Channel 5 (Singaporean TV channel)
Channel 5 is an English-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel primarily airs general entertainment and news programming in the English language. The channel began broadcasting on 15 February 1963 as the pilot service TV Singapura, the region's first television service. It officially launched on 2 April 1963. It initially broadcast programming in the official languages of English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil; Chinese and Tamil programming were later spun off to the newly-established Channel 8 in August 1963, and Malay programming moved to Channel 12 (now Suria) in 1994, leaving Channel 5 as an English-language service. History

Television Singapura/RTS
On January 3, 1963, the Singaporean government announced the start of pilot programming effective February 15. The station was set to broadcast on VHF channel 5 in the 625-line television standard and would provide a license fee of $24 per year ($2 per month), touted at the time as being "one of the cheapest in this part of the world". The output from the start of the pilot service was going to last less than two hours, before extending to four hours by April. A second channel was slated to start between August and September of the same year. By the time of the March extension, the service was going to carry filmed programming in English and Hokkien, before gradually extending to include Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and other Chinese dialects. The regular service would provide, effective April, a four-hour schedule in the official languages of Singapore. A temporary studio was built on Caldecott Hill in the precints of Radio Singapore and a television transmitter at Bukit Batok was erected. The staff consisted of experienced workers coming from the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan. Ahead of the start of the pilot service, it was recommended for manufacturers of television sets to ensure that their presets would match Channel 5 and Channel 8. The channel first launched as a pilot service, TV Singapura, on 15 February 1963. Minister for Culture S. Rajaratnam introduced its inaugural night of programming, which included the documentary TV Looks at Singapore, imported cartoons and comedy programmes, the Malay variety show Rampaian Malaysia (Malaysian Medley), and news. Rajaratnam stated that "tonight might well mark the start of a social and cultural revolution in our lives." The pilot service would broadcast 100 minutes of programmes per-night. At the time, it was estimated that only one in 58 persons in Singapore owned a television set. While many viewers found television as a source of entertainment, the real purpose of the new service was a mere tool against supporters of communism who were against Singapore's merger with Malaysia. The first newsreader on launch night was Steven Lee, while the first newsreel (Berita Singapura) was read by Harry Crabb, who later appeared in the regular bulletins. The news division was assisted by Australian David Prior, who trained train locals in the field of television journalism. At the time, it was projected that Prior would stay with TV Singapura for two years. Continuity announcers were also a central part of the staff, primarily appearing at start-up and at closedown delivering the schedule. Among the initial set of announcers were Mildred Appaduray (English), Kamala Dorai (Tamil), Hsu Fong Lim (Mandarin) and Zaiton Haji Mohamed (Malay). On 2 April 1963, the channel was formally inaugurated by President Yusof Ishak as TV Singapura Channel 5. It expanded its broadcast day to four hours per-night, broadcasting from 7:15 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. SGT in the four official languages. By the time of the launch of the regular service, TV sets were now available in 7000 households, per a Straits Times survey. A bespoke "second" channel opened on AM radio (1370 KHz) in June providing a second audio track for selected programming. On 31 August 1963, a second channel, Channel 8, began test broadcasts, which would carry Chinese and Tamil-language programming, leaving Channel 5 focused on English and Malay programming. In January 1964, Channel 5 and 8 became regional affiliates of TV Malaysia. Television advertising started on 15 January the same year. Following Singapore's separation from Malaysia, Channel 5 and Channel 8 became part of the new state broadcaster Radio Television Singapore, and was subsequently rebranded as RTS Channel 5. The first post-independence Grand Prix was held in Singapore was carried by the channel. Both channels moved to Television Centre on Caldecott Hill on 26 August 1966. As late as that period, the RTS channels were still known in some way as TV Singapura. On March 30, 1973, RTS paired down the languages of the channels. Channel 5 started broadcasting exclusively in English and Malay. The Chinese and Tamil content moved to Channel 8. In 1974, Channel 5 began experimental colour broadcasts, including live coverage of the 1974 FIFA World Cup final. Channel 5 broadcast its first domestic programme in colour, the National Day Parade, on 9 August. In late 1979, the channel conducted engineering tests after closedown, airing selected programming in colour before their supposed first runs later, confusing some viewers. SBC 5
