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][3]
In September 1999, Singapore Television Twelve announced changes to its two channels taking effect in 2000, with Prime 12 becoming a full-time Malay channel known as Suria, and Premiere 12 (which took on arts and cultural programming after the Prime 12 relaunch) becoming Central—a channel divided into blocks for children's programming, Tamil programming, and arts programming.[4][5][6] "Vasantham Central" would be one of the three main program strands carried by Central.[7][8]
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.[9] The new channels—Vasantham and Okto—would launch in 19 October 2008.[10]
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- ^ "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.
- ^ "Page 45 Miscellaneous Column 1". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 30 January 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "Suria selaras Melayu abad ke-21". Berita Harian. 18 February 2000. p. 20. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "Saiuran biar sejajar pegangan moral". Berita Harian. 11 February 2000. p. 18. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "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.