Vasantham (TV channel)
Vasantham is a Singaporean free-to-air television channel owned by Mediacorp. The network is focused towards the Singaporean Indian community in the country. The channel first signed on 15 February 1963 as Channel 5, the country's very first television channel and later that year also on Channel 8. In 1973 the language structure of the two channels was changed, with Channel 5 broadcasting in English and Malay and Channel 8 in Chinese and Tamil. The arrangement used for the latter ran until 1 September 1995, when it became a standalone Mandarin-language channel. After this, Tamil programming transferred to the new channel Prime 12. On 30 January 2000, as Prime 12 was rebranded to Suria and became a standalone Malay-language channel, Tamil programming transferred to the new channel Central, with Vasantham Central as its timebelt for Indian programming, and was later rebranded again as an independent Tamil-language channel on 19 October 2008. As of 1 February 2023, the channel's logo is based on the corporate Mplifier graphics format, with the channel name in blue text (replacing the former flower-inspired logo) placed beside the Mediacorp "M" logo.[1]
 | |
| Country | Singapore |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Singapore Malaysia (Johor, Sarawak) 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 | 15 February 1963 |
| Links | |
| Website | Vasantham |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Digital terrestrial television | UHF CH 31 554MHz DVB-T2 Channel 5 (HD) |
| myFreeview (Malaysia) | UHF CH 31 554MHz DVB-T2 Channel 5 (HD) (Johor only) |
| Streaming media | |
| meWATCH | Available on meWATCH website or mobile app (Singapore only) |
History
Tamil programming was carried from the outset of television in Singapore on Channel 5 from its launch on 15 February 1963, and later that year also on Channel 8. In 1973 the language structure of the two channels was changed, with Channel 5 broadcasting in English and Malay and Channel 8 in Chinese and Tamil.[2] The arrangement used for the latter ran until 1 September 1995, when it became a standalone Mandarin-language channel. After this, Tamil programming transferred to the new channel Prime 12. On 30 January 2000, as Prime 12 was rebranded to Suria and became a standalone Malay-language channel, Tamil programming transferred to the new channel Central, with Vasantham Central as its timebelt for Indian programming.
On 19 October 2008, Vasantham started broadcasting as an independent Tamil-language network focused on the Indian community living in Singapore, first announced on 29 February that year. [3]
Programming
Current programming
Broadcast times
- Monday to Wednesday: 9:00am to 12:00 midnight
- Thursday, Friday and Sunday: 9:00am to 12:30 midnight
- Saturday: 9:00am to 1:30am
There is a broadcast from Oli 968 from the end time until the broadcast starts.
References
- "Mediacorp strengthens brand presence with launch of refreshed logos as part of vibrant new visual identity". Mediacorp. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- "NEW TIMES FOR TV SCREENING FROM FRIDAY". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 27 March 1973. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- Wong, Alicia (1 March 2008). "Dedicated Indian and kids TV channels". Today (retrieved from NLB). Retrieved 24 March 2020.