programming block broadcast by Mediacorp's Channel 5 in English and Channel 8 in Mandarin Chinese.
RTM TV2 is a Malaysian free-to-air public television channel owned and operated by the Radio Televisyen Malaysia, a broadcasting department of the Malaysian Government. Launched on 17 November 1969, TV2 is the second and second oldest TV station in Malaysia. The channel features mostly English, Mandarin and Tamil news and talk shows, the latter two languages were mainly produced for the dominant minority Chinese and Indian communities, whilst the English news functions for the nation's multiracial population whose dominant lingua franca or first language is the latter. It also offers some in-house, local and international entertainment programs, including reality shows, films and dramas as well as sports programming.
Channel i was a Singaporean English language free-to-air terrestrial television channel owned by SPH MediaWorks, a broadcasting subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings.
Television in the Tamil language traces its origins back to the 1990s.
Singapore International Television (SITV) was a Singaporean satellite television channel operated by the Singapore International Foundation. Broadcasting an hour a day with the aim of catering the Singaporean diaspora across Asia, the line-up was offered by SBC and its successor entities.