Vasantham (Tamil: வசந்தம், lit. 'Spring') 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.
 | |
| Country | Singapore |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Singapore Malaysia (Johor) Indonesia (Riau Islands) |
| Network | Mediacorp TV12 |
| Headquarters | Mediacorp Campus, 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Tamil |
| Picture format | 1080i 16:9 HDTV |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Mediacorp |
| Sister channels | Channel 5 Channel 8 Channel U Suria CNA |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 September 1995 |
| Links | |
| Website | Vasantham |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Digital terrestrial television | UHF CH 31 554MHz DVB-T2 Channel 5 (HD) |
| Streaming media | |
| meWATCH | Available on meWATCH website or mobile app (Singapore only) |
History
editSince the inception of television broadcasting in Singapore, Tamil-language programming had been broadcast by Mediacorp and its predecessors via its existing channels; after having carried programming in all four of Singapore's official languages on Channel 5 and 8, the channels were split on 30 March 1973. Channel 5 would focus on English and Malay, and Channel 8 would focus on Chinese and Tamil.[1]
On 1 September 1995, Channel 12—which took on Malay programming after Channel 5 relaunched as an English-language channel a year prior—relaunched as Prime 12, and Tamil programming moved to the channel. With the move, Tamil output increased from an average of 10 hours per-week to 16 hours.[2]
In September 1999, Singapore Television Twelve announced changes to its two channels, with Tamil programming moving from Prime 12 to Central, which was rebranded from Premiere 12, in January next year.[3] The Vasantham brand was introduced for Tamil programming on 30 January 2000, when Prime 12 was relaunched as the Malay-specific Suria, and Premiere 12 (a channel that took on Channel 12's arts and culture programming after the launch of Prime 12)[1] relaunched as Central; "Vasantham Central" would be one of the three main program strands carried by Central.[4][5]
In February 2008, it was announced that Central would be discontinued, and that its Kids Central and Vasantham Central strands would be spun-off as full-time channels.[6] The new channels—Vasantham and Okto—would launch in 19 October 2008.[7]
Programming
editBroadcast hours
editVasantham broadcasts from 9:00 a.m. SGT daily, signing off at 12:00 a.m. SGT on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, 12:30 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and 1:30 a.m. on Saturdays. A simulcast of Mediacorp's Tamil-language radio station Oli 968 is carried during the overnight and morning hours until sign-on.
References
edit- ^ a b "NEW TIMES FOR TV SCREENING FROM FRIDAY". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 March 1973. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ "More Malay, Indian programmes plus arts, sports". The Straits Times. 2 August 1995. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Ch 5: More foreign shows on prime-time". The Straits Times. 28 March 1996. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "Programme Ratings for STV12 Channels Soared on Debut!". MediaCorp Group. February 2000. Archived from the original on 27 June 2001. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ "STV12 to Increase Programming Hours on Central". MediaCorp Group. February 2000. Archived from the original on 10 April 2001. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ Wong, Alicia (1 March 2008). "Dedicated Indian and kids TV channels". Today (retrieved from NLB). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- ^ "Two more to savour". Today (retrieved from NLB). 21 October 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2019.