On 31 January 1980, Radio Television Singapore (RTS) officially closing and ceased broadcast and transmission on RTS 5 at 11:50pm SST. On 1 February 1980, Radio Television Singapore (RTS) was officially renamed as Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). RTS 5 was officially new launched to new name or renamed becomes SBC 5. SBC Television including SBC 5 officially opening broadcast and transmission took place as very first programme or launching program were: Housewives Matinee officially opening telecast at 3:00pm SST. Stereo broadcasts debuted on Channel 5 and its sister channels on 1 August 1990. As an all-English channel
On New Year's Day 1994 at stroke of midnight SST, SBC 5 officially introduced and launched new logo and slogan for a new look "Where It All Happens!" after SBC 5 officially commenced its full 24-hour broadcasts becoming the very first channel in Singapore to do so marked officially introduced and launched new logo and slogan for a new look for SBC 5 opening at stroke of midnight SST and became the first channel in Singapore to become a full-fledged English-language channel with the television programme Tellymatch: Running On 5 at 7:30am SST, Tellymatch: Style Alive On 5 at 2:00pm SST and Tellymatch: Finale On 5 at 1:30am SST. SBC 5 officially commenced and broadcast its full 24-hour broadcasts becoming the very first channel in Singapore. News in English was officially launched new split into two new English television news bulletin programmes includes:
News 5 at Seven (now Asia Tonight) officially formal opening took place as Singapore's very first main flagship evening news programme officially opened on New Year's Day 1994 new aired, new schedule, new clock and new time became daily from 7:00pm to 7:30pm SST. News 5 Tonight (now News Tonight and Singapore Tonight) officially formal opening took place as Singapore's very first late-night television news bulletin on SBC 5 new aired, new schedule, new clock and new time became daily from 10:30pm to 11:00pm SST. Malay programmes were transferred from SBC 5 to SBC 12. The channel prepared a special line-up for the first day of the relaunched service, which involved a new logo and a new schedule. For the first time, on an exceptional basis, with the relaunch taking place at midnight. On 29 August 1994, AM Singapore as Singapore's first English-language breakfast programme begins on SBC 5 aired live on Monday to Friday at 6:00am SST. On 1 October 1994, SBC was formally privatised into a new holding company Singapore International Media (SIM) with four business units: Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS), Radio Corporation of Singapore (RCS), Television Twelve (TV12) and SIM Communications (SIMCOM). SBC 5 was officially new launched to new name or renamed becomes Channel 5. Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS) includes TCS 5 officially opening broadcast and transmission took place as very first programme or launching program were: E! News Week in Review officially opening telecast at 6:00am SST. On 3 July 1995, News 5 Today as Singapore English weekday midday and afternoon television news bulletin programmes aired on Monday to Friday from 12:00pm to 12:05pm and 3:00pm to 3:05pm SST marked TCS opened its very first lunchtime television news bulletin programmes on Channel 5. The bulletins lasted 10 minutes each. On 29 September 1995, Channel 5 expanded into a 24-hour network. On 28 February 1999, All Singapore English television news bulletin, information and current affairs programmes on Channel 5 officially move to CNA because due to officially launching ceremony or grand launching leaving only the main flagship television news bulletin (News 5 Tonight) with only one edition daily from 9:30pm to 10:00pm SST. On 1 March 1999, CNA was officially very first launched on 1 March 1999 under the Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS). The channel opened with a speech from Brigadier General George Yeo at Raffles Place, which as seen as "a bold move" during the Asian economic recession of the time. and from 1 March 1999 to 30 April 2019, Business Morning as Singapore's first English-language breakfast programme begins on CNA (live simulcast on Channel 5) aired live on Monday to Friday at 6:00am SST. The broadcast of X-Men on 4 May 2003 gave the channel a record 1.2 million viewers tuning in for its network television premiere. On 1 November 2014, Channel 5 announced a planned expansion of local original programming, including more current affairs programming focusing on Singapore (including the weeknight talkshow The 5 Show), a "local serial drama", and a new talent search competition. On 1 May 2019, Channel 5 officially removed and deleted its daytime live simulcasts of CNA with the children's programming block Okto on 5; this service replaced the Okto channel, which was discontinued. Programming 
 List of programmes broadcast by Channel 5 (Singapore)

References

External links 
 

1963 establishments in Singapore
Mediacorp
Television stations in Singapore
Television channels and stations established in 1963