Mediacorp facts for kids
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Flat version of the 2015 logo, used as the primary on-screen logo as of 2023[update]
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Mediacorp Campus in One-north, the headquarters of Mediacorp
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| State-owned | |
| Industry | |
| Predecessors |
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| Founded | 1 June 1936 |
| Headquarters | 1 Stars Avenue (Mediapolis@onenorth), |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Niam Chiang Meng (Chairman) Tham Loke Kheng (CEO) |
| Products |
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| Services |
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| Revenue |  US$750.8 million |
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Number of employees
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3,000 (2022) |
| Parent | Temasek Holdings |
Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. is a big media company in Singapore. It's owned by Temasek Holdings, which is an investment company linked to the Government of Singapore. Mediacorp runs many TV channels, radio stations, and digital media websites. It's one of the two main media groups in Singapore.
Mediacorp is the only company that broadcasts free-to-air TV channels in Singapore. It has five main channels in different official languages: Channel 5 (English), Channel 8 and Channel U (Mandarin Chinese), Suria (Malay), and Vasantham (Tamil). It also has a news channel called CNA and a streaming service called meWatch. You might also know their websites Today and 8days.
Contents
How Mediacorp Started
Early Days of Radio (1925–1965)
The story of radio in Singapore began in 1925. A group called the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya (AWSM) started sending out shortwave radio signals. Later, in 1933, Radio ZHI became the first professional radio station in Singapore.
In 1936, the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation (BMBC) was created. It started broadcasting from Caldecott Hill in 1937. This was a big step for radio in Singapore. During World War II, when Japan occupied Singapore, the radio station was taken over and renamed Syonan Broadcasting Station. After the war, the British returned, and the station became Radio Malaya. In 1959, it was renamed Radio Singapura.
Television Arrives (1960s)
Television broadcasting began in Singapore in 1963 with Television Singapura. The first official TV show aired on February 15, 1963, on Channel 5. It was a documentary called TV Looks at Singapore. Back then, very few people owned a TV. Channel 8 started later that year, in November 1963.
Radio Television Singapore (1965–1980)
After Singapore became independent in 1965, its radio and TV stations became part of Radio Television Singapore (RTS). RTS moved to a new Television Centre at Caldecott Hill in 1966.
In 1974, RTS started testing colour TV broadcasts. The first live colour broadcast was the 1974 FIFA World Cup final. Full-time colour TV began in 1977.
Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (1980–1994)
In 1980, RTS was replaced by a new company called the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). SBC was set up to be more independent, like the BBC in the UK.
SBC introduced new radio stations and improved its TV shows. In 1982, SBC launched Newswatch, a news program just for kids aged 10 to 14. This was inspired by similar shows in other countries.
In 1984, SBC launched Channel 12, which focused on cultural shows. By 1989, SBC launched two new popular radio stations: Perfect 10 (English pop music for youth) and YES (Mandarin music).
Becoming Mediacorp (1994–Present)
In 1994, SBC was privatised and became Singapore International Media (SIM). This group had different companies for TV (Television Corporation of Singapore - TCS), radio (Radio Corporation of Singapore - RCS), and special interest channels (Singapore Television Twelve - STV12).
In 1995, Channel 8 became a 24-hour channel for Mandarin shows. Channel 5 also became a 24-hour channel. In 1999, TCS launched Channel NewsAsia (CNA), a news channel.
On June 15, 1999, the Singapore International Media group was restructured and officially renamed the Media Corporation of Singapore, or Mediacorp.
In 2001, another company, SPH MediaWorks, launched two new TV channels, breaking Mediacorp's monopoly. However, in 2004, SPH MediaWorks merged its TV business with Mediacorp. One of its channels, Channel U, continued under Mediacorp.
In 2015, Mediacorp moved to a brand new headquarters at one-north's Mediapolis. This new building has modern studios and a large theatre. Along with the new building, Mediacorp also got a new logo.
In 2019, Mediacorp stopped broadcasting analogue TV. Now, all its channels are digital. In 2020, Mediacorp rebranded its digital platforms: Toggle became meWatch, MeRadio became meListen, and MeClub became meRewards.
What Mediacorp Offers
TV Channels
Mediacorp runs six free-to-air TV channels. These channels broadcast in Singapore's four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil.
| Channel | LCN | Language | Type | Opening date |
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| Channel 5 | 2HD | English | General entertainment | 15 February 1963 (as TV Singapura) |
| Suria | 4HD | Malay | General entertainment | 31 January 1984 |
| Channel 8 | 3HD | Chinese | General entertainment | 31 August 1963 (Test transmissions) |
| Vasantham | 5HD | Tamil | General entertainment | 19 October 2008 |
| CNA | 6HD | English | 24-hour news and current affairs | 1 March 1999 |
| Channel U | 7HD | Chinese | Youth general entertainment | 6 May 2001 |
Radio Stations
Mediacorp operates twelve FM radio stations. Eleven are local stations, and one relays the BBC World Service.
| Frequency (FM) | Station | Language | Genre | Opening date |
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| 88.9 MHz | BBC World Service | English | News/Talk | 19 December 1932 |
| 89.7 MHz | RIA 897 | Malay | Contemporary hit radio | 1 December 1990 |
| 90.5 MHz | GOLD 905 | English | Classic hits | 1 March 1937 |
| 92.4 MHz | SYMPHONY 924 | English | Classical music | 18 July 1969 |
| 93.3 MHz | YES 933 | Mandarin Chinese | Contemporary hit radio | 1 January 1990 |
| 93.8 MHz | CNA938 | English | News/Talk | 2 October 1998 |
| 94.2 MHz | WARNA 942 | Malay | Adult contemporary/Drama/News/Talk/Religious | 1 March 1937 |
| 95.0 MHz | CLASS 95 | English | Soft adult contemporary | 1 April 1990 |
| 95.8 MHz | CAPITAL 958 | Mandarin Chinese | Classic hits | 1 March 1937 |
| 96.8 MHz | OLI 968 | Tamil | Adult contemporary | 1 March 1937 |
| 97.2 MHz | LOVE 972 | Mandarin Chinese | Adult contemporary | 23 September 1994 |
| 98.7 MHz | 987 | English | Top 40 (CHR) | 1 January 1989 |
Digital Platforms
meWatch
meWatch is Mediacorp's online video streaming service. It started in 2013 as Toggle. You can watch original shows, catch up on TV programs, watch live events, news, and entertainment on many devices like computers, phones, and smart TVs.
meListen
meListen is Mediacorp's online audio platform. It lets you listen to live streams of all Mediacorp's radio stations. You can also find podcasts and online-only radio stations here.
Popular Mediacorp Shows
Some of Mediacorp's well-known shows and events include:
- Star Awards – This is Mediacorp's big awards show for Chinese TV programs.
- 118 – A very long-running drama series on Channel 8.
- Tanglin – A long-running daily drama on Channel 5 about different families.
- KIN – A Channel 5 drama that started after Tanglin.
- Getai Challenge – A singing competition on Channel 8 that promotes the Getai culture.
- SPOP SING! – An initiative to find and promote local music.
- Abang Teksi (Taxi Brother) – A Malay sitcom on Suria.
- Forensik (Forensics) – A drama on Suria, which is a spin-off from the English show "Code of Law".
Awards and Recognition
Mediacorp has won awards for its broadcasting. For example, it won "Asia's Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year" at the Asian Television Awards in both 2008 and 2013.
Images for kids
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Radio Singapore International logo
