Channel 8 (Singapore)

Channel 8 is a Singaporean free-to-air television channel, airing in Mandarin-language. It was created by Radio and Television Singapore on 23 November 1963.

History
Channel 8 officially began broadcasting on 23 November 1963 as "Saluran 8 Television Singapura" and aired at first in Chinese (including Mandarin, dialects of Chinese and Cantonese) and Tamil. Its sister station Saluran 5 Television Singapura was launched on 2 April 1963 with a mix of English and Malay-language shows. Following the separation from Malaysia in 1965, Channel 8 became part of Television Singapore, and was later integrated as part of "Radio Television Singapore". This led to the expansions of the network, including a move to the new $3.6 million Television Centre in Caldecott Hill on 27 August 1966.

Channel 8 began broadcasting in colour on 1 May 1974. In 1978, all its Chinese language programming as well as advertisments, as a result of the government's Speak Mandarin Campaign, were broadcast solely in the Mandarin dialect. It started airing 24 hours a day on 1 September 1995, becoming a Mandarin-language only channel as all its Tamil programs were transferred to a new channel, Prime 12. It was privatised on 12 February 2001.

Its long line of Chinese language dramas, a source of pride for Singapore's Chinese-speaking community, began in the fall of 1982.