Mediacorp Channel U

Channel U
U频道
Saluran U
சேனல் U
Channel U logo
Launched SPH MediaWorks Channel U:
6 May 2001
Mediacorp TV Channel U:
1 January 2005
Closed SPH MediaWorks Channel U:
31 December 2004
Network SPH MediaWorks
(6 May 2001-31 December 2004)
Mediacorp TV
(1 January 2005-present)
Owned by SPH
(6 May 2001-31 December 2004)
Mediacorp
(1 January 2005-present)
Picture format SDTV (576i 4:3/16:9)
Audience share 3.0% (P4+: 2.5%) (P15+, 2015, [1][2][3][4])
Slogan SPH MediaWorks Channel U:
以優為先 (Putting Excellence [or You] First)
(6 May 2001-31 December 2004)
Mediacorp TV Channel U:
帶動亞洲流行 (Leading Asia's Trends)
(1 January 2005-30 November 2008)
最精彩 (The Most Exciting)
(1 December 2008 - 12 April 2015)
活出个性 (Live It Up)
(13 April 2015 - Present)
Country Singapore
Language Mandarin Chinese
Broadcast area Nationwide
Headquarters SPH MediaWorks Channel U:
SPH Headquarters, Toa Payoh
Mediacorp TV Channel U:
Caldecott Broadcast Centre, Caldecott Hills
Formerly called SPH MediaWorks Channel U
(6 May 2001-31 December 2004)
Sister channel(s) Channel 8
Channel 5
Suria
Vasantham
Channel NewsAsia
Okto
HD5
Website tv.toggle.sg/zh/channelu
Availability
Terrestrial
Mediacorp - Analogue (PAL-B) Channel 28 (UHF 527.25 MHz)
Mediacorp - Digital (DVB-T2) Channel 33 (UHF 570MHz) (LCN 07) [5]
Cable
StarHub TV Channel 107
Mediacorp (via SCTV socket) Channel 23 (UHF 487.25 MHz)
IPTV
Singtel TV Channel 7

Mediacorp Channel U or Channel U (U頻道; pinyin: U Píndào) is Singapore's first free-to-air Mandarin television channel in Singapore. It was formerly known as SPH MediaWorks Channel U.

Programming

Channel U was created by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) on 6 May 2001 as an alternative Chinese channel to MediaCorp TV Channel 8. After SPH MediaWorks and MediaCorp merged on 1 January 2005, it now serves as a complementary to MediaCorp TV Channel 8.

When operated by the incumbent broadcaster SPH MediaWorks (a subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings) during its first 4-years, Channel U operated from 10am (except Sunday where it began at 9:30am) to around 2:15am (the following day). Its programming was similar to Mediacorp TV Channel 8, with its foundation set up by some staff transferred over to SPH MediaWorks from Television Corporation of Singapore, as well as new staff recruited through talent search.[6][7] There were two daily news bulletin, namely "6:30 News" at 6:30pm and "10:00 News" at 10pm, with an encore of the 10pm news before end transmission.[8] Due to lack of facilities and expertise, broadcaster SPH MediaWorks could only produced a limited number of local productions. Nonetheless, the channel quickly grew its popularity and viewership over the years, through efforts like airing Hong Kong and Taiwan prime time television dramas and variety shows, by being the 1st channel to air television programmes from Korea and also producing the local productions with good quality. These efforts paid off eventually. In 2002, Channel U was named Terrestrial Channel of the Year.[9]

However, this did not translate into profits for broadcaster SPH MediaWorks. Mounting losses from fierce competition and a small free-to-air television advertising demand caused the television business to be viewed as unsustainable. Thus, as "a rationalisation move to stem losses and enhance shareholder value",[10] SPH MediaWorks was made to merge with MediaCorp with effect of 1 January 2005 and Channel U was operated by MediaCorp ever since.

Upon merger with MediaCorp on 1 January 2005, Singapore viewers aged 15–45 became Channel U's target audience and broadcasting hours was changed to begin at 3:00pm SST on weekday and 10:00am SST on weekend and now closes down every 2:30am (the following day). Channel U continued to air the Ren Ci charity shows (as it did previously when under SPH MediaWorks) and started to run Campus SuperStar a singing competition for teenagers. There are more locally produced programmes on the channel, which included a revamp of the news bulletins, and the introduction of new current events and variety programmes.

Between 1 January 2005 and 14 August 2012, it exclusively aired 100% Entertainment, 23 hours after Taiwan's Gala Television's original broadcast, from Sundays to Thursdays, at 5pm and again before transmission ended. In 2010, there was a major programming refresh of Channel U during prime-time hours. Channel U started having non-stop entertainment programmes on weekdays between 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm with acquired programmes from the region and local productions. Its weekend news bulletin News Club, which aired at 7pm, was replaced by current affairs programmes Money Week and World This Week, which were previously aired on Friday at 9:30pm and Monday at 9:30pm, respectively.

On 13 April 2015, Channel U changed its target audience to people aged 25 to 55, as this age group is growing and Mediacorp understands that there is an increasing need to appeal to them.[11] The weekday evening programming was revamped to have three time-belts from 7pm to 11pm, namely "K-Family Drama" (优选拌饭剧场), "Local Infotainment" (原创资讯节目) and "The Best of Asian Drama" (亚洲最Hit戏剧). The weekend programming was revamped to have a new time-belt "Weekend Thematic Special" (周末U选强档) from 9pm to 11pm.

Slogan and mottos

Artists

Channel U shares artists with Mediacorp TV Channel 8. For example, Jeanette Aw is the lead artist for Channel U's Jump! (2012) and Channel 8's Beyond (2012).

News & Newscasters

Also, since March 2010, Channel U airs the encore version of MediaCorp Channel 8's News Tonight an hour after the original broadcast on MediaCorp Channel 8, every night at 23:00 SST. Occasionally, the program also broadcast "live" when there are mistakes or technical difficulties during the 10:00pm edition on Channel 8 or there are special reports to be shown live. One notable exception is that Channel U aired its first "live" edition of News Tonight at 11:00pm on 5 May 2013. This is the first time Channel U did so in three years, to present the live results of the 2013 Malaysian general election.

News programme Weekday & Weekend newscasters
News Tonight
晚间新闻
11:00pm
  • Lin Chi Yuan (林启元)

Current affairs presenters

World This Week 世界一周

9:00pm to 10:00pm, Fridays - Channel U

Programmes

References

  1. ↑ “P15+” refers to viewers aged 15 years and above. (P15+ potential viewer base in 2015 is and 4,554,000)
  2. ↑ P4+ share calculation is done based on P15+ share
  3. ↑ “P4+” refers to people aged 4 and above (2015 potential viewer base is 5,224,000)
  4. ↑ ANNEX: AVERAGE VIEWERSHIP OF PSB PROGRAMMES
  5. ↑ Mediacorp Retuning exercise
  6. ↑ SPH MediaWorks stars all ready to shine
  7. ↑ MediaWorks welcomes on board four artistes
  8. ↑ SPH Mediaworks Ltd Channel U Schedule
  9. ↑ Channel i to close on 1 January 2005 Channel U and Channel 8 to have complementary programming
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ Channel U to offer more Korean dramas and local content after April 13 revamp
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