Take a look at Singapore in 1938. I was not born yet but to some may bring back some fond memories.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvvhY6DtfZs
Footages in this video available for licensing at http://globalimageworks.com
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The Sixties
One of the best presentations of the Sixties. You may be able to associate with some of them on radio and TV. Sit back and enjoy this on-line presentation at:
http://moreoldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm
http://moreoldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
Wish all my friends at Caldecott Hill Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009.
click here for a Christmas song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cubgWvBfs24
Monday, November 24, 2008
Remember Channel 8
Remember Channel 8
Channel 8 was launched in 1963 as a black and white channel on VHF. It turned colour in 1970s. In the 1980s there was a breakthrough ... increase of local content with great efforts in Chinese Drama..and Variety productions. Last night Sunday 23 Nov 2008 .. MediaCorp's Channel 8 celebrated 45 years of Chinese entertainment in Singapore with the biggest reunion of stars .
Awards were given out to honour those whose names have become popular with Channel 8. The Most Memorable TV Host award went to TV veteran Zhang Wei. The Most Classic Character award was given to 'Liang Po Po', a character played by actor-director Jack Neo. Actress Chen Li Ping was awarded for the Most Classic Drama Character for her unforgettable role as dedicated teacher 'Ai Yoyo'. Chua Foo Yong received the Most Memorable News Anchor award .
Awards were given out to honour those whose names have become popular with Channel 8. The Most Memorable TV Host award went to TV veteran Zhang Wei. The Most Classic Character award was given to 'Liang Po Po', a character played by actor-director Jack Neo. Actress Chen Li Ping was awarded for the Most Classic Drama Character for her unforgettable role as dedicated teacher 'Ai Yoyo'. Chua Foo Yong received the Most Memorable News Anchor award .
Congratulations Channel 8!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Road to Digital Television..&HD
The Road to Digital Television….and HD
…it is not to be that the world should have one common digital television standard.... Just as it was split into PAL, NTSC and SECAM for analogue TV, digital is split into four standards ATSC from USA, ISDB from Japan and DMB-T from China. In 1999 MediaCorp (TCS then) was asked by the then Singapore Broadcasting Authority to propose the adoption of a national standard for digital TV. I was given the task to round up people in the industry and make a recommendation. There were good representations from the industry ..companies such as SONY, Panasonic, Philips , Starhub etc and institutions such as NTU, NUS, the Polytechnics participated in the discussions and field trial of the systems from Japan, Europe and USA. The Chinese standard was not ready yet. After 6 months of exhaustive testing in the HDB and private estates the task force (known as the Singapore Digital Television Technical Committee) unanimously recommended the DVB standard from Europe for reasons of ruggedness, ability for mobile TV operation and ready to market. It turned out later most of the countries going digital adopted this standard and would enjoy economies of scale. Subsequently in the following two years MediaCorp put on air 3 channels (ch 5, 8 and CNA)in standard definition digital. Also a digital service TVMobile was launched for commuters in buses . TVMobile was the first such service in the world. It attracted a lot of attention world over…visitors from USA, Europe, Russia, China, Japan, Taiwan etc came and studied this world’s first. Beijing and Shanghai implemented this system and made money quickly because of volume in the TV market. Taiwan also implemented similar system.
Meanwhile in the last five years HDTV became popular mainly because of availability of HDTV receivers that were marketed ahead of broadcast transmissions. As such more HDTV content were created and a critical mass had appeared in countries such as Japan, USA and Korea. China also committed to have future services in high-definition. The recent Beijing Olympics were produced all in high-definition. Against this backdrop Singapore through the efforts of MDA facilitated the launch of HDTV channels in StarHub Cable and MediaCorp Terrestrial Network in 2007. Currently there are 5 HD channels on Cable and one on terrestrial HD5. More channels are expected.
MediaCorp has announced it will convert all its channels to HD when analogue TV is switched off (ASO).
When is ASO?? That is another story…
…it is not to be that the world should have one common digital television standard.... Just as it was split into PAL, NTSC and SECAM for analogue TV, digital is split into four standards ATSC from USA, ISDB from Japan and DMB-T from China. In 1999 MediaCorp (TCS then) was asked by the then Singapore Broadcasting Authority to propose the adoption of a national standard for digital TV. I was given the task to round up people in the industry and make a recommendation. There were good representations from the industry ..companies such as SONY, Panasonic, Philips , Starhub etc and institutions such as NTU, NUS, the Polytechnics participated in the discussions and field trial of the systems from Japan, Europe and USA. The Chinese standard was not ready yet. After 6 months of exhaustive testing in the HDB and private estates the task force (known as the Singapore Digital Television Technical Committee) unanimously recommended the DVB standard from Europe for reasons of ruggedness, ability for mobile TV operation and ready to market. It turned out later most of the countries going digital adopted this standard and would enjoy economies of scale. Subsequently in the following two years MediaCorp put on air 3 channels (ch 5, 8 and CNA)in standard definition digital. Also a digital service TVMobile was launched for commuters in buses . TVMobile was the first such service in the world. It attracted a lot of attention world over…visitors from USA, Europe, Russia, China, Japan, Taiwan etc came and studied this world’s first. Beijing and Shanghai implemented this system and made money quickly because of volume in the TV market. Taiwan also implemented similar system.
