Available on YouTube (Some shows won't be broadcast)
CNA (stylised as cna), which is an initialism derived from its previous name, Channel NewsAsia, 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.[1][2]
The network has been positioned as an alternative to Western-based international media in presenting news from "an Asian perspective".[3][4] Alongside its main focus as an English-language news television channel, CNA also produces news and current affairs content in Singapore's other official languages of Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, which is distributed via digital outlets and Mediacorp's local channels in the languages. Mediacorp's Channel 5 previously aired a simulcast of CNA during the daytime hours until 1 May 2019, when it was replaced by an Okto block.[5]
The CNA brand also encompasses digital media properties, including its website, social media outlets, as well as a co-branded news radio station in Singapore, CNA938.
History
Despite the economic recession the region was facing at the time, the Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) was suggesting the creation of a news channel (initially rumoured to be a business channel) in 1998. Under the initially-planned format, the channel was set to provide business news mirroring CNN and CNBC, with a tentative launch date of 1 January 1999.[6]
In October, TCS announced the name of the new service, Channel NewsAsia, and that its cost would be of $20 million in the first year, and $100 million at the long-term period of five years.[7][8] With the then-upcoming launch of the channel, it was decided that all of Channel 5's current affairs programmes were to move to CNA, leaving only the main news (News 5 Tonight) with only one edition at 9:30pm.[9]
In a surprise move, one of its initial presenters, Christine Tan, left CNA ahead of its launch for CNBC Asia.[10] Two further presenters had left CNA despite heavy promotion for its launch.[11] The launch of the channel was still set to go as planned.[12] The channel's initial slogan was "We know Asia".[13]
Channel NewsAsia launched on 1 March 1999, opening with a speech by Minister of Information and the ArtsGeorge Yeo at Raffles Place.[14][15] The channel initially focused on Singapore. It started to be distributed in other Asian countries on 28 September 2000, with the hopes of promoting it as a pan-Asian network.[16] Public opinion was divided over its editorial independence, as the channel was touted as a government mouthpiece.[17]
Jill Neubronner, who was also a newscaster and reporter for TCS since 1995, left CNA in December 2000 for CNN.[18]
In August 2012, CNA agreed to be broadcast in Myanmar through satellite-TV operator Sky Net.[19] CNA opened its Myanmar news bureau in the capital Yangon in October 2013 – the bureau officially opened in January 2014 – as only one of four foreign news organisations licensed to operate in the country at the time.[20]
On 21 January 2013, CNA underwent a major relaunch, introducing a new studio at the Marina Bay Financial Centre, a new Mumbai bureau, an expansion in programming, and the new slogan "Understand Asia". With the changes, CNA added additional news and current affairs programmes focusing on business and the "dynamism and progress" of Asia, and added the new late-night newscast News Pulse (which would feature coverage of international headlines, predominantly involving the Americas and Europe) to expand into a 24-hour service. Managing director Debra Soon explained that "as the focus of the world economy shifts towards Asia, we believe we are well positioned to deliver what we've been doing daily since 1999, and help audiences around the world better Understand Asia."[21][22]
In July 2014, CNA opened its Vietnam bureau.[23] Other bureaus the channel had opened at the time were Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Seoul and Tokyo; unofficial offices were also maintained in other cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi and Washington D.C.[citation needed]
In September 2014, the channel announced plans to expand its studio in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, into a fully functional satellite office with high-definition capabilities.[24]
On 26 May 2015, CNA began broadcasting in high definition. In July 2015, CNA's reach was placed at 58million households in 26 countries.[25] CNA began broadcasting in India on 19 November 2015, through satellite operator Tata Sky. The move extended the network's reach to 14 million households in India.[26]
On 1 August 2018, CNA was launched on Astro in Malaysia. It stayed on Channel 533 and moved to Channel 515 on 1 April 2020.
In March 2019, marking the network's 20th anniversary, Mediacorp announced that Channel NewsAsia would officially rebrand as "CNA" full-time, citing a need to abandon a "TV-centric" identity to emphasise its multi-platform operations. This would include the relaunch of its news radio station 938Now as CNA 938, and the upcoming citizen journalism initiative Tell CNA.[27][28]
In March 2024, the channel marked its 25th anniversary; CNA announced plans to further expand its presence in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, launch a website in the Indonesian language (which will leverage AI-based translation software developed in partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research), and bringing back the program East Asia Tonight beginning in April.[29]
CNA's programs are transmitted into two separate broadcast feeds:
Domestic – the channel's official feed providing 24-hour news, talk and lifestyle coverage. The Domestic feed also contains Singapore-only content, particularly during programme breaks. They include locally-targeted advertisements, Mediacorp promos, sports footage limited by rights agreements with international sporting organisations, and the national anthem Majulah Singapura broadcast daily at 06:00 SST. CNA is available to Singapore viewers via over-the-air, StarHub TV, Singtel TV, Mediacorp's over-the-top streaming service meWATCH and Singtel's over-the-top streaming service Singtel Cast. The domestic feed also has an option to enable subtitles for most pre-recorded programmes when viewed via linear platforms (the meWATCH version has subtitles always switched on during the said programmes).
International – almost identical to the Domestic feed, but also provides more internationally oriented content during programme breaks. It also provides English commentary coverage of Singapore's National Day Parade every year on 9 August. Most cable and satellite systems carry the International feed in Asia and via livestreaming on CNA's YouTube channel worldwide.[30]
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.
CNA938 is an English radio station of Mediacorp in Singapore. Since mid-2019, the station runs as the complementary to its parent television counterpart in line with the latter's 20th anniversary. CNA938 broadcasts news and talk programmes from 7am to 11:59pm SGT daily, followed by an audio simulcast of CNA TV programmes during overnight hours. The station studio is located within Mediacorp Campus at 1 Stars Avenue.
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Public radio broadcasting began in Singapore in the April of 1925 after the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya obtained a temporary license to broadcast. Radio Singapura was established as the first local mass market radio service in 1959. Subsequently, on February 15, 1963, before the withdrawal of the British Armed Forces and after the merger with Malaya, Singapore's first television service began as Televisyen Singapura under its owner, Radio Television Singapore (RTS).
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