Meanwhile in the last five years HDTV became popular mainly because of availability of HDTV receivers that were marketed ahead of broadcast transmissions. As such more HDTV content were created and a critical mass had appeared in countries such as Japan, USA and Korea. China also committed to have future services in high-definition. The recent Beijing Olympics were produced all in high-definition. Against this backdrop Singapore through the efforts of MDA facilitated the launch of HDTV channels in StarHub Cable and MediaCorp Terrestrial Network in 2007. Currently there are 5 HD channels on Cable and one on terrestrial HD5. More channels are expected.
MediaCorp has announced it will convert all its channels to HD when analogue TV is switched off (ASO).
When is ASO?? That is another story…
Friday, September 19, 2008
SportsCity..where the action never stops
I remember SportsCity…..the channel where the action never stops.
SportsCity was launched on 30 January 2000 …as a free-to-air sports channel over the UHF band ….and the first in the region. It promised to bring to Singapore viewers sports entertainment with all the glory and excitement. It brought live or on same day of coverage as many games from around the world. True to its promise, viewers were treated to events such as Euro2000 ‘live’, NBA finals, WWF Superstars, USPGA. Formula One World Championships, All-England Finals, Xtremesports and many more. Unfortunately within two years the channel had to close because it was not viable mainly because of the exorbitant fee for sports rights. However viewers can still enjoy sports entertainment from Starhub Cable Vision which boasts of more than five channels as well on Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia from time to time.
SportsCity was launched on 30 January 2000 …as a free-to-air sports channel over the UHF band ….and the first in the region. It promised to bring to Singapore viewers sports entertainment with all the glory and excitement. It brought live or on same day of coverage as many games from around the world. True to its promise, viewers were treated to events such as Euro2000 ‘live’, NBA finals, WWF Superstars, USPGA. Formula One World Championships, All-England Finals, Xtremesports and many more. Unfortunately within two years the channel had to close because it was not viable mainly because of the exorbitant fee for sports rights. However viewers can still enjoy sports entertainment from Starhub Cable Vision which boasts of more than five channels as well on Channel 5 and Channel NewsAsia from time to time.
Please see below a piece of recent information from a local newspaper.
“SPORTSCITY, a free-to-air sports channel launched in 2000, was not viable and had to be shut down within two years.
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lee Boon Yang on Tuesday brought up the failed MediaCorp venture to explain why the idea of a free-to-air sports channel here was a non-starter.
MP Penny Low (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) had pitched the idea in Parliament, arguing that it was a way to cultivate the spirit of a sporting nation in the lead up to the Youth Olympics.
Dr Lee said the only way to sustain such a channel was to significantly raise radio and TV licence fees, a solution that is not in the best interest of the public.
Instead, he said the needs of the consumer were better met with commercially viable pay-TV channels.
He also assured the House that key sporting events of national significance, including the Youth Olympics, would be aired on free channels.”
“SPORTSCITY, a free-to-air sports channel launched in 2000, was not viable and had to be shut down within two years.
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lee Boon Yang on Tuesday brought up the failed MediaCorp venture to explain why the idea of a free-to-air sports channel here was a non-starter.
MP Penny Low (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) had pitched the idea in Parliament, arguing that it was a way to cultivate the spirit of a sporting nation in the lead up to the Youth Olympics.
Dr Lee said the only way to sustain such a channel was to significantly raise radio and TV licence fees, a solution that is not in the best interest of the public.
Instead, he said the needs of the consumer were better met with commercially viable pay-TV channels.
He also assured the House that key sporting events of national significance, including the Youth Olympics, would be aired on free channels.”
Sunday, September 14, 2008
MediaCorp is the only free-to-air TV broadcaster in Singapore. Its HQ is on Caldecott Hill. Before 2001 it was known as:
- Television Singapura (1963–1965)
- Radio and Television of Singapore (RTS) (1965–1980)
- Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) (1980–1994)
- Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) and the Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS) (1994–2001)
- Radio and Television of Singapore (RTS) (1965–1980)
- Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) (1980–1994)
- Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) and the Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS) (1994–2001)
For more information click here: Info
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
